Pine64 has halted Linux SBC production due to RAM and eMMC price spikes, but its MCU-based lineup, including the Pinecil, PineTime, and PineVoice, continues. Now the company is running a public survey asking the community to rank five candidate devices: an alarm clock, a PinePhone-esque MCU device with attachment support, a handheld multi-tool with a screen, FIDO hardware key, and NFC, an MP3 player, and an open-ended other category.
The framing matters. Pine64 explicitly separates 'fun' devices, those that support multiple use cases and generate community projects, from single-purpose tools. The PinePhone and PineTime qualify. The Pinecil does not. That internal taxonomy is driving the shortlist, and understanding it is the reason to read the original piece rather than just filling out the form.
The Pine Store, not the community, makes the final production call. No commitments are on the table. The survey closes whenever it closes, the Discord announcement has the details, and Pine64 is 10 years in with a track record worth paying attention to.
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