The concept of the cyberdeck originated in William Gibson’s 1984 sci-fi novel “Neuromancer,” where credit card-sized computers like the Raspberry Pi entered the market in the 2010s, sparking a niche online community of hardware enthusiasts building and sharing their own cyberdecks. However, over the last few months, these communities have exploded in popularity due to women on social media who are teaching each other to build artistic, hyper-feminine computers by documenting their building processes.
The process of customizing and designing a cyberdeck has become an art form in itself. On Instagram and TikTok, you can find a cyberdeck made of wood and moss that runs Game Boy Color games; a desert-inspired MP3 player built inside of a 3D-printed fossil; a Barbie dollhouse that opens up to reveal a functional mini-computer; or a duck figurine that can be used to record voice notes.
While there’s an aesthetic motivation behind the rise of girly cyberdecks, using a Hello Kitty purse to check your email is more than just for fun. This trend has peaked at a time when people feel powerless against big tech’s omnipresent homogeneity.
“[I] think that’s such a refreshing thing for people who were sold these devices that are like Apple’s… If you try to jailbreak it, if you try to do anything to this phone that you paid $1,000 for, that you own, it’s out of warranty,” said CC, the self-proclaimed ‘open source baddie’ behind Bimbo Tech.
Maro Vandanyan doesn’t work with hardware as a blockchain developer but enjoys collecting and tinkering with old computer parts. She refers to her work as “crocheting with computers” or “macrame motherboards,” deliberately nodding to the role of weaving in early computing history.
Before silicon processors, some early computers ran on magnetic-core memory made up of copper wiring precisely threaded to encode binary code. In order for NASA to build the Apollo Guidance Computer, expert women textile workers were tasked with meticulously weaving wires in complex patterns that powered the spacecraft landing the first man on the moon.
The original processor was handwoven by seamstresses, not engineers or anybody else,” she said. “I feel like the hand weaving and even the fashion-meets-technology… It’s so full circle.”
Vandanyan started weaving pink Raspberry Pis to make purses and corsets then posted photos of her works-in-progress on X.
This trend is a reaction against the homogenization of technology, where people feel powerless against big tech’s dominance. By building their own cyberdecks, women are taking back control and creating something unique and personal.
The rise of cyberdecks has also sparked a new wave of creativity in hardware hacking, with women pushing the boundaries of what is possible with everyday objects.
As CC said, “It’s not just about building a computer; it’s about building a community.”
Source: Original article