Title: Cyberdecks Make a Stylish Stand Against Big Tech Surveillance

When I contacted CC, who describes herself as an “open source baddie,” I suspected she was replying from inside a pink mermaid purse. “I’m having so much fun,” she said regarding her seashell-shaped cyberdeck. “It’s like a Tamagotchi, but it’s also an e-reader. It connects to my personal vault and servers, giving it access to all my server data—my PDFs, books, notes, and more. It’s even linked to my home AI setup.” Despite lacking formal training in software engineering or computer science, CC has mastered the art of constructing unconventional cyberdecks—small, do-it-yourself computers. She now documents her process on her blog, Bimbo Tech, aiming to inspire other women to build their own devices, even those unfamiliar with concepts like RAM.

The concept of the cyberdeck traces back to William Gibson’s 1984 sci-fi novel Neuromancer. However, the trend truly gained traction in the 2010s with the advent of credit card-sized computers like the Raspberry Pi, prompting hardware enthusiasts to share their creations in niche online circles. Recently, these communities have surged in popularity, driven largely by women on social media who are teaching one another to craft artistic, hyper-feminine computers by sharing their building journeys.

“There’s this underlying misogyny in tech,” CC noted with a running joke. “Whenever they release a professional or elite model, I’m always like, let me guess: it’s black or silver. It’s never going to come in pink.”

Customizing and designing these devices has evolved into an art form. On platforms like Instagram and TikTok, users showcase cyberdecks made from wood and moss that play Game Boy Color games, desert-themed MP3 players housed in 3D-printed fossils, Barbie dollhouses that reveal functional mini-computers, and duck figurines used for voice notes.

“I don’t want Meta AI glasses. I want to pirate books in a tiny, embellished shell,” TikTok creator Sarahbelle Kim stated. “No one can surveil you there. You can source basic parts from thrift stores or eBay and customize them.”

While the aesthetic appeal of “girly” cyberdecks is undeniable—why not check email from a Hello Kitty purse?—the movement is about more than just glitter. This trend peaks during a time when many feel powerless against the uniformity of big tech. CC explained, “It’s such a refreshing change for people used to devices like Apple’s. If you try to jailbreak a phone you paid $1,000 for, you void the warranty. I love seeing people take power and control back into their hands. It’s always about creativity when people are given the means to step outside the black box.”

Maro Vardanyan, a blockchain developer who doesn’t work with hardware, has long enjoyed collecting and tinkering with old computer parts. “A few months ago, I started making art, jewelry, and purses from recycled or upcycled old computers as a hobby,” she said. “When I saw everyone making cyberdecks, I thought, why am I just recycling when I can preserve these pieces on something wearable and movable?”

Vardanyan takes a different approach, highlighting the historical link between fiber arts and technology. She describes her work as “crocheting with computers” or “macrame motherboards,” intentionally referencing weaving—a practice often dismissed as domestic, women’s labor—in the history of early computing. Before silicon processors, some early computers utilized magnetic-core memory, consisting of copper wiring precisely threaded to encode the binary 1s and 0s. To enable NASA to build th

Source: TechCrunch Generated at: 2026-06-02 20:20:00 UTC