This is a PCMCIA development board for retro-computing enthusiasts who want to experiment with audio, networking, and expansion on vintage laptops and mobile devices. While ISA users have enjoyed projects like PicoGUS and PicoMEM, PCMCIA users have long been limited to scarce legacy cards with narrow functionality — this board aims to change that. The project is fully open source, and while it is designed to encourage low-level experimentation and development, pre-built, community-provided firmware is available for users who want to test functionality without diving into the technical details. It is intended for hobbyist and development use and is not certified for production deployment. Reserve Now
Device Compatibility
This is a Type II, 5V, 16-bit PC Card designed for use in compliant PCMCIA sockets and should work in most devices. While I have not yet encountered a device advertising PCMCIA support that was incompatible, support for every device cannot be guaranteed. Power consumption varies depending on enabled functions; support for low-power devices such as the HP 200LX is considered mandatory, and the card has been tested to remain within the 150 mA limit while using network functionality and storage emulation. On devices with very limited power budgets, simultaneous use of networking and audio may require external power.
A short list of devices that I actively test on:
IBM PC110
HP 200LX
Amiga 1200
Apple Newton
HP Jornada 720
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