January 28, 2026
Snap it, mod it, shelf it?
Mecha Comet – Open Modular Linux Handheld Computer
Snap-on magic or drawer bait? Fans hype, skeptics roll eyes
TLDR: A modular, magnet-snap handheld called Comet is funded on Kickstarter, with plans to release its hardware files after mass production. Comments split between excited tinkerers, skeptics predicting “drawer bait,” and others demanding clarity on the operating system—testing whether open, repairable gadgets can truly earn a daily role.
Meet the Mecha Comet: a handheld, snap‑on gadget promising grown‑up LEGO vibes. It packs 40 little connection pins for add‑ons, a repair‑friendly design, and plans to publish its circuit board files after mass production. The team touts openness and longevity, and it’s funded on Kickstarter.
Commenters immediately split into two camps. The dreamers love the magnets — snap, test, repeat — imagining custom sensors, game pads, and kitchen‑counter science. The skeptics warn of the “gadget graveyard” cycle: buy, tinker, then forget. One confession landed hard: “I want to want it but I fear it would just sit on my desk.”
Then came the spicy question: what’s the software situation? If “OS” means operating system, folks want clarity about updates and support. A blunt ask, “So… what’s the OS situation?”, followed a peek at the project’s Linux code. Meanwhile, automation fans joked about letting AI “run everything,” and veterans rolled eyes at yet another tiny computer.
Memes flew: “Legos for Linux,” “Snap‑to‑regret,” and “magnetize your boredom.” So the mood is equal parts hope and side‑eye. It’s a clever, repairable machine you can reconfigure on the fly, but it still faces the age‑old curse of shiny gadgets that never find a job.
Key Points
- •Comet is an open modular Linux handheld computer developed by Mecha.
- •The device provides 40 I/O pins to enable expanded functionality beyond onboard features.
- •External modules attach via an all-magnetic system for quick, secure snap-on/off extensions.
- •Comet is designed for longevity, with emphasis on repairability and modding from the start.
- •Mecha plans to publish PCB source files once Comet enters mass production.