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		<title><![CDATA[PINE64 - General]]></title>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:50:34 +0000</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Selling Pinebook Pro, PineNote and PineTab-V]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20344</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 01:29:46 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=29100">arw</a>]]></dc:creator>
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			<description><![CDATA[Feel free to DM me. US based. <br />
<br />
PBP is scratched on the bottom but otherwise fine. PineTab-V and PineNote are in flawless condition.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Feel free to DM me. US based. <br />
<br />
PBP is scratched on the bottom but otherwise fine. PineTab-V and PineNote are in flawless condition.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title><![CDATA[PineBuds Pro: Teardown and Battery Replacement]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20340</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 03 Aug 2026 13:45:59 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=30165">waitingpio</a>]]></dc:creator>
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			<description><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">PineBuds Pro: Teardown and Battery Replacement</span><br />
<br />
#repair #battery #electronics #Piner<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
My PineBuds Pro were new old stock. Never used, just sat in a box. When I finally charged them they ran about an hour at low volume with ANC off, which is well under spec.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
These buds are repairable and the cells are cheap. The problem is that there's almost no teardown information for them anywhere online, so I wrote this up.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One thing to know before you start: if the buds are old, the cell inside has probably swollen. Mine had. Better to find that out now than halfway through prying the shell apart.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Disclaimer</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is a record of a repair I did on my own PineBuds Pro. I have an electronics background and years of hands-on soldering experience, and this write-up assumes a similar level of skill. It isn't a beginner guide, and it isn't a recommendation that anyone else attempt it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lithium cells can vent, catch fire, or explode if punctured, crushed, shorted, or overheated. Opening the buds is irreversible and voids any warranty.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If you try this, you do so entirely at your own risk. I accept no responsibility for any damage, injury, or loss that results.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
⚠️ Lithium cells can catch fire if punctured or shorted. Don't pry near the cell, don't let metal touch both terminals, and stop if it gets hot. At your own risk.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 1: Open the earbud</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/wvQmMwtR/Pine-Buds-Pro-squeezing-the-earbud-shell.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-squeezing-the-earbud-shell.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: squeezing the earbud shell]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There are no screws. The shell is held by internal clips with a little adhesive. The way in is to flex it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The plastic is soft and has some give. Squeezing the shell deforms it just enough to strain the joint from inside, and the clips release and the glue tears before the plastic takes any damage.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Squeeze firmly near the seam and hold. The seam starts to separate, and you may even see the LED indicator through the gap. Keep the pressure on, work a plastic pry tool into the opening, then run it around the edge to release the remaining clips.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Squeeze in short bursts rather than one long press. Repeated flexing works the clips loose bit by bit, and you get much better control than with steady heavy force.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 2: A note on debris and tools</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
You'll see crumbs or dust as the shell opens. That's the old adhesive breaking up, not the plastic cracking. Nothing to worry about.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Use a plastic pry tool or spudger. Never a metal blade or screwdriver. The shell plastic is good quality and flexes well, but it's soft enough that metal will gouge it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Use a wide tool too, not a pointed one. A narrow tip puts all the force on one spot, which dents the plastic and can crack the clip underneath. A broad edge spreads that force along the seam so the shell flexes as a whole. A guitar pick works well. Avoid anything sharp.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 3: Inside the earbud</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/RhPJQqLS/Pine-Buds-Pro-shell-apart-PCB-visible-small-black-rubber-cover-loose-in-the-shell.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-shell-apart-PCB-visible-sm...-shell.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: shell apart, PCB visible, small black rubber cover loose in the shell]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
With the shell apart you can see the PCB. It isn't screwed down. It's held by heat-staked plastic posts, where moulded pins have been pushed through the board and their tips melted flat.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
How the touch controls work. The inside of the outer cover is lined with aluminium foil. Once assembled, that foil rests against two pogo pins on the PCB, and those pins run to the capacitive sensing pin on the chip. When you touch the outside of the shell (the side facing away from your ear), the capacitance changes and the chip reads it through those pins. That's the whole touch input path for volume, ANC and everything else.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The other four contacts sit on the opposite face, the side against your ear, next to the speaker. Those are the charging and flashing contacts, covered in Step 4.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Don't lose the mic gasket. There's a small black rubber cover sitting in the shell. It belongs over the microphone on the PCB, it isn't attached to anything, and it falls out very easily. Put it somewhere safe as soon as you see it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 4: Remove the PCB</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/jqvfrk03/Pine-Buds-Pro-PCB-removed-showing-main-chip-battery-and-wiring.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-PCB-removed-showing-main-c...wiring.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: PCB removed, showing main chip, battery and wiring]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Cut or shave off the melted heads of the plastic posts, then lift the board out. The battery is underneath, hidden by the PCB.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The main chip is a BES2300 (Bestechnic), running from an external 26.000 MHz crystal. A solid, well-supported part.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Six very fine heat-resistant wires run under the board:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul class="mycode_list"><li>2 to the battery, B+ and B−<br />
</li>
<li>4 to the external contact pads: V+ and V− for charging, TX and RX for firmware flashing<br />
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
An FPC ribbon cable connects to the speaker.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 5: The battery</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/XYBBdjZx/Pine-Buds-Pro-battery-lifted-out.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-battery-lifted-out.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: battery lifted out]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/tCTxRt9X/Pine-Buds-Pro-peeling-back-the-foam-tape-to-reveal-the-label.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-peeling-back-the-foam-tape...-label.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: peeling back the foam tape to reveal the label]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The battery lifts out once the PCB is clear. It's wrapped in single-sided vibration-damping foam tape. Peel this back to find the label.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Cell: YD 501012, 40 mAh<br />
<br />
Measured: 12.8 × 9.6 × 5.5 mm<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The part number is the nominal cell size. 501012 means 5.0 mm thick, 10 mm, 12 mm. That's a useful starting point for searching, but it only describes the bare cell. The protection board and the wire joint add to the real dimensions, and different sellers measure differently — some quote the cell alone, some quote the whole assembly. Check the actual measurements in the listing, and where the protection board sits, before you order.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Note the measured thickness is 5.5 mm against a nominal 5.0 mm. You can see in the photo in step 6 that this cell has already swollen a little. That's normal after years in storage and it's almost certainly why the runtime was so bad.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There's no spare room in the shell, so a physically larger cell won't go in. Match these dimensions when you source a replacement.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
⚠️ A swollen cell needs care. Don't press it, bend it or puncture it. Lift it out flat, keep it away from anything flammable, and take it to a battery recycling point soon rather than leaving it on the bench.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 6: Fitting the new battery</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/JhbyYp5K/Pine-Buds-Pro-disconnecting-one-lead-at-a-time-new-cell-ready.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-disconnecting-one-lead-at-...-ready.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: disconnecting one lead at a time, new cell ready]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Disconnect one lead at a time, and insulate each one as soon as it's free. If you cut both leads together with metal cutters you short the cell, because the tool bridges the terminals.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I cut the positive lead first, kept it away from anything metal, taped the end, and only then did the negative.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Choosing a replacement<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The cell I used came from a source I trust. It has a protection board built in and a recent manufacturing date. Both of those matter more than the brand name. A cheap unprotected cell sealed inside an earbud isn't worth the risk.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The best match I could find was a 301012, 30 mAh:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Original  vs.  Replacement<br />
<br />
Part: YD 501012 vs. 301012<br />
<br />
Capacity: 40 mAh vs. 30 mAh<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nominal size: 5.0 × 10 × 12 mm vs. 3.0 × 10 × 12 mm<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Same footprint, 2 mm thinner, 25% less capacity. Less runtime than a factory-fresh bud, but still better than a swollen cell.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The thinner cell leaves about 2 mm of slack in the pocket. I wrapped it with high-temperature-resistant tape until it was a snug fit, which stops it moving around and also insulates it against any short.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 7: Soldering</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/qR4NP21Z/Pine-Buds-Pro-new-battery-soldered-to-the-back-side-of-the-PCB.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-new-battery-soldered-to-th...he-PCB.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: new battery soldered to the back side of the PCB]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is the part that needs real soldering skill. The bud and its PCB are small and won't stay put on their own, so I'd strongly suggest a soldering fixture or helping hands. In practice it isn't really optional.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The glue is the main obstacle. The wires and PCB are held with adhesive, which works well against vibration, but under the iron it softens, flows, and covers the pad you're working on. There are also several connectors and wires close by, so there's very little clean space.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
What I did instead: I removed the old battery wires from the front of the PCB and soldered the new ones to the back. The joints are through-hole, so the same pads are reachable from behind, and that side is clean and open with no risk of bridging to a neighbouring connector.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Test before you close up. Once the battery is connected the LED should light. The bud doesn't power on by itself, though. The pogo pins go straight to the chip's capacitive sensing pin, so it's your hand on the pins that triggers it. Either way, the LED tells you the joints are good. Check now, not after reassembly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One thing Pine64 got right: the original wire is ultra-fine, heat-resistant and break-resistant, noticeably better than what came with my replacement cell. Ordinary insulation shrinks back or melts if the iron sits on it a moment too long.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Which gives an option worth considering. You could keep the original wire. Cut the old cell's leads a few millimetres from the battery, cut the new cell's leads short, and splice the two with heat-shrink. The PCB joints never get touched, and the delicate work happens in open air with no glue nearby.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 8: Reassembly</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/d30L1wPb/Pine-Buds-Pro-glue-applied-over-the-battery-terminals.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-glue-applied-over-the-batt...minals.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: glue applied over the battery terminals]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Before closing anything, check that the battery is seated properly, the wires are clear of any pinch points, and there's nothing that could short.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I put glue over the battery terminals to protect them, and used it to hold the PCB down since the heat-staked posts were cut off in Step 4.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Then, in order:<br />
<br />
    1. Seat the rubber gasket back onto the microphone. Easy to forget, and a missing gasket means a muffled mic.<br />
<br />
    2. Check the aluminium foil inside the cover is intact and will sit flat against the pogo pins.<br />
<br />
    3. Apply glue around the inner edge of the shell.<br />
<br />
    4. Press the cover back on.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The glue is optional. The internal clips hold the shell closed on their own, so skip it if you'd rather keep the bud easy to open again. When the cover seats properly you'll hear a clear click, and that means it's home.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
! Keep glue away from the pogo pins, the aluminium foil, and the clear plastic LED light guide inside the cover. Adhesive on the pins or foil insulates the contact and kills the touch controls. Glue on the light guide clouds it and dims the LED.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 9: Clamping and curing</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/QtmFhVP0/Pine-Buds-Pro-earbud-clamped-shut-with-a-clip.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-earbud-clamped-shut-with-a-clip.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: earbud clamped shut with a clip]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Clamp the bud shut with a folded paper towel between the clip and the shell, so the pressure is spread out and the plastic doesn't mark. Leave it clamped while the adhesive cures.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I used T7000, the black cellphone repair glue for resealing phone housings after a screen replacement.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Set time 3–6 minutes<br />
<br />
Full cure 24–48 hours<br />
<br />
Temperature range −35 °C to +90 °C<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It's sold as waterproof, flexible, vibration-damping and low-odour once cured.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Don't rush the cure. It's tempting to test after a few minutes, but the bond won't reach full strength for a day or two, and this is the joint holding a lithium cell inside a sealed shell.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Two tips for using it on earbuds. Use it sparingly, because squeeze-out inside the shell is very hard to clean up. And let the buds air out before wearing them, since the solvent smell takes a while to leave a small enclosed space that sits in your ear.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Results</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/1Xzfts1x/Pine-Buds-Pro-with-new-battery-working.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-with-new-battery-working.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: PineBuds with new battery, working]<br />
<br />
<br />
Tested at low volume with ANC off, playing continuously until the earbud announced shutdown.<br />
<br />
The original cell managed about 1 hour before I started.<br />
<br />
First full charge after the repair: 2 hours 11 minutes<br />
Second full charge: 2 hours 48 minutes<br />
<br />
The jump between the two surprised me. A new cell usually needs a few charge cycles before it settles at its real capacity, so I'd expect the third and fourth runs to land somewhere near the second. Worth knowing if you do this yourself: don't judge the result from the first charge alone.<br />
<br />
ANC still works, along with the touch controls and the microphone. This one matters, because Pine64's own store page warns that dismantling the buds can affect performance and ANC especially. It survived on my pair.<br />
<br />
Going from 40 mAh to 30 mAh does cost some capacity on paper. But the runtime nearly tripled, which tells you how far gone the original cell was, and the swollen one is out of the earbud, which I wanted to do anyway.<br />
<br />
<br />
A few notes<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
These are nice to work on.<br />
<br />
The shell opens without breaking anything, the wire quality is good, and the board is tidy inside.<br />
<br />
Better than I expected, honestly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
small things that would make life easier for the next person:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The heat-staked posts are the only step you can't undo. Everything else comes apart and goes back together fine.<br />
<br />
A clip or a single small screw would make these properly repairable<br />
<br />
as long as whatever replaces the staking still lets the shell give a little, so a swelling cell can push the case open rather than building pressure inside it.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">PineBuds Pro: Teardown and Battery Replacement</span><br />
<br />
#repair #battery #electronics #Piner<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
My PineBuds Pro were new old stock. Never used, just sat in a box. When I finally charged them they ran about an hour at low volume with ANC off, which is well under spec.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
These buds are repairable and the cells are cheap. The problem is that there's almost no teardown information for them anywhere online, so I wrote this up.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One thing to know before you start: if the buds are old, the cell inside has probably swollen. Mine had. Better to find that out now than halfway through prying the shell apart.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Disclaimer</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is a record of a repair I did on my own PineBuds Pro. I have an electronics background and years of hands-on soldering experience, and this write-up assumes a similar level of skill. It isn't a beginner guide, and it isn't a recommendation that anyone else attempt it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lithium cells can vent, catch fire, or explode if punctured, crushed, shorted, or overheated. Opening the buds is irreversible and voids any warranty.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If you try this, you do so entirely at your own risk. I accept no responsibility for any damage, injury, or loss that results.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
⚠️ Lithium cells can catch fire if punctured or shorted. Don't pry near the cell, don't let metal touch both terminals, and stop if it gets hot. At your own risk.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 1: Open the earbud</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/wvQmMwtR/Pine-Buds-Pro-squeezing-the-earbud-shell.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-squeezing-the-earbud-shell.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: squeezing the earbud shell]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There are no screws. The shell is held by internal clips with a little adhesive. The way in is to flex it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The plastic is soft and has some give. Squeezing the shell deforms it just enough to strain the joint from inside, and the clips release and the glue tears before the plastic takes any damage.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Squeeze firmly near the seam and hold. The seam starts to separate, and you may even see the LED indicator through the gap. Keep the pressure on, work a plastic pry tool into the opening, then run it around the edge to release the remaining clips.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Squeeze in short bursts rather than one long press. Repeated flexing works the clips loose bit by bit, and you get much better control than with steady heavy force.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 2: A note on debris and tools</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
You'll see crumbs or dust as the shell opens. That's the old adhesive breaking up, not the plastic cracking. Nothing to worry about.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Use a plastic pry tool or spudger. Never a metal blade or screwdriver. The shell plastic is good quality and flexes well, but it's soft enough that metal will gouge it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Use a wide tool too, not a pointed one. A narrow tip puts all the force on one spot, which dents the plastic and can crack the clip underneath. A broad edge spreads that force along the seam so the shell flexes as a whole. A guitar pick works well. Avoid anything sharp.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 3: Inside the earbud</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/RhPJQqLS/Pine-Buds-Pro-shell-apart-PCB-visible-small-black-rubber-cover-loose-in-the-shell.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-shell-apart-PCB-visible-sm...-shell.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: shell apart, PCB visible, small black rubber cover loose in the shell]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
With the shell apart you can see the PCB. It isn't screwed down. It's held by heat-staked plastic posts, where moulded pins have been pushed through the board and their tips melted flat.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
How the touch controls work. The inside of the outer cover is lined with aluminium foil. Once assembled, that foil rests against two pogo pins on the PCB, and those pins run to the capacitive sensing pin on the chip. When you touch the outside of the shell (the side facing away from your ear), the capacitance changes and the chip reads it through those pins. That's the whole touch input path for volume, ANC and everything else.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The other four contacts sit on the opposite face, the side against your ear, next to the speaker. Those are the charging and flashing contacts, covered in Step 4.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Don't lose the mic gasket. There's a small black rubber cover sitting in the shell. It belongs over the microphone on the PCB, it isn't attached to anything, and it falls out very easily. Put it somewhere safe as soon as you see it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 4: Remove the PCB</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/jqvfrk03/Pine-Buds-Pro-PCB-removed-showing-main-chip-battery-and-wiring.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-PCB-removed-showing-main-c...wiring.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: PCB removed, showing main chip, battery and wiring]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Cut or shave off the melted heads of the plastic posts, then lift the board out. The battery is underneath, hidden by the PCB.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The main chip is a BES2300 (Bestechnic), running from an external 26.000 MHz crystal. A solid, well-supported part.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Six very fine heat-resistant wires run under the board:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul class="mycode_list"><li>2 to the battery, B+ and B−<br />
</li>
<li>4 to the external contact pads: V+ and V− for charging, TX and RX for firmware flashing<br />
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
An FPC ribbon cable connects to the speaker.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 5: The battery</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/XYBBdjZx/Pine-Buds-Pro-battery-lifted-out.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-battery-lifted-out.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: battery lifted out]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/tCTxRt9X/Pine-Buds-Pro-peeling-back-the-foam-tape-to-reveal-the-label.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-peeling-back-the-foam-tape...-label.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: peeling back the foam tape to reveal the label]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The battery lifts out once the PCB is clear. It's wrapped in single-sided vibration-damping foam tape. Peel this back to find the label.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Cell: YD 501012, 40 mAh<br />
<br />
Measured: 12.8 × 9.6 × 5.5 mm<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The part number is the nominal cell size. 501012 means 5.0 mm thick, 10 mm, 12 mm. That's a useful starting point for searching, but it only describes the bare cell. The protection board and the wire joint add to the real dimensions, and different sellers measure differently — some quote the cell alone, some quote the whole assembly. Check the actual measurements in the listing, and where the protection board sits, before you order.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Note the measured thickness is 5.5 mm against a nominal 5.0 mm. You can see in the photo in step 6 that this cell has already swollen a little. That's normal after years in storage and it's almost certainly why the runtime was so bad.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There's no spare room in the shell, so a physically larger cell won't go in. Match these dimensions when you source a replacement.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
⚠️ A swollen cell needs care. Don't press it, bend it or puncture it. Lift it out flat, keep it away from anything flammable, and take it to a battery recycling point soon rather than leaving it on the bench.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 6: Fitting the new battery</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/JhbyYp5K/Pine-Buds-Pro-disconnecting-one-lead-at-a-time-new-cell-ready.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-disconnecting-one-lead-at-...-ready.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: disconnecting one lead at a time, new cell ready]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Disconnect one lead at a time, and insulate each one as soon as it's free. If you cut both leads together with metal cutters you short the cell, because the tool bridges the terminals.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I cut the positive lead first, kept it away from anything metal, taped the end, and only then did the negative.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Choosing a replacement<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The cell I used came from a source I trust. It has a protection board built in and a recent manufacturing date. Both of those matter more than the brand name. A cheap unprotected cell sealed inside an earbud isn't worth the risk.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The best match I could find was a 301012, 30 mAh:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Original  vs.  Replacement<br />
<br />
Part: YD 501012 vs. 301012<br />
<br />
Capacity: 40 mAh vs. 30 mAh<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Nominal size: 5.0 × 10 × 12 mm vs. 3.0 × 10 × 12 mm<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Same footprint, 2 mm thinner, 25% less capacity. Less runtime than a factory-fresh bud, but still better than a swollen cell.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The thinner cell leaves about 2 mm of slack in the pocket. I wrapped it with high-temperature-resistant tape until it was a snug fit, which stops it moving around and also insulates it against any short.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 7: Soldering</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/qR4NP21Z/Pine-Buds-Pro-new-battery-soldered-to-the-back-side-of-the-PCB.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-new-battery-soldered-to-th...he-PCB.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: new battery soldered to the back side of the PCB]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This is the part that needs real soldering skill. The bud and its PCB are small and won't stay put on their own, so I'd strongly suggest a soldering fixture or helping hands. In practice it isn't really optional.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The glue is the main obstacle. The wires and PCB are held with adhesive, which works well against vibration, but under the iron it softens, flows, and covers the pad you're working on. There are also several connectors and wires close by, so there's very little clean space.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
What I did instead: I removed the old battery wires from the front of the PCB and soldered the new ones to the back. The joints are through-hole, so the same pads are reachable from behind, and that side is clean and open with no risk of bridging to a neighbouring connector.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Test before you close up. Once the battery is connected the LED should light. The bud doesn't power on by itself, though. The pogo pins go straight to the chip's capacitive sensing pin, so it's your hand on the pins that triggers it. Either way, the LED tells you the joints are good. Check now, not after reassembly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One thing Pine64 got right: the original wire is ultra-fine, heat-resistant and break-resistant, noticeably better than what came with my replacement cell. Ordinary insulation shrinks back or melts if the iron sits on it a moment too long.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Which gives an option worth considering. You could keep the original wire. Cut the old cell's leads a few millimetres from the battery, cut the new cell's leads short, and splice the two with heat-shrink. The PCB joints never get touched, and the delicate work happens in open air with no glue nearby.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 8: Reassembly</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/d30L1wPb/Pine-Buds-Pro-glue-applied-over-the-battery-terminals.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-glue-applied-over-the-batt...minals.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: glue applied over the battery terminals]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Before closing anything, check that the battery is seated properly, the wires are clear of any pinch points, and there's nothing that could short.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I put glue over the battery terminals to protect them, and used it to hold the PCB down since the heat-staked posts were cut off in Step 4.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Then, in order:<br />
<br />
    1. Seat the rubber gasket back onto the microphone. Easy to forget, and a missing gasket means a muffled mic.<br />
<br />
    2. Check the aluminium foil inside the cover is intact and will sit flat against the pogo pins.<br />
<br />
    3. Apply glue around the inner edge of the shell.<br />
<br />
    4. Press the cover back on.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The glue is optional. The internal clips hold the shell closed on their own, so skip it if you'd rather keep the bud easy to open again. When the cover seats properly you'll hear a clear click, and that means it's home.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
! Keep glue away from the pogo pins, the aluminium foil, and the clear plastic LED light guide inside the cover. Adhesive on the pins or foil insulates the contact and kills the touch controls. Glue on the light guide clouds it and dims the LED.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Step 9: Clamping and curing</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/QtmFhVP0/Pine-Buds-Pro-earbud-clamped-shut-with-a-clip.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-earbud-clamped-shut-with-a-clip.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: earbud clamped shut with a clip]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Clamp the bud shut with a folded paper towel between the clip and the shell, so the pressure is spread out and the plastic doesn't mark. Leave it clamped while the adhesive cures.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I used T7000, the black cellphone repair glue for resealing phone housings after a screen replacement.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Set time 3–6 minutes<br />
<br />
Full cure 24–48 hours<br />
<br />
Temperature range −35 °C to +90 °C<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It's sold as waterproof, flexible, vibration-damping and low-odour once cured.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Don't rush the cure. It's tempting to test after a few minutes, but the bond won't reach full strength for a day or two, and this is the joint holding a lithium cell inside a sealed shell.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Two tips for using it on earbuds. Use it sparingly, because squeeze-out inside the shell is very hard to clean up. And let the buds air out before wearing them, since the solvent smell takes a while to leave a small enclosed space that sits in your ear.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Results</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img src="https://i.postimg.cc/1Xzfts1x/Pine-Buds-Pro-with-new-battery-working.png" loading="lazy"  alt="[Image: Pine-Buds-Pro-with-new-battery-working.png]" class="mycode_img" /><br />
<br />
[pic: PineBuds with new battery, working]<br />
<br />
<br />
Tested at low volume with ANC off, playing continuously until the earbud announced shutdown.<br />
<br />
The original cell managed about 1 hour before I started.<br />
<br />
First full charge after the repair: 2 hours 11 minutes<br />
Second full charge: 2 hours 48 minutes<br />
<br />
The jump between the two surprised me. A new cell usually needs a few charge cycles before it settles at its real capacity, so I'd expect the third and fourth runs to land somewhere near the second. Worth knowing if you do this yourself: don't judge the result from the first charge alone.<br />
<br />
ANC still works, along with the touch controls and the microphone. This one matters, because Pine64's own store page warns that dismantling the buds can affect performance and ANC especially. It survived on my pair.<br />
<br />
Going from 40 mAh to 30 mAh does cost some capacity on paper. But the runtime nearly tripled, which tells you how far gone the original cell was, and the swollen one is out of the earbud, which I wanted to do anyway.<br />
<br />
<br />
A few notes<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
These are nice to work on.<br />
<br />
The shell opens without breaking anything, the wire quality is good, and the board is tidy inside.<br />
<br />
Better than I expected, honestly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
small things that would make life easier for the next person:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The heat-staked posts are the only step you can't undo. Everything else comes apart and goes back together fine.<br />
<br />
A clip or a single small screw would make these properly repairable<br />
<br />
as long as whatever replaces the staking still lets the shell give a little, so a swelling cell can push the case open rather than building pressure inside it.]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Hacker Phone Manifesto]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20333</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2026 20:40:36 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=30156">MaSk</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20333</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[I've spent a lot of time thinking about the friction of using a modern phone and I think it comes down to one thing: every device today stands alone, closed and fixed, telling you exactly what it is and how you're allowed to use it. Little to no expandability, in hardware or software.<br />
<br />
I think it's time to challenge that. That belief led me to write a hacker phone manifesto — an attempt to revisit the values behind devices like the N900, and sketch what a phone that's open and hardware-expandable could actually look like.<br />
<br />
I'd love to hear whether people think this is technically viable today, or whether the market killed that idea for good reasons. And if this is off-topic here, I apologize in advance, you can point me some place better.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://beyondframe.ink/hacker-phone-the-unifying-idea-behind-open-hardware/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mycode_url">https://beyondframe.ink/hacker-phone-the...-hardware/</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[I've spent a lot of time thinking about the friction of using a modern phone and I think it comes down to one thing: every device today stands alone, closed and fixed, telling you exactly what it is and how you're allowed to use it. Little to no expandability, in hardware or software.<br />
<br />
I think it's time to challenge that. That belief led me to write a hacker phone manifesto — an attempt to revisit the values behind devices like the N900, and sketch what a phone that's open and hardware-expandable could actually look like.<br />
<br />
I'd love to hear whether people think this is technically viable today, or whether the market killed that idea for good reasons. And if this is off-topic here, I apologize in advance, you can point me some place better.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://beyondframe.ink/hacker-phone-the-unifying-idea-behind-open-hardware/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mycode_url">https://beyondframe.ink/hacker-phone-the...-hardware/</a>]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Ordering from Pine64 website]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20332</link>
			<pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2026 20:07:38 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=30160">NonPlayableCharacter22</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20332</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Hello. Ordering from Pine64 has been hands down the worst experience ever. I have encountered many terrible websites but by far this is horrendous. I get hit with the captcha verification every thirty or so seconds. I do the annoying "mark the bicycle" captcha which eventually says is wrong followed by "tap the bus" captcha. And this verification expires every 20 or so seconds? i open my phone to open the banking app and my card details and it is expired and I have to do the captcha again. <br />
<br />
Worst of all, after all this, when I finally hit pay, I get this wonderful error: "Field <span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Billing address 1</span> should have only English letters, digits, spaces and , / @ . ( ) - characters."<br />
<br />
Great, ascii is the only character set in the world. For Once I decided to spend more money on a company with values I respect, I am barred from buying. It is like you do not want anyone in Europe to buy from you. <br />
<br />
I corrected the address and the error still exists. Only after two tries I realised it is talking about the main billing and shipping address not the billing address it asks AGAIN after entering card details.<br />
<br />
I don't need any resolution for this until you fix this terrible website. Even AI can make a better payment experience than Pine64. I still have not placed the large order I wanted and am now considering going back to buying cheaper ones from other sources. Thank you very much guys.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Hello. Ordering from Pine64 has been hands down the worst experience ever. I have encountered many terrible websites but by far this is horrendous. I get hit with the captcha verification every thirty or so seconds. I do the annoying "mark the bicycle" captcha which eventually says is wrong followed by "tap the bus" captcha. And this verification expires every 20 or so seconds? i open my phone to open the banking app and my card details and it is expired and I have to do the captcha again. <br />
<br />
Worst of all, after all this, when I finally hit pay, I get this wonderful error: "Field <span style="font-weight: bold;" class="mycode_b">Billing address 1</span> should have only English letters, digits, spaces and , / @ . ( ) - characters."<br />
<br />
Great, ascii is the only character set in the world. For Once I decided to spend more money on a company with values I respect, I am barred from buying. It is like you do not want anyone in Europe to buy from you. <br />
<br />
I corrected the address and the error still exists. Only after two tries I realised it is talking about the main billing and shipping address not the billing address it asks AGAIN after entering card details.<br />
<br />
I don't need any resolution for this until you fix this terrible website. Even AI can make a better payment experience than Pine64. I still have not placed the large order I wanted and am now considering going back to buying cheaper ones from other sources. Thank you very much guys.]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Manjaro affected by Arch supply chain rootkit]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20308</link>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 16:45:42 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=26551">tantamount</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20308</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[If you are using Manjaro on a PinePhone, you might want to look at this alert:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://threat-modeling.com/arch-linux-aur-supply-chain-compromise-june-2026/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mycode_url">https://threat-modeling.com/arch-linux-a...june-2026/</a>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[If you are using Manjaro on a PinePhone, you might want to look at this alert:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://threat-modeling.com/arch-linux-aur-supply-chain-compromise-june-2026/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mycode_url">https://threat-modeling.com/arch-linux-a...june-2026/</a>]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Avaota A1 - Mainline]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20281</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:16:01 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=26260">sam_uk</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20281</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[I have one of these <a href="https://pine64.com/product/yuzuki-avaota-a1-single-board-computer-4gb-32gb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mycode_url">https://pine64.com/product/yuzuki-avaota...-4gb-32gb/</a><br />
<br />
Trying to get mainline on it: <a href="https://github.com/Agroecology-Lab/build" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mycode_url">https://github.com/Agroecology-Lab/build</a><br />
<br />
Running into issues with it <a href="https://github.com/Agroecology-Lab/build/issues/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mycode_url">https://github.com/Agroecology-Lab/build/issues/1</a><br />
<br />
If anyone wants to play along or help that would be great]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[I have one of these <a href="https://pine64.com/product/yuzuki-avaota-a1-single-board-computer-4gb-32gb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mycode_url">https://pine64.com/product/yuzuki-avaota...-4gb-32gb/</a><br />
<br />
Trying to get mainline on it: <a href="https://github.com/Agroecology-Lab/build" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mycode_url">https://github.com/Agroecology-Lab/build</a><br />
<br />
Running into issues with it <a href="https://github.com/Agroecology-Lab/build/issues/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="mycode_url">https://github.com/Agroecology-Lab/build/issues/1</a><br />
<br />
If anyone wants to play along or help that would be great]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Totally disabling auto-boot when charger is plugged in?]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20279</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 16:28:09 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=30062">A Mnesia</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20279</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[I have tried Postmarket OS on my Pine64 device, and it has the very annoying behavior of always auto-booting when I plug in the charger.<br />
<br />
Is there any way to totally and completely disable this auto-boot behavior?<br />
<br />
Thank you very much in advance.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[I have tried Postmarket OS on my Pine64 device, and it has the very annoying behavior of always auto-booting when I plug in the charger.<br />
<br />
Is there any way to totally and completely disable this auto-boot behavior?<br />
<br />
Thank you very much in advance.]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Looking for PineTime users to test an Android app with BLE heart rate support]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20215</link>
			<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:42:20 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=29850">Mitrax</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20215</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Hi everyone,<br />
<br />
I'm currently developing a small Android app called Dormivox.<br />
<br />
The Bluetooth feature was mainly designed with the Pine watch in mind – mostly because I like the project.<br />
<br />
Current features:<br />
• Live noise level detection<br />
• Alarm to interrupt snoring<br />
• Night statistics and history<br />
• Playback of recorded audio segments<br />
• Optional Bluetooth heart rate input (BLE)<br />
<br />
I'm particularly interested in testing Bluetooth heart rate devices with open BLE support (for example PineTime or other BLE HR monitors).<br />
<br />
If anyone here would like to try it and give some feedback, that would be very helpful.<br />
<br />
You can find the app on the Play Store by searching for: Dormivox<br />
<br />
Thanks!<br />
Mitrax<br />
<br />
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi everyone,<br />
<br />
I'm currently developing a small Android app called Dormivox.<br />
<br />
The Bluetooth feature was mainly designed with the Pine watch in mind – mostly because I like the project.<br />
<br />
Current features:<br />
• Live noise level detection<br />
• Alarm to interrupt snoring<br />
• Night statistics and history<br />
• Playback of recorded audio segments<br />
• Optional Bluetooth heart rate input (BLE)<br />
<br />
I'm particularly interested in testing Bluetooth heart rate devices with open BLE support (for example PineTime or other BLE HR monitors).<br />
<br />
If anyone here would like to try it and give some feedback, that would be very helpful.<br />
<br />
You can find the app on the Play Store by searching for: Dormivox<br />
<br />
Thanks!<br />
Mitrax<br />
<br />
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			<title><![CDATA[US Tariffs & Recent Supreme Court Decision]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20209</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:46:33 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=29914">recursivenomad</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20209</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Hello PINE64 community,<br />
<br />
I see that making a purchase to the US is still charging the full &#36;25 shipping, noting coverage for tariffs, and the amount has not changed since the US Supreme Court decision to suspend specific tariffs in February.  I just wanted to ask if there are any plans to update this cost to reflect the new tariff situation, or if this cost is expected to remain the same?<br />
<br />
Thank you for developing and selling awesome open-source hardware <img src="https://forum.pine64.org/images/smilies/smile.png" alt="Smile" title="Smile" class="smilie smilie_1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Hello PINE64 community,<br />
<br />
I see that making a purchase to the US is still charging the full &#36;25 shipping, noting coverage for tariffs, and the amount has not changed since the US Supreme Court decision to suspend specific tariffs in February.  I just wanted to ask if there are any plans to update this cost to reflect the new tariff situation, or if this cost is expected to remain the same?<br />
<br />
Thank you for developing and selling awesome open-source hardware <img src="https://forum.pine64.org/images/smilies/smile.png" alt="Smile" title="Smile" class="smilie smilie_1" />]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Question About New Product Releases]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20208</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2026 07:17:44 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=29912">kulala</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20208</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Hi,i noticed that there have been no new product releases in the past two years. May I ask what the reason is? <img src="https://forum.pine64.org/images/smilies/blush.png" alt="Blush" title="Blush" class="smilie smilie_12" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,i noticed that there have been no new product releases in the past two years. May I ask what the reason is? <img src="https://forum.pine64.org/images/smilies/blush.png" alt="Blush" title="Blush" class="smilie smilie_12" />]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Proposal: an open mp3/media player supporting rockbox]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20188</link>
			<pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:52:50 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=29869">gwennelsonuk</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20188</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[TL;DR:<br />
A small, audio-first handheld released as an open dev platform, derived from PinePhone hardware, designed to be capable of a Rockbox port. Physical controls, great battery life, optional PineBuds + external display support. I would buy one immediately and actively work on the Rockbox port — I’ve been wanting an open hardware Rockbox target like this for a long time.<br />
I wanted to float an idea that feels very aligned with Pine64’s strengths: reuse existing work, document it well, and let the community do interesting things with it.<br />
<br />
Concept:<br />
A single-purpose handheld primarily intended as a media player, but released explicitly as an open development platform, not a polished consumer product.<br />
<br />
Think: “PinePhone without the phone.”<br />
<br />
High-level hardware direction:<br />
<br />
<ul class="mycode_list"><li>Start from the PinePhone hardware lineage (SoC, audio path, power, USB-C)<br />
</li>
<li>Remove phone-specific components (modem, cameras, etc.)<br />
</li>
<li>Reduce overall size<br />
</li>
<li>Add a small, low-power screen<br />
</li>
<li>Physical controls (rocker / select / hold)<br />
</li>
<li>Headphone jack, microSD<br />
</li>
<li>Focus on battery life<br />
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Rather than shipping with Rockbox, the goal would be to release a platform deliberately capable of supporting a Rockbox port, alongside other lightweight or experimental software.<br />
<br />
Why this seems like a good Pine64 fit:<br />
<br />
<ul class="mycode_list"><li>Rockbox already solves the hard problems for this class of device (audio quality, codecs, physical controls, power efficiency).<br />
</li>
<li>Pine64 already excels at open ARM hardware where the value is documentation, reuse, and community ports<br />
</li>
<li>There’s growing interest in calm, offline, single-purpose devices (especially for music) that don’t try to compete with phones.<br />
</li>
</ul>
<br />
Personal note:<br />
I would immediately buy this device and actively work on the Rockbox port. I’ve been wanting a modern, openly documented hardware platform suitable for Rockbox for some time, and this would be an ideal target.<br />
<br />
Natural extensions (without diluting the focus):<br />
<br />
<ul class="mycode_list"><li>PineBuds support for local playback and experimentation<br />
</li>
<li>Modest mic + compute for on-device translation / transcription experiments (not positioned as an “AI gadget”)<br />
</li>
<li>Optional external display support over USB-C for docking or experimentation, while remaining clearly a handheld media player first<br />
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
The intent wouldn’t be another general-purpose Linux handheld, but:<br />
an audio-first device released as a documented, hackable platform with a clear “this could run Rockbox” target many people already understand and want.<br />
<br />
This feels like one of those rare ideas where most of the hard engineering is already solved, and the main challenge is restraint — choosing what not to include.<br />
<br />
Curious what others think]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[TL;DR:<br />
A small, audio-first handheld released as an open dev platform, derived from PinePhone hardware, designed to be capable of a Rockbox port. Physical controls, great battery life, optional PineBuds + external display support. I would buy one immediately and actively work on the Rockbox port — I’ve been wanting an open hardware Rockbox target like this for a long time.<br />
I wanted to float an idea that feels very aligned with Pine64’s strengths: reuse existing work, document it well, and let the community do interesting things with it.<br />
<br />
Concept:<br />
A single-purpose handheld primarily intended as a media player, but released explicitly as an open development platform, not a polished consumer product.<br />
<br />
Think: “PinePhone without the phone.”<br />
<br />
High-level hardware direction:<br />
<br />
<ul class="mycode_list"><li>Start from the PinePhone hardware lineage (SoC, audio path, power, USB-C)<br />
</li>
<li>Remove phone-specific components (modem, cameras, etc.)<br />
</li>
<li>Reduce overall size<br />
</li>
<li>Add a small, low-power screen<br />
</li>
<li>Physical controls (rocker / select / hold)<br />
</li>
<li>Headphone jack, microSD<br />
</li>
<li>Focus on battery life<br />
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Rather than shipping with Rockbox, the goal would be to release a platform deliberately capable of supporting a Rockbox port, alongside other lightweight or experimental software.<br />
<br />
Why this seems like a good Pine64 fit:<br />
<br />
<ul class="mycode_list"><li>Rockbox already solves the hard problems for this class of device (audio quality, codecs, physical controls, power efficiency).<br />
</li>
<li>Pine64 already excels at open ARM hardware where the value is documentation, reuse, and community ports<br />
</li>
<li>There’s growing interest in calm, offline, single-purpose devices (especially for music) that don’t try to compete with phones.<br />
</li>
</ul>
<br />
Personal note:<br />
I would immediately buy this device and actively work on the Rockbox port. I’ve been wanting a modern, openly documented hardware platform suitable for Rockbox for some time, and this would be an ideal target.<br />
<br />
Natural extensions (without diluting the focus):<br />
<br />
<ul class="mycode_list"><li>PineBuds support for local playback and experimentation<br />
</li>
<li>Modest mic + compute for on-device translation / transcription experiments (not positioned as an “AI gadget”)<br />
</li>
<li>Optional external display support over USB-C for docking or experimentation, while remaining clearly a handheld media player first<br />
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
The intent wouldn’t be another general-purpose Linux handheld, but:<br />
an audio-first device released as a documented, hackable platform with a clear “this could run Rockbox” target many people already understand and want.<br />
<br />
This feels like one of those rare ideas where most of the hard engineering is already solved, and the main challenge is restraint — choosing what not to include.<br />
<br />
Curious what others think]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Reading PineWatch Open BLE was very easy]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20181</link>
			<pubDate>Sun, 01 Feb 2026 22:30:37 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=29850">Mitrax</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20181</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Hi everyone,<br />
<br />
Using PineWatch and reading Open BLE was very easy to implement to my App.<br />
Just with Built in OS.<br />
So far, im using HeartRate in my App, no Gatebridge needed, just simple as can be.  <img src="https://forum.pine64.org/images/smilies/cool.png" alt="Cool" title="Cool" class="smilie smilie_3" /><br />
<br />
Thanks for that.<br />
<br />
Greets]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi everyone,<br />
<br />
Using PineWatch and reading Open BLE was very easy to implement to my App.<br />
Just with Built in OS.<br />
So far, im using HeartRate in my App, no Gatebridge needed, just simple as can be.  <img src="https://forum.pine64.org/images/smilies/cool.png" alt="Cool" title="Cool" class="smilie smilie_3" /><br />
<br />
Thanks for that.<br />
<br />
Greets]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Request for IRC registration confirmation]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20179</link>
			<pubDate>Sun, 01 Feb 2026 18:30:49 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=16918">dustfinger</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20179</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Hi,<br />
<br />
I re-registered my nick yesterday on IRC because I have been inactive for a while. I have not received a confirmation email and I just wanted to let you know incase my registeration got missed somehow. My IRC nick is dustfinger, just like my forum username.<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
<br />
dustfinger.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi,<br />
<br />
I re-registered my nick yesterday on IRC because I have been inactive for a while. I have not received a confirmation email and I just wanted to let you know incase my registeration got missed somehow. My IRC nick is dustfinger, just like my forum username.<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
<br />
dustfinger.]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[is cpu rk3576 suited for use in a phone?]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20177</link>
			<pubDate>Sat, 24 Jan 2026 18:31:18 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=9045">heocb</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20177</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[Would cpu rk3576 be suited for running a phone? My information is that the cpu rk3576 is able to run<br />
on free software except from a ram training blob. Thank you.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Would cpu rk3576 be suited for running a phone? My information is that the cpu rk3576 is able to run<br />
on free software except from a ram training blob. Thank you.]]></content:encoded>
		</item>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Tariffs on delivery to US]]></title>
			<link>https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20129</link>
			<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:31:47 +0000</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[<a href="https://forum.pine64.org/member.php?action=profile&uid=29766">Sergiu</a>]]></dc:creator>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=20129</guid>
			<description><![CDATA[It seems strange to me that this topic is not discussed at all, but are there tariffs to be paid on delivery to a US address? I'm thinking about ordering a Pinecil with accessories, and it's not clear to me at all if the &#36;25 "US Special" delivery fee is everything that will have to be paid, or I'll be hit by some more or less ridiculous tariffs and associated fees (because you don't usually get away with paying just the tariffs, you'll also have to pay the guys taking your money, for taking your money). And the "Shipping Method – Shipping cost covered tariff charge" is really not clear, according to some sources it means "the sender (seller) is responsible for paying all applicable import tariffs, duties, and taxes upfront, before the package reaches the recipient" (DDP), according to others "Shipping is paid; customs fees might not be" (DDU).<br />
<br />
Does anyone have a clear answer to this? Has anyone ordered recently and paid or not paid anything extra?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[It seems strange to me that this topic is not discussed at all, but are there tariffs to be paid on delivery to a US address? I'm thinking about ordering a Pinecil with accessories, and it's not clear to me at all if the &#36;25 "US Special" delivery fee is everything that will have to be paid, or I'll be hit by some more or less ridiculous tariffs and associated fees (because you don't usually get away with paying just the tariffs, you'll also have to pay the guys taking your money, for taking your money). And the "Shipping Method – Shipping cost covered tariff charge" is really not clear, according to some sources it means "the sender (seller) is responsible for paying all applicable import tariffs, duties, and taxes upfront, before the package reaches the recipient" (DDP), according to others "Shipping is paid; customs fees might not be" (DDU).<br />
<br />
Does anyone have a clear answer to this? Has anyone ordered recently and paid or not paid anything extra?]]></content:encoded>
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