Linux on Pi Zero can be used as a sidecar for iPads.

https://schwarztech.net/articles/my-ipads-raspberry-pi-sidec...

  This method configures the Raspberry Pi [Zero] in “gadget” mode, creating a private link that appears as a wired Ethernet connection over a USB cable. The Pi’s address will never change, either as it is also a DHCP server for the iPad. As an added bonus, the same cable powers the Pi, creating a setup as simple as plugging the Pi into your iPad and waiting for it to appear .. you have a full-blown Linux computer working in tandem with your iPad and the iPad acting as a directly-connected console that is also providing power.

The Pi Zero is a full SoC which naturally runs Linux. Any Linux SoC with USB (so basically all of them) could use used in the same way.

This article is about the RP2350's microcontroller cores. It doesn't even have an MMU, so running Linux on it is much more interesting. It's not as capable as the normal Linux we run on bigger boards, but it's still interesting.

Any non RP2xxx pi can be used like that. Unrelated to this post at all? I only fall back to that when there is no interwebs, otherwise connecting over ssh to a normal server is far more productive.

I used to do the same thing with a full RPi4. I’m pretty sure that was the first non-pi zero that worked in gadget mode.

I was trying to make an attached Linux machine for my iPad instead of using a cloud VM. It was pretty effective, but at the time the ARM distributions were difficult to run what I wanted. Now, however, it would be significantly better.

I carry around an pwnagotchi[1], it serves not only as a cute little paper display, but also a battery powered Linux box.

Can do everything you wanna do, in a cute little box attached to a backpack.

My battery lasts about 3 hours, but its easy to juice it up if we go hiking and need a common filesystem up some mountain somewhere, know what I’m saying ..

(PS - the pwnatotchi part is just an app you can disable if you just want your Linux box to be a Linux box, but it sure is a fun little toy also ..)

[1] - https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=pwnagotchi

Thanks for linking this, I would not have expected this usage (more from the iPad side being locked down) and it has inspired some thought.

Cool, but any SBC that runs Linux and has a USB port that supports gadget mode can do this. Either way, what does this have to do with the article?

Gotta get Pi Zero 2, way stronger hardware

side note: I wish it had more ram so you could mount it in VS Code vs. developing through SSH

This is a really good way to side step certain kinds of Apple MFI. "I'm not a custom super widget?! I'm an ethernet adapter!!"