SquaryPi and SquaryFi from SB Components Trim Some Corners from the Roundy Range While Adding Features

The Squary line, a follow-up to the spherical Roundy range, offers RP2040 and ESP8266 smart displays for a variety of projects.

If the RoundyPi and RoundyFi from SB Components weren't your styles, the business has determined that the SquaryPi and SquaryFi, tiny square display modules powered by the Raspberry Pi RP2040 and Espressif ESP8266.

The original RoundyPi and RoundyFi from SB Components combined a spherical color display with a Raspberry Pi RP2040 and microSD Card slot or an Espressif ESP-12E ESP8266 chip with a Wi-Fi connection. Its square-paneled successor, which has sharp edges, builds on the same basic concept but has a 1.54" display with 240240 resolution, making it somewhat larger but maintaining the same resolution as its circular predecessors.

As before, there are two members of the Squary family: the SquaryPi, which uses a Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller and lacks network connectivity but supports microSD storage, and the SquaryFi, which uses an Espressif ESP-12E module, both of which have four user-programmable buttons and extra general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pins brought out at the back.

Not only has the company switched to a square display panel, but it has also added connectivity and charging support for an optional lithium battery for on-the-go projects. The company did this after receiving customer feedback and switching from a micro-USB to a USB Type-C connector for power and an Accelerometer which can be used in many great applications & games.

Additionally, the Squary series offers optional carrier boards known as "Squary Consoles," which enable two, four, or six Squary displays to be powered by a single USB Type-C connection and interact with one another over a shared serial line.

The business claims that the carriers support any combination of Squary types, including both SquaryPi and SquaryFi as well as a combination of the two. SB Components also offers customized consoles, with up to 55 displays and a choice of a blue, green, black, or red PCB finish, for those who want something a bit different.

The Squary line is now being funded by SB Components on Kickstarter, with prices starting at £45 (about $52) for the two-screen edition, including displays, or £15 (around $17) for a customized version with displays priced as separate components. The business has said that all hardware is anticipated to ship in February of next year.