I've been turning old phones into functional cyberdecks. Not the expensive 3D-printed kind with custom mechanical keyboards. The kind where you take a BlackBerry Classic from 2014 and make it actually useful in 2026.
What It Actually Is
Cyberbridge is my approach to building a practical, portable cyberdeck using hardware you probably already have. The core ideas:
Use IRC as a universal interface. Through Bitlbee, you get Discord, Matrix, WhatsApp, everything in one lightweight client. No Electron apps, no bloat.
SSH everywhere. Properly configured SSH gives you file transfer, port forwarding, remote access, and a proper terminal on devices that shouldn't support it.
Make old hardware useful. BlackBerry OS 10, anything that runs Linux. If it has a keyboard and network connectivity, it can be a cyberdeck.
Own your infrastructure. Run services locally or on a cheap VPS. Your data, your control.
The Stack
This is where NixOS really shines. The entire Bitlbee setup is declarative and reproducible:
For WhatsApp, you add the whatsmeow plugin. It bridges WhatsApp Web to Bitlbee, so you can send and receive messages through IRC. Same goes for Discord and Matrix. Everything in one interface.
The beauty of NixOS here is that the configuration is your documentation. No "I forgot which packages I installed" or "it worked on my old setup but I can't remember why." You declare what you want, rebuild, and it works.
The Technical Reality
Modern devices are overpowered for most tasks. You don't need 8GB of RAM to send WhatsApp messages or check Discord. You need good software and protocols that don't assume infinite resources.
IRC is from 1988 and still works perfectly. SSH is mankind's greatest invention alongside Git. These tools were designed to be efficient, and they still are.
The BlackBerry Classic has a physical keyboard that's better than most laptops. With Cyberbridge, it becomes a legitimate messaging device for WhatsApp, Discord, Matrix, whatever. SSH client. Portable terminal. All without fighting against bloated modern apps.
What You Can Actually Do
With Cyberbridge set up, I can:
Send WhatsApp messages from a BlackBerry. Join Discord servers through IRC. Access Matrix rooms. Transfer files with rsync. Edit code in vim on a device from 2014. Host services on obsolete hardware just to prove it works.
The NixOS configuration makes it trivial to deploy the same setup on a VPS if you want remote access. Change the interface binding, open the firewall port, done. Rebuild and it's running.
Setup Process
The full documentation covers the complete process, but the basics:
- Enable Bitlbee in your NixOS config with the plugins you need
- Rebuild your system
- Connect via IRC client (Revolution IRC on BlackBerry works great)
- Register your Bitlbee user
- Add accounts (Discord token, WhatsApp via QR code, Matrix credentials)
- Everything appears as IRC channels
For WhatsApp specifically, you scan a QR code like WhatsApp Web, and the bridge maintains the connection. Messages show up in IRC, you reply in IRC, it goes to WhatsApp. Simple.
The Philosophy
This isn't just about making old hardware work. It's about ownership and sustainability. When you control the stack, you're not dependent on companies deciding which devices are "supported" or pushing updates that slow everything down.
Projects like BerryCore are getting full Linux environments running on BlackBerry hardware. That's the kind of work that matters. Cyberbridge is my contribution to that ecosystem. Free, open source, actually functional.
The NixOS approach means anyone can reproduce the exact setup. No hidden dependencies, no "works on my machine" problems. The configuration is the documentation.
Try It
If you want a cyberdeck but don't want to spend hundreds on custom builds, check out cyberbridge.cashmere.rs. The barrier to entry is low. Old phone or laptop, NixOS, basic networking knowledge.
The code is open, documentation is there, and I'm reachable via email or Matrix.
Now back to sending WhatsApp messages from a 2014 smartphone through IRC.
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