Pocket e-paper task and calendar display

What you will work towards

Keep today’s appointments and next three tasks visible on a small e-paper display. Add a personal photo or QR link as an optional second screen.

CAIBI’s proposed addition: Prove a readable agenda using sample data, then connect one calendar or task source with read-only access. Show when it last refreshed and make private event details optional.

Guide version 1.0. AI can help explain, adapt and debug; you still measure, assemble and test the physical result.

Start with the original

CAIBI proposed adaptation

• Waveshare e-Paper ESP32 driver documentation · view source material ↗
• Adafruit MagTag documented alternative · view source material ↗
• Enilinx TICKEY product inspiration · view source material ↗

Sources read 10 October 2026. Waveshare lists a 4.01-inch colour-panel demo, but exact current panel compatibility and availability need confirmation. MagTag is a grayscale alternative, not a like-for-like TICKEY replacement. No TICKEY firmware repository or reuse licence verified.

Parts to confirm before buying

• One verified panel/controller pairing: check the current Waveshare support table and exact panel suffix before choosing the colour route
• Alternative first proof: Adafruit MagTag 2025 edition with CircuitPython 10 or later; this is grayscale, not full colour
• USB cable/supply and measured case fixings; defer battery and NFC until the display works

Use the source wiring and bill of materials as the starting point. Confirm exact variants, availability, tools and complete cost before ordering.

The completion route

1. Choose the colour or grayscale route explicitly. Confirm a matching vendor demo, current availability and complete parts list before purchase.
2. Run the exact vendor demo over USB. Render a sample day with two appointments, three tasks and a last-updated time. Test real reading distance and text overflow.
3. Connect one read-only calendar/task source through a small adapter on a trusted computer or server. Treat private calendar URLs like secrets. Return only the fields needed by the display and show stale data when refresh fails.
4. Measure the assembled hardware and print a protective frame with accessible controls. Test a QR link before considering a clip, battery or separate NFC tag.

Prompts to move it forward

Copy a prompt into your AI tool with the source material and your actual parts. Work through one small step at a time and check the output before using it. Choose an AI tool or practise the skills first.

Review the source material I supply for Pocket e-paper task and calendar display. Make a table of what is provided, missing, contradictory or dependent on a paid service. Identify exact hardware revisions, firmware files, library versions, CAD files and licences. Separate creator claims from your proposed additions. Do not fill gaps with guessed specifications. Finish with one small test that can resolve the biggest uncertainty before I buy parts.

Sources:
Waveshare e-Paper ESP32 driver documentation: https://www.waveshare.com/wiki/E-Paper_ESP32_Driver_Board
Adafruit MagTag documented alternative: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-magtag
Enilinx TICKEY product inspiration: https://enilinxtickey.com/products/tickey

Help me build a personal e-paper task/calendar viewer. Ask for exact panel, working demo and intended calendar/task provider. Start with synthetic appointments and three tasks; handle timezone, all-day events, long titles and an empty day. Add one read-only data adapter with private credentials kept off public code. Offer a privacy mode hiding event titles. Respect panel refresh limits and show last successful update, offline and expired-access states. Do not assume TICKEY firmware or cloud services are available.

Sources:
Waveshare e-Paper ESP32 driver documentation: https://www.waveshare.com/wiki/E-Paper_ESP32_Driver_Board
Adafruit MagTag documented alternative: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-magtag
Enilinx TICKEY product inspiration: https://enilinxtickey.com/products/tickey

Design a frame around my measured e-paper module, controller and connectors. Protect the fragile panel and cable without clamping the active screen. Start with a desk prototype and removable back. A pocket clip and battery compartment need separate measured revisions; do not target a commercial product’s advertised thickness.

Sources:
Waveshare e-Paper ESP32 driver documentation: https://www.waveshare.com/wiki/E-Paper_ESP32_Driver_Board
Adafruit MagTag documented alternative: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-magtag
Enilinx TICKEY product inspiration: https://enilinxtickey.com/products/tickey

Create a test log for Pocket e-paper task and calendar display. Intended outcome: Keep today’s appointments and next three tasks visible on a small e-paper display. Add a personal photo or QR link as an optional second screen. Separate expected behaviour from observed results. Include power restart, disconnected inputs, communication failure and the actual physical use. Ask me to provide results, firmware versions, changes, photos and unresolved problems. Never mark a test passed without my evidence.

Sources:
Waveshare e-Paper ESP32 driver documentation: https://www.waveshare.com/wiki/E-Paper_ESP32_Driver_Board
Adafruit MagTag documented alternative: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-magtag
Enilinx TICKEY product inspiration: https://enilinxtickey.com/products/tickey

What to test and record

• Test sample all-day, timed, overlapping and empty-day events; verify timezone and daylight-saving boundaries.
• Test long titles, more than three tasks and privacy mode at normal reading distance.
• Interrupt network access and simulate expired credentials; stale data must stay visibly labelled.
• Record actual refresh time, ghosting, fit and dimensions. Confirm no private calendar URL or token appears in screenshots, logs or published firmware.

Keep photos, exact parts and software versions with the test log. Failed or incomplete attempts are useful evidence too.

A possible next version

After the read-only agenda works, add a physical refresh button, optional photo screen and measured battery operation. Marking tasks complete requires a separate, explicitly authorised write integration.