WHY ISN'T TREZOR AVAILABLE YET? Maybe Someone Needs to Make a Simpler Hardware Wallet...

I don't understand why we don't yet have a hardware wallet. Why is Trezor not yet available?

I am an electrical engineer, and I think that a simple hardware wallet, even simpler than Trezor, would be straightforward to make. It would require less than $20 in hardware and could be sold for $50 at 150% profit. It would have no screen at all -- only one or two buttons, a USB Micro-B device port to connect to any computer running Armory in "watch-only" mode, and a USB host Micro-AB ("On-The-Go") port to connect to a printer (for backups) or flash drive (for backups/restores) or keyboard (for restores). It would require no external power supply, since it would be powered by the port to the PC. Inside, it would have a Microchip PIC32 full-featured 32-bit microcontroller ($5), plus a second microcontroller just to provide the second USB port ($2). Other than this, only some power circuitry, PC board and a case would be needed.

The device could be attached to any computer, because it would NEVER expose private keys to the computer's USB port. It would internally create the random numbers that are the basis for private keys, or they could be loaded from backups. The user could operate it from the computer, using the computer's screen as a graphic display and its keyboard for input, and cause wallets and keys to be generated. The button(s) would be used to ensure that no computer malware could wreak havoc, since critical commands would require button-presses for authorization. The unit would be integrated into an Armory client running on the computer in "watch-only" mode for seamless operation. The unit could appear to Armory as an external flash drive and be used with no modifications to Armory. In this case, Armory would write files to the "flash drive" for signature, and read back the signed file. Or, Armory could be modified to work directly with the external wallet, so that only a button-press on the external wallet would be required for authorization.

The hardware wallet could print paper wallets to a printer, or wallet files to an external flash, through its second USB port. It could receive paper wallets via a USB keyboard, or wallet files from an external flash, also through that port. The computer's keyboard and display could direct the process; as a string of characters for a restore from a paper wallet are entered, the computer's display could display an "X" for each character as it is entered. It might even be possible to enter paper wallets from QR codes via a video camera and the second USB port.

I think such a device would make it possible for even a novice to work with Bitcoin on any computer. With just a few words of caution on how to handle paper backups and the need to NEVER connect the USB flash memory directly to any computer, the novice would be protected from attack by malicious parties.

Comments? Criticism? Flaws? Suggestions? Anyone want to do this?

submitted by ShatosiMakanoto

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