RaspberryPiModelB
Latest
Raspberry Pi says it'll run Minecraft, demos upcoming 5-megapixel, 1080P, $25 camera
The Raspberry Pi will soon be able to see all, thanks to an upcoming camera board that will mate with unused CSI pins on the $35 hobbyist board. The new 5-megapixel camera (in the video after the break) will be capable of 1080P, 30fps video, and though the prototype being shown at Electronica 2012 is attached using scotch tape technology, the Pi foundation promised it would come with a proper mount when it ships in the new year for $25. In other news, the group has also announced a new port from the Notch gaming group called Minecraft: Pi edition. You'll be able to play the game, of course, but if you're feeling more ambitious it'll also support several programming languages, letting you "modify the game world with code" to boot. The group promised you'll be able to download it next week at the source.
Raspberry Pi Model B gets RAM boost to 512MB, keeps $35 price tag
So you got your Raspberry Pi all set up, you overclocked it and you even made it run Atari 2600 games. But then, it seems, many of you wrote to the UK-based outfit to complain about the fixed 256MB of RAM. Indeed, the budget mini PC maker says that requests for a memory upgrade have been among "the most common suggestions" it's received since it launched the device. However, rather than introduce a pricier version, the company has decided to offer 512MB as standard with all future Model Bs (including all current and outstanding orders), while sticking to the original $35 price tag. Good news? Sure, even if your current unit just got relegated to secondary secondary PC status.
Raspberry Pi production ramped up to 4,000 per day, 5MP camera module on its way (video)
If you'd been frustrated thanks to all the Raspberries having been picked, and had even considered the bitter taste of other fruit, there's hope for you yet. The tiny computer's maker has just announced that production is now at 4,000 units per day, and the previous restriction of one purchase per person has been lifted. Good news. In addition to this is the announcement of a new camera board in the works. The 5-megapixel module (as expected, dropping a few notches from the 14MP prototype) is expected to cost around $20-$25, and be available in around three months. So now you can have your fill of the sweet little berries and look forward to your next upgrade too. Now you just need to think of a suitably sweet application for it.
Raspberry Pi impressions: the $35 Linux computer and tinker toy
The ledgers of history are littered with the rotting corpses of well intentioned, but ultimately unsuccessful, attempts to put computers in the hands of the young, underprivileged or severely impoverished. Some, like Intel's Classmate wanted to put cheap, durable Wintel machines in every American classroom, while others, like the OLPC program, focused their efforts on developing nations. Okay, perhaps it's a bit hyperbolic to compare those initiatives to decomposing bodies, but there's no denying they haven't exactly flooded the world with low-cost PCs the way they were envisioned. So, here comes the Raspberry Pi, another effort with lofty goals, both in terms of purpose and price. Of course, the approach is different here -- more barebones, with a healthy dose of inspiration from Arduino and the DIY movement. The question is, what has it learned from those that have come before it? And, most importantly, where does the Raspberry Pi go right and where does it go wrong? To find out, keep reading after the break.
Raspberry Pi team shows off pics of (and taken with) prototype camera add-on
While the main thing that would make Raspberry Pi's diminutive $25 / $35 Linux setups better would be if we could get our hands on them faster, the team behind it is already working on improvements like this prototype camera seen above. The add-on is slated to ship later this year and plugs into the CSI pins left exposed right in the middle of each unit. According to the accompanying blog post, the specs may be downgraded from the prototype's 14MP sensor to keep things affordable, although there's no word on an exact price yet. Possible applications include robotics and home automation, but until the hackers get their hands on them you'll have to settle for one pic from the Pi's POV after the break and a few more at the source linked below.
Raspberry Pi boards begin shipping today (video)
The moment has finally arrived: Eben Upton's Linux-powered dream of a super-cheap PC that could revolutionize the way we teach computer science begins shipping from today. RS Components and Allied Electronics have begun to mail the dinky devices out to the lucky pre-order customers who managed to get through before the overwhelming interest forced the servers offline. If you missed out originally, Model B is now available in the UK for £31.86 (inclusive of VAT and P&P) or $35 in the States -- if you'd like to see the momentous occasion when Mr. Upton personally delivered the first batch of devices, head on past the break
Raspberry Pi's Linux computer nears completion, should ship by end of February
Raspberry Pi's commercial future became a little clearer yesterday, with an announcement that the first batch of its Model B Linux computers will be finished by February 20th. The $35 board went into production last month, but has been beset with delays in bringing it to market. In a post on its site, the UK-based manufacturer expressed some regret over the setback, attributing it to a hiccup it encountered while trying to procure specific quartz crystals. Fortunately, though, everything is finally in order, and the computers should begin shipping by the end of the month. In the meantime, particularly hardware savvy users can find out more about the BCM2835 SoC behind the Model B, courtesy of a datasheet that Broadcom released alongside Raspberry Pi's announcement. You can dig through it yourself, at the coverage link below.
Raspberry Pi demos Model B computer's AirPlay capabilities (video)
Just a few days after announcing that production of its Model B Linux computer is underway, Raspberry Pi has now unveiled a preview of what its single board device can do when combined with AirPlay. In a video published this week, a Raspberry Pi developer demonstrated how to stream content from an iPad to the ARM-based Model B, using only an HDMI-equipped TV and an AirPlay app. It's as seamless as dancing cows are beautiful. Still no word yet on when this $35 will begin shipping, but in the meantime, be sure to check out the demo video, after the break.
