Raspberry Pi has sold 5 million of its DIY-friendly computers

The audience for do-it-yourself computing might be larger than you think. The Raspberry Pi Foundation just revealed that it recently sold its 5 millionth mini computer -- not bad considering that the team had only delivered 1.75 million Raspberry Pis as of October 2013, or 16 months ago. The figure pales in comparison to what giant PC makers can do (Apple now sells over 5 million Macs per quarter), but it's impressive for a barebones board meant for schools and homebrew projects. In fact, the team notes that it could be the best-selling UK computer maker "ever."

The Raspberry Pi's super-low pricing ($35 or less) played a large part in those sales numbers, of course. It's relatively painless to pick up the device if you're curious, and it's well-suited to bulk educational purchases that help entire classrooms learn how to code. Whatever factors are driving the Pi's popularity, it's proof that the DIY market is alive and well despite the closures of tinkering-friendly stores like RadioShack.