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Raspberry Pi has always been the cheapest of computers since it came into production, but they have broken the cheap barrier with this new model. The Raspberry Pi Zero
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The current smallest Pi (Model A+) costs around the $15 mark, which had it as the cheapest SBC, which has put computing in the hands of millions which cannot afford to buy a pc, and powered tinkerers home made projects. But Eben, the father of the Pi, could not stop there and made a version for $5 USD dubbed the Raspberry Pi Zero.
It is basically a stripped down Model A with the bare essentials, but still packs more power than the original Model B. Its not as simple as plug and go though, it misses some important items like full sized usb and Ethernet, meaning the powered USB hub is a must, and some Micro to Full size adapters. You also need Micro HDMI to Normal HDMI to be able to connect it up. That said, its still a remarkable piece of kit.
the $5 Zero requires an additional $5 or more in cables unless you already have those lying around. Most users, however, will need even more help. Adafruit, which is selling the Raspberry Pi Zero in the U.S., offers both a $30 Budget Pack and $60 Starter Pack, and other vendors are offering alternative accessory combos.
Now I like a good bargain, but this to me beats anything in the black Friday sales.
The Specs
A Broadcom BCM2835 CPU 1 X 1GHz ARM11 core
512MB of LPDDR2 SDRAM
1 x micro-SD card slot
A mini-HDMI socket
Micro-USB sockets for data and power
40-pin GPIO header
Dimensions 65mm x 30mm x 5mm
The original Raspberry Pi Model B and its successors put a programmable computer within reach of anyone with $20-35 to spend. Since 2012, millions of people have used a Raspberry Pi to get their first experience of programming, but we still meet people for whom cost remains a barrier to entry. At the start of this year, we began work on an even cheaper Raspberry Pi to help these people take the plunge.
It gets Better
To top it off, if your willing to spend a little more, you can buy the Official MagPi Magazine from main stores such as Asda and Sainsburys. The december issue comes with a PiZero for free, which will surely make it the fastest selling magazine this year.
Source
The announcement article can be seen at RasberryPi.org along with a very informative video.
I am definitely getting one the first chance I have, are you?
Post in the comments below with your views, or maybe some news of projects you are working on. Full Story |
