Raspberry Pi Mini Computer Served Up For $35

Hungry for newer, cheaper tech? Good thing the Raspberry Pi is finally here.

The credit card-sized, Linux-based computer was served up for just $35 on February 29, through distributors Premier Farnell and RS Components.

Within its tiny, naked-circuit body, the Raspberry Pi offers a 700MHz ARM processor, 256MB RAM, HDMI and RCA outputs, and much more (according to a press release posted by Engadget) allowing pretty much the same experience you would get from a full-sized desktop computer.

An even cheaper $25 Model A will soon follow the Model B currently on sale but will not include the Ethernet or the two USB ports that the Model B features.

Check out the Model B Raspberry Pi (below), courtesy of RS Components.

LOOK:

With prices like these, it's no wonder that the website of the device's creators, Raspberry Pi Foundation, was overwhelmed by the surge in traffic on Wednesday and went down briefly during the day -- even after sales were limited to one per customer, according to ZDNet.

The websites of Premier Farnell and RS Components also went down shortly after the mini-computer's launch. According to TIME's Techland, Premier Farnell is already all out of Raspberry Pis, and, unfortunately, Engadget reported that RS Components will only be shipping within the UK.

While the Raspberry Pi has the tech world all in a frenzy, the small computer was actually developed to entice school children to get involved with computer programming and other technology. David Braben, the device's developer, explained in an interview with Edge-Online in November 2011, "[In Raspberry Pi] you've got quite a powerful, very cheap device that anyone can carry around, take to school, and hopefully do interesting things with that make it seem less like a purely school thing."

There's no doubt that the tiny Raspberry Pi will be very useful for people of all ages, but it's not much of a looker with all its exposed circuitry, which sprung from simple practicality.

Thankfully, the device may get its much-needed makeover as early as next year -- Braben mentioned later in his interview with Edge that a more appetizing model of the Raspberry Pi may be in the works.

For more updates on the Raspberry Pi, check out the Raspberry Pi Foundation's Twitter.

Check out a more detailed diagram of the new Raspberry Pi's features below, and let us know: Are you going to get your hands on a Raspberry Pi?

LOOK: [via Raspberry Pi Foundation]

Related on HuffPost:

Comments

[techigennie]

07:39 AM on 05/25/2012

Hey Friends
Thanks for sharing this interesting article. Definitely it will help

________________________________
http://www.live-technician.com/

[Stephen James Thatcher]

08:48 PM on 03/29/2012

anyone know how to get it to the us

[Marklar]

01:39 AM on 03/14/2012

I can't wait till the package comes in the mail. I have so many ideas of what to do with mine that I am not sure where I will start...

http://iamalsoawriter.blogspot.com/2012/03/raspberry-pi.html

[wiegeabo]

07:24 PM on 03/06/2012

Who cares if it's not pretty? It works and is a developer version anyway.

IT WORKS and can CHANGE THE INDUSTRY!

That's all that matters.

[cyndinca]

04:59 AM on 03/02/2012

Magnifying glass sold separately.

[heerox001]

04:29 AM on 03/02/2012

When it is 35$ you can't ask for much from it as far as its specs go.

[jamesnpost]

12:41 AM on 03/02/2012

Glasses with computer in the frames. Light projects down through the lenses from the frame to a 45-degree semi-reflective panel in the lens just in front of the iris of the eye. It functions as a HUD, and with stereo vision gives you a virtual 3D image imposed in front of you. On the front of the frame is a camera that can see your hand as you "mouse" on the images, and another observing you through the same reflective plate, so it can follow your eyes and your blink/click. It is also voice operated, and is your phone, TV, etc. (It also has a GSR meter connected to the frame legs, so it knows just how you feel about anything it asks you... you don't even have to answer.) www.postpubco.com/kknight.htm

[jskala]

12:28 AM on 03/02/2012

Sir Clive Sinclair would be very proud of the developers of this. It looks to be a modern extension of the ZX80/ZX81 computers he pioneered in 1980.
All those that want it to run Windows are missing the point.

[LightShadow62]

12:24 AM on 03/02/2012

So many people posting, so few with a actual understanding of what this device is.

[porkmcjuicy]

12:11 AM on 03/02/2012

why is society toying with us? I say get it over with and just implant it in my head already!

[majornutt2]

10:27 PM on 03/01/2012

With the right kit, and motherboard, you can build a better computer than you can buy off the rack. Had my friend build mine, dual boot with XP pro and vista ultimate, choose at start up , if you like windows 7 better, turn off, unplug that hard drive, plug into the other hard drive and your on windows 7. They just don't offer that choice in the store.

[rsargerod]

09:47 PM on 03/01/2012

I will be happy when I get a Watch PC that is a phone, a camera and a MP Player with a USB charger for $25.00!

[thisNewFoundLand]

09:20 PM on 03/01/2012

...the great democratization of the digital age continues.

[betty2work]

08:57 PM on 03/01/2012

Linux is a good operating system. If I had 2 computers I would have already have one with Linux.

[betty2work]

08:56 PM on 03/01/2012

ok, ok I guessed wrong. instead of a laptop or desktop you have this little thing as your hard drive.
-- How much RAM? How large a hard drive or do you have to back up / save to an external hard drive???

[philondez]

10:07 PM on 03/01/2012

This isn't a hard drive, it's a full fledged computer in its own right. It has 256 megabytes of ram, which isn't a whole lot, but it's not made to be a powerhouse. There is a version of linux in production specifically for this device, Fedora Remix Pi Edition, which will keep that 256 megabytes in mind.

For the first boot, an SD card is required. A 2 gigbyte card will hold the OS and give you enough storage for your first session. After that, you have the option of loading it up from a USB device, such as an external hard drive.

If I can ever get a hold of one, I have an empty 250 gig external drive that I will most likely dedicate to it. I don't intend to do much more with it than youtube and possibly have 1080p rips of movies that I own to watch them on my TV without having to hook my laptop up to it.

The GPU is actually quite impressive, so it should handle any type of video you throw at it. It's supposed to be something along the lines of twice as powerful as the GPU in an iphone 4S, and a lot of iPhone games have graphics that are really nice to look at. I wouldn't be too surprised if games are designed specifically with the Pi in mind, and I think that's exactly what the group that sells them intends for them to be used for.

[Azterix]

10:45 PM on 03/01/2012

You got it right about the Pi's best intention: Media, especially movies. I'm eager to get the finalized version with the casing when it's for sale to use it, instead of the tower I use for my entertainment set up. The Pi will be a very flexible, purposeful gadget.