Raspberry Pi - 25 Dollar PC on a USB stick


It looks like the first 100 test-run PCBs are in!


The machine is now exactly credit card-sized. I'm still really looking forward to this, now more than ever - my computer is currently on its last legs, and replacing it will be costly. Depending on what people make of it, I'm currently considering just buying a monitor and moving over to one of these, instead. We shall see. :p


If I do, I might go with something unique for a casing. :lol:
 
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I just did some number-crunching... Replacing my current machine, when it dies, with a Raspberry Pi plus an LED monitor, USB hub, HDD, and DVD burner would be less than half the price of getting another laptop, with the advantage of added modularity that my current solution doesn't really offer. It will also consume less power, as far as I can tell. :blink: I've crunched these numbers based on pre-Christmas pricing, though, so the savings may be more by the time the Raspberry Pi is actually available to purchase.


And I've already designed my housing for it. :p

Jourdy288 said:
Oh cool :D !


Hmm, I should try interviewing those guys...
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You should. Their cause is an interesting one and one that's sorely needed in the UK right now given how appalling our IT teaching generally is, and how much money is wasted.


When illiterates (a great number of British school leavers are functionally illiterate and innumerate) leave school believing that a piece of paper that states that they've been trained to click on certain things in Microsoft Word will enable them to get a job producing video games, you know there's a serious problem.
 
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Well, I'll definitely have to set one up! Maybe I can get a review console too, I've got a channel over Roku, 9 Bit, I've gotta get some content now... This would be perfect :D !
 
You may want to have a read of this, and the various bits of information that are linked to within it, before you contact them. They might have covered certain questions already, after all. :p
 
By my calculations, my BeagleBoard has saved me about $40 a year in electricity costs simply by acting as a low-power always-on server for file and document storage and IRC. A far way away from paying for itself, but if this had been available at the time, even at a buy-one-get-one price, it would have paid for itself within a year. Not a bad investment.
 
^ That's pretty impressive stuff.


I'm pretty set on replacing my ailing main box with a Raspberry Pi, at this point (I really don't need some sort of behemoth to work on, so it should suit me just fine - much of what I use a computer for is writing, web-browsing, and dealing with digitised sewing patterns in GIMP), so it'll be interesting to see what the savings turn out to be...


I notice that they had to drop support for the *buntu line at this point, but plain Debian is on offer, and that works for me. :p
 
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I know it's far fetched. But I just wanted to know the feasibility of getting one of these awesome credit card sized computers and turning it into a open source handheld console to compliment the open pandora. Perhaps an iControlpad type adapter with a screen specifically for this device?
 
Considering it comes without screen, keyboard, battery, nubs, etc. you'd probably be better/cheaper/easier off just getting a(nother) pandora ;)
 
Panzer said:
I know it's far fetched. But I just wanted to know the feasibility of getting one of these awesome credit card sized computers and turning it into a open source handheld console to compliment the open pandora. Perhaps an iControlpad type adapter with a screen specifically for this device?
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People on Raspberry Pi's forum are discussing all sorts of ideas for the device. I'm pretty sure that handhelds have come up, along with tablets and arcade cabinets. :p
 
It's only credit card sized in 2 dimensions! Still no porker, by any stretch.


Pity it's not going to be available before Christmas, I would have got one for my Brother, the look on his face as he realises I gave him a computer instead of Socks would have been priceless.


Skinning these with novelty bodies is probably the first thing everyone is going to think of doing. What a time to own a 3D printer - I'd make little replica PC cases, a mini Cray tower, front loading VCR (tape slot being the SD), ZX Microdrive, I can think of way too many. I think I need a crate of these things.
 
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Are you kidding me? Just 3D-printed ones? :p


I'm making a plush Servbot case for mine, with storage space in his head!


(Anyone who remembers the electronic Servbot doll that you could log into in MegaMan Battle Network, which was basically a cameo appearance for the MegaMan Legends series, should probably get a kick out of this. :p )


EDIT: You know, with the right software and hardware, it could make for an interesting means of prototyping interactive plush...
 
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Prometheus said:
Are you kidding me? Just 3D-printed ones? :p
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Lordy no, it wouldn't stop there - Maybe whittle a nice wooden case for that Steampunk look, with little brass trimmings. Like a puzzle box. I also dribble at the idea of taking one of my deceased Game & Watches and shoving one of these inside somehow. In a dead Gameboy, Game Gear or Lynx. It'd fit in the base of pretty much any 8-bit era Joystick. Get the right keyboard and you could just about shoehorn one inside it.
 
I definitely want one of these... for that price it's hard not to get one.


I'm no HW modder though, and I would like a case for it... hmmm


I was also thinking of making the PI into a low power file-server, currently that job is being filled my my atom netbook... which is not ideal for times that I need my netbook.
 
Prometheus said:
Are you kidding me? Just 3D-printed ones? :p


I'm making a plush Servbot case for mine, with storage space in his head!


(Anyone who remembers the electronic Servbot doll that you could log into in MegaMan Battle Network, which was basically a cameo appearance for the MegaMan Legends series, should probably get a kick out of this. :p )


EDIT: You know, with the right software and hardware, it could make for an interesting means of prototyping interactive plush...
Click to expand...
Oh yeah I remember that and it would be interesting to make a interactive plush of that.


Also this is similar to something I read about that is supposed to be a usb that runs android.
 
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I'm pretty sure that the Android dongle is a little different as it requires another computer with which to operate, whilst the Raspberry Pi is a computer in and of itself - but yeah, similar form-factor and very similar portability, for sure. :D


Thankfully, the Pi's not anywhere near as expensive, though!


I wonder if you can use both together? :lol:
 
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That would be quite interesting to get them to run together and the portability would be nice. They are similar ideas and the android dongle does not require a computer I believe, but it needs usb to get power because I think it cannot draw power from the hdmi side.


It would be interesting to put together a "kit" that includes both the android dongle and the raspberry pi and all accessories needed to get something very portable but still works well as a computer.


Yeah and it is nice the pi is much cheaper I may get one just because it seems interesting to play around with I have most of the things needed to use somewhere in my house I am sure and probably can get the rest of the things.
 
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There are pictures of the populated beta-state boards and a video of one being brought up on the Raspberry Pi homepage, now! :D


Also, I've changed the title of this thread a little bit, to prevent confusion. :p
 
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