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After what must have felt like a very long month of waiting, the popular Raspberry Pi barebones microcomputer is now shipping to the thousands that pre-ordered it.
Around the size of a credit card and costing around £26, the Raspberry Pi is a very basic computer with no casing, aimed at encouraging school children to learn how to code and create software and apps.
It features a 700MHz processor, an SD card slot in which you can load up a Linux operating system on a card, a HDMI socket for connecting up to a monitor or TV, a Ethernet port for connecting to the web, a 3.5mm audio jack and 2 USB ports for keyboards, mice and other external peripherals.
The Raspberry Pi foundation, which came up with the device, is currently looking to create an official peripheral to go with it. It’s a camera, which could be useful for a whole host of applications, ranging from basic webcam functions to home automation.
Currently the Foundation is testing a prototype camera which has a decent 14-megapixel sensor, although in a recent blog post it says that the sensor may be slightly smaller when it comes to go on sale to the public, so as to keep costs down.
The camera will connect to the CSI pins, which are located in the centre of the board. The camera is then attached to the CSI pins via a short ribbon cable, so it can be moved around slightly, independently of the PC board itself.
Many of those who currently have the Raspberry Pi – and those who are still waiting for theirs to arrive – have expressed an interest to the Foundation for creating robotics and home automation devices that use the Raspberry Pi computer at their core. The camera would be ideal for these applications, acting as a seeing eye and reporting back to software loaded on an inserted SD card.
As the camera is still a prototype, the final cost is currently unknown. However, we do know that it is planned to launch later this year. Are you excited to add more gadgetry to your Pi?
Let us know your thoughts on our comments below or via our @Gadget_Helpline Twitter page or Official Facebook group.
Via: Raspberry Pi Foundation
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