Miniature electronics are all the rage right now, amateur hacking has led to the steep rise in popularity, the Raspberry Pi devices and Arduino boards are proof of that. There’s a new tiny computer on the block though that’s looking to dramatically undercut the competition.
CHIP is the new device from Next Thing Co, and they’re looking for Kickstarter funding to help get it off the ground. The basic component can be yours for just US$9 (about £5.80 or AU$11.30), don’t ask what CHIP stands for, I have no idea.
Hook up a keyboard and display and you can use CHIP to play basic games, browse the web or run LibreOffice. Alternatively it comes with the free Scratch programming language so you can code your own projects. Meaning you can add to it and use it to make you dishwasher a smart dishwasher or something ridiculous like that, yes people have done that with the Pi.
It’s already a hit on Kickstarter – having already gained around seven times its $50,000 goal, and still rising. Supposedly the team behind it can get to such a low price thanks to “friendly relations” with Chinese suppliers.
CHIP includes a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity options. A PocketCHIP variation is also available complete with a small screen and battery.
This is a Kickstarter project, so the usual warnings apply, they don’t guarantee a final product, it may be wildly different or it may cost considerably more. If all goes to plan then units are set to be shipped out in December.
Has anyone heard of this? I have been using a Arduino for my projects, thinking of giving this a try. Any feedback welcome
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