A British nonprofit has a novel idea for getting kids interested in computer programming, a computer that fits in a pocket and costs less than the latest video game, it’s called Raspberry Pi which is looks like a leftover scrap from electronics recycling day.The mission recalls other projects that have attempted to make low-cost computers available to kids, like the One Laptop per Child initiative’s dream of $100 Internet-ready laptops worldwide or a $35 tablet from India……….
A games developer, David Braben recently paid the BBC a visit with a prototype computer called the Raspberry Pi and the minicomputer consists of a tiny circuit board with an ARM processor, a USB port and a HDMI connection.He was the programmer of the eighties space opera Elite, but now Braben has invented something cool on the hardware front.The name of the Raspberry Pi, named after the UK based charity the Raspberry Pi Foundation which is set to produce it.The aim of the charity is to widely distribute this super-cheap computer-on-a-stick in order to help teach the basics of programming to kids in both the developed and developing world.Priced at £15, the mini-PC has a USB port for attaching a keyboard and HDMI output for hooking up to a TV or monitor to give yourself a functioning Ubuntu-driven computer. It’s certainly a cool idea (although there’s no room for a mouse with just the one USB port).The specs include a 700MHz ARM11 processor and 128MB of SDRAM, with an SD/MMC/SDIO memory card slot, and support for 1080p H.264 high-profile decode along with OpenGL ES 2.0.Braben hopes the Raspberry Pi will be tucked into enthusiastically by kids in this country who find their Office-oriented ICT classes a supreme turn-off.It becomes a fully fledged product that can be manufactured for about $25 (£15) and given away for free, it sure looks like a promising project that can inspire the next generation of young programmers.
Features :
- 700MHz ARM11
- 128MB of SDRAM
- OpenGL ES 2.0
- 1080p30 H.264 high-profile decode
- Composite and HDMI video output
- USB 2.0
- SD/MMC/SDIO memory card slot
- General-purpose I/O
- Open software (Ubuntu, Iceweasel, KOffice, Python)
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About the nonsense “no place for a mouse” comment… nonsense. Ever heard of a usb hub? Lots of space.
Good ! Let’s get the kids back to compuer programming again, and off the X-box.
BEEGUG – ER.
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant …… not sure if the kid’s u’l get it ….. but the model making market …… the hack it up on the end of a bread board, can we have a cheap relay & a few good motors & i’ll motivate the Dyson in a way the pic never could …… is this the BBC 30 years on ? Will this make Robot Wars what it should be rather than radio control ?
My 4-years old mobile phone is more powerful than that :p
Seriously, if you want a cheap computer just get a Fusion.
Why the hell does your 4 year old have a mobile. Why don’t you give her human attention instead of using electronic gadgets to baby sit it.
SuperNanny, are you retarded…?