Nerds assemble! Raspberry pi close to launch date.

[Cosimo]

According to farnell's twitter feed they've sold out.

.... and their UK site is undergoing "maintenance". It's been dead since before seven for me.

 

[JBod]

Premature celebration - Estimated delivery.... 16th April

 

[Semple]

For those of us not clued up, i realise it runs Linux but is it tweaked at all? whats the UI like? would you be able to install some open source office software onto an SD Card?
etc

Basically - if one was considering buying it as a really cheap machine for a 8-10 year old for word processing, browsing the internet (parental control options?) and possibly some really basic gaming like Bejewled (.. heh).
Would it do the job?

Yes it'll manage all that no problem

 

[Alpherah]

Yes it'll manage all that no problem

Thanks, what about the other points .. UI? ease of use? i guess no one really knows yet because it seems that there's not that much official info/videos/images to go off?

Its so cheap that, if its really easy to use and does the basic stuff well (as it appears to do, XBMC 1080p content playback is just wow) it could be revolutionary for granting computer access to the masses.

Good times!

 

[touch]

For those of us not clued up, i realise it runs Linux but is it tweaked at all? whats the UI like? would you be able to install some open source office software onto an SD Card?

It does not come preloaded with an OS, you need to download one for yourself and stick it on an SD card. There are some downloads available from RaspPi website (when it's back to normal).

Basically - if one was considering buying it as a really cheap machine for a 8-10 year old for word processing, browsing the internet (parental control options?) and possibly some really basic gaming like Bejewled (.. heh).
Would it do the job?

Yes. Might be best to wait for the bundle deals for that sort of use tho. RaspberryPi said that they would release a package including a psu and preloaded sd card sometime. (Farnell also have a slightly different package deal listed as 'coming soon', includes mouse, keyboard, wifi dongle and card reader)

 

[Semple]

Thanks, what about the other points .. UI? ease of use? i guess no one really knows yet because it seems that there's not that much official info/videos/images to go off?

Its so cheap that, if its really easy to use and does the basic stuff well (as it appears to do, XBMC 1080p content playback is just wow) it could be revolutionary for granting computer access to the masses.

Good times!

Very true, I did read somewhere that it runs Fedora. Not sure if this will be pre-loaded or whether it's up to the user which linux distro they wish to use.

 

[easyrider]

Premature celebration - Estimated delivery.... 16th April

do they take payment first?

 

[bayo000]

I registered my interest on RS and Im not entirely sure what I plan to do with it, but it will involve lego mindstorms

That's a great idea. I'll make my box from Lego

 

[Cosimo]

Farnell is now up and running so you can register your interest.

 

[Radiation]

This is very cool indeed, i like the idea of having a tiny low powered computer for various uses, especially this cheap.

I have a laptop screen from a dead laptop, is it possible to cheaply wire one of these up to the raspberry pi?

 

[JBod]

do they take payment first?

Good question - I've not checked.

Edit: nothing showing up yet

 

[touch]

That's a great idea. I'll make my box from Lego

It's already been done. Well, virtually, on the lego builder thingy.

I have a laptop screen from a dead laptop, is it possible to cheaply wire one of these up to the raspberry pi?

Not easily, if at all. The R-pi only has hdmi output*, i dont think that would be easy to connect to a laptop screen, especially if the screen wasnt hd.


*also has analogue out, but that would be no use to you.

 

[Haggisman]

Planning on getting one of these for a carputer - can anyone recommend a good touchscreen OS?

Also, these could be quite a good laugh with a few Phidgets =D

 

[Radiation]

Not easily, if at all. The R-pi only has hdmi output*, i dont think that would be easy to connect to a laptop screen, especially if the screen wasnt hd.

*also has analogue out, but that would be no use to you.

That's a shame, though there must be a way to get hold of a converter or something surely?

Also how can these play 1080p video when my netbook can't?

 

[RomanNose]

Hardware acceleration.

 

[Alpherah]

That's a shame, though there must be a way to get hold of a converter or something surely?

Also how can these play 1080p video when my netbook can't?

At a guess - no bloat in the OS, and ARM CPU/GPU chip which tends to be more powerful then their spec suggests, if comparing to traditional PC hardware

 

[jp_bl_68]

For those who are planning to buy one of these:


What are you going to use it for?

 

[Radiation]

Hardware acceleration.

I guessed that might be it but wonder why the heck intel didn't add some for their atom cpu!

At a guess - no bloat in the OS, and ARM CPU/GPU chip which tends to be more powerful then their spec suggests, if comparing to traditional PC hardware

Even using a light linux distro and some optimized codec/media player it can only play slowly with audio/video out of sync, 720p is fine, however sd flash can stutter, i wonder how these might handle flash video?

For those who are planning to buy one of these:

What are you going to use it for?

I want to make a broken laptop live again, as long as it can be done cheaply, also media streaming/download box.

 

[metbandit1]

For those who are planning to buy one of these:


What are you going to use it for?

Tinkering and after that, media machine.

 

[touch]

What are you going to use it for?

HTPC
Carputer
mini server
home automation
maybe in some remote controlled boat/plane/etc.