A miniaturized computer could sell for as little as £15 when it is launched next year by veteran computer games developer David Braben. The device, produced by a new group called Raspberry Pi, is approximately the size of a USB memory stick.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation is a charity set up to “promote the study of computer science and related topics, especially at school level, and to put the fun back into learning computing”, according to its website. Mr Braben has said that he hopes the new computer will encourage children in particular to think about programming and electronics.
“We plan to develop, manufacture and distribute an ultra-low-cost computer, for use in teaching computer programming to children. We expect this computer to have many other applications both in the developed and the developing world,” the charity says.
The computer includes a USB port on one end and an HDMI port on the other. This allows, for instance, a keyboard and a monitor to be connected respectively.
Although the specifications for the device are limited, running open-source software it is able to browse the web and run Office-style applications with relative ease. It also includes 1080p HD video. Braben says he hopes to be distributing the first Raspberry Pi device within the next 12 months, after work has continued to develop the product into a production version.
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USB-stick PC
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