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10k Raspberry Pi Units Available In December
An anonymous reader writes "A tweet appeared from Raspberry Pi stating the launch of the $25 PC wasn't happening in November as expected. So I decided to investigate further and contacted Raspberry Pi to see what was going on. Eben Upton was kind enough to email me back and give us some good and bad news. The bad news is: we aren't getting the $25 PC this month as expected. But that's where the bad news ends, as it is still arriving in 2011 for some people. Eben confirmed that an order has been placed for 10,000 units, but they won't arrive until the end of November. That means we will see Raspberry Pi go up for sale in December, but it won't be a typical 'get as many out the door as you can' launch. Those first 10k are earmarked for programmers as software is desperately required before a full consumer launch." Update: Apparently some of the details about the production of units and who can get one from the first batch have changed. Raspberry Pi has updated their front page with the latest information.
No details have been made available yet as to how those first 10k units will be allocated
"In the space below, write a scheme program that outputs your shipping address"
"Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
What the frack is Raspberry Pi and why should I care?
They just posted a clarification on their home page. http://www.raspberrypi.org/
Please read from the horse's mouth:
http://www.raspberrypi.org/
Quote:
An article in today's www.geek.com suggested a couple of things -- first, that we're already producing units, and secondly, that we're limiting sales to programmers only at first. Both of these appear to be the result of some horrible miscommunication (blame Eben; he's very tired).
I have been waiting to get my hands on one of these devices since the project first started. I'm loosing patience.
...and the delays begin. The vaporware process continues...
even with multiple arduinos, there's only so much you can do.
I'm hoping this pi thing will be cheap and yet easy enough to access low level things and 'be a controller' too. carrying linux around is pretty heavy (for a controller) and a LOT of software to test, validate and worry about. arduinos have setup() and loop() and that is your world. its such a simple and secure world. add linux to controllers and all hell can break loose if you are not careful.
when the pi is buyable, I'll get one or two. at the very least, I need a webserver and ip-stack (and firewall) front-end to my real embedded systems. perhaps I'll serial couple them and keep things insulated that way until I'm sure the pi and its ip networking path is secure enough to be given direct control over embedded controlled physical things. but as a front-end doing web stuff I'm sure its going to be more than powerful enough.
--
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
Is the Raspberry PI based on really open sources or is it "closed binary blob hope you don't mind" open? You know, like most of the Linux drivers from Broadcom. If it's really open, then I'm interested. If it isn't, then I'll put my efforts into something with hardware that comes with full documentation.
So don't I already have this when I loaded Linux on a cheap router with USB support?
Is it powerful enough to run MAME, at least older versions?
I'd encourage people to visit www.raspberrypi.org to read the clarification we've posted. Summary
- we're in the process of accumulating parts kits for the first 10k unit production run
- we'll be doing a phased launch, to avoid the risk of kicking out 10k units and having them come straight back with a trivial early-life bug
- the majority of devices will be available on a first-come first-served basis, with a small number held back for continuity of supply to key partners
Eben Upton
Raspberry Pi Foundation
The Arduino is currently the defacto standard for amateur electronics control. Arduinos are programmed in a scaled-down version of C. C is fine for simple things, but gets more difficult when dealing with complex algorithms.
But if this project hits its pricepoint, it will be cheaper than Arduino AND it will allow even high-level languages, like Ruby or Java, to be used. Would there be any reason to use Arduino if this comes to pass?
This product is no more suitable for microcontroller applications than an eee-pc.
Arduino's appeal is that of low level electronic access. It can take voltage readings or output PWM and digital voltage signals. More advanced projects use serial or I2C communication with peripherals but it is all really low level access. As they say, Arduino is for physical computing.
Raspberry Pi is meant to be an inexpensive computer.... an application platform where the primary input and output are a keyboard and a monitor.
They may both be small, green, and electronic, but they are no more competitors than donuts are to potato (starchy brown food?).
Slashdot effect is in order.
The only problems I've seen in their website while the Slashdot effect keeps going, were Database connection errors on the forum, and that's solved after one or two reloads of the page (still, not nice when you are posting something on the forum and you loose it all).
I guess the problem here is more related to the memory-hungry SQL database engine, than to the [virtual] hardware the website is running on. In fact, I have had several servers, some virtual and some not (old computers), with only 128MB of RAM - the same as on the provisional specs of a Raspberry Pi Model A. Everything works well with nginx and PHP5, until you add SQL. When that happens and you get a lot of visitors... out of memory!
http://gbl08ma.com
Eben, since you're here, I'll ply you with a question.
The first units go out a month late -- who cares. That's just a minor additional wait.
But then, soon after, you start to hear back from the programmers that there are problems. (Naively, I assume this to be expected. But I've never launched a computer.) You diagnose the problems, try fixes, change things, come up with a version 1.1, and send it out.
That seems like a place where we might see a much more significant delay. How long do you think the cycle will be between first mass usage and v. 1.1?
Don't buy this garbage, it was vaporware to begin with.
/.'ed
So... geeks without a tack records of producing are not producing. Film at 11.
10K sets of parts are ordered. This has nothing to do with availability of usable systems. See for yourself what Eben says on the web site: http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/302
Why don't they just buy a few Makerbots and print out complete units? I heard on slashdot that 3D printing completely revolutionizes home manufacturing. Is this an exaggeration? I mean, I don't fully understand how a 1300$ hot glue gun on the end of a stepper motor's screw is supposed to print out chemically pure silicon from ABS feedstock, but I trust the people on Slashdot. If they say we'll mine helium-3 from the Moon, well then by golly, transmutation is surely a common occurrence in the home now?
are a bunch of bloody wazzocks. They:
Won't RTFA
Will jump to conclusions
Have pet hates
Always know something thats far better for what THEY want to do, at a rather increased price.
Hey folks. Its a competent little computer at pocket-money prices, that has a stated aim, eg to provide a cheap and easy way to encourage youngsters to view a computer as something to create software on rather than just consume apps. That there are other ways to use it is a bonus. That it addresses a range of demographics is a serendipitous marvel.
Here's a tip to you all. Google Raspberry Pi, have a look at what's currently being done by members of the development community with the alpha boards, hell even have a look at the website. Then STFU.
WIth sprinkles. :-)
C is lovely for complex work. Have no idea where such a claim would come from. Perhaps from someone who isn't very good a programming in C.
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
Um, $25*2 = $50
Anyway, it won't be $25, it'll be £15 (so you'd better hope the pound tanks before December), and for the first batch they might make it mandatory to donate the cost of a unit to buy one (ie give one get one). This probably won't be a requirement for subsequent batches.