Raspberry Pi Gets a Red-Tape Delay; Awaits CE Certificate

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Raspberry Pi Gets a Red-Tape Delay; Awaits CE Certificate

Posted by timothy on Thursday March 29, 2012 @04:16AM from the bureaucrats-are-middle-management dept.

judgecorp writes "After many delays, the Raspberry Pi computer has arrived in Britain, but has been stopped by the need for a CE approval sticker to say it meets European regulations. The Raspberry Pi Foundation expects the sticker to be a formality, and says it failed to apply because it thought the Pi did not qualify as a 'finished end product.'"

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Seriously? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 04:20 · Score: 1, Insightful

Nobody in that foundation even thought they'd need to meet CE regulations? What else have they forgotten about? Is it even RoHS compliant?
1. Re:Seriously? by VMaN · 2012-03-29 04:21 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  No, seeing as comparable systems, like BeagleBone etc don't...
2. Re:Seriously? by bsane · 2012-03-29 04:31 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Raspberry Pi delayed? Shocking!
  I thought we were just days away last month?
  http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/696
  TLDR: Saturday 2/25 Eben expected the boards to ship (to them) that day or Monday.
  I'm sure the Pi-ers will mod me down fiercely, but come on guys... I ordered one too, I want one, but lets not pretend this has been handled well.
3. Re:Seriously? by Hatta · 2012-03-29 04:33 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  It's a bare board. They figured they'd get lumped in with arduino, etc, as "components" and not have to get certified. They're probably legally right, but the supplier doesn't want to take the risk. So they wait.
  I dunno why they're waiting though. They could easily take their product to another supplier and sell out just as fast.
  
  --
  Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
4. Re:Seriously? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 04:48 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Correct. They're doing it because their (consistently, horribly unprofessional) distributors insisted that it be done... not because regulations actually apply with this device.
  The foundation desperately needs to get away from these horseshit companies. They've completely dropped the ball at every single step of the process, from the launch itself, to maintaining accurate information for current and future buyers, to present day, last-minute issues with the CE mark.
  The Raspi team was right to go with outside distribution, and they picked (what appeared to be) appropriate companies for the job. It just hasn't worked out and they need to cut the bums loose.
5. Re:Seriously? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 04:57 · Score: 1
  
  Except that the Rasp Pi people claimed at another point that it s a finished product to side step import taxes. They can't claim it both ways.
6. Re:Seriously? by bsane · 2012-03-29 04:59 · Score: 2
  
  I don't think we can say its the distro companies they picked...
  Eben claimed that the first Raspi boards would arrive that day, or the next biz day back on 2/25. Now there apparently never was a raspi batch(?), and you're blaming the distributors...
  I imagine this will all get sorted in the end, but I don't think the distributors sole source or problems or the only ones acting unprofessional.
7. Re:Seriously? by poetmatt · 2012-03-29 05:13 · Score: 1
  
  I'm kinda wondering the same - however, remember that people new to manufacturing are not familiar with these requirements. So I believe the term is just "simple ignorance" not intentional negligence.
8. Re:Seriously? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 05:23 · Score: 1
  
  Right, because no one orders things from Newark/Farnell/element14 distributors ever?
  How about placing blame where it belongs, which is on the hype train the foundation has been flogging to gain popularity while simultaneously delivering: NOTHING.
9. Re:Seriously? by DrXym · 2012-03-29 05:25 · Score: 2
  
  I expect these devices do need a CE mark for electro magnetic radiation compliance (that it doesn't interfere with other equipment and its own performance isn't degraded by other equipment) and the companies in question are rightfully stating they're not going to start selling something which would land them in the shit if it is out of compliance. The US is no different with devices requiring FCC certification.
10. Re:Seriously? by interkin3tic · 2012-03-29 05:26 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  lets not pretend this has been handled well.
  Compared to what? How large consumer electronics organizations release hotly anticipated products? In the case of the Galaxy Nexus or whatever you want to call that phone, I was waiting around for months to hear a date announced. Then it was announced, then it was recanted. Then a worldwide release date that excluded the US was announced. I believe that may have been taken back and forth a time or two, don't really know since it didn't affect me. Then there was a US release date that was complicated by carriers dragging their heels or FCC approval or something like that. One could argue that's not directly samsung's fault, I'd argue it's about as much samsung's fault as this current issue is raspberry pi's fault. Anyway, by the time it finally got here, I had already bought a galaxy S2, which itself was rescheduled several times, once I believe due to some patent issues.
  
  I hear some of you already typing that this is not a fair comparison, and you're right: samsung has much more money and employees to get it right.
  
  Also, the street dates on the phones seem to have been announced very shortly before the actual release. I'm assuming that was so that they could squeeze a few more dollars out of people buying new, very soon to be obsolete phones. Which is bullshit.
  
  Anyway, my point is this: On things I really want to buy, I want to have a rough estimate as to when I can buy it as early as possible. Delays are always going to happen, and I'd rather have a company push the date back and explain why it's delayed rather than the "Available next week. Actually no, it's not going to be, we'll tell you if and when it's happening. That is all."
11. Re:Seriously? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 05:26 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  It might seem unfair, but I understood that a group of people with a big goal, on a small budget, doing something interesting and different... that was going to come with quite a few headaches. So when they pushed the dates, goofed on public updates or didn't handle misinformation properly... well, I understood and felt I had no reason to get cranky.
  But when two mature businesses that sell electronic components for a living can't get their goddamn acts together to save their lives, I have a little less patience. It's doubly frustration for those that have already ordered theirs... because those people are now customers. And it's not even like they just underestimated what they'd need at launch and ignored the direct warnings, they've continued to screw everything up ever since.
  In short, I'll happily cut the foundation all kinds of slack. They're not a big for-profit business with customers. They're basically a group that's been blogging about the process of trying to make something really cool, and doing a really good job of it. These distributors, however, are a joke.
12. Re:Seriously? by KC1P · 2012-03-29 05:39 · Score: 2
  
  Actually, the Arduino (or at least, the Arduino Uno I'm holding in my hand right now) does have a CE mark on the back. Now this is making me paranoid about some of my own projects! What does CE testing cost?
13. Re:Seriously? by bsane · 2012-03-29 05:44 · Score: 2
  
  It totally depends on how long those distributors have been involved. I've bought plenty of items from Newark before and have never had a problem. If they agreed back in December to make and distribute these boards- then yeah, they're a problem. If the agreement was made more or less when the agreement was announced (March 3rd), then I'm not the least bit surprised its taken this long, and will take longer still.
  My main problem with whats happened so far: we were told an initial batch of 10k were being produced, we were kept updated (2/25, 2/6 being some of them) on their production and hopeful ship date. Now it seems there was no initial batch, WTF? Its the disconnect between
  'we're making a batch and having problems, please bear with us'
  and
  'we're making a batch, they're at the factory being made, bear with us, , here these companies will now make them!'
  There is some serious disconnect that not just manufacturing delays...
14. Re:Seriously? by surmak · 2012-03-29 05:44 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  The Arduino Uno does have a CE mark. Look at the picture of the back of the board.
  I don't know it is required, but it does have it
15. Re:Seriously? by gl4ss · 2012-03-29 05:49 · Score: 1
  
  I don't think that Beaglebone is advertised as a "gnu/linux box for 25$" nor don't they have this..
  "What’s a Raspberry Pi?
  The Raspberry Pi is a credit-card sized computer that plugs into your TV and a keyboard. It’s a capable little PC which can be used for many of the things that your desktop PC does, like spreadsheets, word-processing and games. It also plays high-definition video. We want to see it being used by kids all over the world to learn programming."
  yeah sure, it's just a board. budget board. that's the whole point of it, it doesn't come with full driver sources etc.. it's a discount arm board, that's the whole point. but basically if you add things you probably will need you're almost in the same price range as ordering a whole unit from china that fills the same description(but comes with what you need to boot it and pre-loaded with android).
  anyhow, this is just the latest of many, many delays of the product.
  
  --
  world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
16. Re:Seriously? by ZeroSumHappiness · 2012-03-29 05:50 · Score: 2
  
  The initial 10k batch was made on behalf of the Foundation at some factory in China. That batch of 10k are being resold by Farnell and RS. Further production of the Pi will be handled by RS and Farnell.
  So "we're making a batch, they're at the factory being made, bear with us" and "here these companies will now make them!" are both true.
17. Re:Seriously? by jimicus · 2012-03-29 05:56 · Score: 1
  
  Welcome to the wonderful world of hardware manufacturing. This is why many companies don't announce a damn thing until the product is already on its way to the retailers.
18. Re:Seriously? by Microlith · 2012-03-29 05:57 · Score: 1
  
  And it never fails that there are hate-filled naysayers who attack everything and anything that looks promising.
19. Re:Seriously? by viperidaenz · 2012-03-29 06:00 · Score: 1
  
  You're right, its not a fair comparison.
  
  Samsung didn't sell you the phone before they delivered it.
20. Re:Seriously? by gl4ss · 2012-03-29 06:01 · Score: 1
  
  not really the same though if you didn't pre-order a nexus believing it's already manufactured and have it's shipping pushed back due to them switching volume buttons to a better model.
  it's been handled like shit, delay after delay serially even if the problems would have been parallel.
  they don't seem to even have checked what certifications the comparable parts/devices/boards have. and let's face it when did you see an arduino hocked as a powerful credit card sized computer? meanwhile you can buy actual wallet sized android hdmi pucks right now, comparing pricing to pi is a bit messy right now though since you'd have to count the psu, cables etc to the price(they tend to come with those, but with those added they're at about even pricing with the pi).
  if it started shipping and an android ready to boot image appeared(with working sound) I'd buy 5 of them. even if the whole operation seems like an operation to spin them to avoid being a company that sells consumer products - which they are, even if registered as a charity.
  now there's been all sorts of ridiculous claims about the pi in the past like how they managed to buy parts at cost or below cost etc claiming that cloners couldn't do it as cheap. but that's bullshit. if you drop the android requirement you can source hdmi media player devices for 30 bucks. the hw is getting insanely cheap.
  
  --
  world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
21. Re:Seriously? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 06:03 · Score: 1
  
  OMG! It's the end of the world as we know it. I'm very, very scared. Just imagine all the bad things that *might* happen. We're probably safer just sticking with the established market leaders for all our consumer purchases.
22. Re:Seriously? by ChipMonk · 2012-03-29 06:21 · Score: 2
  
  RPi didn't sell me anything, either. No money has changed hands. No money will change hands until it ships. I'm merely in the queue to get one.
  
  (Way, way down in the queue, apparently...)
23. Re:Seriously? by citizenr · 2012-03-29 06:36 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  The initial 10k batch was made on behalf of the Foundation at some factory in China. That batch of 10k are being resold by Farnell and RS. Further production of the Pi will be handled by RS and Farnell.
  So "we're making a batch, they're at the factory being made, bear with us" and "here these companies will now make them!" are both true.
  Thats the thing - RS and Farnell DIDNT SELL A SINGLE BOARD because THEY NEVER HAD ANY to begin with. That 10K batch was a LIE.
  RS and Farnell took orders for the boards they are going to make _in the future_. Latest mail from Farnell informed me my order will be completed in July ...
  btw. Rasppi doesnt like when you say thay they SCAMMED you, mods deleted all my comments from their site when I pointed out there never was a 10K batch and my "launch day" order turned out to be preorder for something Farnell is going to make in HALF A YEAR.
  
  --
  Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
24. Re:Seriously? by citizenr · 2012-03-29 06:40 · Score: 2
  
  I expect these devices do need a CE mark for electro magnetic radiation compliance (that it doesn't interfere with other equipment and its own performance isn't degraded by other equipment) and the companies in question are rightfully stating they're not going to start selling something which would land them in the shit if it is out of compliance. The US is no different with devices requiring FCC certification.
  No. Farnell is quite happy selling $4 msp430 Launchpads
  http://uk.farnell.com/texas-instruments/msp-exp430g2/kit-dev-msp430-launchpad/dp/1853793
  that dont meet a single norm, no CE, no FCC nothing. Ti just states in the documentation those boards are DEV experimental stuff and thats it. TI sold >100K of them easily.
  http://www.ti.com/lit/ml/slac432a/slac432a.pdf
  “Texas Instruments (TI) provides the enclosed product(s) under the following conditions:
  This evaluation board/kit is intended for use for ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT, DEMONSTRATION,
  EVALUATION PURPOSES ONLY and is not considered by TI to be a finished endproduct fit for gene
  consumer use. Persons handling the product(s) must have electronics training and observe good engineer
  practice standards. As such, the goods being provided are not intended to be complete in terms of requi
  design, marketing, and/or manufacturingrelated protective considerations, including product safety a
  environmental measures typically found in end products that incorporate such semiconductor components
  circuit boards. This evaluation board/kit does not fall within the scope of the European Union directi
  regarding electromagnetic compatibility, restricted substances (RoHS), recycling (WEEE), FCC, CE or
  and therefore may not meet the technical requirements of these directives or other related directives.”
  “FCC WARNING
  This evaluation board/kit is intended for use for ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT, DEMONSTRATION, OR
  EVALUATION PURPOSES ONLY and is not considered by TI to be a finished enproduct fit for general
  consumer use. It generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and has not been tested for compli-
  ance with the limits of computing devices pursuant to part 15 of FCC rules, which are designed to provide
  reasonable protection against radio frequency interference. Operation of this equipment in other environ-
  ments may cause interference with radio communications, in which case the user at his own expense will be
  required to take whatever measures may be required to correct this interference.”
  
  --
  Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
25. Re:Seriously? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 07:46 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Based on how the EU regulations are worded, to qualify as a "finished end product" the board is supposed to have an enclosure. No enclosure, it's not a "finished end product" and it doesn't require EMC. Personally I think this is a silly way of deciding what needs to be compliant, but that's how it's worded.
  I haven't really been following the Raspberry Pi, but it doesn't look like it comes with an enclosure. So it sounds like the distis are just being anal (unless you believe the conspiracy theory discussed above).
26. Re:Seriously? by slowLearner · 2012-03-29 08:04 · Score: 2
  
  http://www.raspberrypi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/1seaofpis.png
  gosh this looks like a lot of Raspberry Pi's in shrink wrap, I wonder if maybe you got modded out for some reason other than you make sane reasonable points with evidence in a calm and reasonable manner?
27. Re:Seriously? by citizenr · 2012-03-29 09:09 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  http://www.raspberrypi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/1seaofpis.png
  gosh this looks like a lot of Raspberry Pi's in shrink wrap, I wonder if maybe you got modded out for some reason other than you make sane reasonable points with evidence in a calm and reasonable manner?
  Its 29 or March, there is ~900 boards in the picture, they are still in China.
  Launch date was 29 February (full 30 days ago), Launch means here you go click and buy. There was nothing to buy.
  If you read post that came with that picture you will learn they are talking about 2000 boards, so where did the 8000 go? They never existed in February.
  Btw I just checked and they banned me :-) Banned me for saying they "officially launched" with ZERO inventory.
  Launch was in February. Farnell says that EARLIEST date is June. It all stinks. I feel scammed.
  Its one thing to be incompetent, its another to constantly lie.
  
  --
  Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
28. Re:Seriously? by Johnny+O · 2012-03-29 09:15 · Score: 1
  
  Driver source? If it isnt out there yet it will be. Look at all the low level docs released.
  http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1521578.pdf
  I think there will be great open source drivers ;-)
29. Re:Seriously? by thegarbz · 2012-03-29 10:05 · Score: 1
  
  They could easily take their product to another supplier and sell out just as fast.
  At this point they are likely to be hit by this nasty little thing called contractual obligations. Given how orders have been placed already.
30. Re:Seriously? by dotbot · 2012-03-29 10:49 · Score: 1
  
  Launch was in February. Farnell says that EARLIEST date is June. It all stinks. I feel scammed. Its one thing to be incompetent, its another to constantly lie.
  I'm curious - what happened when you asked for your money back?
31. Re:Seriously? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 11:50 · Score: 1
  
  Nobody has been charged anything by anybody yet - Farnell and RS will take card details but not charge until they ship. So there's nothing to refund. You can however cancel your preorder - and I hope that the previous idiot does just that, as it means someone else will get a device quicker.
32. Re:Seriously? by citizenr · 2012-03-29 11:53 · Score: 1
  
  Launch was in February. Farnell says that EARLIEST date is June. It all stinks. I feel scammed.
  Its one thing to be incompetent, its another to constantly lie.
  I'm curious - what happened when you asked for your money back?
  Apparently Farnell didnt charge anyone because they knew they had nothing to ship. They are still waiting till they start shipping.
  Worst is Rasppi foundation is putting all the blame on Farnell while they are the ones running around in the Media announcing fake launch dates.
  
  --
  Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
33. Re:Seriously? by citizenr · 2012-03-29 11:56 · Score: 1
  
  Based on how the EU regulations are worded, to qualify as a "finished end product" the board is supposed to have an enclosure. No enclosure, it's not a "finished end product" and it doesn't require EMC. Personally I think this is a silly way of deciding what needs to be compliant, but that's how it's worded.
  I haven't really been following the Raspberry Pi, but it doesn't look like it comes with an enclosure. So it sounds like the distis are just being anal (unless you believe the conspiracy theory discussed above).
  Hard to call it conspiracy when you can buy TI boards with no certificates on Farnell.
  
  --
  Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
34. Re:Seriously? by citizenr · 2012-03-30 01:45 · Score: 1
  
  cancel your preorder
  How can you preorder something when you are BUYING IT ON LAUNCH DATE?????
  Dont you see a problem there?
  
  --
  Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
35. Re:Seriously? by dotbot · 2012-03-30 05:37 · Score: 1
  
  I see. Whilst they are not managing expectations at all well and effectively misleading people (though I'm sure it's not deliberate), it's clearly not a scam. To call it a scam would imply your money is being taken in return for nothing with no chance of getting it back. I'm sure you didn't mean 'scam' literally, but I can understand RasPi removing your comments saying that, because you're basically saying they're fraudulent, which is a fairly serious accusation!
Next Up - GMO Testing by cybrpnk2 · 2012-03-29 04:22 · Score: 5, Funny

Next they'll have to prove that a Raspberry Pi is not a Genetically Modified Organism.
1. Re:Next Up - GMO Testing by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 04:51 · Score: 1
  
  I don't know... They don't look like any raspberry I've ever seen, so it could be.
2. Re:Next Up - GMO Testing by Brucelet · 2012-03-29 05:06 · Score: 1
  
  Nor any pie, for that matter.
3. Re:Next Up - GMO Testing by marcosdumay · 2012-03-29 06:35 · Score: 2
  
  It will all be fine if they clearly label their product with the warning: "May contain gluten".
  
  --
  Rethinking email
4. Re:Next Up - GMO Testing by Bing+Tsher+E · 2012-03-29 12:18 · Score: 1
  
  Also: "processed in a facility that may have contained peanuts" (one of the assemblers ate a Snickers bar on break)
Raspberry Pi foundation have given length of delay by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 04:25 · Score: 1

The foundation are saying they expect the delay to be about two weeks: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/european-technology/raspberry-pi-shipping-delayed-by-a-8220couple-of-weeks-8221/381
Yawn by MightyMartian · 2012-03-29 04:27 · Score: 1, Funny

Been a week since the last Raspberry Pi post. Must make another one quick!
Next week "Raspberry Pi delayed because appropriate chicken was not sacrificed. Now waiting on God."

--
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
1. Re:Yawn by Enry · 2012-03-29 05:42 · Score: 1
  
  I'll take it over yet another BitCoin article.
2. Re:Yawn by MightyMartian · 2012-03-29 05:48 · Score: 1
  
  As much as I think the Pi is a cool project, I'm beginning to put it in the same category as BitCoin. When I can actually order one and expect to receive it in anything approaching a timely fashion, I'll move it out of that category, for now, it's still "pi in the sky" to me.
  
  --
  The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
3. Re:Yawn by TheSync · 2012-03-29 06:47 · Score: 3
  
  As much as I think the Pi is a cool project, I'm beginning to put it in the same category as BitCoin.
  This is totally an unfair comparison. You can buy a BitCoin today, you can't buy a Pi!
4. Re:Yawn by Enry · 2012-03-29 06:50 · Score: 1
  
  Touche
5. Re:Yawn by SleazyRidr · 2012-03-29 09:01 · Score: 1
  
  I won't be interested until I can buy a rasberry pi with bitcoin.
  
  --
  Is 1563649 a prime number?
6. Re:Yawn by Bing+Tsher+E · 2012-03-29 12:31 · Score: 1
  
  You can't buy one with PayPal even though they promised that before handing the distribution role off.
  The thing that got me the most about the 'early morning release' deal the Foundation pulled was that they had a little decoy 'online store' tucked off to the side as a link on the main Raspberry Pi web page. All that was available in 'the store' was a keyboard sticker for weeks and weeks. And there was a 'registration' process to follow to get an account on the 'store.' So, I made a password and carefully made saved an additional bookmark to the 'Store' website and waited for the launch morning.
  When the launch morning came, a few hours before launch the 'store' page went 'offline for maintenance.' The assumption anybody would make was that it was being prepped to take the orders for the (turned out to be phantom) 10K boards.
  Then when the static page went up (which they had said would be replacing the Raspberry Pi site for 24 hours to handle the 'launch' and then sat there as their only web presence for five or six days after the launch....) all that was on it were links to RS and Farnell. Rather bad links, too, that just steered straight into the Farnell and RS commercial website, leaving buyers to run a generic 'search' to find out where the heck the page to buy the boards was. It was almost the same as if they had put the 10k of mythical boards (which still today don't exist in a sellable form) up on a bid page on eBay, but made no searchable mention of 'Raspberry Pi' on it. A hide and seek scavenger hunt, so it seems.
  It's been a rather bizzarre launch, and the feeling one gets when reading the forums on the site is that it's run by surly tavernkeepers.
  The big problem, as I see it, is that the thing was initially designed to be a pedagogical trainer-board thing for kids to fool with and encourage them to learn programming. But everybody who is clamoring to buy one has their own pet embedded project in mind for them, and almost none of them have anything to do with education, kids, general purpose 'dabbling' type programming, etc. The project has gotten out of control.
Re:go away, Broadcom by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 04:28 · Score: 1

This. The project argued that they would import a finished product precisely so they did not have to pay certain import taxes (which they pretended to be impossibly high, but for any sort of electonics does not exceed around 15%). Now they claim that they regarded the product as unfinished and therefore exempt from CE markings.
It appears that the standards body called them on their duplicity - I guess that's not quite as bad as the tax man looking into you.
Raspberry Pi already obsolete by Animats · 2012-03-29 04:30 · Score: 4, Interesting

The Raspberry Pi is already obsolete. Rhombus-Tech is coming out with a board based on the Allwinner ARM implementation, 3x as fast as the obsolete CPU the Pi crowd is using. "Mass-volume pricing (just for the CPU card, and therefore excluding tax, shipping, profit, a case and a power supply) looks to be on target for around $15:" They're also looking at reusing the BeagleBoard form factor (which is much like an Arduno) and coming out with a fast Linux board in that format.
By the time the Raspberry Pi crowd delivers, they'll be obsolete. Much like the OLPC.
1. Re:Raspberry Pi already obsolete by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 04:38 · Score: 1
  
  you're saying that a product for which the 'schematics are currently being developed' might be better at some point
  than a product on the verge of shipping?
  thats amazing
2. Re:Raspberry Pi already obsolete by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 04:39 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  The Raspberry Pi is already obsolete. Rhombus-Tech is coming out with a board based on the Allwinner ARM implementation, 3x as fast as the obsolete CPU the Pi crowd is using. "Mass-volume pricing (just for the CPU card, and therefore excluding tax, shipping, profit, a case and a power supply) looks to be on target for around $15:" They're also looking at reusing the BeagleBoard form factor (which is much like an Arduno) and coming out with a fast Linux board in that format.
  By the time the Raspberry Pi crowd delivers, they'll be obsolete. Much like the OLPC.
  and when will this ship? 3 or 4 years after? =))
3. Re:Raspberry Pi already obsolete by PremiumCarrion · 2012-03-29 04:40 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  That's an interesting idea, but how much will it cost, it looks like it may be more expensive for the base unit since from the FAQ:
  "Why is the price of the Allwinner A10 EOMA-68 Card $15?
  It damn well isn't! We are getting a massive amount of misunderstandings about this. We have reported that based on estimates from the Reference Board supplied by the Manufacturer of the SoC that the MATERIALS COST is APPROACHING $15 in MASS VOLUME quantities of 100,000 units.
  That is excluding a case, power supply (which as the unit can be powered by USB-OTG is not needed), packaging, tax, customs duty, shipping and, most importantly, a profit margin.
  Any company has to make a profit, and a CIC is no different. Charities and Not-for-Profit Foundations can get away with not making a profit, but Rhombus Tech is not a Charity."
  Also a PCMCIA card is going to be very much less convenient to use as a computer than a device which has the following ports: USB, Ethernet, DVI, sound out
4. Re:Raspberry Pi already obsolete by gmarsh · 2012-03-29 04:48 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  The $15 card you're describing is a PCMCIA card form factor. Feel free to explain how to power it, plug a keyboard into it and hook it up to their TV without another $15 card with all the connectors you need for a practical application.
  Also, the Broadcom on the Pi is about as obsolete as the ATMega parts used on the Arduino card. It gets the job done in the application it's put in. God forbid it's slower than a high end Cortex-A8 processor...
5. Re:Raspberry Pi already obsolete by interkin3tic · 2012-03-29 05:29 · Score: 1
  
  No it makes sense. What sucks is I just bought an ipad 3, which is of course obsolete due to the ipad 5.
6. Re:Raspberry Pi already obsolete by LuxuryYacht · 2012-03-29 05:43 · Score: 1
  
  The EOMA68 cards are not PCMCIA cards! They just happed to have the same footprint. The EOMA68 cards are the motherboard for devices like netbooks, laptops, set-top-boxes, carPC's etc etc. They don't plug into a PCMCIA slot as an accessory. They are the CPU, RAM, Flash, Ethernet, USB, SATA, SPI etc. etc. Controller/Host for the device they are plugged into.
  The EOMA68 cards are COM "computer on modules" to allow OEM's to get to market faster without having to design a motherboard or develop Linux drivers. The OEM's just add a $3-$10 dollar I/O board with connectors with a simple 32bit ARM Cortex-M3 for $1 micro as an EC (embedded controller) such as an ST STM32. The main cost for the I/O boards are the connectors.
  
  --
  Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur
7. Re:Raspberry Pi already obsolete by LuxuryYacht · 2012-03-29 05:56 · Score: 2
  
  Well you could power them via USB-otg and plug a keyboard into them directly using a USB wallplug power supply for ~$1.
  But an I/O board itself for something like a desktop PC would only require a simple PCB ~$1, with TV encoder $0.50ea, RCA jack $0.15, RJ45 jack $0.50 and some passives $1 plus a power supply $2. So under $6 so far.
  Add a SATA connector $0.20ea (if you want a HD), and some extra USB connectors for another $1 and larger power supply and you're still under $10 including a somple case.
  Fell free to ask me for quotes and reference designs for any types of similar products.
  
  --
  Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur
8. Re:Raspberry Pi already obsolete by tftp · 2012-03-29 08:42 · Score: 1
  The OEM's just add a $3-$10 dollar I/O board with connectors with a simple 32bit ARM Cortex-M3 for $1 micro as an EC (embedded controller) such as an ST STM32.
  I'm an OEM. If Rhombus thinks that OEMs will jump onto this product, they are quite optimistic. OEMs will be extremely careful with their product unless the card is uniquely suitable for some quick demo. Reasons being:
  
  It is cheaper to buy an MCU from an established manufacturer and solder it to the board than to bother with PCMCIA connectors and I/O boards. Note that the connector requires its own length of free space on the carrier PCB for card insertion. This is a huge space requirement.
  
  I don't think there is anything on the card that is worth paying royalties for. If you manufacture in volume you don't want royalties. Atmel has a whole eval board that runs Linux, if Linux is what you want. Often you want nothing, or maybe you want RTOS. A complex OS like Linux - that is not real-time - is not often needed.
  
  New architecture. Most OEMs already have an MCU design that they are using. Here I have AVR8 and AVR32, with an option for Atmel's ARM. This is important because you reuse the knowledge, the code, the compiler, the programming tools, etc.
  
  Connectors are trouble, always. If you can solder it, do so.
  
  Dependability of supplies. I have issues sometimes with giants like IDT or Micron who are behind on shipping something. Rhombus can go mammaries up at any time; should I then cancel the product line and design a new one? Major manufacturers have a specific, well defined product life policy.
  
  Reliability of the design. I cannot use a module if I don't trust the team that designed it. This particular team may have issues, that is evident from what they have on the Web page.
  
  Where are the specs of their product? What is the temperature range (-40C to +85C please,) where are vibration requirements, humidity, etc.? You can't enter the industrial market without that, and if Rhombus has any hope of selling then that's their best bet. Industrial OEMs often design unique products in small volume.
  
  There is a fierce competition in this market. On the high end $300 will buy you an Atom COM module that can run Windows 7 Embedded out of the box. And that board will be made by an established player. Conformal coating? Yes, they offer that; they know what it's for.
  
  Low price is not necessarily a good thing.
  
  As I already mentioned, there are philosophical issues that may be relevant. For example, why do you want a Linux computer in your product? How many products require it? (Look around.) This is not something that's wrong with this board, but it is a factor in the whole business plan.
  In other words, OEMs will be very careful with this product. Rhombus will have sales since their product has interesting advantages; however their competitors are numerous, and this is a race to the bottom. As an OEM, I made a few products with a Linux board inside. I know exactly what my requirements for that board were.
  At this point Rhombus's market consists of only hobbyists. But no hobbyist can use their card due to the complexity of installing the PCMCIA connector. If I were in Rhombus shoes I'd sell the carrier card too. Maybe that's what they are already planning to do, I just don't know.
9. Re:Raspberry Pi already obsolete by Bing+Tsher+E · 2012-03-29 12:42 · Score: 1
  
  The Raspberry Pi doesn't really have 'USB, Ethernet, DVI, and sound out.'
  It had no sound out whatsoever.
  And the ethernet is just an on-board USB dongle permanently welded to the USB hardware. So it's channeled through the USB port (with attendant bottleneck) and has no direct link to the CPU.
  The Raspberry Pi is essentially a smartphone minus the display, the keyboard, and the cellular RF circuitry. It's jiggered into being a 'computer' with software, but a lot of hardware is capable of that. Ask the NetBSD folks.
10. Re:Raspberry Pi already obsolete by PremiumCarrion · 2012-03-29 13:31 · Score: 1
  
  It has 2 sound outputs, sound over HDMI* and a 3.5mm jack, and I'm fully aware that the Ethernet is via a USB controller, however at the price and performance of the system I don't think many people would care about the ethernet.
  My point was simply that a device already manufactured and awaiting certification won't be rendered obsolete, as they fill slightly different niches defined by capability AND cost. I agree that Raspi has significant similarity to a cut down smartphone, and I'm interested as a hobbyist in devices like Raspi and Rhombus.
  *In my GP post I accidentally said DVI
11. Re:Raspberry Pi already obsolete by LuxuryYacht · 2012-03-29 21:09 · Score: 1
  
  I'm not sure where you get your info from about Rhombus but your either misinformed or just plain making it up. The market is mostly high volume OEM's that understand the advntage that Linux, low cost with the full performance they need for their products and markets. These OEM's are already lined up and working with the designs. They are also interested in the low costs due to volume pricing. The complete cards are lower cost than most OEM's are quoted pricing for just the SOC's and DDR3.
  There is also an AMD G-Series EOMA68 card as well for about 1/3 the price of the $300 Atom module you mention that can run window$ as well. The AMD G-Series APU card will run circles around the Atom modules in performance as well plus offer 1-2 second boot times from power-on to login prompt since Intel has little to no coreboot support for their chipsets.
  It's not for OEM's that live on hype and brainwashed customers that jump at the marketing gimmicks that lead them to believe they need to spend $800 for a near worthless tablet in order to be a good consumer.
  
  --
  Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur
is this coming someho to an end? by scafuz · 2012-03-29 04:42 · Score: 1

it's starting to feel like Duke Nukem Forefer neverending saga. really don't like it, every week ther's some delay for things that obviously could have been correctly addressed way long before even starting the production, but noone took care of, speechless
Anyone still uses CE? by Billly+Gates · 2012-03-29 05:02 · Score: 1

I would think Xp embedded and the new Windows Mobile is the prefered platform from MS. CE is or in the process of being depreciated. No sense installing it for new devices as it is being retired.

--
http://saveie6.com/
1. Re:Anyone still uses CE? by Christian+Smith · 2012-03-29 05:09 · Score: 1
  
  In case you're not joking:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CE_mark
2. Re:Anyone still uses CE? by gl4ss · 2012-03-29 06:03 · Score: 1
  
  you can run ce on beagleboards ;)DD
  
  --
  world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
Re:go away, Broadcom by gbjbaanb · 2012-03-29 05:03 · Score: 3, Informative

it wasn't the standards body that "called them out", but the retailers who asked "shouldn't it have...."
The Pi devs thought it didn't need the CE mark because it is an unfinished product, not a consumer device (eg it doesn't come with a case). they thought this because the Beagleboard is a similarly 'unfinished' product and it too doesn't have the CE mark.
The Pi people are going through the CE motions to make sure they're covered, and finding out if they really have to go through the compliance checks on the side.
ArsTechnica does a much better job describing the issue.
Shady. by flimflammer · 2012-03-29 05:12 · Score: 5, Insightful

I'm confused how the Pi folks thought they could claim the device is both unfinished and finished to avoid the import taxes and CE certification? It kind of makes me question their competence.
1. Re:Shady. by ZeroSumHappiness · 2012-03-29 05:40 · Score: 2
  
  Maybe the legal definition of a finished product with respect to import taxes is different from the definition with respect to CE marking...
2. Re:Shady. by gl4ss · 2012-03-29 06:04 · Score: 1
  
  that's the most insightful thing I've read all day. mods for you. I had forgotten they were tax dodging with that. this could very well be the reason. they tick a box saying it's a finished product and bam distributors start wanting ce certification on it.
  
  --
  world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
3. Re:Shady. by DaveGod · 2012-03-29 08:08 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Because import taxes and CE dictate different definitions of finished product.
  This might imply your questions of competence should be directed to them instead, but bear in mind the respective organisations have quite different objectives and anyway the term is clearly a subjective one. It's not justifiable to burden one with the requirements of the other just so that the definition is consistent.
  The thing that leads you back to questioning their competence may be that if they knew what they were doing they probably would have done it even if not required. It's common practice to do it just because it makes it a lot easier for anyone down the line who is turning it into a product that does require CE. Open a complex consumer product (your PC, for example) and you'll find CE stickers on about everything in there.
  But it's a classic victim of it's own success. Basically all their strategy and decisions assumed a niche/enthusiast type product and their resulting actions may well have been perfectly appropriate had that been the case.
4. Re:Shady. by thegarbz · 2012-03-29 10:12 · Score: 1
  
  Because pretty much every development board in the industry is defined as "unfinished" and doesn't require CE approval.
  You won't see a CE marking on an Arduino or a Beagelboard either. Really I also wonder if a product that is sold as an open circuit board even qualifies for CE certification.
  Also it doesn't really fit into any of these categories either.
5. Re:Shady. by Formalin · 2012-03-29 11:53 · Score: 1
  
  Well, the technical difference between a raspberry pi and... an all-in-one motherboard (say atom) is what?
  Both need power supplies. Both have no case. Both have a CPU and video and various IO. The motherboard arguably needs more assembly (needs ram, at least). Same end use (part of a computer system). However, only one of these has the CE mark. (The motherboard).
  I think beagle skirts by via being more techy. It's not marketed for school children, as-is, so if it is manufactured into something, the EMI levels and whatnot can vary (the point of this whole exemption, AFAIK), and it should be tested in complete form.
  Whereas the Pi is meant to be used as-is in school rooms. Sounds like a finished product to me. I don't know. Kind of a blurry line. (I would say beagle should have it as well).
6. Re:Shady. by zzyzyx · 2012-03-29 12:49 · Score: 1
  
  1) It's not a dev board. They say right on their website "An ARM GNU/Linux box for $25."
  2) They declared themselves that the board was a finished product to avoid UK import taxes. You can't have it both ways.
7. Re:Shady. by Bing+Tsher+E · 2012-03-29 12:53 · Score: 1
  
  Basically all their strategy and decisions assumed a niche/enthusiast type product and their resulting actions may well have been perfectly appropriate had that been the case.
  To be fair to the Foundation, they currently envision the RasPi in it's initial rollout as a niche/enthusiast product. The first 10K build is a preliminary release. Their intention is for the board to be pedagogical learning device for kids to use. These first boards are going out to the frenzied enthusiasts to get the ball rolling.
  Also, something that hasn't been mentioned in this forum (slashdot) but bears considering is what their tactic is in handing off the 'launch' to big commercial vendors: the Foundation doesn't have the capital for a big build-out of boards. Their margin on the sale is pretty small.
  So they can front the money to make 10,000 boards and do a first build. Then with those proceeds, they will have the money to build 25K boards. Then 35K on a third batch, and so on.
  They didn't want to ramp things up this way. Their purpose is to build a pedagogical single board computer for very cheap to get into the schools for a computer science curriculum to be developed around. Something nerd kids can afford to buy and have total control over (as opposed to the family Windows machine that they get into trouble if they even install Firefox on, let alone Linux or any software they wrote themselves).
  So in the initial launch it is niche/enthusiast, but they have the hope that schools will be ordering them like textbooks, papers, and staplers in the near future.
8. Re:Shady. by thegarbz · 2012-03-29 20:35 · Score: 1
  
  I would go the other way and say that motherboards shouldn't need it. Take a look at the list of devices which require the CE marking. It's a case of consumer protection. What does the consumer need to be protected from on an ultra-low voltage device? Powersupplies should have a CE marking sure, but a device that can be touched without giving you a buzz, that's sold uncased, and can't be used without additional devices?
  Atmel's STK500 is used in schools and universities around the world quite extensively and also has no CE markings I can see.
9. Re:Shady. by thegarbz · 2012-03-29 20:37 · Score: 1
  
  Being a finished product is not the only part of a CE requirement. There's other considerations such as the power levels or the type of device.
10. Re:Shady. by mikechant · 2012-03-29 23:14 · Score: 1
  
  You can't have it both ways.
  If the CE certification body uses a different definition of 'finished product' to the relevant tax authority, (as they almost certainly do, being effectively totally unrelated bodies), there is absolutely *no* reason that you can't 'have it both ways'.
Raspberry Pi held Up By CE Certification by nimbius · 2012-03-29 05:15 · Score: 1

"Raspberry Pi Foundation previously believed certification will not be necessary" reads the article. everything from electric pencil sharpeners to dishwashers goes through a CE certification so why wouldnt this? its roughly the same as UL in the states, and basically keeps things like toasters and tea kettles from murdering users.

--
Good people go to bed earlier.
1. Re:Raspberry Pi held Up By CE Certification by Vairon · 2012-03-29 06:14 · Score: 1
  
  Many other dev boards don't have CE certification either. Look through digikey.com or sparkfun.com at dev boards and you'll notice many are without CE certification. The RPF always planned on getting CE certification later this year before the educational release of the Raspberry Pi was made. At that point it would have also had a case and a manual. The only reason it's getting a CE cert now is because their distributors want it.
2. Re:Raspberry Pi held Up By CE Certification by TheSync · 2012-03-29 06:39 · Score: 1
  
  Many other dev boards don't have CE certification either
  Yeah, but the Arduino UNO is CE and FCC certified...
3. Re:Raspberry Pi held Up By CE Certification by Vairon · 2012-03-29 07:14 · Score: 1
  
  Yes it is after 7 years of releasing their development boards. The original Arduino was not CE certified though. The Raspberry Pi Foundation was also planning on their original boards not being CE certified and subsequent boards getting CE certification.
Re:It's a carrot on a stick at this point by ZeroSumHappiness · 2012-03-29 05:18 · Score: 1

If each of the 10k initial batch were sold at $70 and they oversubscribed by 10:1 during pre-orders that's a take of $7M over a two year long con. Yeah, not approaching Enron or Bernie Madoff levels.
Madoff was a $18 billion (with a B) scam, Enron was an $11 billion scandal.
So try being a little less sensationalist since unless part of the contract with RS and Farnell includes cash up front the Raspberry Pi Foundation hasn't seen a dollar in their pockets yet except for the couple hundred dollars in stickers a few months ago.
A formality? by tftp · 2012-03-29 05:18 · Score: 3, Informative

The Raspberry Pi Foundation expects the sticker to be a formality
CE tests are more strict than FCC. If they have a leaky oscillator on the board - which is extremely likely if the board has poor ground or no shielding - then they are finished. I usually test prototypes on the bench, using a spectrum analyzer and a field probe. If that looks reasonable then the board goes into the chamber for measurements of real values.
It is not easy to meet those requirements. They are not liberal. The field will be measured up to several GHz, and the passing criteria is hard to meet if you have any sort of fast switching logic in your design. R-Pi has that.
They will be even testing for the noise that the switching power supply feeds back into the AC power. They better pick a good power supply. But wires are always a problem - they radiate as hell. That's why you often see ferrite beads on power cords - they are there not because the OEM decided to splurge on unnecessary stuff.
1. Re:A formality? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-29 05:42 · Score: 1
  
  1) when did ./ become oldnews.com? This has been known for a solid week. It's a development board which is not REQUIRED to get a CE mark, but the distrubutor is requesting it.
  2) The rasberry pi does not contain an AC power supply, they would be testing with a DC input, which should be much easier. Of course this is exactly why they dont require a CE mark on development equipment.
2. Re:A formality? by maxfresh · 2012-03-29 06:24 · Score: 2
  
  The Raspberry Pi is not a development board, no matter how much its fanboys repeat that same false assertion.
  A development board is marketed and sold to companies and engineers to facilitate their research and development of finished end products based on the architecture embodied in the development board.
  In contrast, the RPi is being marketed, sold, and hyped to death, as a very low cost general purpose computer, based on a proprietary and IP-restricted Broadcom SOC, to be used by school children (and hobbyists) to learn basic programming and micro-controller principles. None of the customers buying the RPi will be using it to design other finished products based on the RPi architecture.
  At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if the Raspberry Pi foundation's next excuse is that all of the boards are in Gregory Blepp's briefcase, and will be shipped out to customers just as soon as he returns from his vacation to never-never land.
3. Re:A formality? by Sponge+Bath · 2012-03-29 08:40 · Score: 1
  
  CE tests are more strict than FCC.
  I thought it had been harmonized so everyone just uses EN55022.
  
  The field will be measured up to several GHz
  The latest EN55022 2006+A1:2007 version goes to 6GHz. The most problematic ranges I've seen for small devices like this are still in the 30-300MHz range.
4. Re:A formality? by tftp · 2012-03-29 08:59 · Score: 1
  
  I thought it had been harmonized so everyone just uses EN55022.
  The last official testing that I was part of (about 8 months ago) involved different methods for FCC and CE marks. I don't have the folder with results with me, though, can't say much more. The last time I worked at the large company, they had special people who were responsible for tracking all these legislative changes.
  The most problematic ranges I've seen for small devices like this are still in the 30-300MHz range.
  I have seen harmonics up to 3 GHz. It all depends on what your product is, what oscillators it has, etc. I have a 250 MHz LVDS oscillator in the schematic on my screen right now; where would you expect its harmonics to be?
  It is also much easier to radiate at high frequencies because the traces become matched, efficient, full height antennas, and general purpose (not $1/1 from ATC) decoupling capacitors nicely resonate there, only further tuning your undesired radiators. Never forget to stagger your decoupling - 100 pF, 10nF, 10uF. Was it done on R-Pi?
  That's why I don't suggest looking at emissions testing as a formality. You never know what you got until you measure it. An experienced engineer can build a product that passes on the first try; the question then is, was the R-Pi board laid out for EMI compliance? Like, you know, multiple ground layers, well decoupled power planes, no ground loops, traces with dirty signals buried into the stackup - that kind of thing?
5. Re:A formality? by Sponge+Bath · 2012-03-29 09:31 · Score: 1
  
  ...they had special people who were responsible for tracking all these legislative changes.
  No doubt. Sometimes the continuous changes seem like a full employment program.
  
  I don't suggest looking at emissions testing as a formality.
  Sound advice. I've seen and shed plenty of tears after a great functional design gets sent back to meet ever shifting regulatory requirements.
Where's the actual hardware by DrYak · 2012-03-29 05:34 · Score: 4, Insightful

Raspberry Pi have reached the step, where there's actual hardware, which has arrived in Britain (and so is alread under the hands of the makers, can already be tested/developped on/hacked with/whatever by the internal developpers) and just awaits CE certification before getting shipped to the end-users.
The EOMA-68 card is currently on the paper stages:

The prototype schematics are presently being developed.
It will be some time before it ship, too.
Each time that some small scale, partially or fully open maker wants to put hardware on the market (be it Pandora console, OpenMoko FreeRunner phone or its newer GoldenDelicious motherboard, OLPC, Raspbery Pi, Always Innovating's SmartBooks, and countless other project), there are delays.
Because these aren't done by large-scale constructor with lots of expertise in designing circuit and who can leverage their big numbers of mass order to get priority for components. (Big names like Asus have experience. Big names like Apple get prioritised when ordering 4mio CPUs)
On the other hand, as these process are publicly documented, newer projects will learn from the mistakes of older ones.
So you can expect that: when the next ARM-based gizmo gets announced, there will be delays, but fewer than with previous projects, and the device will be less likely to be obsolated, or ridden with un expected bugs. (See the difference with the first OpenMoko phones, which went thourgh several problems, and took longer to complete, and the newest motherboard from GoldenDelicious which was produced with a much shorter delay).
Maybe in 5-10 years, such projects will have collectively cumulated enough experience so they can avoid common pitfalls, share some design elements, designing experience, and so on. And thus most projects of this kind will be really faster to reach end-users.
But currently, the kind of delays that the Raspberry Pi expirienced are normal, and will probably still be seen with other similar small scale projects.

--
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
Just put the Chinese Exports CE mark on it :-) by ze_jua · 2012-03-29 05:48 · Score: 3, Funny

As the Raspberry Pi Foundation failed to produce these first boards in the UK ( see this article, previously linked on Slashdot), the just have to put the China Exports CE mark. :)
Re:go away, Broadcom by Vairon · 2012-03-29 06:04 · Score: 1

Broadcom does not oversee the Raspberry Pi Foundation or its products. Broadcom is the employer of a couple of the volunteers of the Raspberry Pi foundation. Broadcom's only business relationship is that of a supplier who sells the Raspberry Pi Foundation the BCM2835 mobile applications processor used in the Raspberry Pi Model A and B boards.
Someone dropped a bollock by residents_parking · 2012-03-29 06:16 · Score: 1

What if it needs board mods to meet ESD - what'll they do with 10000 units? Muppets.
Yeah and maybe Farnell are being stupid just because CE marking covers safety too.
USA Shipments Impacted? by Jophiel04 · 2012-03-29 06:19 · Score: 1

The articles I've read about this are not very clear about whether or not this holds up the shipments destined for the United States. I don't understand why the retailers would be worried about having EU approval for the lots destined for the US, unless I'm missing something. As a side note, damn Newark, they pushed back my ship date to August without even sending an email notification.
1. Re:USA Shipments Impacted? by tftp · 2012-03-29 09:14 · Score: 1
  
  I don't understand why the retailers would be worried about having EU approval for the lots destined for the US, unless I'm missing something.
  You may be missing this. Can't sell to general public without FCC compliance of some sort. It's not CE, the rules are slightly different, but you have to test for that. There are many resources on the Internet about that, all confusing to uninitiated.
  If R-Pi was never tested for CE then it's virtually guaranteed that the board never saw the inside of an anechoic chamber for any reason. Usually tests for both FCC and CE are cheaper than one test at a time.
Re:Sounds good. by LuxuryYacht · 2012-03-29 07:25 · Score: 1

A 10 year old child will plug the EOMA68 card into the EOMA68 slot in their device such as a netbook, set-top-box etc with the IO board already inside. This should also work for most 9, 7 or even 5 year old children depending on the development of their motor skills.
EOMA68 cards will also come pre-installed in products with integral IO boards.
There is also a Developer IO board and Developer EOMA68 card for people that like to dabble with hardware.
Linux can come pre-installed on the Flash in the EOMA68 card or on a SD-card a plugged into the EOMA68 SD card slot opposite the edge with the 68 pin connector.
Let me know if you need any further info or help with expansion board designs for the Pi. The Pi and the eoma68 cards aren't a competition. They are different types of products that have some overlapping applications.

--
Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur
Update on testing and shipping by boley1 · 2012-03-29 09:20 · Score: 1

Quote from Element 14 (one of the two distributers) Full FAQs Here
The current situation is:
2000 Raspberry Pi’s are now in the UK. Pictures are posted here for anyone who doubts their existence!
The compliance teams of element14, RS and Raspberry Pi are working round the clock with the testing houses to assess the product now. Any issues that are identified (hardware or software) will then need to be rectified and we will ensure this happens as quickly as is humanly possible.
There are different compliance standards around the globe and we are focused on meeting all of those as quickly as possible. However, some may take longer than others.
As soon as these initial 2000 Boards are compliant to at least one set of required standards, we will receive our share of this first batch from Raspberry Pi. We will ship on a first come, first serve basis to countries where compliance standards have been demonstrably met. So, customers who ordered first in countries where compliance standards have been met, will receive the product first.
Regrettably, we cannot give any firm delivery commitments on Raspberry Pi’s until this testing is complete. Please be assured we will provide this information as soon as we can.
Once the product is fully compliant our manufacturing partners have the necessary stocks of components to ramp up production very quickly, so despite these frustrating, initial delays we are confident the picture will improve and lead times for new orders will reduce.
1. Re:Update on testing and shipping by citizenr · 2012-03-29 12:07 · Score: 1
  
  Quote from Element 14 (one of the two distributers) Full FAQs Here
  The current situation is:
  2000 Raspberry Pi’s are now in the UK. Pictures are posted here for anyone who doubts their existence!
  Rasppi Foundation claims boards are in UK, but post pictures from Chinese factory, they claim 2000 boards, but there is ~900 in the pictures
  just like they claimed they already had 10000 boards READY TO BE SOLD a month ago
  more lies :(
  Worst product launch ever. If they really wanted to launch it quickly all they had to do was give blueprints and access to Broadcom chips to chinese factories. Btw This is why there wont be any third party clones - Broadcom doesnt sell without NDA and high volume commitments, chinese shops wont be able to get their hands on main chips. This is why Farnell will be making sweet money off of Rasppi. Money not on margin, but on all the fresh contacts they will get. Every email address from person interested in electronics is worth its weight in gold to components suppliers. Registering is equal to lifetime supply in Farnell catalogues and spam.
  
  --
  Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
problem in HDMI cable by dgharmon · 2012-03-29 10:06 · Score: 1

The problem seems to be the HDMI cable radiating extraneous signals and a solution maybe found in the cable.

--
AccountKiller
BIS says RasPi does not qualify for CE exemption by Morgaine · 2012-03-30 04:10 · Score: 1
Indeed, it seems there was some serious wishful thinking going on. The Foundation's people are so heavily invested in the project that they probably can't see it very objectively. Not too surprising I guess.
The BIS has just given them the bad news of how things really stand though. Here is a new update from Element 14's FAQ (one of the two Raspberry Pi distributors), quoting news from the Foundation's Eben Upton:
- HOT OFF THE PRESS UPDATE FROM EBEN UPTON OF RASPBERRY PI EARLIER TODAY:
- "We have spoken with BIS this morning, and have been told that, given the volumes involved and the demographic mix of likely users, the development board exemption is not applicable to us; as a result, even the first uncased developer units of Raspberry Pi will require a CE mark prior to distribution in the EU...... ....we are working with RS Components and element14/Premier Farnell to bring Raspberry Pi into a compliant state as soon as is humanly possible."
.
The above is no surprise to anyone who uses Arduinos. Like the Raspberry Pi, they're bare boards, also from a European company (in Italy), and are manufactured in the same kind of volumes as the Raspberry Pi. They're fully certified with RoHS, CE, and FCC (Class B) certifications (as well as something called Life Zero Impact).
The Pi is even more consumer-oriented than the Arduino, since it's a fully working Linux computer and the Foundation has repeatedly extolled its great multimedia capabilities, even writing articles about its use as a media centre. This guaranteed immense interest from virtually everybody, not just from electronics enthusiasts, so huge numbers of these will be going into regular domestic situations.
Thinking that 10 thousand of the boards could avoid industrial certification when a large proportion of them will be purchased by ordinary consumers was really rather naive.
Morgaine.
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"The question of whether machines can think is no more interesting than [] whether submarines can swim" - Dijkstra