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C.H.I.P. vs Pi Zero: Which Sub-$10 Computer Is Better? (makezine.com)
Make Magazine weighs in on an issue that's suddenly relevant in a world where less than $10 can buy a new, (nominally) complete computer. Which one makes most sense? Both the $9 C.H.I.P and the newest, stripped-down Raspberry Pi model have pluses and minuses, but to make either one actually useful takes some additional hardware; at their low prices, it's not surprising that neither one comes with so much as a case. The two make different trade-offs, despite being just a few dollars apart in ticket price. C.H.I.P. comes with built-in storage that rPi lacks, for instance, but the newest Pi, like its forebears, has built in HDMI output. Make's upshot?
The cost of owning either a C.H.I.P. or a Pi is a bit more money than the retail cost of the boards. Peripherals such as a power cable, keyboard, mouse, and monitor are necessary to accomplish any computer task on either of the devices. But it turns out the $5 Raspberry Pi Zero costs significantly more to operate than the Next Thing Co. C.H.I.P.
Where does this bullshit keep coming from?
Yes, some of the dealers started out only offering it as a bundle (with some extra cables etc...) at ofcourse an increased price. But for example pihut immediately sold it at 4£ which basically is the 5$ plus sales tax.
So just wait for more to be produced, and you'll definitely be able to get it at the advertised price -_-.
Maybe I'm just becoming increasingly cynical in my old age, but this article reads like a slashvertisement.
Taking the time to look up DAVID SCHELTEMA and CHIP and Next Thing, either a) he's a committed hobbyist who out of altruism spends the majority of his time promoting projects that he genuinely feels are superior in dozens, scores, perhaps even HUNDREDS of articles for more than a year across nearly every conceivable media form from magazines to blogs to twitter, or b) he's a paid shill (or investor) in this project.
-Styopa
If I were some kid who's parents wouldn't buy him a computer and I effectively had no money then the whole thing would be about scrounging. With scrounging the key is the ready availability of parts. This then makes things like the more recent Model B units the ones that I would want. The key being that they have a standard hdmi along with the composite video. Also they have 4 standard USB plugs.
I can probably scrounge up some discarded monitor which means the only thing that I am going to have to buy is an HDMI to DVI converter ($5). After that the world is awash in old wired mice and keyboards. It is also awash in things that put out 5V from the wall along with the USB cords. Internet is still going to be a problem so finding some USB Wi-fi is probably going to be the biggest challenge.
But there is no scrounging the strange little mini-hdmi. I have never seen one of those in my life or career. And for some reason there is no great surplus of USB hubs, and I have never seen a USB hub that connects to that little USB connector. Thus that would be an adapter that would be hard to find.
So I don't see this new Pi as something for the kid who has nothing, but ideal for people like me with money and giant parts' bins who are building IoT and robots.
But I am way out in Canada. I can tell you the in store price for one of these nine dollar boards will be $19.99 and ordering it will probably push the price closer to $30. For example I was at an electronics's store going out of business sale and they "discounted" their Pi 1 A+ all the way "down" to $35.
And for any Canadians reading this we also know about the "brokerage fees" that will probably be tacked on.
i'm really curious about what could possibly be the use case for this. it seems like a giant pain-in-the-ass way to do symbolic algebra, so i'm trying to figure it out. apparently you need to regularly perform symbolic derivations which mma can do, but the free alternatives (octave, sage, etc.) cannot; however, your uptime and latency requirements are low enough that you are willing to deal with a duct-tape ssh solution. i really have no idea why anyone would want to do this. care to enlighten me?
"They were pure niggers." – Noam Chomsky