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Raspberry Pi Zero W is a $10 Computer With Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (betanews.com)

On the fifth birthday of the original Raspberry Pi, the foundation has announced the Raspberry Pi Zero W, a slightly more capable variant of the miniature computer. From a report on BetaNews: It's essentially a Pi Zero with the addition of the two features many people have been requesting -- wireless LAN and Bluetooth. Priced at $10, the Pi Zero W uses the same Cypress CYW43438 wireless chip as Raspberry Pi 3 Model B to deliver 802.11n wireless LAN and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. The full list of features is as follows: 1GHz, single-core CPU, 512MB RAM, mini-HDMI port, micro-USB On-The-Go port, micro-USB power, HAT-compatible 40-pin header, composite video and reset headers, CSI camera connector, 11n wireless LAN, and Bluetooth 4.0.

138 comments

  1. Will I actually be able to get this one? by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I still have literally never seen a Pi Zero for sale, except for exorbitant markups that make them multiple times their supposed price. I live nowhere near a Micro Center. I am way closer to a Fry's, and several Rat Shacks, but they can't manufacture enough Pis to sell into those channels.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    1. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      There's this thing called The Internet , you might want to check it out.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    2. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I still have literally never seen a Pi Zero for sale, except for exorbitant markups that make them multiple times their supposed price.

      There's this thing called The Internet , you might want to check it out.

      That site doesn't work (perhaps it depends on google-analytics, which I am not going to enable) and it doesn't address the fact that it costs more to get a Pi Zero shipped than it does to buy one in the first place, because they chose only to distribute them through vendors which overcharge for shipping. I can get a whole fucking bundle of parts shipped from china for three bucks, but I can't seem to buy a Pi Zero for less than about twelve.

      Let's just check manually since this busted-ass webpage you posted doesn't work. PiHut is sold out. Adafruit's Pi Zero page found with google is actually 404. PiMoroni is out of stock. CanaKit doesn't even load, it just sits and spins. So basically, that was a worthless, broken fucking webpage, and you are a worthless, broken fucking slashdotter.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    3. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're not willing to spend $12 on something that has this kind of feature set and capabilities? WTF is wrong with you. I'm sick and fucking tired of kids these days not appreciating how much power and capability is available at next to nothing. Something like this would have gone for thousands of dollars 20 years ago.

      Seriously, at $12 a piece, I'd buy like 10 if I had a use for it. That's chump change.

    4. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      They do no such thing. There is no restriction on vendors and if you have a decent electronics shop just walk in slap down a few quid and walk out again, or buy from online vendors which offer free shipping over a certain threshold. There are many ways for you to get your zero right now without paying shipping. Your just not even trying.

    5. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by allo · · Score: 1

      > but I can't seem to buy a Pi Zero for less than about twelve.
      That's okay. Its worth it. The selling point is not really the price tag, but the format, which is ideal for embedding.

    6. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      You're not willing to spend $12 on something that has this kind of feature set and capabilities?

      I'm willing to spend more, I bought a PineA64+ for example. Even though that's something like eight times the size of a Pi Zero (if you count thickness) it actually costs less to ship. Why is that? It's almost like they're selling it only through the least competent vendors. That makes sense, because they're not competent themselves.

      Something like this would have gone for thousands of dollars 20 years ago.

      It's not 20 years ago. It's today. We're here, please try to catch up.

      Seriously, at $12 a piece, I'd buy like 10 if I had a use for it. That's chump change.

      Chump change for one person is not for another. I'm not as wasteful as you are.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    7. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      That's okay. Its worth it. The selling point is not really the price tag, but the format, which is ideal for embedding.

      Well, if I cared that much, I guess I should have bought one literally the one time I saw them for sale. The problem is, it was on element14, and those guys are incompetent as shit. I bought my original Pi through them and they lied about stock and then they lied again about shipping (they claimed it had shipped before they actually put it in the mail.)

      I have looked for them dozens of time and never found one in stock since. I'm with the other slashdotters in this thread who don't believe they actually exist.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    8. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by ElizabethGreene · · Score: 2

      I feel your pain. I live in a technology wasteland too. If I need a 1/4 Watt resistor, it's 25 miles for me to one of the few remaining _Radio Shacks_.

      I traveled to Atlanta for work recently and found stacks of the Pi Zero for $5 at the Marietta GA Micro-Center. They had the camera cable in stock too. Unfortunately they didn't have any USB-on-the-go-to-real-USB adapters. Considering how much stuff I bought there, maybe it's a good thing there isn't one in Nashville.

    9. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In the USA, you can easily get Pi Zero from Adafruit @ $5.. I have bought 3 with exorbitant shipping to Canada.

    10. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      Come on. If you're the kind of person who would buy a resistor you could make your own adapter from a beer can[1] and a couple of paperclips.

      [1] Protip: an empty one works best.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    11. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by idji · · Score: 1

      I bought them at pihut last year for 4.80£ https://thepihut.com/collectio...

    12. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I actually got two of the zeros from Adafruit, two different times, one a kit, one standalone
      They are always out of stock, but you can sign up to be notified via email and be prepared to order as soon as you are notified (I set up a rule to text me the email - got it in the car and pulled over to get the order in).
      So it is possible to get them without the exorbitant markups with a little patience.
      Limit one per order and no free shipping, though.
      Looks like the original zero's are replaced by the $10 W version now on their site.

      I'm using one as a test for an adblocking device using pi-hole and the other is sitting on my desk waiting for something fun to do.

      -jj

    13. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Given your nick, I think you it's time to pour yourself another.

    14. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I can't seem to buy a Pi Zero for less than about twelve.

      Would it help if I mailed you 200 pennies?

    15. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      FYI the site is just broken (or experiencing temporary issues at least), it's nothing to with Google Analytics. So you can take the tinfoil hat off for a minute.

    16. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Sold Out"

    17. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well that site doesn't work to autocheck the links.

      But I checked manually and none of the 4 stores have it in stock, and they cost a lot more than $5 anyway.

      They do have it in stock if I want to pay $35+ for this so-called $5 computer. Aside from the fact that the RPI3 is more capable than their kit for the same price.

    18. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by SimonTheSoundMan · · Score: 1

      You can buy them in most high street electronics shops and even in Tesco or Asda (Walmart).

    19. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Neuronwelder · · Score: 1

      Resistor? No problem!! Go to Ebay.com. search string: resistors assortment --Scroll down for the 130 resistance values! 2,600 pieces @ $12.93..! Example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2600pc...

    20. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by RabidReindeer · · Score: 2

      Something like this would have gone for thousands of dollars 20 years ago.

      Something like this would have gone for millions of dollars 50 years ago.

      Seriously. You can emulate an IBM System/370 on a Pi at speeds equal to or greater than the original hardware ran.

      It's not 20 years ago. It's today. We're here, please try to catch up.

      There are many products where the price of the materials and labor are the smallest part of the price, It's why so much food is so much cheaper per ounce/gram/milliliter/cubix-something in "family packs" than in individual-sized servings.

      Be properly awed that computers are now among this assembly.

      And seriously, we're talking shipping costs. Buy 10 of them. If the shipping is $7.50 for one, it's probably not going to be a whole lot more than that for a shipment of 10, considering size/weight. Just another "family pack". If you don't ever expect to need 10 and don't have enough friends to chip in on an order, buy one, suck up the shipping costs and don't complain. Even for $12, surely by now enough wealth has trickled down to you that you can afford that.

    21. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Neuronwelder · · Score: 1

      If I didn't have so many things on the burner right now, I'd take a slice of that Pi, myself!

    22. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Adafruit has had them for months now. One to an order, but at $5.

    23. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Really? I have 3 of the fucking things including a 1.3 with the camera connector. They're not that hard to get if you want one bad enough. I just sign up for the stock notification at Adafruit, and jump on it as soon as the e-mail shows up. I usually have a few other things I want from them to make shipping worthwhile.

    24. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by ElizabethGreene · · Score: 1

      I doubt I'm the only one that's ever needed a resistor on a Saturday afternoon and no desire to wait until Tuesday to get it. :D

    25. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Even for $12, surely by now enough wealth has trickled down to you that you can afford that.

      Eh, not really. I have enough other projects going right now that I can't afford to be wasting money on shit I'm not even using. And I have to work for what I get. Nobody is handing me anything. Indeed, many people have their hands outstretched to take things.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    26. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Guspaz · · Score: 2

      Every single store listed on whereismypizero is either out of stock or broken (CanaKIT returns a 404 if you try to add to cart), and some of those stores are overseas anyhow. Also, whereismypizero is a broken site that just shows "Checking" for everything.

      You're basically just reinforcing his point: the Pi Zero is nearly impossible to actually buy.

    27. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Guspaz · · Score: 1

      Tuesday the following year, if you're buying from eBay. Cheap electronics parts on eBay all ship from China by boat.

    28. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      (I set up a rule to text me the email - got it in the car and pulled over to get the order in).

      On behalf of competent drivers everywhere, THANK YOU!!!

    29. Re: Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOUD NOISES!

    30. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by Neuronwelder · · Score: 1

      "To each, their own."

    31. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by allo · · Score: 1

      Yeah, it is hard to get one, the whereismypizero site helps. I do not see where you can get it cheap, but for most uses the bigger one is the better one anyway, especially when it did not had wifi and thus could only have lan/wifi or another device attached. Or an ugly fat hub ... which makes it almost as big as a full featured pi.
      So i guess you need to pay $25 for a starter kit + shipping, but then you have a pi, which is small enough to be hidden inside much stuff you may control with it.

    32. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 1

      That's not surprising, the "Zero" in the name is its market share, it was rushed out as a panicked response to other sub-$10 devices. So the Zero W is more zero market share, but now with WiFi.

    33. Re: Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The point is a couple dollars can get you more than they would ever have in stock at a store and likely more than you would ever need. You don't need to get a resistor on a Saturday if you spent 10-20 dollars sometime in the last couple years to stock up. Or at least at that point you need a resistor they won't have in stock at a typical electronic parts store.

    34. Re: Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Most people are surrounded with electronics containing resistors. Borrow them if you really have to drive and can do without the widget til then.

    35. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by SharpFang · · Score: 1

      > Limit one per order and no free shipping, though.

      Standard practice to hide your mark-up in shipping&handling costs.

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    36. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by SharpFang · · Score: 1

      define 'easily'

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    37. Re:Will I actually be able to get this one? by RabidReindeer · · Score: 1

      Hey, if people actually give you something for your work, you're one up. I have people who owe me enough money to do major property improvements and I'm not holding my breath. I'm supposed to be Wal-Mart or something, except that even at Wal-Mart everyone expects Lower Prices, not flat-out free work.

      The fact that you don't actually need or want the Pi Zero W bad enough undercuts the force of your complaints. I work with stuff like this, and shipping is just part of the cost of doing business for me. Although the first one I get will probably end up driving a $25 Pi camera as a wireless security monitor.

      Then again, I could buy this device including S&H from just one of my quarterly dividend checks. The joys of being a Capitalist! grunt, grunt, oink!

    38. Re: Will I actually be able to get this one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Try buying more than one.... These things appear to be a spoiler so PI biggots can tell everyone that C.H.I.P. Etc are more expensive. THe PI foundation have no intention of making st
      Here easily available...

  2. Just ordered one... by LordHighExecutioner · · Score: 1

    ...well before the news appeared on Slashdot. It should be in my hands in a few days. I have been thinking about ordering a Raspberry PI zero since some time, but now that they just improved the hardware, I couldn't resist!

  3. Meh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    You always hear that these new models are priced at $X, but when you go to look for them, they are always sold out, and alternative sources have them for >$X. Then people post picture tear-downs of these awesome-looking builds, but never post actual part numbers so the builds can be replicated, and when you go looking for them the final bill runs into the hundreds of dollars.

    I guess I'm just over the various fruit boards. News and anecdotal stories make them sound like an incredible value, but I can never make it pan out in reality.

    1. Re:Meh... by pr0fessor · · Score: 1

      I really like my pi 3 and when you realize that the price is just the board without the power supply case, sd card, cables, case, etc... then you understand why can't build any project without spending more however I've been able to build multiple raspbian/retropie/osmc setups for friends under $100 and they love them. I will grant you that they rarely if ever use raspbian and though one of them copied their dvd collection to a usb hard drive and use osmc a lot mostly they just use retropie chalked full of retro game fun.

    2. Re:Meh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Of course you can. I've got heaps of USB cables, sd-cards and what not in the drawer - leftovers from old cellphones, etc.

      The only point that is a bit painful is the USB "power supply", since the PI really needs quite a bit of juice, more than the various gadgets I've had in the past needed. And while 2.5A+ adapters isn't exactly hard to find, finding good ones is a bit more tricky and drives up the cost a bit. However, if you get one of those usb power-hubs which allegedly deliver 30 or 60W, you might save a bit if you need to power more than one device.

      Anyhow, the sob-stories about the "expensive" RPI are vastly overblown, certainly bringing such to the slashdot audience feels like concern-trolling.

  4. Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've looked for a Raspberry Pi Zero for years... I've never seen one in stock anywhere.

    I'm almost of the belief that they're fake, they don't really exist, just a pretend product put out there for the illuminati but never really stocked. Either that or reptilian overlords stole all the Raspberry Pi Zero.

    Whatever the explanation- it's an imaginary product. It doesn't actually exist besides on some stores websites with a big red sold-out next to it. If it were real it would occasionally come back in stock.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    1. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

      I bought two within a month of its initial release. Maybe you're not looking often enough.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    2. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      Maybe, I look once every three months or so and when I see everywhere is out of stock, I move on.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    3. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      Maybe, I look once every three months or so and when I see everywhere is out of stock, I move on.

      So the question is whether the Pi Foundation is just too incompetent to produce enough stock, or whether Broadcom is too pathetic to produce enough SoCs. Either way, you're an idiot if you design something around the Pi Zero... or its successor.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by TheRaven64 · · Score: 2

      The Pi Zero was cheap because Broadcom was inventory clearing and sold the Foundation the SoCs (which they'd stopped making) at a bargain-basement price. I don't know where they're getting the SoCs for this one, maybe they didn't use them all in the initial Pi Zero runs.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    5. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      The Pi Zero was cheap because Broadcom was inventory clearing and sold the Foundation the SoCs (which they'd stopped making) at a bargain-basement price.

      So it's the first one, then. Even by using the shitbags at Sony (who I really don't want to give my money to, which is what happens when you buy a Pi they manufactured) they still couldn't get enough production to meet demand? Or couldn't fill the channel fast enough? Either way, I'm underwhelmed by their performance. The Pi Zero has been useful primarily as a marketing exercise. Meanwhile, I have to wonder what percentage of them are just sitting in a drawer somewhere. I'm sure it's considerable, just like the prior model. They put out a lot of buzz about it, then people buy them, then only a percentage of them get used and a percentage of the people who want to do something with them get shafted.

      Well, fuck them. I'll buy Beaglebones, CHIPs, Pines and other devices which I can actually get my hands on.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    6. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      got one thrown in a cardboard box on the shelf as soon as you add in the hub to make it wireless and etc you are back in to it;s bigger pi brother price country,

    7. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 1

      Before Christmas I saw that the micro center near me had them on special near the check-out lanes for $0.99 each. I thought about buying some then but then tried to think of what I would do with them and decided that I didn't need to impulse buy something that would get left in a desk drawer and forgotten about as I don't have a good use for it.

      --
      Time to offend someone
    8. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Dude, they're in stock at Pimoroni *right now*.

      https://shop.pimoroni.com/

    9. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by TheRaven64 · · Score: 2

      The Pi Zero was intended to be a limited edition run to use up excess SoC stock. This was even announced publicly at the launch. I'm not sure where the vitriol comes from.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    10. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Apparently you have to get it the day it comes out. One site just went out of stock while I was looking at it. They still have them at modmypi, and more expensive kits which include them at other places.

    11. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Ordered one for work today from Pi Hut: https://thepihut.com/products/...

      They have stock, shipping is reasonable.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    12. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the vitriol come from Drinkypoo being a troll.

    13. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > belief that they're fake, they don't really exist, just a pretend product put out there for the illuminati..

      Trump, is that you?! Is Slashdot fake news now too?

    14. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by radish · · Score: 0

      In stock right now. They have the new one too.

      You're welcome :)

      --

      ---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"

    15. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      Awesome, not in a place to buy right now, but shall... hopefully still in stock in 3 hours time.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    16. Re:Raspberry Pi Zero The Makebelieve Computer by SharpFang · · Score: 1

      from the whole hype they created about the 'new revolutionary platform' while it's not a revolution, it's a quirk - a one-off short run that won't happen again anytime soon because the whole shebang is based on a single end-of-life sale of an obsolete chip.

      You can't base production around rpi0. You can't base a long-term system on it as replacements will be impossible. It won't last, it won't expand. It's not sustainable.

      It's like you claiming "I have found a new revolutionary method to get rich quick; $6600 per hour!" - when in fact you found a single $10 note on the street, 5 seconds of work, the end.

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
  5. Actually, by DivineKnight · · Score: 1

    Actually, what people want are SATA ports on Pi's.

    1. Re:Actually, by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      FWIW if you just need a low-power ARM with SATA you can buy the Pogoplug V4. It's got 2xUSB3, 1xUSB2, 1xSDHC (which is where I put debian) and 1xSATA. It has a case and a wall wart and a patch cable and a reasonable price tag.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:Actually, by hairyfeet · · Score: 3, Interesting

      They removed shell access to the Pogoplug starting in Sept of 2016 so you are stuck with the shit OS they come with unless you break out a soldering iron so I'd avoid the Pogoplug unless you know for a fact its an old one. This is why they are currently selling for $9 on Amazon, once word got out the only way you could flash Linux on them was to break out solder the buyers dried up, they can't give 'em away now.

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    3. Re: Actually, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I want a fifty pin SCSI port, because I have a lot of old 20 meg drives out of Sparc IPX boxes to take advantage of.

    4. Re:Actually, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You wouldn't want one on a Pi anyway, because the Pi has ethernet over USB.
      There seems to be many alternatives like banana pi, orange pi, but I don't really want to waste time when the current microatx low power board still works.

    5. Re:Actually, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, what people really want is a real ethernet port, and more RAM.
      POE wouldn't hurt either, but I suppose that's asking for too much.

    6. Re:Actually, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I wonder why they did that? What possible justification could management have made?

    7. Re: Actually, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      While the PI (any kind) does not have enough GPIO to bit-bang it yourself, how about an Arduino Mega board? It has 54 GPIO pins...but no idea if it could handle SCSI speeds, even the oldest and slowest. As an emergency way to read out some old files it's probably worth pursuing.

    8. Re:Actually, by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      This is why they are currently selling for $9 on Amazon, once word got out the only way you could flash Linux on them was to break out solder the buyers dried up, they can't give 'em away now.

      Well, that's quite shit of them, but I guess it's an opportunity for me since I own a soldering iron. Do I have to do anything special besides hook up to the serial pads? I presume it's 3.3 volt. USB to CH340G is like two bucks, it's cheap enough to just leave it installed. What kind of noob doesn't have a soldering iron, anyway?

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    9. Re:Actually, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "What kind of noob doesn't have a soldering iron, anyway?"

      Absolutely. I am a noob, and even I have a soldering iron. Actually, I have two, or possibly three... but I can't locate any of them... :)

    10. Re:Actually, by SharpFang · · Score: 1

      One possible: customers breaking their devices through shell and then demanding warranty repairs.

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    11. Re:Actually, by hairyfeet · · Score: 1

      Nope just solder a couple of wires to the serial on the board to enable debug, that's about it. If you don't mind doing that? You basically have an Rpi style device with USB and SD card support for $9.

      I'd think about getting one for myself but frankly I have an entire bucket filled with Intel Atom netbooks over in the corner so if I need a cheap HTPC or file server? Well ya really can't top $0 and they don't even need a HDD (just boot puppy off an SD Card) so they are completely silent and lets be honest, an Atom dual really doesn't pull enough juice to really worry about the difference between it and an ARM device and with the netbook I can always pop open the lid if I need to do some tweaking.

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    12. Re:Actually, by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I'm using the pogoplug where the power consumption difference is relevant, on a dinky little UPS alongside my wireless router. I just need a spare, really.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  6. Nice... by Freischutz · · Score: 1

    ...and if it had a charging circuit like the C.H.I.P maybe it would be useful for gadget development.

    1. Re:Nice... by drinkypoo · · Score: 0

      ...and if it had a charging circuit like the C.H.I.P maybe it would be useful for gadget development.

      Who cares? You can get a charging board for two bucks. The real problem is that you can get a C.H.I.P. but you can't get a Pi Zero. They are sold out everywhere, all the time. Actually getting your hands on one is like winning the lottery. Since I can't get one, I don't even want to fucking see people's projects based on Pi Zero. I downvote them when I have the chance, I never reshare them on social media, they can all fuck right off, because I'm tired of being teased with the things. Not being able to produce enough product does harm a brand. Frankly, there are other reasons to blow off the Pi Foundation, and Broadcom. Probably more hours have been spent reverse-engineering under-documented Broadcom SoCs than about anything else out there, because they appear in so many wireless routers, with major software flaws uncorrected by the vendor. And I'm still annoyed that they never released Android for Pi, though Liz supposedly had it running and they promised a release. If I wanted to be let down by empty promises, I could
      have voted for Trump.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:Nice... by dave420 · · Score: 2

      Plenty of other people seem to have managed to get one... You frequently make a lot of sense on Slashdot, but this time something seems to have flipped in your head :) You sound unnervingly similar to a kid complaining about their favourite Pokemon being sold out...

    3. Re:Nice... by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Interesting

      You frequently make a lot of sense on Slashdot, but this time something seems to have flipped in your head :)

      Your statement only makes sense if you ignore all the other comments in this thread exactly like mine. I am far from the only one who can't get his hands on a Pi Zero for a reasonable price. My biggest complaint, honestly, is the ongoing characterization of the Pi Zero as a "$5 computer" since it is clearly nothing of the sort for the majority of people. It costs more than twice that, shipped, if you can even find one. This new device will be the same story all over again.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:Nice... by Racemaniac · · Score: 1

      seriously, did you bother to look?
      i'm from europe, and when the original zero came out, i got 2 from the second batch that arrived at pihut & pimoroni (both UK retailers selling them at 4£, about 6$, so pretty much the advertised price (do mind that that is including tax).
      After this announcement i checked pihut, and this pi zero with wifi is right now available there at 9.6£. also e very correct price (as again it includes tax).

      And since atm the UK is still part of the EU, and they ship to the EU at reasonable prices, that's atm still the EU covered right now at announcement at the advertised prices.

      so i really don't get what you're bitching about... you indeed can't find it in every electronics shop at that price, but if you did a bit of effort it shouldn't be that hard to find shops that do sell it at that price.

    5. Re:Nice... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I dunno. I was able to purchase several (over multiple trips, over multiple weeks) for $1.00 each at Micro Center.

    6. Re:Nice... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I guess the issue is that you need to buy a Pi from a store that has 'pi' in its name.
      Not even Apple does that anymore.

    7. Re:Nice... by radish · · Score: 2

      They're in stock at canakit right now. Stop arguing and go buy one :) And yes, you have to pay for shipping, but when isn't that the case?

      --

      ---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"

  7. MiniPCIe X1 slot, or NVM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Former you can already get adapters to full sized x16, 3-4 x1 slots, or 1-3 PCI slots. Latter just needs enough devices with NVM to warrant an updated model with a wider bus connection. (They use USB 3 cables from the PCIe bus to the adapter board. 10G USB 3.1 should handle NVM's x4 connection.)

    That plus 2-4 gigs of RAM would make a Raspberry Pi 4 the perfect small computer replacement.

    A 64 bit model with 8-32 gigs of ram (or a slot option) would make it a complete PC replacement, with a far higher level of freedom than x86 systems have anymore (while the current firmware is proprietary there is a project making a fully open source hardware bringup via the VC4 core (which is MMUless and used as the 'Management Engine'+GPU equivalent on the boardcom chips the RPi is designed around.) Given the MMUless aspect the bringup code and the interface between the VC4 and the rest of the system has to be secure or someone can pwn your system via graphics code, run their own process inside the VC4 and spy on everything in main memory you are doing. On the plus side, unlike Intel and AMD (at least as far as the Pis are concerned.) the bringup firmware has no signature verification enabled so you can fully control all aspects of software on your system given sufficient reverse engineering.

  8. Re:Nice 10$ computer.... by popo · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Most geeks who are in the market for a Pi have several bluetooth keyboards, mice and other accessories laying around.

    But the point isn't to use it as a computer, as much as it is to use it as a component for which you might not need any dedicated accessories.

    --
    ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
  9. Best uses? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I've been fascinated with the Raspberry Pi (and Arduino, etc.) concept from the beginning. Every time they release a new version I think "I want one!".

    Then I try to think about what I would actually do with one ... yeah, I'd tinker, I'd make something fun, novel, but trivial. The one project that I've seen that seems really cool is the brew pi, a controller for brewing/fermenting beer/wine, and that only uses the raspberry pi as a webserver/data logger.

    What are some really good uses to put the raspberry pi to?

    1. Re:Best uses? by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

      The Raspberry Pi is used in a lot of media boxes and arcade machines.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    2. Re:Best uses? by CeasedCaring · · Score: 1

      Mine drives my 3D printer via "Octoprint"

    3. Re:Best uses? by hipp5 · · Score: 1

      I made a photo booth for my wedding.

    4. Re:Best uses? by Camembert · · Score: 1

      With infant twin kids around, I don't have enough free time to truly dedicate myself to a raspberry pi project. However a few projects seem interesting:
      - find an antique furniture style radio and convert the interior to an internet radio. This was not my own idea, it is a documented project.
      - with some luck my fossilised macintosh 512k with 2 floppys (how I loved that machine!) is still in the basement of my parents. I thought it would be fun to replace the interior with a pi 3, and use an lcd screen instead of the crt of course.
      - a diy picture frame style screen that displays all kinds of info from different feeds in separate areas of the screen. Weather, news headlines, picture of the day etc

    5. Re:Best uses? by Pascoea · · Score: 1

      What are some really good uses to put the raspberry pi to?

      Mine, a Rev B I believe, makes a really good paperweight. I bought it to control a pile of WS2812 pixels, but it's not particularly useful for that task, as you need an RTOS to do that properly. I tried using it as a Plex (Maybe it was Kodi, I don't remember) player, but it was under-powered. I imagine it would work really well to drive digital signage. A lot of people use them for retro-gaming. But to be perfectly honest, most of the tinkering I do is driven off Arduino.

    6. Re:Best uses? by hughbar · · Score: 3, Informative

      Here's what I've made:

      1. A system to monitor local aircraft noise (Decibel meter + receiver for aircraft transponders + some integration software)
      2. My community currency software https://sourceforge.net/projec... + mobile phone dongle to make a mini bank-in-a-box with SMS payments
      3. OpenCV + the little camera module to make a (flakey) computer vision experiment
      4. Used a Pi3 as a slow desktop when my main desktop was hosed (by me, unhappily)

      OK, I accept that I am old & sad & totally friendless, but these little things are great fun. Some kind of energy analysis for the house is probably the 'next thing'. Hope that helps with some ideas.

      --
      On y va, qui mal y pense!
    7. Re: Best uses? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Old macs like that are collectible now - you should sell it and make some bucks.

    8. Re:Best uses? by pjt33 · · Score: 2

      I also connected mine to a camera, but rather than for a photobooth it was to control my Nikon D40 from my phone, using wifi to talk to the Pi and USB from the Pi to the camera. It functions both as a remote trigger and as a way to quickly preview photos on a higher resolution screen than the one built into the camera.

    9. Re:Best uses? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's a couple of things I'm currently experimenting with:

      (1) Using a RasPi-3 to drive a "scripted agent" (a.k.a. a "bot") inside Second Life. The goal is to have it act as a scripted NPC (non-player character) to advise players entering the sim, hand out objects at various points, and so on.

      (2) Using a second RasPi-3 for some basic home automation and monitoring. Turning lights and radios on and off to make it look like someone's home; turning lawn sprinklers on and off at specified times (and not turning them on if it's rained recently), that sort of thing.

      And yes, there are off-the-shelf solutions to do these things already (especially the second one), but rolling your own is more fun -- and it's also a good vehicle for me to get more into Python programming on a practical level, so even if the projects themselves turn out to be impractical, I'll learn a lot from it. :)

    10. Re:Best uses? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've have two in use at the moment, but I must say, as much as I've been a fan from the beginning, it's a real sod of a thing to work with.

      The Model C makes a great media center. I run the Raspberry Pi version of OpenELEC and with no customisation (just join the network and point it at the SMB shares) I find it works perfectly, even at 1080p and even makes use of MVK files with all the bells and whistles (multiple audio tracks, subs, etc...).

      The P1 Model B that I have is for hobby projects and unfortunately I find it to be severely lacking in this regard.

      I understand exactly that it is supposed to be a computer for education. However, I think it fails on the following points:

        - GPIO pins have an inconsistent naming scheme, with different numbers on the board, the schematic, and in code. Why put beginning students through such pain?

        - GPIO pins are *way* too fragile for students to experiment with. When learning it is much too easy to accidentally short the GPIO pins, which can fry the board.

        - The power issues are mind-numbing and really "unfair" for students to have to chase. Why should a student go to great lengths to get (and keep) their PI running normally. Yes, it's a good topic for advanced students, but it makes it too hard for the beginners.

        - I bought the RPI camera without the IR filter (NOIR) to do some night surveillance. I know this sounds like a simple thing, but I could not find any page offering simple instructions on which way around the ribbon cable goes ON BOTH ENDS. This kind of basic knowledge will cause students to chuck the whole fucking mess out the window.

        - There is no "power safe" way to run it. For students debugging projects this would be ideal. Some flag in the OS that eliminates all caching and makes the file system bombproof, even if it means it has to be read only. That way the student can power the system up and down all day long without any risk to the file system.

        - The SD card file system is much too fragile. I've had multiple images corrupt at random for no reason. This is a known issue with no real fix.

        - Even when exercising great care with power loading, I still find my Model B does not start reliably every time. I often have to power it on/off about 2-3 times in a row before it will boot.

        - In my experience it has been much too unreliable unless doing very simple tasks, in which case an Arduino will be much easier, have better support, be more reliable, and have better (more flexible, better timing, and more robust) GPIO capabilities.

      Don't misunderstand me, I'm not hating on it. I'm just lamenting that in my opinion it has failed at its primary objective as an education platform.

      ---
      NotAPK

    11. Re: Best uses? by Mike+Blakemore · · Score: 1

      We're adding a Pi Zero to our Desktop Satellite Antenna project for magnetic declination calculations and storing TLEs: hyperplaneinteractive.com

    12. Re:Best uses? by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

      Here's what I've made:

      1. A system to monitor local aircraft noise (Decibel meter + receiver for aircraft transponders + some integration software)

      Very cool and useful. Have you posted or shared the code and/or parts list anywhere on the net?

      What was the total component price?

      Calibration?

    13. Re: Best uses? by johnsie · · Score: 1

      Used one to monitor plcs at a hydroelectric project, another one to monitor the status of a compressor at a different site and another. Also had several different sites monitoring the up/down status of Lan devices and reporting back to the main server.

    14. Re:Best uses? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      open/libreelec works pretty damned well, but the key is to have a good enough powersupply. Made a big difference for me at least.

    15. Re:Best uses? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      I have Kodi running on one as a media server.
      I have Volumio running on one built into my sound system to make it a wireless UPNP endpoint.
      I have another recording power temperature indoors and outdoors and logging it all.

    16. Re:Best uses? by hughbar · · Score: 1

      Thanks, just briefly (sorry busy):

      1. Pi3 + 16Gb MicroSD + Ubuntu Mate 2. Noise meter: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sis.... (this isn't super accurate, not expensive either)
      3. ADS-B USB Dongle (R820T) incl. Small Indoor Antenna from jetvision.de
      4. https://github.com/antirez/dum... to read the transponder
      5. https://github.com/fiddyspence... to read the noise meter

      And some ugly glue code that 'joins' the two readings and sticks them in a one-table database. Obviously this is correlation, it will record cars if you point it in the 'wrong' direction. I haven't published the glue code, because it's in a terrible state. Hope that helps.

      --
      On y va, qui mal y pense!
  10. Re:Nice 10$ computer.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The OS is free.

  11. Re:Nice 10$ computer.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wait...someone SELLS an OS for this thing? Why would anyone pay?

  12. Unobtainium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    AdaFruit - out of stock.
    CanaKit - slashdotted to hell.
    MicroCenter - Yeaaa! I get to put one in my shopping cart. Go to check out...shopping cart mysteriously empty. Repeat...same deal.

    Buy $4 WiFi dongle - connect to regular $8 Pi Zero == $12 Pi Zero W.

    I guess I can wait.

  13. Re:The Only Important Thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Windows 10 runs fine with 1GB, so 512MB is not that crazy.

  14. Re:The Only Important Thing by hughbar · · Score: 0, Troll

    640K should be enough for anyone: http://www.computerworld.com/a... Now (please) get off my lawn.

    --
    On y va, qui mal y pense!
  15. Why the HDMI port? by mellon · · Score: 1, Insightful

    What frustrates me about a device like this is that there's virtually zero value in having an HDMI port, but an additional USB port would be very useful. These are basically IoT devices, not desktop computers. An RS-485 interface would be handy too. :)

    1. Re:Why the HDMI port? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your serial connection:

      https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruits-raspberry-pi-lesson-5-using-a-console-cable/overview

    2. Re:Why the HDMI port? by bigmo · · Score: 1

      It's true that you usually wouldn't need to connect a monitor to one of these, but during development sometimes it's handy to just hook up to it like a small desktop and poke around. It really has to be hdmi because there are no monitors around that support composite any more. As long as you can somehow disable the ports/pins/resources that the hdmi uses when you're done, I don't see any harm in it. Just my 2 cents though....

    3. Re:Why the HDMI port? by PReDiToR · · Score: 2

      .
      I have a collection of Raspberry Pi devices, including one of the first 10,000 run.

      My two RasPi Zeros have Kodi on them, I'm going to get a Zero-W for the same reason. They quite happily output 1080 movies on LibreELEC and are powered from the USB port on my TV.
      .

      --

      Do not meddle in the affairs of geeks for they are subtle and quick to anger
  16. Like a CHIP with No Built-In Storage by Feneric · · Score: 1

    So it's a lot like a slightly more expensive CHIP only without its built-in 4GB storage and mini HDMI instead of composite output?

    1. Re:Like a CHIP with No Built-In Storage by petes_PoV · · Score: 1

      So it's a lot like a slightly more expensive CHIP

      More so than you would imagine. getchip.com has been reporting CHIP as being unavailable for months, too.

      --
      politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
  17. Supply and demand by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Some people crying about it not being exactly $5 must be forgetting about the laws of supply and demand. Currently the supply is low and the demand is high, so obviously RPi Zeros that are available will be sold for more than there 'estimate retail value' of $5.

    1. Re:Supply and demand by green1 · · Score: 1

      Considering that their $35 Pi3 is well over $50 anywhere I can get one... I just assume that the prices quoted for any Pi product are pure fiction.
      I've never seen any of them anywhere near the quoted prices at any place I can actually purchase.

  18. Proves RPi is not serious. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So they add on a few toys to their most useless model.

    Yet they don't see a machine with USB3. If you could build a viable FreeNAS box around the RPi, that could make all other uses combined look like a sales blip. But there's no way to connect storage at a decent speed.

    1. Re: Proves RPi is not serious. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The thing is built around a mobile device SOC. So you are never going to have things like a USB3 host port. You get what is on the SOC that they bother wiring out to a connector.

    2. Re: Proves RPi is not serious. by Jason1729 · · Score: 1

      Sounds like you're just posting the same thing. It's not a serious computing device. You're just offering a reason why.

      They could easily add a USB3 host controller, but you're right they never will because RPi is just a cheesy toy.

  19. Only available 1 per order by petes_PoV · · Score: 4, Informative
    In the UK there is one place that sells them - if they haven't sold out. But they only permit Pi Zero (W) to be ordered 1 at a time.

    Since these devices are component level products, limiting their availability (presumably because of limited production runs) makes them next to useless. I don't want a single unit to merely flash a few LEDs. I want one in EVERY hobby device I build. Selling them singly and then having none available for months makes them useless to me - as close as it's possible to get to vapourware without actually being non-existent.

    --
    politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
  20. In the US, MicroCenter by redelm · · Score: 1

    After the first month or so, MicroCenter has had good stock of ZEROs (w & w/0 camera).

  21. Re:Nice 10$ computer.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When you buy NOOBS from one of the Raspberry PI vendors, you're not really paying for the OS itself; you're paying for the microSD card it comes on. And since you need a microSD card for the OS and data anyway...

  22. Zero a.k.a. 0 in stock by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I've never been able to buy this 10$ computer. It's never in stock. Never.

  23. Re:The Only Important Thing by Immerman · · Score: 1

    Probably not, so it should pass that test.

    --
    --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  24. Pennies are heavy... by fyngyrz · · Score: 1

    What's the shipping on those pennies, though?

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
  25. Re:The Only Important Thing by codeButcher · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Can you run Windows 10 on it?

    I know you are joking by turning the "can it run Linux" meme around, but the Raspberry Pi org's download page carries a link to "Windows 10 IOT Core". No experience with it though.

    --
    Free, as in your money being freed from the confines of your account.
  26. Cool, almost like by codeButcher · · Score: 1

    That's nice. It's almost like the Orange Pi Zero, only with a single core instead of quad, and only running at 1GHz instead of 1.2.

    I only mention this as I recently wanted to become more acquainted with the RasPi ecosystem, and this looked like a cheaper option than the Revision 3 Model B, albeit still sufficient for my purposes, so I picked an OrPi up just today.

    At least the included networking should make either Zero board easier to set up in a headless configuration than the plain Zero.

    Costs in my locale are still crazy, about 30 USD for the Orange Pi Zero and around 60 USD for the Raspberry Pi 3B. There are some other boards (and clones, and stuff like PcDuino) around, but these 2 seemed to me the most likely for my purposes, prices are usually even steeper than those given.

    --
    Free, as in your money being freed from the confines of your account.
  27. But will a2dp sink still be choppy? by jason.fuller1830 · · Score: 1

    Half the reason I'd like a device like this is so that I can Bluetooth enable all my old audio gear on the cheap. However, I found decoding bluetooth mp3 streams to be so sluggish (a2dp-sink) on Pi 2 and Pi 3, that it's unusable. I'm not sure what it is about the hardware / software that makes it this way, but it's sad.

  28. No such device - vapourware product by slincolne · · Score: 1
    The idea behind these devices is that they are a cheaper version of the Raspberry Pi, however they are never available at the listed price. You can get the Zero's - as part of a bundle with a range of marked up peripherals you probably already have, so it's likely to be just another PR stunt.

    If you are after a small, embeddable Linux+ARM device I'd recommend you forget the Raspberry Pi and get an Orange Pi Zero. They exist, you can buy them of AliExpress, and they work just fine.

  29. Re:The Only Important Thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Surely you're aware that Windows IoT isn't Windows, right?

  30. Made from unobtanium, in nonexistent quantities? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have yet to see a regular zero in the wild. I keep seeing images, but never the real thing in my hands. Tried ordering until my fingers were blue.. Finally gave up.

    Will this actually be available to us regular folk?

  31. Re:The Only Important Thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    : that it is not in amazon, so it does not exist. This is fake news then, or who is supposed to get the message?

  32. more vendors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To address the short supply issues the Foundation added several new vendors this time. I guess their idea is to back the shops which are closer to the makers, instead of big chains.

    Here's a shop in Germany for instance and they have stock. Shipping prices in Germany are ok, but international shipping is quite expensive. They also have a 30 x Pi Zero W kit for universities etc.
    The Pi Zeros can't be that limited then, right?
    Here's their kits:
    https://buyzero.de/collections/raspberry-pi-zero-kits