A slimmed down version of the Raspberry Pi has been introduced with around half the power consumption and a lower price tag that tht original board.
The new Model A version of the embedded computing platform has only 256MB of RAM included as standard, no Ethernet connection, which save on power, and only one USB port.
It costs $25 (£15.95) plus tax and shipping.
According to Glenn Jarrett, global head of product marketing at RS: “The £15.95 price point makes it even more attractive to system integrators, and increases accessibility for those working within a restricted budget, such as in education.”
Industrial control modules
The new board is expected to be used as a low cost computer programming platform in education, but it is also anticipated to be used in industrial control modules and even as a low cost media centre.
“The Model A board is the next item in the Raspberry Pi range to be manufactured exclusively in Wales by Sony in partnership with element14," said Claire Doyle, Global Head of Raspberry Pi at element14.Distributor element14 has also launched two accessories to support the development of new applications and uses: The Gertboard, a flexible experimenter board that connects the Raspberry Pi out to the physical world, and PiFace, which allows the user to sense and control the real world.
Availability
Both are available to buy to supplement activity on the Raspberry Pi and can be used with the Model A and Model B boards.
The Model A board is available today through Farnell element14 in Europe and CPC in the UK and Ireland, and also through the RS website.
