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$25 super-ultra-portable "Raspberry Pi" computer to be used to teach programming to children

trogdor9trogdor9
edited May 2011 in Technology
image

http://www.geek.com/articles/games/game-developer-david-braben-creates-a-usb-stick-pc-for-25-2011055/

This seems pretty damn cool to me, and fits in with the idea of making computer programming part of the core educational requirements for kids.
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Comments

  • AprecheApreche
    Why not just Arduino?
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    edited May 2011
    The Arduino is not a PC. This is.

    EDIT: Holy dicks, runs Linux, 1080p30 H.264 high-profile decode. Composite output, too. Gonna pick one up and make a set-top box. Imagine that. A set-top box and full functional desktop you can fit in a goddamn Altoids tin. Christ, human beings are amazing.
    Post edited by WindUpBird on
  • AprecheApreche
    The Arduino is not a PC. This is.

    EDIT: Holy dicks, runs Linux, 1080p30 H.264 high-profile decode. Composite output, too. Gonna pick one up and make a set-top box. Imagine that. A set-top box and full functional desktop you can fit in a goddamn Altoids tin. Christ, human beings are amazing.
    Whoa, it's a full PC? How is it any better for learning programming compared to a netbook? other than being really small, is it that much cheaper? You still need a monitor.
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    You still need a monitor.
    It has a component output. You could output to any TV. It has all the power of a netbook, but the full package would be cheaper than an XO1. Exciting.
  • trogdor9trogdor9
    edited May 2011
    Gonna pick one up and make a set-top box.
    I'm skeptical of whether or not it would be able to play videos and stuff. No confirmation on whether or not it has any network access either. The only way it would is if it were using HDMI 1.4's 100Mbps ethernet feature.

    Also, there are sub-$100 LCD monitors on Newegg. You could outfit an entire lab with these things for a very small amount of money.
    Post edited by trogdor9 on
  • WindUpBirdWindUpBird
    Gonna pick one up and make a set-top box.
    I'm skeptical of whether or not it would be able to play videos and stuff. No confirmation on whether or not it has any network access either. The only way it would is if it were using HDMI 1.4's 100Mbps ethernet feature.

    Also, there are sub-$100 LCD monitors on Newegg. You could outfit an entire lab with these things for a very small amount of money.
    It's definitely connected to a switch in the picture on that website.
  • GreatTeacherMacRossGreatTeacherMacRoss
    I am absolutely telling my school about this.
  • NeitoNeito
    edited May 2011
    other than being really small, is it that much cheaper?
    It's about 25 bucks, according to the articles I've read, and, say, things like the title of the thread.
    Post edited by Neito on
  • trogdor9trogdor9
    It's definitely connected to a switch in the picture on that website.
    Ah, right. I forgot USB ethernet adapters existed >.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    I see nothing that it does that you can't do with an old laptop and a linux cd. This thing is only going to be amazing if they hit the price point they want to.
  • NeitoNeito
    I see nothing that it does that you can't do with an old laptop and a linux cd. This thing is only going to be amazing if they hit the price point they want to.
    From the sounds of it, it's not a "are they going to hit that price point", it's a "they've already hit that price point."
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    That's the impression you get reading the article, but if you watch the video it's what they're trying to do. And as neat as it is, you still need a keyboard, mouse, a monitor/tv and a network interface to use it. It's cheap yeah, but you aren't getting away as cheap as you think.
  • jtvhjtvh
    The technology itself is pretty cool, and in the hands of the right educator it could be a very good thing.

    However: There are a lot of obstacles to making CS part of the core curriculum for kids. Hardware simply isn't a very big one, by comparison to the bureaucratic hurdles educators are up against. Anybody else read Silicon Snake Oil? The issues that Stoll describes are still very much alive. Curricular reform is much harder than hardware distribution.
  • NeitoNeito
    Silicon Snake Oil?
    Stoll is one of those guys with a few good points who kinda goes batshit every so often. I'm always wary of anything the man writes.
  • jtvhjtvh
    Silicon Snake Oil?
    Stoll is one of those guys with a few good points who kinda goes batshit every so often. I'm always wary of anything the man writes.
    True. But I must say, having read that book and then walked into the sorts of classroom situations he'd described (both with my "parent" hat on and my "educator" hat on) really made an impression on me.
  • NeitoNeito
    You know the old rule "no hope until production starts"? Production starts.
  • Not nineNot nine
    edited July 2011
    >$25 (aka €0,02) PC, the size of a USB-stick, that can play 1080p H.264 video to an HD television
    Fapping with the Fist of the Northstar.
    Post edited by Not nine on
  • NeitoNeito
    >$25 (aka €0,02) PC that can play 1080p H.264 video to an HD television the size of a USB-stick
    Fapping with the Fist of the Northstar.
    An HDTV the size of a USB stick would probably suck pretty hard. It'd be really small.
  • Not nineNot nine
    edited July 2011
    It says "to an" not "and".
    Post edited by Not nine on
  • NeitoNeito
    edited July 2011
    video to an HD television the size of a USB-stick
    Making fun of your dangling modifier, brah.
    Post edited by Neito on
  • YuyukeYuyuke
    edited July 2011
    It says "to an" not "and".
    It sure does.
    to an HD television the size of a USB-stick
    EDIT: Curses, beaten.
    Post edited by Yuyuke on
  • Not nineNot nine
    Making fun of your dangling modifier, brah.
    o3o
    What 'bout it?
  • NeitoNeito
    Making fun of your dangling modifier, brah.
    o3o
    What 'bout it?
    The way you wrote that sentence, it sounds like the HDTV, not the computer, was the size of a usb stick.
  • trogdor9trogdor9
    Why are we talking about dangling modifiers instead of how awesome a $25-$35 computer is and all the potential uses of one (or several)?
  • ByronByron
    So I've been familiar with Gumstix and other very tiny computering devices. While I get excited about them, I also wonder what uses they have being so small.

    I mean, here we are talking about retrofitting labs with them because they are cheap.

    Why are we not talking about building these into your shoe, powered by kinetic motion, to do something amazing? What new utilities can these be put to given how teeeeny tiiiiny they are?

    I think this kind of device would be fantastic for RC cars, RC airplanes, or an intelligent backpack that can play music. Maybe, with a miniature GPS (do they exist?), you could do war walking or war biking. It's like war driving, but more portable and lighter weight.
  • Not nineNot nine
    The way you wrote that sentence, it sounds like the HDTV, not the computer, was the size of a usb stick.
    That was already clearly pointed out to me... by Yuyuke.
    (do they exist?),
    image
    These small enough for you?
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited July 2011
    This thing looks like it could be powerful enough to run some image processing...

    This+usb webcam+arduino+usb wifi controller = HELLOOO NURSE! (Read: Hellooo Awesome Arduino Robot)

    Needless to say I will be purchasing one.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • ByronByron
    These small enough for you?
    That'll do.

    image
  • trogdor9trogdor9
    Someone on the Raspberry Pi forums mentioned running a MAME box off one of these.
  • Snickety-SnakeSnickety-Snake
    edited August 2011
    The Raspberry Pi can run Quake 3 surprisingly well.


    I am impressed.
    Post edited by Snickety-Snake on
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