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RASPBERRY PI HAS developed a reputation for cheap computing hardware, designed to help teach those about programming and DIY computing in schools and developing countries.
Now it has launched a new computer board called the Raspberry Pi Zero and it costs $5 (€4.71).
The device is smaller than a credit card and can run a number of applications including Minecraft, Scratch (a programming service for kids) and Sonic Pi.
“We still meet people who tell us cost is a barrier to entry,” said Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton. “Since the Raspberry Pi 2 effort wound down in February, we’ve been asking ourselves what we could do to maybe take a little more of the cost down”.
We really don’t think we’ll be able to make it any cheaper than this. We’ve gone down from [the price of] four lattes to one latte.
The number of Pi Zero units produced will range in the tens of thousands, according to Upton, and will be able to run Raspbian, a version of Linux designed for the Pi.
For those interested, the hardware comes with 512MB of RAM, a 1Ghz single-core CPU, a mini HDMI (supporting 1080p) and micro-USB port, and micro-SD slot. It’s 40% faster than the first Raspberry Pi which was released back in 2012.
If you want extra features like USB ports or Ethernet ports, you will have to purchase a separate peripheral.
The hardware is only on sale in the UK and US, but if you’re interested in a DIY computer project, you won’t be able to say it’s too expensive to start.
Raspberry Pi Foundation / Vimeo
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Warehouse in Ireland please. Having to wait for parcels to ship from UK is not good enough.
Amazons high tech jobs are based in Dublin. The companies warehouses are based in Britain. It’s cheaper than Ireland.
Yeah that 1 day prime service is shocking! If I order something now I won’t have it until tomorrow ffs!
Amazon consider Ireland as part of the UK geographicaly for business reasons while for delivery reasons they consider NI and The Republic to be the same.I worked there and it used to provide endless hours of fun trying to explain the situation to idiot ‘nationalists and unionists’ who would take offence to this.Then added to that for tax they are registered in Lux.Most likely they will open a hub here at some point but most items will still have to come from the UK. There just isn’t the population here to justify a warehouse system big enough to hold 17m items.
More people out of a job
“hiring 80,000 seasonal workers to meet the coming onslaught of holiday orders.”
are they? some might be out of a job running around the floor picking items. but someone has to look after the robots, repair them and even build them so jobs are created as well.
Simon,that’s a very short term view.
how so. remember back in the 80′s when computers were being brought into the office and work place and we were all supposed to be out of jobs?
Simon, they are doing a physical job that only people could do. You can be very sure that any of these working in these huge spaces will have a very long lifespan unlike anything that will be for sale in the future in PC World etc for the home.
Did you actually read the article?
” They are doing a physical job that only people could do” — bit of a contradiction there
I work in this area (electrical / mechanical IT support) if they have 3000 robots then they need a good load of people to back them up. I would very much doubt that 3000 people were let go to be replaced by 3000 machines.
Machines that run for 24 hours a day need weekly / monthly PM’s. Software upgrades, cleaning and replacing. so while they have a long life span they are continually being looked after unlike your house hold appliances that only get service when they break down,
Support jobs are also much better paid than picking jobs. And at the end of the day, shouldn’t we be using robots and machines to do the more mundane tasks and upgrading our human work force for the better.
Simon the robots will become self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th and repair themselves. Only a matter of time.
Jason,Simon. The PEOPLE that did this job last year are highly unlikely to be be servicing these robots. They have most likely been told that there is no work for them. Not everyone has the capacity to up skill. Amazon and those who follow them have not got the welfare of their seasonal workers in mind and are not trying impress ye, they have long term wage bill reductions driving this practice.
Its called progress….
Jesusdittyfcukinchrist they took are jobs !
To help the employees, who are they kidding. To CUT THE WAGE BILL.
PR*cks
Johnny 5
Irish Water is currently drafting up an army of robots in the form of precision electronic meters to “help” distribute something which is of a basic right.
Correction: “help” control something which is of a basic right.
Ffs, read this so as not to hear about IW, not everything should be brought back to water. Getting very boring now.
My thoughts exactly.
What are your thoughts, pray tell?
I am thinking he was just missing an ellipses…
His thoughts are centred around precision.
With everything getting automated and a growing world population, what happens when there aren’t enough jobs for everybody? A genuine question….maybe we will be starship troopers.
have your say