Raspberry Pi is working on a project to create a tiny computer that’s about the size of credit card and cheap enough to be sold for around $25. The company started showing off a prototype a few months ago, and now Raspberry Pi has created schematics for an alpha board and manufacturing is beginning.

The alpha board will be a little larger than the final board, features more expensive components, and is designed for testing purposes. In other words, we’re not quite at the point where you’ll be able to buy a $25 computer, plug in a monitor, keyboard and mouse and start working. But we’re getting closer.

The goal is to launch two versions by the end of 2011. The $25 version will have an ARM-based processor, a 10/100 Ethernet controller, and 128MB of RAM. For an extra $5 or $10 you’ll be able to pick up a model with a USB 2.0 hub and 256MB of RAM. The device is primarily aimed at the education market, where it could provide a low cost way to give children hands-on experience with computers.

via ARMDevices

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3 replies on “Raspberry Pi’s thumb-sized computer goes into pre-production”

  1. Even if it costs 2 to 3 times as planned, it is still a low price for such a small computer. It is a really cool concept. I hope it works out.

  2. I meant to ask this before, but wouldn’t this be a hackers dream?  Buy a computer for cash, use it to hack a system, drop computer on floor & crush under foot, walk away. 

    “Computer?  What computer?  You see, this over here is my computers. And, as you can see MY COMPUTER WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY HACK…check the records…see this is not the computer you’re looking for.”

  3. This is such an amazing concept.  I hope they can bring it to market with such low price points and make a profit…

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