Hardkernel launched a new single-board computer in July that basically takes the guts of a Raspberry Pi mini PC and sticks them in an even smaller package. But just a month after launching the ODROID-W, Hardkernel has announced that once it’s finished selling the units it has in stock the project is kaput. You won’t ever be able to order a new ODROID-W.

So while you can still pick one up for about $30, the company doesn’t recommend using an ODROID-W for “new designs.”

odroid-w

In other words, you can continue to use the ODROID-W as a tiny, Rapsberry Pi-compatible PC that can run Linux-based software. But if you were planning to use it to build your own tablet, laptop, robot, or home automation system that could be easily reproduced… you might want to try finding a different single-board computer.

According to Hardkernel, the company pulled the plug on the project because Broadcomm stopped supplying the BCM2835 processor needed to make the ODROID-W.

The project had drawn criticism from some members of the Raspberry Pi developer and user community who felt that Hardkernel was taking advantage of all the work that had been put into developing the Raspberry Pi platform.

Hardkernel has been offering its own small, low-power development boards with ARM-based processors for a few years. The ODROID-W was one of the smallest and cheapest to date… and one of the most interesting because it was designed to be able to run any software and use many peripherals designed for the popular Raspberry Pi. But it’s a more compact device that doesn’t even have an Ethernet jack.

The company says it’s working on ideas for its next product, but it could take up to half a year before we’ll see that new device.

via Slashdot

Support Liliputing

Liliputing's primary sources of revenue are advertising and affiliate links (if you click the "Shop" button at the top of the page and buy something on Amazon, for example, we'll get a small commission).

But there are several ways you can support the site directly even if you're using an ad blocker* and hate online shopping.

Contribute to our Patreon campaign

or...

Contribute via PayPal

* If you are using an ad blocker like uBlock Origin and seeing a pop-up message at the bottom of the screen, we have a guide that may help you disable it.

Subscribe to Liliputing via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 9,545 other subscribers

7 replies on “Hardkernel’s Raspberry Pi-like ODROID-W discontinued a month after launch”

  1. I bought one of these and although the price is good, I had to pay a higher shipping cost and duty.
    Also a RTC, ADC and UPS additions are nice, but really useless for the average guy. i’m using the USB port with a wireless dongle with XBMC and its great. I also purchased to add-on board with TFT screen that doesn’t work without a firmware update. And finding simple instructions to get the screen to work is not available.

  2. The Raspberry Pi blog reported recently that Carrie Anne has now learned how to solder. Interestingly, all Raspberry Pis require no soldering and the Compute Module, by virtue (?) of its dense connector, basicly allows no soldering. The ODROID-W design, OTOH delivers substantial functionality without the need for soldering but soldering competence is required to access extended functionality. In an educational context, I find the different approaches interesting.

  3. Very sorry to see this brilliant design fail to achieve the success it deserves. The inclusion of ADC, RTC and flexible power arangements make possible many out-of-the-box solutions that none of the existing Raspberry Pi products can match. Although lots of RasPi Foundation fans cry “foul” because they see ODROID-W as a dishonourable RasPi clone, none seem to be prepared to acknowledge that ODROID-W is not a knock-off copy but a very well designed compatible that does not compete directly with any one of the RasPi versions, instead using innovative design to fill a vacant niche and to offer significant advantages in many cases. If the RasPi community were objective enough to fairly value technical merit, I think they would express a little less indignation and a lot more admiration.

    1. Simpler rebuttal to the ‘ripoff’ nonsense. Ripoff what? Both are dropping a SoC on a board, all of the uniqueness is a function of the selection of the SoC, as is the ‘compatibility.’

      Guess the real lesson is that you shouldn’t mess with the vanity project of a senior officer of the silicon vendor you must buy parts from. Especially one that already has a totally bad reputation like Broadcom.

      1. Hear that Eben? Your Raspberry Pi is a vanity project. Ooh, burn!

        Honestly I can’t say I disagree with you John. In any case it certainly isn’t the revolutionary educational tool it’s heavily promoted as. Even Sophie Wilson doesn’t think so.

Comments are closed.