The Raspberry Pi is a cheap, small, low-power single-board computer that can run Linux-based software and which developers and hobbyists have used to create home media centers, handheld game consoles, robots, and more.
But if the credit card-sized Raspberry Pi is too big for you, there’s a new game in town: The Hardkernel ODROID-W is a $30 computer module that’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Since it has the same processor and connectors as the Raspberry Pi, it’s also compatible with any software developed for that system.
Like the Raspberry Pi, the ODROID-W features a Broadcom BCM2835 processor and 512MB of RAM. You can use a removable microSD card for storage.
There’s a microUSB port, a micro HDMI port, and a USB host connector for a full-sized port if you need one. There are also Raspberry Pi-like connectors including a 26-pin expansion header socket and a 15-pin Raspberry Pi camera cable connector.
One thin you won’t find is an Ethernet jack. You can add connectivity through USB peripherals, or you can pick up a $20 ODROID-W Docking Board which adds 4 USB ports, 10/100 Ethernet, an audio jack, and UART port.
So what could you do with a tiny computer/developer board like the ODROID-W? You could use it as a low-power desktop that runs Raspbian or another Raspberry Pi-friendly operating system. You could build your own smartwatch by adding a battery and display. Hardkernel has produced videos showing someone doing each of those things.
The ODROID-W is available for pre-order and should ship by the end of August.
via CNX Software
I’ve ordered 3 at $30 each, so that’s less than Raspberry Pi. I have a RPi product that I’m looking to move to this platform as it is more compact.
Its ideal for one thing I want to make and may make for several people.
For portable, battery-powered applications where no ethernet cable is needed, then this is a no-brainer. It becomes more practical than all Raspberry pi model A, B, B+ hands down. All-round it’s more useful than model B+ except for desktop use where you need many USB ports and an ethernet port. For many scenarios this appears way more practical and useful than A, B and B+. In the compute module space, again this seems a more useful form factor with more useful functionality already on-board.
Yes, an extremely flexible design. Inclusion of a PMIC with RTC and ADC capabilities (along with the essential power management features) is a great improvement that makes it possible for Odroid W with camera to perform image/video capture and surveillance functions as well as simple data acquisition without any expansion board. Pity the RPi Model B+ does not have this capability.
it’s a little to expensive compared to RPI. It’s not for a home media center….. i think it targeted especially for robotics.
PS: don’t forget that it is the price in Taiwan, so in some countries (EU), the price is much higher.
I disagree. Odroid W has more functionality and its price compares favourably with Raspberry Pi Compute Module. Odroid W with Connector pack has similar price to Raspberry Pi Model A but with more functionality. Compared with Raspberry Pi Model B+; Odroid W with Connector Pack and Docking Board are significantly more expensive unless you value the ADC, RTC and UPS functionality. IMHO Hardkernel have done a great job in repackaging the Raspberry Pi essentials to flexibly suit a lot of applications at low cost.