Hardkernel offers a line of small developer boards aimed at programmers, hobbyists, and other folks interested in building and testing hardware and software applications. The company’s ODROID boards are typically small and relatively inexpensive, but now the company has released the cheapest model yet.
The Hardkernel ODROID-U3 sells for $59. It’s about the size of a credit card, but has room for a Samsung Exynos 4412 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 3 USB ports, a micro USB port, micro HDMI port, and microSD card slot.
The board officially supports Android 4.x and Xubuntu 13.10 Linux, and Hardkernel offers disk images and source code for each.
The Exynos 4412 processor is the same chip used in last year’s Samsung Galaxy S3. While it’s not exactly state-of-the-art anymore, it’s a reasonably powerful ARM Cortex-A9 processor, especially for a device this cheap. The system also includes 10/100 Ethernet, but no WiFi — you’ll have to provide your own USB dongle if you want to connect to a wireless network.
While you could theoretically use the ODROID-U3 as a tiny, cheap desktop computer, it’s aimed at developers. It comes without a case and features exposed UART and GPIO pins, among other things. There’s also a socket that you can use to connect eMMC storage, but there’s no built-in storage. You’ll need to install an operating system using a microSD card, or purchase one that comes with the software pre-loaded.
The company also offers accessories including I/O boards and shields that give you access to additional input and output pins.
via CNX-Software
anyone know where to find an operating system to load up onto this thing?
The Raspberry Pi made a mistake, imho, in using a 700 Mhz Armv6 processor. 512 Mb of RAM made it worst. Using the RasPi can be a sad and painful experience. The least the Raspberry Foundation could do is to give customer the choice of a higher spec at a higher price. Being adamant in an Armv6’s use, is detrimental to the cause of the Foundation and this is more so as other manufacturers catches up. I know that the Pi has a claimed ‘dedicated market’ for the A, B and B+, but the very many complaints one read online points to a reality the Foundation refuses to accept. People want a a single board and they want it reasonably fast – not beggingly slow, as though it is a fashion statement. The point is if I can afford $35, I should be given the chance to purchase something more useful at, say, $65!
Raspberry Pi creators are so backward in their thinking. Not forward looking at all. You want people to learn programming in this modern age, give them new technologies. The Odroid-U3 is a work of art, science and good ethics.
One of the links below the article lead to a flipping penny auction site (Must-Have Products Being Sold For Next To Nothing ). Really, Liliputing?!
Certainly a fine overlord for a small army of Raspberry Pis!
That’s pretty great. Decent specs for a pretty decent price. I would be interested in getting one of these running at home for such a low price.
I was looking at the $4 case for this thing. The ODROID logo upside-down seems to spell “clotco.”
Damn. Shipping is $25.
Power adapter is optional so it’s +5$ and case +4$. Odroid isn’t that cheap as it looks.
aside from the shipping, you can’t complain about a 1.7 ghz quad core 2gb system with Linux for $63. I’m not aware of anything with those specs and price that runs Linux. I think most people have plenty of USB power supplies around. They only have Fedex shipping unfortunately. It would be great if they offered lower priced shipping.
Actually, based on my Odroid-XU, this is a great deal and is definitely going into my next project. I will add, the eMMC chips are well worth the money. If the money is tight, skip the power supply and case, but get the eMMC chip.
So? Neither is Raspberry Pi.
For $25 dollar the ODROID will fly itself to your door step. J/K. Now they have a US distributor ameridroid