And no, I don’t mean the next in line after Raspberry Pi 1, 2, and 3. Sorry, lame joke. The same cannot be said of this econo-computer. If you haven’t heard of this product, then don’t worry, a lot of people haven’t heard of it either. This computer was developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation (of course) in the United Kingdom. It was created to promote basic computing skills to the less fortunate and even to the third world countries. But before we go any further, let me tell a short history about computers.
Ever since Alan Turing basically created the first computer, it has developed into more than just solving encrypted codes. Today, almost all of western civilization is run on computers and AI (yes, artificial intelligence does exist). Arguably, the computer has been the biggest discovery in the history of mankind. And it has also seemingly developed the fastest. Now because of the need and superpower capability of the most modern and fastest computers, the prices have also gone up. There is a running joke about how are you able to use these supercomputers when it’s going to cost an arm and a leg to get one? Another lame one, I know.
As stated before, the Raspberry Pi was built not to be the fastest computer, or the best graphics card, or even the highest RAM. It came to be because of the noble vision of providing computer literacy to anyone who can’t afford a normal-priced computer, much less a supercomputer.
The first Raspberry Pi came about in 2012 and it included the personalized operating system aptly named Raspbian. This mini-computer did not include other external peripherals such as a keyboard or a mouse but both of them can be bought for peanuts.
Unexpectedly, the Raspberry Pi became very popular especially with the masses and those in the lower economic status. It was thought to be used only for learning and basic computing, but it was bought even by more modern robotics companies because of the potential applications it offers. Here’s a small trivia – Raspberry Pi computers are the best-selling Britain-made computers. In 2018 alone, almost 20 million units have been sold. To put that into perspective, that’s almost half the population of England if one person each had a Raspberry Pi.
Now, because it was supposed to be for the lower income masses, the machine itself needed to be cheap. Therefore, the materials had to be cheaper. This is not to say that the Raspberry Pi can only run calculators and basic text capabilities. It can do so much more than that. We’re not going to bore you by going into all the technical specifications but trust us when we say that it is quite sufficient to handle your everyday needs. Unless you’re doing some heavy duty video editing for a multimedia company, the Raspberry Pi is pretty good enough.
As with any computer in the market, the specs of the Raspberry Pi has gotten better with every version. So much better in fact that it can actually compete with some of the better smartphones out there in the market. And that’s saying something.
It has so much potential, in fact, that powerhouse Google itself has taken notice and is partnering with the Raspberry Pi. Google announced that it will support the computer with its AI resources. That might not seem like a lot but just to let you know, Google’s AI includes, but not limited to, advanced analysis engines, speech pattern recognition, and even facial recognition. How’s that for a mini-computer?
The best about all these is that the Raspberry Pi Foundation has decided to keep the price as low as possible to maintain the original vision. You can get a working Raspberry Pi for as low as $35. Not $350, THIRTY-FIVE DOLLARS. That’s the price of 2 persons eating at Red Lobster for one meal. Not too bad at all.
Currently, there is a big hype surrounding the launch of the Raspberry Pi 4. It is rumored to be the best one yet. Hype says it will come with some new bells and whistles that will make even the most pessimistic doubter take notice. The launch is said to be early next year. So, what in the world is Raspberry Pi 4? It is the next big thing! And that’s no joke.
