Mini PCs are always a good option to enjoy the full power of a computer, in a compact size. We can use these for several purposes, as a content server connected to the TV and, of course, for computing and research use. Raspberry Pi is one of the most popular products for these purposes, both in terms of its affordable prices and plethora of options.
Ever since the Raspberry Pi launched in 2012, it caught the attention of tens of thousands of enthusiasts including engineers, geeks and hobbyists.
But there are still a lot of questions floating around like, What is it exactly? Who created it? Where exactly to buy? And so on. So in this post we cover all such Raspberry Pi FAQ.
The Success Story Behind 10 Million+ Raspberry Pi Sales
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has announced that it has reached the figure of 10 million raspberry pi sales and as a gift for this milestone, the
What is a Raspberry Pi?
Actually, this is a tiny credit-card sized development board with dimensions 85 x 54 mm, in which a Broadcom BCM2835 chip with ARM processor up to 1 GHz speed, GPU VideoCore IV is housed along with 512 MB of RAM.
Though initially it was used for teaching children coding, the scope of this device soon came to light and is now being used to build smart devices. Also the scope of this device can be further improved by adding modules, like a touchscreen module, or a camera module.
Why the name Raspberry Pi?
The word ‘Raspberry’ is finalized looking at various computer companies naming themselves after a fruit like Apple, Apricot Computers, Tangerine Computer Systems etc.
The word ‘Pi’ is because the team behind the Raspberry Pi actually started working on developing a board that can run Python Programming Language and they further improvised from their goal and ended up designing a general-purpose computer.
Who invented Raspberry Pi?
This certainly is one of the most searched Raspberry Pi FAQ. This project was started by a group of technicians and academics. Currently, Eben Upton is the CEO and project lead and the other starting members are Rob Mulins, Jack Lang, Alan Mycroft, Pete Lomas, and David Braben.
This idea kicked in when they felt a decrease in interest among students on computer science. So, they set out to build a tiny and cheap board easily accessible to students, through which they can learn basic programming.
Is there a difference between the Raspberry Pi models?
Yes, each of the Raspberry Pi models differs from each other in many aspects. The naming could be a little confusing because of the use of two different naming conventions.
The ‘generation’ of the model is indicated as Pi 1, Pi 2 and Pi 3. The Pi 3 is the latest model released in 2016 with the Pi 1 model in 2012 and Pi 2 model in 2015.
The other convention is the Model A, A+, B and B+. These indicate the features of the model, with B+ being the most powerful and Model A being the least in the line-up. The only other model is the Raspberry Pi Model Zero; this is the $5 microcomputer that can be used for tiny projects.
Where can Raspberry Pi’s be used?
Raspberry Pi can be used by anyone for a wide variety of tasks. A quick Google search can present you with a number of projects you can get started right away with something that interests you.
Here are a few uses of the Raspberry Pi:
- Learn (or teach) how to code
- Make your own tiny computer
- Low cost time lapse photography camera
- Multi-room music player
These are just a very few from what’s available all over the Internet. Very soon we will be releasing our Raspberry Pi Project guides to help beginners start smooth. Before that you an check you our previous article dedicated to help our readers identify best resources. It is titled ‘Raspberry Pi Guide: Best Resources To Learn Raspberry Pi Online‘.
How popular are the Raspberry Pi’s?
Since the launch of Raspberry Pi on February 19, 2012 it has been doing great. It is undoubtedly the best selling mini-computer all across the globe. Recently it has completed 10 million sales in September 2016, which is a grand achievement.
To celebrate this milestone, the Raspberry Pi team released its own starter kit. Read more about their success story here.
Where can you buy a raspberry pi?
No Raspberry Pi FAQ list ends without this question, you can get your Raspberry Pi from any of the official partners or from third party sellers from Amazon or ebay. If you are looking to buy one now, the most purchased model now is the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B available at $35 (around Rs. 3000).
Raspberry Pi 3 Specs & Features: Everything You Need To Know
The official new Raspberry Pi 3 is more powerful and connected than ever. It maintains the same form factor and prices $ 35. This device improves upon in
This Raspberry Pi FAQ is a collection of most searched queries we found on the Internet, if there is anything more you’d want to know. Write to us in the comments below.
