$25 Raspberry Pi Linux PC Said to Arrive in January

The tiny motherboard seen in the photo here may look nondescript, but it is actually shaping up to be one of the more interesting open source-focused stories of early 2012. Next month, as both CNet and Business Insider note, the Raspberry Pi ultra low-cost computer will go on sale. It's designed to run Linux via an ARM processor, and there will reportedly be a version available for $25.

You can find out much more about this diminutive computer at the Raspberry Pi page.  The team behind the device has posted a status update via a blog post, found here. 

According to Business Insider, the Raspberry Pi will feature a 700-MHz processor, 128 MB of RAM, an SD card slot for storage, a USB port, audio out, and an HDMI port. If that sounds underpowered, Business Insider has a video up of the device smoothly running Quake 3 at about 20 frames per second, at 1920 by 1080 resolution.

According to CNet:

"At launch the diminutive machine will be offered in two configurations, one at $25 and the other at $35. The extra $10 gets you double the RAM at 256MB, as well as the addition of an Ethernet port for getting online."

Many observers expect the Raspberry Pi to compete where the One Laptop Per Child effort tried to, without much success. At $25 and $35 price points, it could offer a way for underprivileged children to own reasonably capable computers. 

This is one to watch as 2012 begins.

Photo Credit: Raspberry Pi.