New Raspberry Pi 3 Has Wi-Fi, and a 64-Bit Processor
As we've noted here before, when it comes to top open source stories of the past couple of years, it's clear that one of the biggest is the proliferation of tiny, inexpensive Linux-based computers at some of the smallest form factors ever seen. Surely, the diminutive, credit card-sized Raspberry Pi, which has been priced at only $25 and $35, is one of the most widely followed of these miniature systems. It's been implemented for use in home security systems, synthesizers and even in a supercomputer mashup using Lego pieces to bind the parts together.
And now, a brand new Raspberry Pi is shipping -- the Raspberry Pi 3 computer. The latest one has the same $35 price as the Pi 2 did, but it features a more powerful 64-bit CPU, and for the first time, has built-in wireless functionality.
Raspberry Pi officials have noted that they have shipped millions of these devices, and the new Pi is billed as much faster than previous versions.
According to the Pi blog:
"Exactly four years ago, on 29 February 2012, we unleashed the original 256MB Raspberry Pi Model B on a largely unsuspecting world. Since then, we’ve shipped over eight million units, including three million units of Raspberry Pi 2, making us the UK’s all-time best-selling computer. The Raspberry Pi Foundation has grown from a handful of volunteers to have over sixty full-time employees, including our new friends from Code Club. We’ve sent a Raspberry Pi to the International Space Station and are training teachers around the world through our Picademy program."
"In celebration of our fourth birthday, we thought it would be fun to release something new. Accordingly, Raspberry Pi 3 is now on sale for $35 (the same price as the existing Raspberry Pi 2), featuring:
A 1.2GHz 64-bit quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 CPU (~10x the performance of Raspberry Pi 1)
Integrated 802.11n wireless LAN and Bluetooth 4.1
Complete compatibility with Raspberry Pi 1 and 2
Raspberry Pi 3 is available to buy today from partners element14 and RS Components, and other resellers. You’ll also need a recent NOOBS or Raspbian image from the Raspberry Pi downloads page.