DIY computer Raspberry Pi 3 has been launched today, with faster speeds and new connectivity options for £30.
The latest model in the hugely popular series of single-board computers, features a 64-bit 1.2GHz quad-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, and built-in wireless LAN and Bluetooth.
The Pi 3 is 10 times more powerful than the first Pi, but its wireless capabilities are being presented as its main selling points.
Speaking to the BBC, Pi Foundation founder Eben Upton said the Pi 3 makes it easier than ever for users to create ‘hubs’ for their’Internet of Things’ devices, programming the computer to act as a single connected controller for all the internet-enabled gadgets around the home.
“This is the first Pi you can stick behind your TV and completely forget about,” he said.
Despite the changes, the Pi 3 is still fully compatible with projects and tutorials designed for its predecessors.
The Pi 3 is on sale from 29 February, for the price of £30.
Upton said a “few hundred thousand units” will be avaiable from day one, so hopefully there won’t be any shortages.
The release of the Pi 3 comes exactly four years to the day after the launch of the original Pi, which sparked a passion for coding in many who had never tried it before and made the company a household name.
Since then, a number of different models have been released, and over eight million units have been shipped to customers – making it the best-selling British computer of all time.