After long anticipation, this year at Christmas I received my first very own Raspberry Pie single board computer! Along with the RasPi itself, I also acquired an assortment of necessary peripherals, including a tiny monitor and keyboard, a 32 GB SD Memory Card to substitute for a hard drive, as well as assorted USB dongles, cables and power supplies. The Raspberry Pi B+ really is a capable little computer, with a 700mhz CPU, 512mb RAM, Ethernet connectivity, supporting four USB devices, plus HDMI video, are listed among its splendid technical features. Most amazing of all, this versatile single board computer retails for only $35!
In no time at all I was connected and surfing the Internet, testing the particular strengths and limitations of this palm size computer. After first checking my e-mail online, then encountered my primary complaint, the distinct lack of any built-in media players within the standard NOOBs Raspian OS. To be fair, it should be noted there is a multimedia OS for the Raspberry Pie, specifically the XBMC Operating System, it’s just that I chose to install the ‘default’ OS version instead. The truth is I primarily am interested in figuring out what this little computer can really do, more as a hobbyist, techno-tinkerer and budding computer programmer. The RasPi does come pre-loaded with Python, plus the easy to learn Scratch GUI, as well as a few other programming environments, all of which actively supported by countless online Raspberry Pie tutorials and forums.
Of particular interest personally was the bonus of receiving the official Raspberry Pie Camera Module. As it turns out, this tiny break-out board with ribbon cable is in itself a very capable photographic device in its own right. Included within its features are a wide assortment filters, settings and photographic tweaks, making it is easy to produce a variety of pictures and video in different formats…. Such Extraordinary Fun!
After watching me spending several hours fussing over hand scribbled notes and open web pages to RaspPi tutorials, Heather humorously observed she couldn’t recall anything else in recent memory which had entertained me for so long, at the mere cost of only $35. As for myself, mainly focused now on what my first RasPi project is going to be.
