Raspberry Pi Turns Five, Launches Zero W PC With Wi-Fi And Bluetooth

Mini computer maker Raspberry Pi has celebrated its fifth birthday with the launch of a brand new PC: The Raspberry Pi Zero W.

A variation of the Raspberry Pi Zero – which costs $5 (£4) and sold out in just 24 hours when it was launched in November 2015 – the Zero W comes with 802.11n wireless LAN and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity and will set you back the princely sum of $10 (£8).

The original Pi Zero has already grown a camera connector since its release, but functionality has been further boosted in the Zero W with the addition of the same Cypress CYW43438 wireless chip used in the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B.

Birthday Pi

As well as the camera and connectivity options, the full list of features includes: a 1GHz single-core CPU, 512MB RAM, a mini-HDMI port and micro-USB power.

“We imagine you’ll find all sorts of uses for Zero W,” says Eben Upton, founder and CEO of Rasperry Pi. “It makes a better general-purpose computer because you’re less likely to need a hub: if you’re using Bluetooth peripherals you might well end up with nothing at all plugged into the USB port. And of course it’s a great platform for experimenting with IoT applications.”

The Raspberry Pi Zero also comes with an official injection-moulded case, which includes three interchangeable lids, a short camera adapter flexi and a set of rubber feet to make sure it doesn’t slide off your desk.

Raspberry Pi has experienced something of a revolution since its inception in 2012, recently passing the 12 million mark for devices sold after only expecting to sell around 10,000.

Almost exactly 12 months ago we saw the launch of the Raspberry Pi 3, which included Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in a big to become a “hub” for the Internet of Things (IoT). Since then, Microsoft has released a brace of Raspberry Pi 3 powered IoT kits and a partnership with Google has opened the doors to the introduction of artificial intelligence.

The company was also a big presence at education technology expo Bett 2017 in January, strengthening its ties with the education sector with the launch of a magazine for teachers called ‘Hello World.’

Quiz: What do you know about the Raspberry Pi?