Smaller, Cheaper Raspberry Pi A+ Model Is Released

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has released the Raspberry Pi A+, a smaller, cheaper version of its Linux-based computer that boasts many features of the more expensive B+ model revealed earlier this year.

The A+ has the same BCM2836 application processor and 256MB of RAM as its predecessor but at 65mm in length, it is smaller and uses less power.

Among the features of the B+ to be included are the same 40-pin General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO), a push-push MicroSD card slot and an enhanced audio circuit. In fact, the only major differences between the A+ and B+ are that the latter has double the RAM and four times the USB ports. The device is available in the UK and US priced at $20.

Raspberry Pi A+

“When we announced Raspberry Pi back in 2011, the idea of producing an ARM GNU/Linux box for $25’ seemed ambitious, so it’s pretty mind-bending to be able to knock another $5 off the cost while continuing to build it here in the UK, at the same Sony factory in South Wales we use to manufacture the Model B+,” said Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation was established in 2011 specifically to develop a cheap Linux computer for education and the Model A was launched in February 2012.

The tiny computer can be connected to a TV or monitor via HDMI. It can be used for many of the things that your desktop PC does, including office work, Internet browsing and high-definition video playback.

The Raspberry Pi became immensely popular among hobbyists, programmers and prototype designers worldwide, with more than three million units sold, thanks to its versatility and compatibility with existing Linux software. It has been used to create everything from Internet of Things sensor networks to Enterprise Resource Planning (EPR) platforms, sea-faring research robots, and even a so-called “supercomputer”.

Most recently, a team of graduates created the world’s first 3D-printed laptop using one of the computers.

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