I haven't, but now I'm curious.

It supports C, which is good because of it's low general CPU power and low memory capacity. It's capable of networking, which is also good. At $35 for the most expensive model, I'm wondering if a bunch could be networked together in some sort of AI experiment. You know, each "node" simulating a large set of neural connections of some sort.

I could see buying one of these and a cheap (but hopefully fast) USB hard drive or SSD to become a low cost media center. With it's ability to network, it could be a music or video server. Also, it has the capacity for HD output, so maybe an ad hoc projector could be made (once you find the parts - I remember seeing some tutorials online about it)

Given it's low CPU and memory capacity, it probably wouldn't be for anything general purpose, but I can see purpose specific server projects for this thing. One web server, one media server, etc. I've been thinking of getting a cheap server for my home, so this might fit the bill just for experimentation value alone.

I don't know about sensors. If there are a lot of USB sensors out there, you could attach this thing to a radio output and use it to control a radio-controlled car (or attach it to the car and attach sensor to check for walls or other things). So now you've got a robot. You could enter it into that Mechwars competition that featured on Slashdot a month or so back.

There's a lot of potential for something like this. The price is right for just playing around and experimenting.

I wonder if I could run GNUStep off it. I've been toying with the idea of building a bridge from the GNUStep Objective-C runtime to ECL (Embedded Common Lisp) which is a Lisp interpreter that can output C code. The OpenStep framework is a nice framework and Lisp is a nice language, so if the Pi can run both acceptably well, it could be a very productive combination.

So what about Arduino? Who here has taken advantage of those and what were the projects?

>>521
They deserve a separate thread since they are something else (and just as interesting).

I've been checking in on these things here and there, and as soon as money aint so damn tight im gonna build my nephew a little rig based on one of these. I'll put it inside of a keyboard. Something like pic related (with possible case modding, TBD).

-Wireless video out.
-A speaker or two from a laptop.
-USB micro hub.
-8gig USB SSD.
-USB WiFi card
-Changeable or rechargeable battery supply.
-At least one surplus USB port for periphs.
-Whatever *NIX distro works best on it at the time.

I'll wait until i get my paws on one to figure out the particulars, but basically I want to make him something to fart around on, and get him excited about tech. Also, portability is key.

These things seem like they could be alot fun. Alot of possibilities.

>>531
The problem with the Raspberry Pi boards is they keep getting sold out. I just visited their website and they announced it there. The two vendor sites that carry their products have forms you can fill out to receive announcements when they're available, but it looks like you're stuck with higher-priced boards.

The Beagleboard xM is ~150USD. It's more expensive, but it is also more expandable (more USB ports, a camera port, etc). I vaguely remember some time back when someone bought a Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer off of eBay and replaced the internals with modern hardware. Can't find a link, though. A TRS-80 CoCo would have all the space you need for a Beagleboard, USB Wifi, speakers, etc.

It looks like there isn't a whole lot of variety for this kind of thing. You have Raspberry Pi, and Beagleboard. For cheap single-board computers, that's about it. Arduinos are microcontrollers, not full single-board computers. Same with Gumstix, etc. I think the only other way to get something would be an evaluation board, but that would be way beyond a consumer price range.

>>533
Im glad you mentioned Arduino and Gumstix (the latter being... well, just fucking neat-o, no shit).

Theres a fair sized crowd of folks waiting for their pi in the hopes of building some robot, or the like. Arduinos are a walk-in project, with miles of highway already laid out, in that respect (code, shields, etc.). And shit, apparently some dudes working on an interface module of some sort to make arduino shields work on a pi.

anyways, i just remembered this thread was here while reading pi's mainpage feed. found pic related. some scout group involved in lego robotics competitions built a case for their collective pi project.

Somewhere along the line i fucked up and replaced legos with pussy. or was it bourbon? :(

>>534
>Somewhere along the line i fucked up and replaced legos with pussy. or was it bourbon? :(

Either one is a step up or a step down depending on how you look at it :P

>>533
Just as a follow up, I've discovered that Gumstix are, in fact, single-board computers. That said, the cheapest of them seem to be around 150USD, so the Beagleboard is still a more attractive option (more RAM, options, etc)

>>536
Yeah, the BB is def more flexible. I think you can even use DDR2 cards if you use a 'bone'.

Seems to be a larger FOSS following building behind the pi, though. Basic consumer-level stuff, at that. Whereas BB, Gumstix, and Arduino market to target niche markets, the pi has very little target, except for cheap educational platforms. I think once they get a harness on their distribution model, they will really start to turn heads.

Had an idea last night: Custom car stereo setup using touch-screen and XBMC on top of a lightweight linux distro. Toss a small SSD and a front-facing USB port or two in there. Could even put in a wifi antenna. Write a script for auto-syncicng to a home machine over your home router, or using your smartphone as a router on the road. shit, you could even build in a carrier specific wifi hotspot. then you could really crazy and attach actuators or servos to your AC and power controls. rear- and front-facing night vision cameras. fucking batmobile time.

>>537
I had a similar idea for my car, but a little more geared towards "what if...".

I thought it might be a good idea to remove the back seats and replace it with a chair in the back so that only one passenger would sit back there with the passenger's back facing the driver's side door. The legs could stretch out towards the passenger side. Obviously the driver's seat wouldn't be able to lean back, but that's a small price. The rest of the rear area would be filled up with some LCD screens, connected to a computer to handle the screens and pair with a tablet that would control the setup. Add Wifi and maybe a 4G connection and you have a mobile data center.

It might be interesting to have a group of these vehicles and play a wireless LAN game over them. Can you imagine a group of cars on a highway while passengers inside play Halo against each other? Probably a mix of silly and cool.

>>538
we used to do rts games like this. 3 vehicle convoy, once a month for work. the novelty alone was worth it. i cant remember if we were using a switch, or just straight ad hoc mode... gotta ask my bud. made the drive go by much quicker.

I read an article on either lilputing or carpc about some guy who ripped the mobo and WXVGA out of a laptop, custom fab'd his stereo console in his minivan, put the screen in, with a touchscreen laminate, a few luxeon aircraft cockpit display backlight LEDs... dude went crazy. had 3 game consoles, wifi w/3G, a dozen screens.... in a minivan.

anyways, pis could make a pretty cool addition to auto-based computing. I really wish android would get into the car stereo market, and unify some of these crap touch units coming out these days, but until then theres always options.

oh, god. nvm, cuz that means apple would get into it too. can it be un-thought?

>>539
No worries about Apple. They're too focused on being a media hub. The rumors are they're about to come out with an iTV soon.

Anyway, there's a reason cars are only now getting equipped with serious computing. Car companies don't want to be hit with lawsuits if/when someone hacks the onboard computer to go 100 instead of 30. That means they need control and testing, and Apple won't be interested in that.

I hear Microsoft is going to be in Toyotas, though. http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/06/technology/microsoft_toyota/index.htm

>>540
>media hub

pandora
last.fm
i<3radio
xm-sirius
netflix (for the soccer team in the backseats)

dude.... im scared.

anyways, "hacking" the onboard computer is already done. you can tweak the computers of pretty much every production vehicle for more performance, gas savings, etc. unlocking your doors with your phone would be sweet, though. Im just waiting for <a href="http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/android>THIS<a/> to get off the ground, it'll be a prime candidate for getting fab'd into my car. i mentally fap over that webpage.

At the price point of the pi, i hope they really get ahold of their manufacturing and distribution methods, cuz it would be dumb of niche-market electronic boutiques not to build on it.

>>542
idk why i tried to HTML

http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/android

>>543
Huh. Seems geared specifically towards docked phones. I wonder how well it plays on tablets. Shouldn't be that different.

  >>546
it would prob be workable to a tablet. as long as its a dual core tablet. and a few other things. they show the req's on that page. also, vid related.

14MP cam for the pi (most likely downgraded for actual release, but i guess there just showing it can be done). jesus, i need to get my hands on one.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/05/raspberry-pi-foundation-demos-14mp-camera-module-for-35-computer/?comments=1#comments-bar

also, Ars had two more mini-boards to talk about, both ARM, bot affordable, both fucking sexy:

$49 Android 2.3-ready

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/05/another-tiny-computer-vias-49-apc-offers-android-hdmi-video-out/

$74 dollar Android 4.0-ready

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/05/new-74-android-mini-computer-is-slightly-larger-than-a-thumb-drive/

>>555
I just found out that Big Lots has 7" Android tablets from $70 to $120 depending on the tablet and location. Stopped by one Big Lots nearby and saw tablets from $99 up. Not sure which version of Android they hold.

A Raspberry Pi is $60 or so on the high end, Beagleboard is about $125, and let's say Big Lots sells a 7" Android tablet for $120. With all the features of even a minimal tablet, it may be the best choice of the pack (depending on what you're trying to do). If you need something extra, there's the Android Accessory Kit which allows tablets to interact with USB devices. This would allow you to take a Beagleboard or Arduino and make something with a USB interface to get some extra functionality in there. In the meantime you've got memory, display, interface, etc.

I guess you'd have to root the tablet to bring it under total control, though. Don't know how that would affect things. And, again, it depends on what you're trying to do.

>>555
That Chinese device for $74 looks like a winner, though. I could see the portability and utility of that one.

>>556
most cheapo tablets -well, i should say a good deal of them- are sold without root access limitations.

I guess they figure its not worth the software effort of locking them down, as most people who buy these models either (a) arent tech savvy, and could give two shits about root access and just want a cheap e-reader, or (b) are buying the non-mainstream model BECAUSE it is open. In this way, they hold a mediocre yet profitable sway over both the entry-level user and tinkerers demographic.

>>557
agree

>>557
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Cotton-Candy-Rikomagic-MK802-Ubuntu-Android-ARM,15699.html

A challenger appears!

Well, maybe not. You decide:
It's ~70 USD, but comes with a case, has a faster proc. (1000mhz ARM as opposed to Pi's 700), and u can use SATA drives.

Apparently you can spring for 100 USD and get a "version from DealExtreme with a remote control, external hard drive cover, and Android 2.3 software."

Would serve as a super affordable HTPC, and with android installed it should run Netflix.

http://liliputing.com/2012/03/mele-a1000-is-a-70-hackable-linux-friendly-arm-based-pc.html

>>586
Yeah, I'd call that challenger. It's more expensive, but not by much, faster, and is ready-made with a case. I could see this being a home server, or something to stick in a car. Adding hardware would only require a USB connector

If you wanted ready-made hardware and just needed to create the software to drive it, I think this could be a winner.