The Raspberry PI3 is the third generation of the credit card-sized single-board computers developed in England, in the United Kingdom.
Launched with the intent to promote the teaching of basic computer science in schools and developing countries, Raspberry PI continues to develop better models.
The latest model is the Raspberry PI3, which has replaced the Raspberry PI2 Model B. Released on 29 February 2016, the latest model is on sale for $US 350, which is the same price as the existing Raspberry PI2.
Better suited to being used a general-purpose home computer than its predecessor the PI2, the PI3 may be operated with any generic USB computer keyboard and mouse.
What are the features of the Raspberry PI3?
- Combined 3.5 mm audio jack and composite video
- Micro SD slot
- VideoCore IV3D graphics info
- Bluetooth 4.1
- 4 USB Ports
- Full HDMI port
The 1.2 Ghz 64 bit quad core CPU ensures that the PI3 has performance that is six times that of the Raspberry PI.
Navigating around the desktop is easy, with very little noticeable lag. One thing that works against it though is that the default Epiphany web browser struggles slightly when displaying pages.
Miniature computers are increasing in popularity worldwide. The Raspberry PI alone sold eight million devices as of February 2016.
How can the Raspberry PI3 be used?
General uses for the Raspberry PI3 include:
- Surfing the web
- Using social media
- Watching a YouTube video
- Standard office tasks
More independent exploration and revival of the “maker movement” has seen more products such as the Raspberry PI make strides within the tech industry.
The Raspberry PI3 can be useful for fast-tracking empowerment in developing countries, where many people don’t have access to the resources needed to be able to gain access to mainstream personal computers and other smart device technology.