On the occasion of Pi's fifth birthday, the Raspberry Pi Foundation has announced the Raspberry Pi Zero W, a variant of the Raspberry Pi Zero.
The "W" stands for wireless and the newest Raspberry mini-PC adds a vital feature to its arsenal — wireless connectivity. Although the price of the mini computer has been hiked to $10, the device is now equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
What is Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi, a mini-computer about the size of a credit card, has been designed especially for educational purposes. Although slower than the normal laptop or desktop, it has been quickly adopted by innovationists and tech buffs who wish to create projects requiring micro-controllers. The reasonable price and handiness have attributed to the Raspberry Pi becoming so popular.
What's New in the Raspberry Pi Zero W?
The Zero W has built-in wireless networking access, comprising of an 802.11n LAN Wi-Fi connection, and Bluetooth version 4.0. The company decided to include wireless networking in its latest product as it was finding the demands for the same overwhelming and was compelled to do so.
The original Zero had been bogged down with demands for the inclusion of a wireless networking channel and Raspberry Pi Foundation kept these in mind while designing the Zero W.
The Raspberry Pi Zero W comes with a 1 GHz single-core CPU, a 512 MB of RAM, a mini-ADMI port, and USB OTG ports. It also includes a micro USB charging port, a HAT-compatible 40-pin header, a CSI camera connector, composite video and reset headers along with the new additions of 802.11n LAN Wi-Fi and Bluetooth version 4.0.
Why Is This Important?
The Raspberry Pi Foundation excels at providing cheap, disposable computers to hardware engineers to assist them in the most wondrous projects, in an economical manner. The latest Pi Zero W will make it more convenient and easy for the users to create new, fantastical projects such as the Raspberry Pi Guy, a brilliant DIY electronic skateboard, made by Matt Timmons-Brown.
The Accessories
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has also released an official case for the Pi Zero W. It essentially looks like a full-size case but is cut in half. It consists of three removable lids that make it easier to access the camera or the GPIO. This case will accommodate both the Pi Zero and the Zero W.
The Price
The price of the Pi Zero W has been raised from $5 to $10, due to the addition of these new wireless connectivity features.
Where To Buy?
Given the history of the Raspberry Pi being so hard to find on the shelves, tech enthusiasts are hoping that it will not be the same with the Zero W. These handy mini PCs should easily be available via Canakit, Micro Center and Adafruit in the United States.
