Great News!
Raspberry PI Foundation just launched the Raspberry PI 400, a keyboard with a PI 4 incorporated.
It’s like in the old days, when computers where inside the keyboard. Some examples are: Apple I & II, Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, and some early PC’s (Shneider Euro PC).
One big difference from the old machines is that, now, we have USB ports and micro SD Cards slots as external storage interfaces, instead of huge floppy disk slots or cassette tape players.
It’s not the first keyboard combo to arrive within the current years. ZX Spectrum Next has the same concept, and there are out there a few Intel based Solutions (p.ex. Smart Rhino). Some Raspberry PI Zero or PI 3 Model A+ owners are hiding the tiny computer inside a ZX Spectrum or a Recreated ZX Spectrum keyboard to achieve the same goal.
This is, for me, a very important milestone for the PI!
One of the main goals of the Raspberry PI foundation is to influence the young generations the same way as the Sinclair ZX Spectrum did on my generation.
It’s a all-in-one low-budget computer, accessible to most of the families.
Has RCA and HDMI connectors, allows to connect to almost every home TV sets, like the ZX Spectrum did, so you don’t need to buy a monitor.
I believe that, with this machine, it will be possible to create a new and needed generation of Programmers, Computer Scientists and Engineers all over the world. And probably, the future IT industry giants founders.
The keyboard is available in UK, US, German, French, Italian and Spanish layouts – and more to come (hopefully Portuguese too).
The PI 4’s CPU is clocked to 1.8GHz, comes with 4GB of RAM, 2.4GHz/5GHz Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, dual display output, supports 4K, provides the 40-pin GPIO from the outside, and even a locker port.
Where to buy?
It’s available at The PI Hut store, and in two versions:
- Solo version (just the keyboard), costs 67£ (75€), plus shipment;
- Complete Kit (everything, just missing the display). costs 94£ (105€), plus shipment.
In the eighties, Sinclair ZX Spectrum cost about 150€, so the machine is even more affordable.
Can’t wait to get one!
Cheers!