CHIP Computer Gives Raspberry Pi a Run For Its Money
Chip is tinier than Raspberry Pi in both size and price.
— -- Check out C.H.I.P., a tiny computer with an even tinier price tag of just $9.
The bare bones computer attaches to any screen, a keyboard and a mouse to allow users to get online. Connect C.H.I.P. to Bluetooth controllers and a monitor to play games.
For taking up as much space as a couple of small batteries, C.H.I.P. is incredibly mighty, packing 1 GHz processor, 4 GB of storage and 512 MB of RAM.
Like the $35 credit card-sized Raspberry Pi 2, C.H.I.P. will appeal to do-it-yourself computer fans while also serving as an educational tool for people who want to learn more about computer science.
"With C.H.I.P., all the groundwork is laid, and the only question is what you’ll do next," Next Thing Company, the California team marketing the computer on Kickstarter, wrote.
C.H.I.P. will come pre-loaded with Scratch, a basic programming language that lets users learn how to program through making stories, games and animations. The computer also comes with applications and can access thousands more from the open source community.
How did the creators get the cost of C.H.I.P. as low as a sandwich and a soda?
"By using common, available, and volume-produced processor, memory, and wifi chips, we are able to leverage the scales at which tablet manufacturers operate to get everyone the best price," the team said, adding that in order to make it at that price they had to order tens of thousands of the tiny computers.
For a $9 backing fee, supporters can get a C.H.I.P. and a composite cable shipped to them in January for "maximum barebones enjoyment."
