If you live in a prosperous country and can afford gadgets galore, you may not be able to fathom the fact that some people can’t buy computers, smartphones, and the like. As far-fetched as this may seem, it is pure reality to many people who live in a number of countries across the world. Further, many kids who are living in poverty in the United States have a hard time doing homework and writing papers via computer, simply because these kids don’t have computers.

Sure, you can set up a payment plan through a large retail store for dollars per month, but you have to have the coin in order to send in these monthly payments.
What are people who can’t afford computers to do? Well, there might be a cost-effective solution on the horizon. This solution is called the Raspberry Pi and it’s a computer unlike any other computer that (I’m betting) you’ve ever seen before. What makes the Pi so unique? Well, first of all, it only costs around $25 (12 MB of RAM). Second of all, it’s the barest form of a computer you will find.

What the Raspberry Pi Looks Like

If you’ve ever seen the inside of a computer, the Raspberry Pi won’t be a shock. If not, what you’ll see when glancing at the Pi is a small green mass of wires and metal. This tiny block of wires can easily fit on the corner of your desk (or in the palm of your hand), and it’s not wrapped in a slick shell or other shiny case. Instead, the Pi simply is a computer at its most basic level. No frills, no extras, just a computer.

What can you do with the Pi? Nearly anything you can do with a computer that costs ten times what the Pi costs. You can surf the net, type papers, and perform any other basic tasks. The Pi runs on Linux and it will get you where you want to go. For just $25, don’t expect a system that can multitask or provide you with the best gaming option available. However, this minicomputer will provide you with hours of computing, and that’s exactly why the Pi was developed.

For Those Who Have Not

The Raspberry Pi was specially developed for kids in developing countries who can’t afford computers. Why? Not only do these kids deserve to see what the world has to offer, but many kids who grow up in developing countries have excellent ideas to offer the technical world. Who knows what wonderful gadgets and conceptions may come from a kid who’s never looked at a computer before. Now, with the Raspberry Pi, the dreams of any person, anywhere, can be realized. That’s something that the developers behind the Pi can be proud of.

When tested the Pi didn’t have any major problems. The developer behind the Pi (David Braben) has told press that this computer will be available to the general public very soon. No specific release date has been set yet, but keep your eyes open for this one – it’s not to be missed!