According to Computerworld, a smaller version of the Raspberry Pi 3 will be available for sale in the coming months. The Raspberry Pi is developing a new Compute Module – a single-board computer that inserts into a memory slot. The new Compute Module will resemble a “mini computer in a computer,” without a power supply.
The Compute Module has a circuit similar to the Raspberry Pi 3. The Raspberry Pi 3 is a hugely successful PC alternative. The new Compute Module is smaller, with memory, CPU, and storage tightly integrated on the motherboard.
The differences between the Compute Module and the Raspberry Pi 3 are minimal. Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton stated in an interview with IDG News Service that while the Compute Module is equipped with a 64-bit ARM processor – meaning it runs at 10 times the speed of the previous generation – it does not support WiFi.
Upton said the new Compute Module could be available for sale as early as this quarter, with a price similar to the previous generation Compute Module that has been on the market for two years. The previous generation Compute Module was priced at approximately $24 (around 160 yuan), based on the first generation Raspberry Pi.
Upton stated that, like the Raspberry Pi 3, the new generation Compute Module supports Linux and Microsoft Windows 10 IoT Core.
Computerworld reported that Raspberry Pi may also launch a Compute Module Development Kit for testing the Compute Module. Like the Raspberry Pi 3, the Compute Module Development Kit supports various connectivity technologies and interfaces.
The Raspberry Pi 3 has sold millions of units, evolving from an electronic product development tool to a PC. The Compute Module is also attractive to companies looking to integrate computers into electronic products or industrial devices. The mini computer can be used to manipulate factory production equipment, and the Compute Module can be used in such scenarios.
The Raspberry Pi has achieved considerable success among computing technology enthusiasts and “makers,” but Upton hopes to penetrate the industrial equipment market. Upton stated that people buy inexpensive Raspberry Pi computers to install them into other devices for testing or practical use.
The Compute Module belongs to the single-board computer category. Similar to the previous generation product, the new Compute Module is compatible with SODIMM slots, which are cheaper than PCI or SDRAM slots and can reliably transmit high-speed signals.
Companies like Atmel and Freescale also sell single-board computers with microcontrollers for testing applications and hardware. The 64-bit ARM CPU in the new generation Compute Module runs faster than the microcontrollers in other single-board computers.
Computerworld noted that WiFi is a hallmark feature of the Raspberry Pi 3. The price and size of the new Compute Module make it difficult to include WiFi, Bluetooth modules, as well as USB and HDMI interfaces.
Additionally, according to Liliputing, the Compute Module is aimed at designers who intend to develop other devices controlled by the Raspberry Pi, such as cameras or media players.