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Next awesome step would be RPi with integrated wifi/bluetooth, and it would become ultimate IoT/embedded development platform. Such step would increase price,

by trymas 11y ago

Next awesome step would be RPi with integrated wifi/bluetooth, and it would become ultimate IoT/embedded development platform. Such step would increase price, I know, but AFAIK, most people are almost always buying either wifi or bluetooth dongles anyway. All in all, RPi ables to deliver exciting, rather (for me) unexpected and most importantly great and user-friendly products.

Natanael_L 11y ago
The headers/shield solutions could easily provide that too, so it doesn't have to be integrated into the SoC if you want to add something not already there. These type of electronics have essentially become digital Lego.
swah 11y ago
Wifi is a game changer IMO. I've just found out about esp8266, and its a mini revolution on the Arduino world.
- mciancia 11y ago
  Wait for this ;) http://hackaday.com/2015/11/06/the-latest-best-wifi-module-has-been-announced/ http://hackaday.com/2015/11/06/the-latest-best-wifi-module-h...
  - TeMPOraL 11y ago
    Wow, 2x CPU, better Wi-Fi and they even managed to add BLE into this? I have just one question: how? :O.
creshal 11y ago
You can find zigbee, wifi or bt dongles for $8 or less these days. I suspect board development costs are the limiting factor for the Foundation here, it's easier to slap on USB and tell users to plug in what they need.
- trymas 11y ago
  hm, I probably should check now, but were I live (non US), the last time I've checked zigbee prices started from 19$ :( But still the best thing will be that: - you will not need any dongles - can embed your project immediately - better compatibility with hardware and software (hopefully) :)
DiThi 11y ago
Have you heard of this? http://vocore.io/ http://vocore.io/
- trymas 11y ago
  I have read of many alternatives, though RPi has one feature, nothing can beat it today - community support. 99% problems you'll see on your RPi, you can find a solution to them in 5 minutes with Google. Maybe it will sound like nitpicking and also RPi has versatility and extensibility for rapid development. Want add camera? No problem. Connect to screen? No problem. Few USB devices? No problem. GPIO control? No problem. Probably it's just a rant with possibly very long discussion, but if you do not know what crazy or fun thing you going to do tomorrow, RPi probably got your covered, whereas others - not so much. So if RPi (let's say the 'normal' one, not the Zero) had builtin WiFi and BT, personally I would be covered in any way I need and would not need any dongles at all.

by trymas 11y ago

Natanael_L 11y ago

The headers/shield solutions could easily provide that too, so it doesn't have to be integrated into the SoC if you want to add something not already there. These type of electronics have essentially become digital Lego.

swah 11y ago

Wifi is a game changer IMO. I've just found out about esp8266, and its a mini revolution on the Arduino world.

mciancia 11y ago
Wait for this ;) http://hackaday.com/2015/11/06/the-latest-best-wifi-module-has-been-announced/ http://hackaday.com/2015/11/06/the-latest-best-wifi-module-h...
- TeMPOraL 11y ago
  Wow, 2x CPU, better Wi-Fi and they even managed to add BLE into this? I have just one question: how? :O.

creshal 11y ago

You can find zigbee, wifi or bt dongles for $8 or less these days. I suspect board development costs are the limiting factor for the Foundation here, it's easier to slap on USB and tell users to plug in what they need.

trymas 11y ago
hm, I probably should check now, but were I live (non US), the last time I've checked zigbee prices started from 19$ :( But still the best thing will be that: - you will not need any dongles - can embed your project immediately - better compatibility with hardware and software (hopefully) :)

DiThi 11y ago

Have you heard of this? http://vocore.io/ http://vocore.io/

trymas 11y ago
I have read of many alternatives, though RPi has one feature, nothing can beat it today - community support. 99% problems you'll see on your RPi, you can find a solution to them in 5 minutes with Google. Maybe it will sound like nitpicking and also RPi has versatility and extensibility for rapid development. Want add camera? No problem. Connect to screen? No problem. Few USB devices? No problem. GPIO control? No problem. Probably it's just a rant with possibly very long discussion, but if you do not know what crazy or fun thing you going to do tomorrow, RPi probably got your covered, whereas others - not so much. So if RPi (let's say the 'normal' one, not the Zero) had builtin WiFi and BT, personally I would be covered in any way I need and would not need any dongles at all.