A friend of mine shared this well packaged $70USD Raspberry PI computer called the Raspberry Pi 400. As the owner of a few Raspberry Pis, I’ll share my thoughts on this computer and why it is worthy of consideration by the Ministry of Education in Jamaica as part of the “Tablet for School” program.
It is Not Just A Keyboard. This multi-functional computer hardware was elegantly packaged into a Keyboard. Making it a semi-all-in-one device with all the bells and whistles of a desktop computer. The main processing unit of the computer is packaged into the keyboard. Gone are the days when computers are these huge blocks sitting on your desk. Now they come in all forms, and I personally like this design.
The Important Features
These are features you will love. Also, let me do some literal translation.
- The package/kit comes with a mouse, desktop, keyboard, and power cable. It has everything you need except for the monitor.
- If you have a Smart TV home you already have a monitor.
- It has three USB ports. Students & teachers can transfer and share information with minimal effort.
- 4GB Ram. You will be able to do all your regular day to day activities effortlessly.
- Wireless LAN and Ethernet port. Similar to regular computers you can connect to the internet using an Ethernet cable or WIFI connection.
- Bluetooth enabled by default. Yes, it can share files with any other device with a Bluetooth connection.
- Quiet and passive cooling system. You won’t have to worry about hearing a noisy fan in the background.
Perfect For The Education Sector
Raspberry Pi Foundation, is a non-profit company geared towards promoting the study of basic computer science principles. Need I say more, that this product was created for that specific purpose at an extremely affordable cost.
The cheapest laptop – probably a Chromebook – is roughly about three times the cost of a Pi 400. Even if you include the cost of a desktop monitor ($79USD), you can still purchase two Pi 400. Another major advantage of this product is its power consumption. Its consumption is very similar to that of your mobile phone during charging. Helping to keep the budget at its lowest (both at the resource acquisition and maintenance phase). Which could help government maximize the ROI while keeping the cost of the essential resources at a minimum.
Jamaica – Please Contact Raspberry Pi Foundation
Currently, the country has been getting some well-needed assistance from various partners – both local and international donors are helping out.
Just to name a few:
- Salamander Hotels and Resort helping with a computer lab for Barrett Town All-Age
- Community Development Foundation in collaboration with Grand Palladium Resort donated laptops in Hanover.
- Huawei donated over 500 MediaPads
- The partnership between the government and private sector and the “Tablets in School Program”.
These programs have proven to be crucial as they deliver much-needed resources into the hands of our precious kids. I believe that the Raspberry Pi 400 could be apart of this initiative.
Thank you to all and keep up the good work.