Above photo by: DannyChamorro

The Raspberry Pi is one of the greatest little computers available. It was originally developed with the intention of being an affordable computer to promote the teaching of basic computer science in schools everywhere. There are five models that have been released as of the date this article was written. The Model A, Model A+, Model B, Model B+, and the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B.

Raspberry Pi 2 Model B

Raspberry Pi Model B+

The Raspberry pi Model B+ is the most recent release. It replaced the Model B in July of 2014.

The Raspberry Pi Model B+ has all of the features of the Model B and these listed below:

• Expanded GPIO header pins. The Raspberry Pi Model B+ has 40 pins compared to the 26 pins on the Model B. The Model B+ retains the same pinout for the original 26 pins of the Model B.
• The Raspberry Pi Model B+ has four USB 2.0 ports with an improved hot-plug behavior.
• A Micro SD card is now used for the hard drive. It now goes in and out easily with push in/push out. No more friction fitting.
• Efficiency has been improved by replacing linear regulators with switching regulators. This saves between 0.5-1 watt.
• The audio circuit has been improved by incorporating a dedicated low-noise power supply.

Raspberry Pi Model B

Raspberry Pi Model A+

Raspberry Pi Model A

Raspberry Pi Accessories

Raspberry Pi Model B Case – It’s always a good idea to protect your hardware with a protective case.