Era 12006–2012: The Beginnings From a university prototype tackling falling computer science applications to a $35 computer that crashes servers.2006 The idea is born in Cambridge Company At the University of Cambridge, Eben Upton notices that fewer and fewer young people are applying to study computer science — and that the applicants lack the hands-on tinkering experience of the home-computer generation. The first Atmel-based prototypes are built: still a long way from the later Pi, but the mission is already set — a computer so cheap that every kid can experiment with one. Source: Raspberry Pi Foundation ↗2008/2009 The Raspberry Pi Foundation is founded Company Together with allies from academia and industry — including Broadcom colleagues and Cambridge lecturers — Eben Upton founds the Raspberry Pi Foundation.

In May 2009 it is registered as a charity (UK charity no. 1129409). Its stated goal: promoting computer science education for young people. Source: UK Charity Commission ↗Late 201125 beta boards — 10 of them auctioned on e Bay Company The first 25 final beta boards are manufactured.

In early 2012 the Foundation auctions ten of them off on e Bay in a well-publicised campaign — individual boards fetch four-figure sums and fund the final polish before launch. The auctions give the upcoming $35 computer its first taste of international fame. Source: Wikipedia (launch history) ↗29 Feb 2012 Launch: Raspberry Pi Model B for $35Hardware The original Raspberry Pi Model B from 2012 (photo: Jwrodgers, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)On leap day 2012, the first Raspberry Pi goes on sale.

The rush for the $35 computer with its 700 MHz ARM chip and 256 MB of RAM takes down the servers of both distributors, Farnell and RS Components, within minutes — the Foundation itself has to switch its website to a static page. The plan had been a small production run for British school kids; it turned into the beginning of the best-selling British computer of all time. All Pi models compared Source: raspberrypi.com (launch retrospective) ↗17 July 2012 Raspbian becomes the recommended operating system Software Raspbian — a Debian build optimised for the Pi’s hardware, started as a community project by Mike Thompson and Peter Green — becomes the officially recommended system.

It marks the start of the Debian lineage that the Pi’s operating system follows to this day. Source: raspberrypi.com ↗6 Sep 2012“Made in the UK”: production moves to Wales Company Manufacturing moves from China to the Sony factory in Pencoed, Wales — and most Raspberry Pis still roll off the line there today. For an electronics product in this price class, bringing production back to Europe was unheard of in 2012.

Source: raspberrypi.com ↗15 Oct 2012 Model B gets 512 MB of RAMHardware At no extra cost, the Foundation doubles the Model B’s memory from 256 to 512 MB. It is the first example of a pattern that stays with the Pi for years: more performance for the same price. Source: raspberrypi.com ↗Era 22013–2018: Growth Camera, Compute Module, Pi 2 and 3 — and a $5 computer at the newsstand.4 Feb 204 Not Found.