Attack of the Clones
The Raspberry Pi has spawned a new generation of imitators. One of the top contenders is the Banana Pi.
Up close with the Banana Pi
Lead Image © Pabobchote Akkahbutr, 123RF.com
The Raspberry Pi computer has been a runaway success since its release two and a half years ago. With success comes imitation, and many new products are seeking to follow in the footsteps of the Raspberry Pi and cash in on the renewed interest in computing, programming, and hacking.
One of these hopefuls is the Banana Pi [1], which you could only describe as a Raspberry Pi clone. The Banana Pi was designed and built in Shenzhen, China, where a large number of your gadgets and other possessions are likely manufactured.
I find it a little bit disappointing to see boards coming out that are (to most people) such blatant clones of the Raspberry Pi and that do not currently give back to the community in the same way – but I suppose it would be naïve to assume this would not happen in today's world. Having said that, the old saying goes "imitation is the highest form of flattery," and ultimately, I think that more choice in the open source marketplace can never be a bad thing. I guess the very fact that people are trying to build businesses on top of the Raspberry Pi ethos and form factor goes to show what an impressive and solid platform it is for everything from learning and hacking to industrial applications. So, without further ado, I'll unpack this new product – the Banana Pi.
[...]
Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).
Buy this article as PDF
Express-Checkout as PDF
Pages: 8
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)
(incl. VAT)
Buy Raspberry Pi Geek
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Related content
-
Banana Pi M3 vs. the LeMaker HiKey
When you need plenty of power, a Raspberry Pi might not be enough. We tried our luck with a couple of souped-up single-board systems: the Banana Pi M3 and the LeMaker HiKey.
-
Testing the Odroid-C2 and LeMaker Guitar
The LeMaker Guitar and Odroid-C2 are hobby computers that were created as competitors for the Raspberry Pi 2, but we discovered they can even challenge the Raspberry Pi 3.
-
Welcome
Our cover says "Boards Galore!", and we're not kidding. Last issue, we reviewed the LeMaker HiKey and the Banana Pi M3. This issue we add the Odroid-C2, Pine A64+, LeMaker Guitar, BBC micro:bit, and C.H.I.P. Each of these small-board computers (SBCs) have strengths and weaknesses, so you have to understand the needs of your project to choose wisely.
-
A Banana Pi-based router
The BPi-R1 is an attractive and affordable combination of switch, access point, and server. We look at how this Banana Pi-based router performs.
-
Raspberry Pi 1 and 2 compared
The Raspberry Pi 2 looks just like its predecessor, the Rasp Pi 1 B+, and has lots of similarities. However, the freshly hatched second generation is much faster.
