A Mini Revolution
CubieTruck is a dual-core, single-board system with easy configuration.
Testing the CubieTruck/CubieBoard3 in everyday use
Lead Image © studiostoks, 123RF.com
Until a few years ago, a reference to single-board computers (SBCs) had little to do with the notion of fast computing. Only a few dedicated enthusiasts knew how to appreciate the reliability of SBCs like the RouterBOARD from MikroTik [1] or embedded systems like the ALIX board from PC Engines [2]. In today's world, the state of affairs is quite different.
Now, a distinct category of small computing devices offers significant performance capabilities at a reasonable price, and quite a few interesting options exist for anyone looking for more performance than the Raspberry Pi (Rasp Pi) offers. CubieBoards belong to this category. In this article, I focus on the CubieTruck (spelling varies on the website, but recent usage favors CamelCase) and operating the device with free software.
All CubieBoards [3] released thus far, starting with the original version in 2012 to the 2013 CubieBoard3 (aka CubieTruck) and the 2016 CubieBoard5 (aka CubieTruck Plus), are based on a multicore ARM processor from Allwinner with the Sunxi architecture [4].
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