Raspberry Pi Zero - Your First Impressions

I have a RPI zero now, and although I have had first impressions from the information on the Internet so far, I have reserved judgement until now.

However, my impression is of disappointment : (

It is great for all the use-cases of requiring a high level of compute power at the expense of network connectivity.

I just don't have so many of these use-cases in mind. Others might. I like network connectivity - especially when it is built-in!!

For portable devices, it is a great size, but power consumption is high so I would really need the compute power to justify it. And no

networking! If networking is really not needed then I'd go for Cortex-M which can still have SD card interface, I2C, and some USB capability

but at a fraction of the current consumption of the RPI zero. And there is the excellent CC3200 with networking.

Maybe good for portable players and wearables where you could charge the battery daily - but it is missing a charger circuit unlike the Odroid-W

which lets face it, this RPI-zero seems a clone of.

I probably will use the RPI zero for a project or two but I can't see it being a convenient go-to board for many of my projects.

I would continue to use the RPI 2 B, or BeagleBone Black, or TI or FRDM boards I think. If I need high levels of compute then I usually

want networking capability to get data in/out, so I'll use the BBB or Pi 2 B. Otherwise LaunchPads or FRDM boards.

All these boards are more expensive than the RPI-zero, but I'm honestly not that cost-sensitive when it comes to experimentation/prototypes.

The FRDM boards and Launchpads work out cheaper once the price of a good SD card is included anyway. And the FRDM boards all come

with sensors and consume little power - for me the FRDM boards are a better mix of functionality if I don't need networking capability.

In summary to me the Zero feels like a codebug but for adults - a board kind-of fun for Christmas or for little projects. Lets hope it doesn't

detract beginners from picking up a Pi 2B - I'd hate to think that newcomers buy a MagPi magazine, and find the Pi Zero on it as their first Pi.

I'm glad Farnell sold this in a bundle - I honestly wouldn't want to hand-solder a USB connector to it, although I could.

Frederick had the right idea - slap on a USB hub, give it network connectivity and make it usable.

Charging

USB ports

Networking (WIFI) would be good here as most of the apps would be mobile for such a beast

Not expecting that at $5 but I think these would be more useful than the $5 pricepoint and also more useful to any one who wants toa ctualy teach with these devices

Charging

USB ports

Networking (WIFI) would be good here as most of the apps would be mobile for such a beast

Not expecting that at $5 but I think these would be more useful than the $5 pricepoint and also more useful to any one who wants toa ctualy teach with these devices

Totally concur.

Charging - something the Odroid-W had, which the RPF could have copied

USB ports - the Zero has something that "looks" like it could support OTG, but certainly doesn't behave like OTG today. I wonder how many people will mistakenly insert that into their PC.

Networking - the major success story of Linux and open source has had its physical layer completely removed : ( Sorry W. Richard Stevens.

Sadly the $5 price point and huge publicity means people won't look at the more usable and better price-performance alternatives (including the Pi 2B in there) for a while.

Since when was a charity supposed to support the aims of hardware hackers/enthusiasts who have outgrown the Arduino and are handy with a soldering iron and PuTTY? Very strange.

Good points, I concur.

C