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Wadya know, Lasberry Pri!

In yesterday's second column I wrote about why the Chinese weren't rushing to make copies of the Raspberry Pi computer that is in such demand and short supply right now.

It looks as if our Chinese friends are getting very business-savvy these days and have taken a totally different tack when it comes to competing with the Pi.

In a very smart move, they've decided not to try and produce a direct competitor for the Pi at Pi-level prices, they've upped the ante by producing their own somewhat more capable device -- and they've been bold enough to give it a $74 price-tag.

Instead of getting engaged in a fight for the bottom end of the market, they're focusing on producing a more expensive device with higher margins.

Hey... that's a Western strategy. These boys are learning the ropes at last!

The device is Linux-based and runs a 1.5GHz ARM processor and well-spec'd GPU, along with half a gig of RAM.

These are pretty useful specs and things get even better when you realise that, unlike the Pi, this system comes in an attractive plastic case that's not much larger than a USB memory stick.

Also onboard is 802.11 WiFi with internal antenna and an HDMI socket that allows it to be plugged directly into a TV set using a regular HDMI cable.

Woohoo... it looks as if this little device could be as much fun as a Pi -- albeit at twice the price.

There have been similar devices in the past, in fact the FXI "Cotton Candy" computer bears a striking resemblance to the latest Chinese product -- albeit the FXI has more RAM and a faster-processor but carries a US$199 price-tag.

So will the new Sino-stick be a winner?

It's probably way too early to tell but if the quality is okay and the third-party support emerges then it could well ride the wave of interest in SBCs that the Pi has created and do very well.

From a hardware hacking perspective, the Sino-stick might be a little more difficult to deal with - having fewer readily accessible interfaces and, due to its smaller physical size, perhaps being more difficult to mod.

Right from the get-go, the Pi seems to come with a wider range of software packages already available -- but if the developer community get stuck in then this could soon change.

Will I be buying one of these Sino-sticks?

I don't know. I kind of like the idea of supporting a "not for profit" enterprise like the Raspberry Pi Foundation -- but I'm not going to wait forever to get my slice of the Pi.

Are you tempted?

More info on the new Sino-stick can be found in this story on ArsTechnica:

New $74 Android mini computer is slightly larger than a thumb drive

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