Three weeks ago, Raspberry Pi unveiled their latest flagship product, the Raspberry Pi 5. Since then, they have provided insights into the architecture, I/O controller, software stack, image signal processor, and official accessories of the new device.

Behind the scenes, Raspberry Pi has been working with Sony UK Technology Centre in Wales to ramp up manufacturing and production test processes. The good news is that the first mass-production units will begin shipping to customers this week. The priority for shipping will be given to subscribers of The MagPi and HackSpace magazines who took advantage of the Priority Boarding promotion.

By the end of next week, all existing Priority Boarding orders will have shipped, and all approved resellers in countries with signed compliance paperwork will have received initial stock of both the 4GB and 8GB variants. This means that pre-order customers can expect to start receiving their parcels soon. Raspberry Pi aims to increase their production rate to fulfill all backorders and have the device in stock at all approved resellers by the end of the year.

Early users have already shown excitement for the Raspberry Pi 5, and the company looks forward to seeing what people will do with the device. They encourage users to share their tinkering experiences with the new Raspberry Pi 5.

This year, Raspberry Pi has released a new version of their operating system called Bookworm. While the overall Debian release, on which Raspberry Pi OS is based, doesn’t bring many changes, Bookworm introduces some major architectural updates to the Raspberry Pi Desktop.

One of the significant changes in Bookworm is the transition from using X11 to Wayland as the display system. Wayland offers improved performance by combining the functions of the display server and window manager into a single application. This consolidation also enhances security by isolating applications from each other at the compositor level.

To support Wayland, Raspberry Pi OS now uses a compositor called Wayfire, which works better as a Wayland compositor on Raspberry Pi than the previous Mutter window manager. However, Wayland is currently only the default mode on Raspberry Pi 4 and 5, with older platforms still using the X11 display server and Openbox window manager. The performance of Wayfire on these older platforms is being optimized for a future switch to Wayland.

Another significant update in Bookworm is the replacement of PulseAudio with PipeWire as the audio system. PipeWire builds upon the features of PulseAudio and provides better support for audio accompanying video, reduced latency, improved management of Bluetooth audio devices, and enhanced operation in the secure Wayland environment.

Networking in Raspberry Pi OS has also been updated with the adoption of NetworkManager as the default network controller. NetworkManager offers additional functionality, such as connecting to hidden wireless networks, virtual private networks (VPNs), and using a Raspberry Pi as a wireless hotspot. The networking plugin on the taskbar retains a familiar appearance but now includes an “Advanced Options” item to access the new features provided by NetworkManager.

The extensive changes introduced in Bookworm have necessitated updates to the Raspberry Pi OS documentation. The documentation team has been working diligently to ensure that the documentation reflects the new state of the operating system. If users come across any outdated documentation, they are encouraged to raise an issue on the documentation repository.

While Bookworm brings many improvements, there are a few features and programs that are currently missing or incompatible with the new version. Overscan compensation for displays, the system tray for application icons, and traditional remote desktop access have either been temporarily removed or replaced with alternative mechanisms. Additionally, certain programs like the SenseHAT Emulator, BlueJ and Greenfoot Java IDEs, and Sonic Pi are incompatible with Bookworm and have been removed until they are updated.

The changes in Bookworm align Raspberry Pi OS with the practices of other Linux distributions, as many have already adopted Wayland, PipeWire, and NetworkManager. These updates provide a solid foundation for future development and ensure compatibility with the broader Linux ecosystem.

While Wayland and PipeWire have been extensively tested, there may still be specific usage scenarios where issues can arise. To address this, the Advanced Settings menu in raspi-config allows users to revert to the old X11/Openbox display system and PulseAudio if necessary.

To install Bookworm, it is recommended to re-image the SD card with a clean image rather than attempting to upgrade from a previous version. Raspberry Pi Imager can be used to create an SD card with Bookworm, or users can download a Bookworm image from the Raspberry Pi website and flash it onto their SD card using their preferred tool.

Overall, Bookworm brings significant updates to the Raspberry Pi OS, including the transition to Wayland, the adoption of PipeWire for audio, and the use of NetworkManager for networking. These changes improve performance, security, and functionality, aligning Raspberry Pi OS with industry standards and providing a solid platform for future development.

Source: News - Raspberry Pi.

Raspberry Pi has recently released the highly anticipated Raspberry Pi 5, and it’s been a culmination of years of hard work and decision-making. In an interview with Eben Upton, the co-founder of Raspberry Pi, James Adams dives deep into the design process behind this new iteration of the popular single-board computer. The conversation between Adams and Upton is lengthy and comprehensive, covering all aspects of the design process. For those who prefer watching, there is a video available on the Raspberry Pi YouTube channel.

For more information on the design process of the Raspberry Pi 5, visit the Raspberry Pi website.

The highly anticipated Raspberry Pi 5 has been announced, boasting significant performance improvements and new features. Priced at $60 for the 4GB variant and $80 for the 8GB variant, the Raspberry Pi 5 offers a no-compromises user experience. It features a 2.4GHz quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 CPU, a VideoCore VII GPU supporting OpenGL ES 3.1 and Vulkan 1.2, dual 4Kp60 HDMI display output, a 4Kp60 HEVC decoder, and dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi with Bluetooth 5.0. Additionally, it includes two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet with PoE+ support, and a PCIe 2.0 x1 interface for fast peripherals.

In a home lab context, the Raspberry Pi 5 is a powerful and affordable option for enthusiasts to create their own server. The improved performance makes it ideal for running virtual machines, hosting websites, and running containers. With its PCIe 2.0 interface, enthusiasts can connect fast peripherals such as NVMe SSDs, expanding storage capabilities for server applications. The dual 4Kp60 HDMI output and the 4Kp60 HEVC decoder are useful for media server applications, allowing for smooth streaming of high-resolution content. The inclusion of Gigabit Ethernet with PoE+ support further enhances its server capabilities, simplifying power management for networked devices.

For server use enthusiasts, the Raspberry Pi 5 offers a reliable and cost-effective platform for various applications. The improved CPU and GPU performance allow for faster processing and rendering, making it suitable for tasks such as data analysis and media transcoding. The inclusion of a PCIe 2.0 interface opens up possibilities for connecting high-speed peripherals, such as network cards or storage devices, to enhance server performance and expand storage capacity. The dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 support provide flexibility for wireless connectivity options in server setups. Overall, the Raspberry Pi 5’s upgraded specifications make it a compelling choice for enthusiasts looking to build and customize their own server for various server use cases.

The Raspberry Pi 5 is available to pre-order today, and is expected to by the end of October 2023.