Radxa has released the ROCK 3B, a “PI-CO ITX” single-board computer (SBC) that combines the benefits of Pico-ITX and Raspberry Pi form factors. The board, measuring 100x72mm, features all main ports on the rear side and supports expansion through a 40-pin Raspberry Pi-compatible GPIO header and several M.2 sockets for storage and wireless modules. The ROCK 3B is the larger brother of the ROCK 3A, a business card-sized SBC introduced in 2021. Both boards are powered by the Rockchip RK3568 SoC and support up to 8GB LPDDR4. The ROCK 3B features two gigabit Ethernet ports, an M.2 B Key socket for 4G LTE/5G cellular modules, an M.2 PCIe 3.0 x1 socket for an M.2 2280 SSD, and an M.2 Key-E socket for WiFi 6.

The specifications of the ROCK 3B include:

• SoC: Rockchip RK3568 (J)
  • CPU: Quad-core Cortex A55 processor at up to 2.0 GHz
  • GPU: Mali G52 GPU with support for OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0/3.2, OpenCL 2.0, Vulkan 1.1
  • VPU: 4Kp60 H.264/H.265/VP9 video decoder, 1080p60 H.264/H.265 video encoder
  • AI accelerator: 1 TOPS NPU; INT8/INT16/FP16/BFP16 MAC hybrid operation; support for TensorFlow, TF-lite, Pytorch, Caffe, ONNX, MXNet, Keras, Darknet
• System Memory: 2GB, 4GB, 8GB LPDDR4
• Storage: Pluggable eMMC module, MicroSD card slot, M.2 M key socket for NVMe with PCIe 3.0 x2
• Video Output: HDMI 2.0 port up to 4Kp60, 2x MIPI DSI connectors (4-lane and 2-lane), eDP connector, Touch Panel connector
• Camera: 1x MIPI CSI connector
• Audio: 3.5mm audio jack, digital audio via HDMI
• Connectivity: 2x Gigabit Ethernet ports, WiFi 6 via M.2 E key socket with PCIe 2.0 x1/SDIO/UART, 4G LTE/5G cellular via M.2 B key 3042 socket with PCIe, SATA, USB interfaces, and a SIM card socket
• USB: 2x USB 2.0 ports, 2x USB 3.0 ports (1x OTG+1x HOST)
• Expansion: Color-coded 40-pin GPIO header mostly compatible with ROCK Pi 4 and Raspberry Pi 3/4, exposing 5x UART, 1x SPI, 2x I2C, 1x PCM/I2S, 1x CAN bus, 6x PWM, 1x ADC, 6x GPIO, 1x USB 2.0, and 5V, 3.3V, and GND power signals
• Misc: RTC with connector for backup battery, IR receiver, RGB LED, Fan header, Power and recovery buttons
• Power Supply: 6V to 20V DC via USB-C port with USB PD 2.0, QC 3.0, or fixed voltage support, 5V via GPIO pin 2 or 4
• Dimensions: 100 x 75 mm (Pico-ITX and PI-CO ITX form factors)
• Certifications: CE/FCC

The Rock 3B was first unveiled in 2021 with a slightly different design, which was modified based on user feedback. The board is now available for purchase, with prices starting at $45 for the 2GB RAM version, $55 for the 4GB RAM version, and $75 for the 8GB RAM version on Arace Tech. However, it may be challenging to find compatible accessories as the website’s accessories section is not clear, and some accessories are missing.

Source: CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.

PineBerry Pi has launched the HatDrive! Top M.2 HAT for Raspberry Pi 5, which takes advantage of the FPC PCIe connector. The HatDrive features an M.2 Key-M socket with a PCIe x1 interface, supporting 2230 and 2242 modules. This allows users to install an SSD, AI accelerator, or other compatible M.2 modules. The HAT is connected via a 40mm long 16-pin FPC cable, which supports up to PCIe Gen3. It also utilizes the 40-pin Raspberry Pi GPIO header for the I2C EEPROM required by compliant HATs, power supply monitoring and diagnostics, and the ability to stack another HAT on top if necessary. The package includes spacer pins, M2.5 screws, a spacer pin for M.2 card mounting, and an optional male-female HAT connector.

Additional specifications of the PineBerry Pi HatDrive include:

• Voltage regulator delivering up to 3A for the 3.3V power rail, compliant with M.2 (NGFF) standard.
• Installation of M.2 disks in 2230 or 2242 format thanks to a dedicated metal bracket (custom CNC made).
• Misc – 2 LED lights for power supply voltage (“PWR”) and M.2 disk activity (“ACT”).
• Power Supply:
  • Via FPC PCIe ribbon (providing a minimum of 5W continuous power)
  • Via 40-pin HAT connector
  • Monitoring – Real-time monitoring and diagnostics of the power supply bus, measuring voltage, current, and power parameters via an I2C interface
• Dimensions – 65 x 56.50 mm (4-layer PCB, Raspberry Pi HAT compliant)

PineBerry Pi is planning to manufacture 5,000 units of the HatDrive and is currently accepting pre-orders for €20, with shipping scheduled to begin in early December.

Additionally, PineBerry Pi offers the “HatDrive! Bottom,” which is larger (90 x 56 mm) and meant to be connected on the bottom side of the Raspberry Pi 5. It supports M.2 2230, 2242, and 2280 NVMe SSDs. The HatDrive! Bottom includes an extra through 5V 4-pin connector as a redundant power supply (up to 2A at 5V). It can be pre-ordered for €25.99.

Source: CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.

EDATEC has released two fanless cases for the Raspberry Pi 5 single-board computer (SBC), filling the gap for official fanless cases for this latest SBC. The two cases, ED-Pi5Case-B and ED-Pi5Case-O, offer different designs and cooling solutions.

Both cases are made of aluminum and are available in either silver or black. They provide easy access to all ports and interfaces of the Raspberry Pi 5, including the GPIO header, MIPI connectors, PCIe FPC connector, and PoE header. However, the closed enclosure blocks the battery and UART connectors, while both cases block the fan connector.

EDATEC claims that the ED-Pi5Case-B can reduce the temperature by 20 to 25°C, while the lighter ED-Pi5Case-O can reduce it by up to 15°C. Both cases come with three thermal pads to cover the Broadcom BCM2712 CPU, the wireless module, and the PMIC. They also add thermal conductive silicon on the bottom of the board.

The ED-Pi5Case-B features a low-profile, closed design with a small black plastic window on the top right for wireless connectivity. EDATEC states that this case benefits from strong WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, enhanced by the semi-transparent wireless window. On the other hand, the ED-Pi5Case-O is an open case with two heatsinks placed on the top and bottom of the Raspberry Pi 5.

Source: CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.

The Official Raspberry Pi Beginner’s Guide, 5th Edition is now available, according to an announcement from Raspberry Pi. This fifth edition of the flagship book about the Raspberry Pi offers new coverage of the Raspberry Pi 5, Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, and the most recent version of Raspberry Pi OS. In addition, the author, Gareth Halfacree, has included a bonus chapter that covers Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico W.

The book features a new look, with an interior design from Sara Parodi. Nellie McKesson developed an HTML- and CSS-based layout engine to bring the design to life. The book also includes new graphics, including photography from Brian O Halloran, diagrams from Natalie Turner, and illustrations from Sam Alder. The process was overseen by Liz Upton, Jack Willis, and Brian Jepson.

The Official Raspberry Pi Beginner’s Guide, 5th Edition can be ordered from the Raspberry Pi Press Store. Raspberry Pi users running Raspberry Pi OS can expect it to appear in the Raspberry Pi Bookshelf application in a few days.

Radxa has introduced the Radxa Zero 3W single-board computer (SBC), which features a 1.6 GHz Rockchip RK3566 processor and up to 8GB of RAM. The board is designed in the compact Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W form factor, making it one of the most powerful Arm Linux SBCs in this size.

The Radxa Zero 3W comes with various features, including an optional eMMC flash with up to 64GB capacity, a microSD card slot, a micro HDMI port, two USB Type-C ports, WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity, a MIPI CSI camera connector, and a 40-pin Raspberry Pi GPIO header.

Here are the specifications of the Radxa Zero 3W:

• SoC: Rockchip RK3566 with a quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor clocked at 1.6 GHz, Arm Mali G52-2EE GPU, 0.8 TOPS AI accelerator, and 4Kp60 video decoding capabilities
• System Memory: 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB LPDDR4
• Storage: Optional 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB eMMC 5.1 flash, and a microSD card slot
• Video Output: Micro HDMI port up to 1080p60
• Camera: MIPI CSI connector compatible with Raspberry Pi Camera V1.3 and Raspberry Pi Camera V2
• Wireless: WiFi 4 (802.11 b/g/n) and Bluetooth 5.0
• USB: 1x USB 3.0 Type-C host port and 1x USB 2.0 Type-C OTG port
• Expansion: 40-pin GPIO header with multiple interfaces
• Power Supply: 5V/1A (minimum) via USB-C OTG port
• Dimensions: 65 x 30mm

Radxa provides Debian and Ubuntu OS images, as well as a hardware access/control library for Linux. To get started, users will need a 5V power supply, a microSD card, and necessary peripherals like an HDMI monitor or TV, USB keyboard and mouse, and potentially a USB to serial debug board and a MIPI CSI camera.

Despite having a similar form factor to the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, the Radxa Zero 3W has some connector differences, such as micro HDMI instead of mini HDMI, and a different placement of the MIPI CSI connector and microSD card slot.

Performance-wise, the Radxa Zero 3W with the Rockchip RK3566 processor has been found to be significantly faster than the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W in benchmarks. The RK3566 processor has been in the market for several years, and benchmark results are available.

The Radxa Zero 3W is listed on AllNet China, starting at $15 for the model with 1GB RAM and no eMMC flash or GPIO headers. The price goes up to $66 for the variant with 8GB RAM, 64GB eMMC flash, and female GPIO headers soldered to the board. However, all variants are currently sold out, and it is unclear when there will be stock available.

In addition to the Radxa Zero 3W, Radxa is also working on a wider Zero 2 Pro board with a 2.2 GHz Amlogic A311D processor, which will offer even more performance and require a proper cooling solution with a heatsink and a small fan.

Source: CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.

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.