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15 Mar 2025

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BBC presenters settle sex and age discrimination dispute
The quartet claimed they lost their roles on the BBC News Channel following a "rigged" recruitment.

It’s Pi Day! Grab this Raspberry Pi 5 starter kit on sale while you can
It’s Pi Day, so what better way to celebrate than by getting your hands on a Raspberry Pi at a discount? This Raspberry Pi 5 starter kit is down to $129 on Amazon, a nice little discount for Prime members. (Don’t have Prime? Score this deal with a free 30-day Prime trial.) What’s in this Raspberry Pi 5 starter kit? Everything you need to get a basic setup going without having to shop around for accessories and components. It includes an 8GB Raspberry Pi 5 preloaded with Raspberry Pi OS (64GB Edition), a 64GB microSD card, a 27W USB-C PD power adapter, a case, a card reader, a small cooler, and two 4K HDMI cables. It’s enough to tinker around with your first project. We reviewed the Raspberry Pi 5 when it came out and found it fast and fun to use. It’s ideal for server use, but you can also turn it into a home media center or even use it for smart home automation. Or use it like a compact PC, which was one of its original use cases—a low-cost way to get into programming and computer science. If this is your first foray into the world of Raspberry Pi, check out our roundup of practical Raspberry Pi projects anyone can do. Get this Raspberry Pi 5 starter kit while it's on saleBuy now at Amazon

10 surprisingly practical Raspberry Pi projects anybody can do
The Raspberry Pi single-board computer and all its variants have captured the imaginations of DIY enthusiasts and budding hobbyists alike. With the latest model, the Raspberry Pi 5, the mini-PC is more capable than ever, with an upgraded four-core 2.4GHz system-on-chip (SoC) that’s up to three times faster than previous models. Much of the coverage you’ll see around the web focuses on the more fantastical projects—magic mirrors, portable gaming handhelds, intelligent drones, and so forth. Those maker masterpieces certainly show what sort of power the sub-$100 mini-PC is capable of in the hands of someone with a little imagination and a bin full of spare electronics. But most people, particularly beginners, won’t use the Raspberry Pi to whip up crazy creations. There are near-endless practical uses for this bare-bones kit, from media streaming to extending the range of your Wi-Fi network, as the following 10 projects demonstrate. Time to put that lil’ computer to real work. Heck, many of these projects will even work with the $10 Raspberry Pi Zero. Further reading: I built a maxed-out Raspberry 5 PC with an SSD for under $200. You can too HTPC media streaming The original $35 Raspberry Pi may have been revolutionary to makers, but it took off with PC enthusiasts as well thanks to its ability to double as a dirt-cheap home-theater PC. That allure may have waned a bit in recent years as dedicated devices like the Chromecast hit the streets at similarly low prices, but using a Raspberry Pi as a media-streaming box still offers far more power than those streaming-centric sticks, especially if you have a sizeable local media collection. There are a slew of HTPC-centric Raspberry Pi operating systems out there, each revolving around slapping your HD videos on the big screen. OSMC is built around the popular Kodi media center software (formerly XBMC), while RasPlex transforms your Pi into the ultimate Plex streaming box. The $21 Raspberry Pi TV Hat accessory, meanwhile, can grant your mini-PC the ability to read over-the-air TV signals. Give a dumb TV smarts Likewise, if you have a dumb TV that you’d like to add web browsing and other basic computing abilities to, the Raspberry Pi does the trick without costing anywhere near as much as a proper home theater PC. You’ll want to use a Raspberry Pi 2, 3, or 4, though—the original Pi and the Raspberry Pi Zero are just pokey enough to be frustrating for general tasks. With the right case, the Pi can look downright stylish in your home theater, too. Bonus: If you’re connecting the Raspberry Pi to your TV, you can use it to stream web videos, too! File storage server You can also have your Raspberry Pi play wingman for the other devices in your house, serving as a centralized device that performs helpful tasks. Case in point: You can use the mini-PC as a cheap NAS box for general file storage if you connect an external USB hard drive to the machine. Hit those links for technical details, and one tip if you’re planning to convert the computer to a file server: Use a wired ethernet connection rather than Wi-Fi if you’re able. Make sure you grab a solid external drive, too! Wireless network printer Printing isn’t as prevalent as it used to be, but the Raspberry Pi can help you transform that chunky old USB printer in your closet into a networked printer that every device in your house can use. You’ll need a power source for each gadget, obviously, as well as a USB connection between the devices, but setting it up is pretty straightforward. This MakeUseOf tutorial walks you through the process step-by-step. Extend your home’s Wi-Fi network Raspberry Pi doesn’t make the home networks you use, but it can make the home networks you use better if you configure the mini-PC as a wireless range extender, tapping into the device’s ethernet and USB ports. Doing so can help your Wi-Fi signal reach the farthest corners of your house and help wipe out dead zones. Configuring the device to bolster your home network will take a bit of time, and you’ll need to buy a USB Wi-Fi adapter to do it, but again, it’s relatively straightforward with a guide. Check out Adafruit’s reader-friendly tutorial. Old-school gaming emulator Gaming emulators are a legal gray area, but there’s no doubt that using the Raspberry Pi as a butt-kicking console emulator is a popular use for the machines. It can play games from a wide variety of consoles right on up to the PlayStation 1 era if you manage to snag some legal game ROMs, though the older the system being emulated, the better the performance. Curious? Check out PCWorld’s complete guide to turning your Raspberry Pi into a retro gaming console for the full scoop. A music streaming machine The Raspberry Pi’s media chops aren’t limited to video streaming alone. Numerous operating systems have also been released that transform the device into a high-fidelity music player when connected to a speaker, sort of like a more powerful, flexible version of Chromecast Audio. The various music-oriented OSes available offer different features; poke around the FAQs and features of each to see which is right for your needs. Here are tutorials on how to have your Raspberry Pi turn dumb speakers into smart music solutions with Volumio and Rune Audio (pictured), both of which offer mobile apps so you can control your tunes with your phone. Learn programming You could always use the Raspberry Pi as it was originally intended, too: As a low-cost introduction to programming and computer science. The mini-PC’s loaded with all sorts of software that encourages deep-level tinkering. Beyond the command-line terminal, you’ll need to wade in often, you’ll also find versions of Wolfram Mathematica, Python program creation tools, and Scratch, an animation coding IDE for kids, in the Raspbian operating system that the Raspberry Pi Foundation encourages new users to install. Get smart! Play Minecraft Or you could play Minecraft. There’s a free Raspberry Pi version of Minecraft that anybody can download at no cost. Even better, it’s designed to teach you how to use the Python programming language as you build out the world. (Hey, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella did say that part of the reason the company purchased Mojang was to lure kids into computer science.) Download Minecraft: Pi Edition and jump in. Affordable productivity PC With options of 2GB, 4GB, and now 8GB models, the Raspberry Pi 4 packs a heftier punch than previous RPi iterations—making it suitable for basic everyday tasks like web browsing, watching video streams, and document editing. Setting up one as a PC goes fast, too, with the bulk of the hour setup time devoted to waiting for the operating system installation to complete. As a starter or secondary computer, it’s hard to beat, especially given its build cost of $100 (or even less, if you opt for the 2GB version and not the 4GB). Check out PCWorld’s full guide in how to put together a $100 Raspberry Pi PC for everything you’ll need. Crazy awesome experiments Let’s finish where we began. Once you’ve wrapped your head around the Raspberry Pi’s potential, why not try your hand at one of those awe-inspiring inventive projects? PCWorld’s look at 10 insanely innovative, incredibly cool Raspberry Pi creations can help with the inspiration, while the project guides at Instructables, Hackaday, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation website itself are ready to walk you step-by-step through the really awesome stuff like the magic mirror above. Also check out our roundup of the best Raspberry Pi kits. Whether you’re a newbie who just wants to get all the basics with one purchase, or an experienced tinkerer looking to build a specialized project, a kit could be the way to go. Editor’s note: This article is updated periodically to include new info, most recently to resurface these projects for Pi day (March 14, 2024) and note the release of the Raspberry Pi 5.

I built a maxed-out Raspberry Pi 5 PC with an SSD for under $200. You can, too!
The Raspberry Pi 5 is several times faster than previous models of the compact and cheap computer. For less than a couple hundred bucks, you can have a computer that can do many tasks that previously required a regular PC, that consumes very little power, and for which the web is overflowing with exciting tutorials and projects you can take on. In this guide, I’ll first walk you through how to build a Raspberry Pi 5 with maximum performance so you can use it for everything it’s capable of. To do that, you’ll need to take advantage of the board’s new ability to connect an SSD via PCI Express. Further reading: 10 surprisingly practical Raspberry Pi projects anybody can do Here’s what you need To fully follow this guide, you will need the following hardware: Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB for maximum performance, but you can choose 2- or 4GB as well) A so-called “hat” (a type of daughterboard called HAT that attaches to the top of the Raspberry Pi) with an M.2 slot (I chose the Waveshare POE M.2 HAT but there are several others) A cooler — often comes with the HAT NVMe-based SSD in M.2 format MicroSD card of at least 8GB or a USB adapter for the M.2 SSD for the installation Micro HDMI to HDMI cable to connect display Anders Lundberg You will also need a power source, either a USB charger that supports USB-PD and a USB-C cable or the official charger from Raspberry Pi. If you’re going to use USB accessories without external power, the charger should be able to handle at least 25 watts, otherwise 15 watts is enough. In addition to the above, you will need a mouse, keyboard, and a monitor — otherwise you will have to connect using SSH in Terminal and make all settings via text commands. If you are later going to use the computer as a server of some sort, these are no longer needed and you can connect using SSH or VNC to make changes. Further reading: Raspberry Pi: The best beginner projects It’s not a must, but I recommend getting a chassis for the computer. It protects against dust and reduces the risk of damage from static electricity. A chassis also makes the Raspberry Pi look more like a complete computer and not just a circuit board. Foundry Installing the operating system Here you have two options. If you have a USB adapter for M.2 SSDs, you can plug your SSD into it and install the system directly onto it. If you don’t, you can use a Micro SD card instead and clone the system to the SSD once the Raspberry Pi is up and running. Whichever way you choose, start by downloading and installing Raspberry Pi Imager, a program that makes it easy to install the operating system for the tiny computer. Once it’s up and running, select the Raspberry Pi 5 for the device on the left, the Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit) in the middle, and your new SSD or Micro SD card on the right. Double-check that you get the right disc so you don’t accidentally erase an external hard drive or SSD if using with your regular computer. Foundry Then click Next and select Edit Settings. These settings make it easier to get started, and they’re saved so you don’t have to fill them in again if you want to reinstall the system later. For example, you can select the time zone and enter the name and password of your wireless network. If you have an SSH key on your computer and want to connect remotely without a password, you can tick Enable SSH under Services and enter your public key. When you save and move on, the program will ask one last time if you are sure you want to delete all content on the selected target. After that, it will install the system and check that everything was done correctly. Assembling the computer The first step is of course to put the parts together. There aren’t many so it shouldn’t take too long, but if you’re not used to tinkering with computer components, there are a few things to keep in mind. Perhaps the most important is to avoid static electricity, which in the worst case can burn the sensitive circuitry. Do not walk around the room while holding the circuit board, especially not on carpet. Use the box it came in or an anti-static bag to move it. Ground yourself before touching the circuit board, for example by touching an element or the metal casing of a grounded electrical product. Even safer is to get a so-called ESD wrist strap and follow the instructions. Anders Lundberg Start by screwing on the four stands for the HAT where the SSD is mounted. They should be included and are usually made of brass, with a small screw that should sit on the underside of the circuit board. Then attach the cooling pads that come with the cooler to the various circuits and mount the cooler according to the instructions provided. The cooler is pressed into place with two spring-loaded pins in specific holes on the PCB. Further reading: Raspberry Pi troubleshooting: Helpful fixes to common problems Attach the SSD to the HAT and then carefully install the HAT so that all pins are in the correct position. If the M.2 HAT you have purchased has a built-in fan, you first need to attach it to the connector labelled FAN, which is located behind the outer USB connectors. Gently push the HAT into place and screw it on with the supplied screws. Anders Lundberg The next step is to attach the small cable tie between the HAT and the dedicated PCI Express connector on the Raspberry Pi. Gently loosen the fasteners (a brown plastic piece on the Raspberry Pi, may look a little different on different HATs) and insert the ribbon. There are little white arrows showing which way is right — you can see how it should look in the pictures above. Push back the fasteners to hold the band in place. The last step is to mount the computer in the chassis, if you have one. Foundry The first start Now it’s time to see if everything went right. Connect the monitor, mouse, and keyboard and then plug in the USB cable for power. The Raspberry Pi doesn’t have an on/off switch, so the computer will start up immediately (however, some power adapters designed for Raspberry Pi have a built-in switch). If all has gone well, you’ll soon be greeted by the Raspberry Pi OS welcome screen and can start going through the basic settings. If you didn’t fill in a new account name and password during installation, you should do so here. Once you’re done with the settings, the system will check for and install the latest updates before letting you into the desktop. Foundry Now you can basically start using the Raspberry Pi as a simple desktop computer. Firefox and Chromium are pre-installed and you can install other software by clicking on the Raspberry Pi icon in the top-left and selecting Settings > Recommended Software. On the top-right you will see shortcuts to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi settings and available updates. Before we go any further, I suggest you make a small change via the terminal so that the SSD can utilize its maximum speed. Click on the terminal icon on the top-left and type the following command: sudo nano/boot/firmware/config.txt Scroll to the bottom and add the following text (which enables PCIe 3.0): # Change PCIe speed to gen 3 dtparam=pciex1 dtparam=pciex1_gen=3 Foundry Then press Ctrl-O, Return, Ctrl-X to save and close the file. Then type in: sudo rpi-eeprom-config --edit Change the line with BOOT_ORDER to: BOOT_ORDER=0xf416 Press Ctrl-O, Return, Ctrl-X again and the file will be saved and the system will overwrite the firmware settings so that the computer will prefer to boot from SSD even if an SD card is in place with operating system. If you installed the system on a Micro SD card, it is now time to clone the system to the SSD. Type the following commands one by one in the terminal: git clone https://github.com/geerlingguy/rpi-clone.git cd rpi-clone sudo cp rpi-clone rpi-clone-setup /usr/local/sbin sudo rpi-clone nvme0n1 As long as you have connected the SSD and HAT correctly, the last command will ask if you really want to delete all content on the target. When you agree, it will hold for a while while it copies over all the content from the SSD card to the SSD. Foundry Once complete, you can shut down by clicking the Raspberry Pi button > Logout > Shutdown. Then remove the Micro SD card and reboot by unplugging and plugging in the power cable (or with the power switch if your cable has it). If all has gone well, the computer will restart nicely and is significantly quicker thanks to the faster storage. Other exciting accessories Of course, an M.2 SSD cap isn’t the only interesting accessory for the Raspberry Pi. There are many other accessories for different uses, which can open up the computer to new applications. Here are some examples: Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)This means that the computer is powered via network cable instead of USB-C. If you have a switch with PoE and have wired your home, you can place the Raspberry Pi at an available network socket and not need another cable — perfect if you’re using it as a server. The M.2 cap I chose myself (see above) has built-in PoE functionality. Waveshare DisplayThere are a huge number of different-sized screens for direct connection to the small computer. Ranging from tiny screens that can display information to relatively large touch screens, for example. SensorsRaspberry Pi can be turned into an indoor weather station that monitors the air quality in your home. Not the cheapest solution, but an exciting project. Raspberry Pi CamerasA common project with Raspberry Pi is a home-built surveillance camera that can then be used with Home Assistant. There are a plethora of camera modules, including one with a built-in AI accelerator that can recognize people, for example. Sound cardMany people use the Raspberry Pi as a music server, connected to a speaker system. The computer has no built-in audio outputs (except via HDMI), but there are a number of “HATs” with both RCA and 3.5-millimeter connectors and optical audio-out. One example is the Raspberry Pi DAC Pro. There are also simple amplifiers so you can connect analog speakers directly to the computer, such as the Hifiberry Amp4 Pro. Another option is a USB sound card, such as Apple’s USB-C headphone adapter which has a really good DAC. 5 smart ways to use the Raspberry Pi 5 52pi Retro gaming computerThe Raspberry Pi is perfect as a small games console that emulates classic console games from the 1980s and 1990s. It can also emulate newer consoles such as the Nintendo Gamecube and Wii, but the performance is not quite enough on the Raspberry Pi 5. Batocera is currently the best platform and you download it as a disc image that you can write to Micro SD cards (at least 16 gigabytes) or directly to the SSD with the Raspberry Pi Imager. Installation guide can be found here. Server for home automationInstall Home Assistant and instantly the Raspberry Pi 5 becomes the perfect server to power all your smart home gadgets. Connect a Zigbee radio with USB and you can connect, for example, Ikea gadgets without needing the Ikea app. Inbuilt Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are also useful. Follow the guide here. For those with an iPhone or iPad: Airplay receiver for streaming musicPlay music from any streaming service on any old speakers using Raspberry Pi as an Airplay receiver. This is not something that requires a Raspberry Pi 5, but works well on other Pi models too, such as the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W. All you need is some type of sound card (see above) and a little patience in the terminal. Poolside Factory has a guide — you just need to use the commands in the gray box under Option 2: Airplay 2. The developers of the Shairport-Sync server software have a guide to choosing an audio device which may be useful if you have purchased a HAT with a DAC. Router (Openwrt)If you want to use alternative router software but have a router that doesn’t support it, you can try building your own using Raspberry Pi and the Openwrt operating system. With an extra Ethernet adapter for USB, you get one connector for WAN (internet) and one for LAN (your local network). Home Network Guy has a video guide you can follow here. You can then set up your old router to act as a Wi-Fi access point — your computer’s inbuilt Wi-Fi is not designed to act as an access point. Another option is IP Fire — here is a guide to that. Anders Lundberg Experimental computerLearn to use Linux without changing the system in your regular computer. Learn to code with Python. Get started with hardware control with various accessories that control LEDs, motors, and more. Raspberry Pi is the perfect platform for experimenting.