The Raspberry Pi has earned its place as one of the most successful pieces of hardware of the last fifteen years. What started as a project to inspire students and encourage new programmers has become a cornerstone of the DIY community. From digital picture frames to supercomputers, and from robotics to access points, the Pi seems to have no limits. Its low price makes it easy to treat it roughly, and many enthusiasts have gone so far as to remove all the ports and solder cables directly onto the PCB. The Pi is an ideal computer for experimenting, which means that the arrangement of its connectors and the cables are not exactly a priority. Most cases just protect the PCB, and the rest depends on how organized the user is.
That's where PiKasa comes in. The team behind the project wants to change this situation by launching a very special case. At first glance, it looks like they're trying to turn the Raspberry Pi into a laptop (something the Pi Top project already did), but the case doesn't fold in half, so it's more accurate to call it an all-in-one case. The package includes a 7-inch screen with a resolution of 800×480 pixels, a rubber keyboard that reminds us of the old ZX Spectrum, a DC-DC converter from 12 to 5 volts, an integrated charger for a lithium battery (3.7V, not included), five USB ports, and all the Ethernet, audio, and power extensions.
Compatibility and crowdfunding
PiKasa works with almost all Raspberry Pi models, including versions 1 and 2 of models A, B, and B+. The project has been on Indiegogo for about a month, and with nine days to go, it hasn't yet raised the $25,000 it's aiming for. The first 100 PiKasa units are being sold for $75 each, with an additional charge for international shipping. Something tells me the campaign won't reach its goal, but it might find a way to become a final product outside of crowdfunding. If it does, the first shipments will go out this August.
