Compare: SMILE Plug vs. Raspberry Pi

We are evaluating two possible hardware solutions for Sherig-in-a-Box: The SMILE Plug and the Raspberry Pi.

The Raspberry Pi is very affordable ($35) and can easily be upgraded to meet the requirements by adding a Wi-Fi USB dongle, a power supply, and a case.

The SMILE Plug was designed to run the SMILE Consortium software. Nevertheless, its specs (headless computer, 2 Ethernet ports, enterprise WiFi, small form factor, no moving parts) makes it an attractive option for our project.

1New versions of the Raspberry Pi allow automatic throttling of the CPU without affecting the warranty

2The lack of audio & video helps by making the hardware less attractive to re-purpose in the school environment

3Price includes unit and a 64 GB micro-SD card

4Price includes unit, case, WiFi USB dongle, case, and power supply

5Based on 500 schools (see Annual Education Statistics 2012)