Wrapped, launched and ready for sale (not counting a 3-week lead time), the newest addition to TI’s canine family, the Beagleboard-X15 should excite geeks anxious for their next fix of small board computing platforms.
Beagleboard X15 microcomputer, top and bottom views
With great specs on the beast, the X15 looks to be an exciting piece of engineering:
- Dual core ARM A-15 running @ 1.5 GHz, 2 GB of SDRAM, hardware acceleration for the graphics engine,
- 157 pins
- 4 GB eMMc solid state drive
- Smallish form factor (4.2 in. x 4 in.)
- 3x USB ports
- Audio I/O (hooray!)
- Camera and LCD expansion ports (another big hooray!)
- Real time clock (hallelujah)
Meanwhile, Beagleboard.org emphatically says it’s not a replacement for the Beaglebone Black. Of course, how could it be since distributors are showing a price of USD $199.00 ($239.00 MSRP) vs. the Black’s $50.00ish dollars sticker?
Which begs the question: for whom exactly are they targeting this board? Perhaps the professional embedded crowd? At this price, it’s certainly not for makers, neophytes, or students. Hmm. A bit confounding this business decision by the Beagleboard folks.
Radio Life Radio Life is somewhat unique, I suspect Radio life was originally purely a ham hobbyist magazine. Over the years, and I assume with a decline in ham radio, radio life seems to have morphed into something quite different. While the magazine still has a strong focus on ham gear it also features articles …
