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Looking for ideas

I’ve been itching to buy a raspberry pi since they first came out, but I can’t think of an excuse. Have any of you played with one?

I gather they’re brilliant for doing things like multimedia kiosks – which, it so happens, I have professional experience designing. But for what? I mean, would a touch screen even respond to a beak?

Posted: August 10th, 2026 under personal.
Comments: 6

Comments

Comment from Anonymous
Time: August 10, 2026, 8:32 pm

Yeah, I have one, a 2W. Have some thoughts about some simple automation and home monitoring. Added a spare monitor, keyboard and mouse and now have a functioning Linux computer for under a hundred bucks. It is amazing how complete it is – internet, Bluetooth, USB ports, anything else that you might want. Only regret is that I should have spent a bit more and gotten the top-line model, the Pi 5, for faster speed. Still might.

Comment from QuasiModo
Time: August 10, 2026, 9:20 pm

I have a couple of them plus some Pi Pico’s to tinker with…lots of example projects out there:

https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en

I prefer ESP8266 or ESP32 for my electronics tinkering…Pi is pretty much a full fledged computer and a bit overkill for those.

Comment from Ben
Time: August 10, 2026, 11:41 pm

Try RetroPie for vintage arcade game emulation.
Or Pi-Hole for whole house ad blocking.

Comment from The Neon Madman
Time: August 11, 2026, 12:01 am

If you look under the ethernet port, it says “Made in the UK”. You have to buy one, just to support the home economy. It’s your patriotic duty!

Comment from Gordon R. Durand
Time: August 11, 2026, 2:01 pm

I’ve been using a Raspberry Pi as my main desktop computer for years now. I also use a headless Pi with an ADC hat for my classical music server. Every evening I SSH into it and issue the command “Maestro –playTil9” for my evening concert.

Comment from peacelovewoodstock
Time: August 11, 2026, 3:57 pm

I have several … I am working on a “time of day book quote clock” which is a VERY cool project https colon-slash-slash keegan.codes/blog/designing-and-building-a-raspberry-pi-based-book-quote-clock

You might check out ESP32 projects as well … I got a 7″ color touchscreen with integral ESP32 microcontroller (total cost about $40) and turned it into a real time flight tracker “radar” screen …

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