Raspberry Pi 2 unveiled with more memory and faster processor

A new version of the Raspberry Pi single-board computer has been unveiled in London today, boasting more memory and a new processor that is six times faster than its predecessor. The Raspberry Pi 2 is available to buy today from element14, priced at $35.

It is the same size as the previous version, but comes with a Broadcom BCM2836 ARMv7 quad core processor, and runs at 900MHz with 1GB of RAM. It offers complete backward compatibility with the existing Model B+. All cases and third-party add-on boards are also fully compatible with the new Raspberry Pi. The new model has an expanded number of input/output pins, making it possible to connect up to four USB devices - including some powered devices such as hard drives - as well as multiple sensors, connectors and expansion boards.

However, Raspberry Pi faces growing competition. Rivals include the Arduino, Intel Galileo, Gizmo 2, BeagleBone Black and Hummingboard.