Microsoft launches microcomputer to compete with Raspberry Pi

It’s been over two years now that we have come to know and love the inexpensive microcomputer called the Raspberry Pi.

Now Microsoft has launched a (bit more expensive) version of a DIY computer like the Raspberry Pi.

The Sharks Cove is the Raspberry Pi competitor. (Image via Mouser)

The Sharks Cove minicomputer is a 4×6-inch system that the company claims is more powerful than the Raspberry Pi with a Bay Trail 1.33-GHz Intel Atom CPU with integrated graphics, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of on-board storage, an HDMI port, a 3.5-mm stereo jack, and one USB 2.0 port.

Microsoft is trying to sell the Sharks Cove to developers who want to create drivers for Windows products (such as phones and tablets), but the board can also be used for Android development. View the rest of the Shark Cove features and even pre-order here.

The Sharks Cove will sell for $300, which is a bit of a jump from the $35 Raspberry Pi board.

According to Microsoft’s blog,

“That price not only covers the cost of the hardware, but also includes a Windows 8.1 image and the utilities necessary to apply it to the Sharks Cove. When you additionally consider that the Windows Driver Kit 8.1 can pair with Visual Studio Express and are both free with a valid MSDN account, the initial outlay for Windows driver developers is a lot less cost prohibitive than it once was.” 

The official launch date for the Sharks Cove is August 7, 2014.