Raspberry Pi B+ ... More Pi to Love!

There is a new Raspberry Pi in town; the Raspberry Pi B+. This is purportedly a great way to experiment with tiny computer, programming, and Linux.

According to the adafruit website, here are the features associated with the new model:

 New Specifications:

• Dual step-down (buck) power supply for 3.3V and 1.8V

• 5V supply has polarity protection, 2A fuse and hot-swap protection (so you can plug/unplug USB without resetting the board)

• New USB/Ethernet controller chip

• 4 USB ports instead of 2 ports

• 40 GPIO pins instead of 26. The top/first 26 pins match the original layout, 9 additional GPIO and 2 EEPROM Plate identification pins

• Composite (NTSC/PAL) video now integrated into 4-pole 3.5mm 'headphone' jack

• MicroSD card socket instead of full size SD

• Four mounting holes in rectangular layout

• Many connectors moved around

Not New:

• Same basic size, 85mm x 56mm

• Same Processor, Broadcom SoC running at 700MHz (can be overclocked)

• Same RAM, 512MB soldered on top of the Broadcom chip

• Same power connector, microUSB

• Same software - be sure to run the latest Raspbian/NooBs but otherwise the overall Linux software is the same

• First 26-pins of GPIO are the same

• Same HDMI port

• Audio part of the A/V jack is the same

• Same Camera and DSI Display connector

In a nutshell, this new Raspberry Pi B+ is the same single-board Linux computer that started the trend but with a new neater layout that should make it easier to use.

Get your copy here:

Free Digital Magazines with Coupon

For me, there is very little more exciting than receiving the current issue of my favorite magazines in the mail, but then I am left with mounds of old magazines that I just cannot bring myself to throw out.

So, over the past couple years, I have looked into several digital magazine services.The only service that I can recommend is NextIssue. They have two pricing levels; $10 per month for monthly issues and $15 per month for monthly plus weekly issues. As long as you have a Windows 8, Android, or iOS product, you can read these magazines in all their glorious grandeur.

Check out the service for 60 days for free... On me. Thank you!

Next Issue Trial

Help! Windows Drivers Will Not Reinstall...

Countless times I have found myself trying to reinstall the Windows operating system just to figure out that not all the drivers loaded.

Typically this means using the Device Manager to figure out what drivers did not install and, simply, going to the manufacturer's website and downloading those drivers. However, manufacturers tend to use whatever hardware they have handy on lower-end computers. This means there might be five or six different sound or graphics or network drivers from which to choose. What do you do?

Have a look at this very good article from PC Pro and see how they lead you through being a kind of Sherlock Holmes to force the operating system to tell you where to look.

How To Find a Driver for an Unknown Device

Udemy Courses

Have you thought about taking an online course to learn something new or sharpen your skills?

Look at Udemy and see all the great courses they offer. I have taken several and find them very enlightening.

Here is a $5 coupon for your first course at Udemy:

Take a Udemy Course and Save $5

Kindle Paperwhite - Easy on the Eyes!

Hey, everyone! If you haven't checked out the new Kindle Paperwhite e-reader, please do so today.

Amazon has really upgraded this beauty and, I can tell you from experience, you will want to take it everywhere. The compact dimensions and less-than-8-ounce weight will let you toss the device in your backpack and not slow you down.

The Paperwhite has been engineered to provide you with the best reading experience by starting with an e-ink display that looks like printed paper and which can be easily seen in direct sunlight. Plus, there is a newly designed light to make sure you can continue to read after dark.

Isn't it horrible when the battery runs down? Well, with the Paperwhite, the battery can last for weeks, not hours. You see, the e-ink display only needs power when you change from one page to another.

I can honestly say that I only charge my Kindle Paperwhite about every-other month and that is with me reading for about a half-hour every evening before going to bed. I wish my Android tablets could do even one-tenth that well on battery power!

This device easily holds approximately 1000 books, plus you have nearly endless storage in the Amazon cloud for more books. Remember, not all Kindle books cost; everyday Amazon offers a ton for free.

Intro to Linux Progress

For everyone who is presently taking the "Introduction to Linux" course online, how is it going?

I have noticed the pace is just about right for a first-time Linux user. For those of us who have used Linux before, it is a great review with several tidbits of new information thrown in for good measure.

Please join me in this online course. It is free and self-paced.

LFS101x - Introduction to Linux

Linux Sucks! - Funny Video

Everyone who is taking the edX course, "Introduction to Linux" - LFS101x - Introduction to Linux, please spend a little time and watch this video on YouTube. It helps you understand the Linux culture. Let me know your thoughts...

Linux Sucks! Video