SPRING IS BEARING FRUIT
As I write this we are one quarter of the way through 2023 and the sun is starting to shine for a little longer each day. Things are starting to look a little brighter for Raspberry Pi stock, too, but the board everyone wants, Raspberry Pi 4, is still virtually unobtainable. I keep an eye on Rpilocator and can see that Eben Upton’s predictions of more stock filtering into the channels is coming true. Right now, if you need a Raspberry Zero W or a Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+, you are in luck as these are in stock at various retailers around the globe. According to Rpilocator (https://twitter.com/rpilocator/ status/1637917163754 254340), the last “meaningful wave” of Raspberry Pi 4s was in early February, and they have been sold out since, even the more expensive kits are sold out. Stocks of the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W are also low to nil across the various sales channels. A shame, as the Pi Zero 2 W offers Pi 3 power in a much smaller form factor. As for the Compute Module 4, well all we can say is good luck. The Raspberry Pi 4 is set to be in better stock in the latter half of 2023.
One board that has not been impacted by global supply issues is the Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico W. In a recent episode of Tom’s Hardware: The Pi Cast, Eben Upton said that there is a near infinite supply of the $1 RP2040 microcontroller. Given the number of projects switching to it, it seems that its versatility is adding to its popularity. If you haven’t tried one yet, grab a £6 Raspberry Pi Pico W (Wi-Fi) and have some fun.