RS – RS and Allied get together to deliver Raspberry Pi in multiples

RS Components (RS) and Allied Electronics (Allied), the trading brands of Electrocomponents plc, the world’s leading high-service distributor of electronics and maintenance products, are now taking general orders for Raspberry Pi, the credit card sized computer board developed to boost the uptake of computer programming among young people and enthusiasts.

RS and Allied customers worldwide can now order multiple quantities of the Raspberry Pi Model B board, along with the associated accessories to enable users to get started, including SD cards pre-loaded with the Raspberry Pi operating system and unique cases for safer storage. All customers will be provided with a forecast future delivery date when placing their order.

Previously available only from the dedicated RS and Allied online Pi Store, businesses, engineering professionals and educational institutions can now route their Raspberry Pi order through the local RS and Allied websites. Those customers intending to buy the Raspberry Pi for personal use can use the Pi Store to make their purchase.

While existing orders for Raspberry Pi will continue to be fulfilled through the next few months, the ramp-up of production has enabled RS and Allied to lift the restrictions on the number of units per customer. Orders can now be placed for unlimited quantities of Raspberry Pi and the associated accessories without the requirement to register or to receive an invitation to order. These orders will start reaching customers by the end of September, says the company.

“There have been extraordinary levels of demand for Raspberry Pi since its launch earlier this year, so we have no doubt that customers worldwide will welcome the volume availability of the boards,” said Glenn Jarrett, global head of product marketing, RS. “Many interesting Raspberry Pi projects have already sprouted in the few months since we started shipping the product, and the release of unlimited quantities will open up opportunities to prospective programmers on a mass scale.”

The Raspberry Pi board was created by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, a charity based in Cambridge, UK, and was conceived to encourage and enable children to learn and apply computer programming.