Easy to use, credit-card-sized IoT Linux computer comes with built-in wireless connectivity

RS Components has announced availability of the latest member of the BeagleBone Black family of computer boards – the BeagleBone Black Wireless. The new credit-card-sized board is based on the BeagleBone Black and is an easy-to-use Linux computer that integrates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and a significant amount of I/O for sensor and control applications. It is also ideal for the development of connected applications, including IoT nodes and hubs, using open-source software platforms such as Debian, Android and Ubuntu. The board builds in high-performance wireless networking capability offering both 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and dispenses with Ethernet-10/100 connectivity. However, like the BeagleBone Black, this Wireless version retains the HDMI output, serial debug port, PC USB interface, USB 2.0 host, reset and power buttons, and adds two more status LEDs for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The main processor is TI’s Sitara AM335x running at 1GHz, which integrates an ARM Cortex-A8 based processor core. The board also offers two 32-bit PRU microcontrollers, micro-HDMI connectivity, 512MB of DDR3 RAM, and 4GB of eMMC on-board flash memory storage, which includes Debian Linux pre-installed. A major innovation on the board is use of the Octavo Systems OSD3358 SiP, which integrates all the functionality into one easy-to-use BGA package. In addition, because the board is a community-supported open-source hardware computer makers and developers can easily create their own customised variations. The Wireless board is fully software, hardware and mechanically compatible with the BeagleBone Black, including compatibility with all the existing BeagleBone Black system-expansion capes, which enable hardware expansion and additional peripherals.