Raspberry Pi Mini PC Gets Own App Store
The pint-sized Raspberry Pi computer now has its very own app store!
The pint-sized Raspberry Pi computer now has its very own app store.
Offering a mixture of free and paid apps, the Pi Store features 23 free titles at launch, ranging from the productivity suite LibreOffice and utility Asterisk to classic games like Freeciv and OpenTTD, as well as the Raspberry Pi exclusive Iridium Rising. There's also one paid app, the puzzler Storm in a Teacup, which is priced at $3.18.
"The Pi Store will, we hope, become a one-stop shop for all your Raspberry Pi needs; it's also an easier way into the Raspberry Pi experience for total beginners, who will find everything they need to get going in one place, for free," the nonprofit Raspberry Pi Foundation announced in a blog post Monday.
Raspberry Pi is a on a small circuit board that aims to promote computer programming for kids. The brand-new Pi Store, however, allows developers of all ages to upload their own games, apps, tools, and tutorials for moderation and release. Users can choose whether to make their content available for free or as a paid app. The store also has a tip jar mechanism, so users can donate money to developers they would like to support.
"We hope that the Pi Store will provide young people with a way to share their creations with a wider audience, and maybe to a make a little pocket money along the way; as well as offering commercial developers an easy way to get their software seen by the Raspberry Pi community," the Foundation said.
The store features a recommendation engine that is tailored to a user's preferences, offering up suggested apps they might like. The feature will learn a user's tastes over time, based on app reviews they have submitted. The highest-rated content will be featured near the top of the store for everyone to see.
The Foundation launched the app store today in partnership with IndieCity and Velocix. An updated Raspbian image that includes the Pi Store is available from the Raspberry Pi downloads page. The store is also available on the web.
For more, see PCMag's review of Raspberry Pi and the slideshow above.