Raspberry Pi Gets CE Certification, No Modifications Needed

After delays and more delays, the Raspberry Pi foundation has finally eliminated the last barrier between it and free sales of its eponymous PC. 

About two weeks ago, we reported on the latest barrier that had lowered itself in front of the Raspberry Pi Linux computer. 

Then again, it might be more accurate to say that the Raspberry Pi foundation finally hit the obstacle it should have been able to foresee. 

Basically, the product could not be sold in Europe because it lacked compliance with CE quality guidelines. 

Now, though, the foundation is happy to announce that its small computer passed all the tests and didn't even need to go through hardware modifications for it. 

“We just received confirmation that the Raspberry Pi has passed EMC testing without requiring any hardware modifications,” the company wrote. 

“The Raspberry Pi had to pass radiated and conducted emissions and immunity tests in a variety of configurations (a single run can take hours), and was subjected to electrostatic discharge (ESD) testing to establish its robustness to being rubbed on a cat. It’s a long process, involving a scary padded room full of blue cones, turntables that rise and fall on demand, and a thing that looks a lot like a television aerial crossed with Cthulhu.” 

While the foundation was at it, Raspberry Pi also went through the effort of making sure the computer complies with FCC regulations and CTick guidelines too. 

In other words, when the Pi finally makes its way to the United States of America and Australia, respectively, history won't repeat itself. 

All that remains is for people to check their retailers in case they want to buy this thing (the price is $25 / 19 Euro), or wait until schools, colleges and universities get it through educational programs (at some point later this year).

Posted in: Hardware, Review