… a credit-card-sized board can power serious ideas, from home automation to robotics and AI.
The Raspberry Pi is one of my favorite tech products out there. The board itself is impressive, but what makes it truly amazing is the vibrant open source community and the projects they support. When I first started with Raspberry Pis, I kept things simple: I installed Raspbian and used it as a low-power desktop computer. I’d throw it in my bag and take it everywhere, whether on vacation or to client support visits, and it served its purpose perfectly.
Some of my favorite projects include
Pi-hole
DNS server with additional ad and tracker blocking.
Volumio
Combined with a DAC hat on the Pi itself, I connect it to my aound system at home and I stream music from my phone or tablet to enjoy great sounding audio.
OctoPrint
Connected to my 3D printer, I can load up a file to print, send it over the network, and have it print out on my printer in another part of the house.
Home Assistant
I have aquite a few IoT devices around the house, like lights and outlets that can all be controlled via the local Home Assistant controller. So, ti doe snot matter that I have internet or not because things just work and they work quickly too. More importantly, it is intuitive enough for the entire family to use.
I’ve even used Raspberry Pi Zero to create portable hotspots for ham radio. All of these projects are well-supported and work great.
If you’re interested in getting started with Raspberry Pi, check out BGR’s article title 10 Best Raspberry Pi Projects To Check Out In 2025 for some more ideas.