Innovation in the electronics industry has continued despite the recent the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Europe, the United States, and beyond. This week, we update you about the new Raspberry Pi Compute 4, an exciting announcement by NASA and Nokia, and more. 
News Byte: Raspberry Pi Compute 4 and more

New Raspberry Pi Compute 4

If you enjoy prototyping with Raspberry Pi, you'll be happy to learn about the new Compute Module 4, which costs only $25. According to Raspberry Pi, more than 3.5 million sold RPis end up into industrial and commericial applications each year. For designers who want a more compact solution or on-board eMMC storage, "Compute Module products provide a simple way to move from a Raspberry Pi-based prototype to volume production." The new version offers: a 1.5-GHz quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A72 CPU; 4Kp60 hardware decode of H.265 (HEVC) video; optional 8-, 16- or 32-GB eMMC flash storage, optional 2.4- and 5-GHz IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac wireless LAN and Bluetooth 5.0; and more. Get ready to take your idea to market!

The First Lunar Cellular Network

A lunar cellular network? Yes, it is in the works. Nokia announced this week that NASA has selected it to build the first cellular network on the Moon. The first ultra-compact, low-power LTE solution is slated for the lunar surface in 2022. "The solution has been specially designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the launch and lunar landing, and to operate in the extreme conditions of space," Nokia claims. "The fully integrated cellular network meets very stringent size, weight and power constraints of space payloads in an extremely compact form factor." This is exciting news for space buffs and wireless engineers alike.

STMicroelectronics Acquires SOMOS Semiconductor

STMicroelectronics is signaling a continued commitment to IoT and 5G technology with its acquisition of France-based SOMOS Semiconductor, which develops silicon-based power amplifiers and RF Front-End Modules (FEM). Currently, an NB-IoT/CAT-M1 module in the works. “With this acquisition, we reinforce our ambition to play a major role in RF FEM for a buoyant connectivity IoT market and we strengthen our roadmap of RF Front-End for the 5G markets,” STMicro announced, adding that the SOMOS technology, along with UWB technology and Riot Micro for NB-IoT modems, will enable it to offer “complete connectivity solutions” to its customers. Innovations in these areas create new opportunities for developers interested in delivering innovative new IoT and 5G solutions in a wide range of markets.

Coming Soon: Micro:bit V2

All of you BBC Micro:bit lovers out there are sure to be wowed by the newest version, which features a built-in speaker, a microphone, and a touch sensor. Imagine what you can do with it! This November, engineers, makers, and students will have a chance to experience the Micro:bit V2, which is billed as a more powerful device that includes the new Nordic RF52833. Learn more

Updates on the Raspberry Pi Compute 4, Micro:bit, and More

In future editions of our Electronics News Byte, we will publish updates about Raspberry Pi Compute 4, Micro:bit, and the other subjects mentioned in this post. Subscribe to Elektor’s weekly E-Zine to received DIY electronics projects, engineering tips, and more right in your inbox.