Reports are saying that the new Raspberry Pi 2 credit-card-sized computer reboots itself when it is exposed to camera flashes. It’s thought that the glitch of part of the “photoelectric effect” phenomenon, first discovered by Albert Einstein. Einstein found that light generated a charge when it hit a component, with the creator of the device calling the glitch an “unintentional educational bonus”.
The device’s creator Eben Upton said that he was previously unaware that the Pi would be sensitive to flashes. However, he said that he was not overly dismayed to hear the news, claiming he would be more concerned if it was “destroying devices”.
The camera-shy phone launched last week. Some owners have decided to cover up the cells in question with Blu-Tack. Upton said that he had no plans to fix the bug, which is only really likely to affect anyone trying to take a picture of the phone. However, he said that a “component with more optical screening” might be used at some point in the future. The Raspberry Pi 2 offers faster processing times that its predecessor. The device is being used in schools to teach children how to program. Read about one of the imaginative uses found for the original Raspberry Pi here.
