I just got a notification from digikey where I bought my pi-top from stating
The manufacturer (seeed) has announced the following part numbers (lists the part numbers for
PROTECTIVE CASE FOR PI-TOP 4, GR
PI-TOP [4] DIY EDITION
PI-TOP [4] ACCESSORY BUNDLE)
Are now obsolete.
What’s up? is there a new version? Or are they going out of production?
Here are the links, it says they are no longer being manufactured
update: I asked pi-top’s twitter account what’s up with digikey stating it’s no longer being manufactured and they replied:
[Friday May 12th] pi-top is indeed still being manufactured. We are just selling it as a bundle - with the pi-top 4, foundation kit, expansion plate, and robotics kit. Not in separate pieces. The DIY is no longer available though.
Sounds like they are abandoning the home maker/hacker market and focusing on schools that would make big purchases (like say a class set of 20+ full bundles). They are also increasing the price for teachers on their Further learning platform this week, which as a former university instructor I don’t agree is in their best interest. The best strategy is to give it away free to teachers, the more you can help make an (overworked and underpaid) teacher’s life easier the more they will recommend your product/service to their department/students who will ultimately buy your product.
I wonder how long before they cut off free access to further for home (non education) users
Thank you for the information.
I use the Pi-Top in School and for camps. They are great for this; however, what they forget is that once you teach the pupils, their imagination takes you in unexpected places. Having equipment to purchase, even if it is proprietary and therefore more expensive, is very useful.
Moreover, the Further is good, but it does not link with the curriculum, so I do not think that teachers will pay for the licence as it stands. Budgets are tight… very tight!
I say this because I really believe in this product. I think it is great and more purchase and replacement options for existing equipment would be great. I know our school would be constantly purchasing more from them if this were the case.