Kano has launched a $280 “Computer Kit Touch” version of its Raspberry Pi based computing education kit with an RPi 3B, a 10.1-inch HD touchscreen, plus a keyboard, speaker, mic, and 3000mAh battery.



Kano’s Raspberry Pi Model B based Kano kit computing education platform and Raspberry Pi 3 Model B based Kano Computer Kit were huge hits in both the educational and consumer markets. The company has now returned with a Computer Kit Touch version, which similarly aims to teach kids age 6 to 13 to program using visual tools and its Debian-based Kano OS.







Kano Computer Kit Touch

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The $280 Kano Computer Kit Touch adds a 10.1-inch touchscreen a wireless keyboard, mouse, 2W speaker, and mic. There’s also a 3000mAh battery with 2.5 to 3-hour support, and a 16GB microSD card loaded with Kano OS 4.0. The DIY kit retains the 1.2GHz Raspberry Pi 3 Model B single board computer of the previous model, but it’s a custom model with the 10/100 Ethernet port removed.

Kids can construct the Computer Kit Touch computer on their own. The kit houses the Pi within an acrylic case mounted on a stand that includes a slanted, 10.1-inch touchscreen. The screen offers 10-point capacitive touch and 1280 x 800 resolution.







Computer Kit Touch (left) and kit components

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Computer Kit Touch detail view

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The kit includes an HDMI cable for hooking up to a monitor in addition to the RGB-based touchscreen connection. A 3-port USB extension board provides external USB connections. The quadcore, Cortex-A53 based Pi, offers the usual 1GB RAM, as well as a 2.4GHz WiFi/ Bluetooth module and audio jack. Parental controls are available for Internet access.The Debian Linux based Kano OS 4.0 stack ships with a visual Scratch base environment with 100 drag-and-drop coding challenges that teach Python, Javascript, and Terminal commands. The kit also lets you “code pictures, build animations, and make musical masterpieces,” says Kano. “Take control of Minecraft, Pong and Snake. Make exclusive voice, sound, and touch projects. Play with Song Maker.”

Kids can also use or modify some of the more than 600,000 creations available on the thriving Kano community site. Kano OS also comes with LibreOffice, which includes word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing, math formula and database applications. The kit supports existing Kano add-on kits such as the Pixel Kit, Motion Sensor Kit, and Harry Potter Coding Kit, although the latter has only a limited number of touch-enabled challenges.

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Kano Computer Kit Touch video intro



Further information

The Kano Computer Kit Touch is available for $280 including the RPi 3B SBC. More information may be found in Kano’s Computer Kit Touch announcement and shopping page. The kit is also available in the UK (£280) and Canada (C$380).