If you always wanted to run a Bitcoin node but did not want to spend $40 plus shipping on a Raspberry Pi, fear not because an even cheaper alternative is here. Today, the UK based company released the Raspberry Pi Zero, a brand new model priced at only $5. It includes a 1Ghz processor along with a Micro SD slot, USB outputs, HDMI output, and a few other components which are included in the other Raspberry Pi models.

Surprisingly, the tiny board is 40% faster than the original Raspberry Pi 1. At such a low price, you can setup a bitcoin node for about $15, factoring in shipping and the micro SD card costs. The Raspberry Pi Zero comes preinstalled with full Raspbian, along with an installation of Minecraft. The Pi Zero shows just how cheap computers are becoming, which is leading us into the next revolution – IOT.

IOT or Internet of Things is a phrase used to describe a network connected with physical objects such as microwaves, toasters, garage doors, house alarms, etc. Soon, computer chips will become so cheap to manufacture that your toaster will come preembedded with a wifi adapter and a processor. As a result, much more functionality can be added to simple physical things like a toaster and the network of physical things will evolve. Soon, it is going to be a norm for garage doors to communicate to a car’s GPS via wifi and open when it detects the car nearby.

If you are a Bitcoin user and would like to support the Bitcoin network then consider investing in setting up a bitcoin node. With the release of the Raspberry Pi Zero you have no excuse for inaction. Some incentives in running a full node include the ability to rebroadcast your own transactions, the ability to launch bitcoin services and products, and most importantly running a full node gives you somewhat of a voice when it comes to the block size debate.

As we know, there have been many BIPs (Bitcoin Improvement Proposals) which try to propose the next best algorithm for increasing the block size. As a node operator, you have the ability to choose which version of the bitcoin protocol your node will run. If you agree with a certain BIP more so than another you can run your node with the included BIP and other miners will see that. While its true that the real voters when it comes to the blocksize debate are miners, if the miners see significant support for a certain BIP then they might switch part of the pool’s hashrate to the new version of bitcoin which shows more support.

If you are a bitcoin developer or simply a bitcoin enthusiast that wants to support the network and not hurt your wallet then consider purchasing the new Raspberry Pi Zero and setting up a node. If you liked this article follow us on twitter @themerklenews and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest bitcoin and altcoin price analysis and the latest cryptocurrency news.