Kano inks deal with Toys R Us and Barnes & Noble to sell DIY computer kit

OREANDA-NEWS. July 27, 2016. In 2013, Kano debuted its Raspberry Pi-powered DIY computer kit on Kickstarter, with an aim to get kids pumped about coding and computing. Since then, it has raised more than \\$1.5 million from Kickstarter backers, and its kits will soon be available at Toys R Us and Barnes & Noble.

The kit includes a Raspberry Pi 3 mini-computer with accompanying plastic case, a bright orange keyboard, a speaker (that is also DIY), power and HDMI cables, a memory card, a USB power supply and a storybook (complete with stickers). It's designed for kids ages 6-12 and costs \\$150. (A Rasberry Pi 3 motherboard retails on its own for about \\$36.) You can check out ZDNet's hands-on of the Kano kit here.

With Toys R Us, Kano said the company "wanted to get our computer and coding kit to the mainstream with a trusted brand, and to show US shoppers the ideal holiday gift for a curious mind." As for its relationship with Barnes & Noble, Kano cited the retailer's "combination of reach and purpose" as a key factor in their partnership.

Aside from Toys R Us and Barnes & Noble, Kano said it has no plans to expand to other retailers in the US for now.