[Article updated on August 28th at 11:56 BST.] The Raspberry Pi seems to be a cornerstone of DIY bitcoin projects.The latest to grab our attention is a Raspberry Pi powered, bitcoin-funded, WiFi hotspot.Developer Richard Green posted on Reddit reporting that he had a working prototype of his bitcoin enabled WiFi hotspot.The hotspot, with the SSID "BitcoinWifi", allows connections (via port 8333) to bitcoin nodes, enabling payment for full access.Attempts to connect to other websites, prior to payment, will redirect to a payment page.There the client can pay an adjustable fee for between one and 24 hours.Once the payment has been processed, the web redirect is disabled and full web access is enabled – until the time slot expires.Green says the device requires zero configuration to get up and running.However, it is not rigged to be a mobile hotspot, it needs to be added to your existing infrastructure.That is, powered from a 5V USB mains adapter and connected to your building's router via Ethernet.

Green has written an administrative web page for sending the bitcoins from the Raspberry Pi's address to the main storage wallet.Green plans to sell the device as part of a kit that includes the Raspberry Pi, SD card with his software, and a USB WiFi dongle, for "about 1 BTC".He is currently collecting names of interested buyers, so if you're interested, message him on Reddit.The developer told us a website will be going live in the next few days, which will explain the project in more detail and display a road map of features from both him and interested parties.Also there are designs for the Raspberry Pi Bitcoin Hotspot coming soon too.Green is also working on a web interface for the hotspot using the Bootstrap framework - this will give a responsive design suitable for mobile devices.The first release of the hotspot will be its software stack.Green told us that the first alpha version will be available for download in three to four weeks.Ultimately, Green says that he will open source the software but wants to allow it to mature under his oversight so that it is in a stable and secure state before that happens.

As for shipping the hardware, Green is talking to distributors now and says  he'll supply the Raspberry Pi with a basic case and a logo bearing a sticker with the aforementioned logo.bitcoin geforce gtx 780Initially, the hardware will be sold at cost, but Green hopes to make a small profit through buying parts in bulk.bitcoin geckoGreen also is looking for sponsors for the project.bitcoins gejatHis vision is that sponsoring websites will have links on the hotspot's landing page, and clients will be able to visit those websites free of charge.bitcoin hype cycleIf you're interested in contributing to the project or sponsoring, then Green is looking for help.bitcoin hex color

You can contact him via .Green also invites suggestions for a new name of the device.bitcoin atm den haag[Update - 28th August 2013] Richard Green has now released a YouTube video showing how the Bitcoin WiFi Hotspot would work in practice: He has also posted an update on Reddit, explaining the differences between his project and a similar bitcoin WiFi project that doesn't use the Raspberry Pi.Bitcoin advocates have long tried to ditch the cryptocurrency’s reputation as a means to untraceably pay for illegal mind-altering substances.Paying for legal mind-altering substances may be a good first step.While Microsoft now accepts Bitcoin for some digital purchases and ATMs are popping up that can quickly exchange Bitcoin for cash, buying lunch or a car with the digital currency seems far off.But your next drink can easily be bought with Bitcoin now.Seattle startup Hotspot is adding Bitcoin support to their drink deals app today.

Users can now pay for discounted drinks with Bitcoin just as easily as if they were using a credit card in the app.But this isn’t just to help cryptocurrency enthusiasts spend their digital money, it’s also a way for the Hotspot’s bar and venue partners to take home some extra cash as well.“One of the big things that we realized pretty early is that these businesses … [have] 10 to 15 percent margins and anywhere between 3 to 4 percent of that goes toward credit card processing,” Hotspot co-founder and CEO Jasjit Singh said.“That, we thought, was pretty egregious.” Bitcoin, Singh said, allows bars to pay between half a percent and one percent on fees, meaning that they can keep more of their already slim margins for rent, paychecks and other costs.And for merchants, this is an easy way to start accepting Bitcoin as well, even if they don’t really know what Bitcoin is, since Hotspot is handling transactions from both credit card and Bitcoin users.“We just give them cash,” Singh said.

“A lot of our partner venues are not maybe as technically inclined as we are, and so they just see more money than they would have otherwise [since the credit card fees aren’t being taken out].We take care of all of the converting Bitcoins to dollars and so on.” Hotspot is working with payment processor Braintree to enable the Bitcoin transactions, which are now available at all Hotspot partner venues.At launch, users will be able to connect Coinbase wallets, thanks to Braintree’s partnership with the Bitcoin wallet service.Hotspot’s current model lets its 7,000 users pay for discounted drinks at about 60 venues across Seattle.However, the app is also organizing ongoing open-bar get-togethers, where users pay a $10–$15 entrance fee through the app, which means you may be able to pay for a whole evening out with just cryptocurrency.Hotspot is also working with a few partner venues to let you pay your whole tab through the app soon, cutting down on the risk that you’ll leave your credit card at the bar.