First off, you need: A Raspberry Pi 3 Ubuntu Mate or another OS that’ll run, at minimum with internet access A screen Then you can get started.

I bought the Raspberry Pi 3 the moment it launched, ordering from the official element14 store in China — original board, original case. The case showed up ages ago. The board itself, element14 called to say it wouldn’t ship until the end of March. Credit where it’s due though, they actually shipped it.