BBC micro:bit ‘first programmable device’ now in distribution
element14 is the manufacturing partner for the device, which has features such as;
25 red LEDs – children are encouraged to light them up, flash messages, create games, and invent digital stories
Two programmable buttons – associate them with an action and interact with projects
On-board motion detector – just like a smartphone; the BBC micro:bit can react to shakes, tilts, and even drops
A built-in compass – sense which direction you’re facing and your movement in degrees
Bluetooth Smart Technology and Low Energy – connect to the internet and the world around
Five Input and Output rings – connect the BBC micro:bit directly to other devices using crocodile clips or 4mm banana plugs, and send commands back and forth.
The BBC micro:bits will ship in July so children and parents can take advantage of the summer holidays to begin their journey into coding; following that, element14 will begin fulfilling orders from its regular sales channels.
The BBC micro:bit can be pre-ordered from element14, the Microsoft Store, Technology Will Save Us, Kitronic and Sciencescope and other resellers. Prices range from £12.99 for a single BBC micro:bit; £14.99 for the starter kit ‘BBC micro:bit Go’, which includes a BBC micro:bit, mini USB, battery pack and four project ideas to get users started; and £140.00 for a ‘BBC micro:bit Club’ pack, which includes 10 devices and everything needed to get a coding club started.
The BBC and partners launched the BBC micro:bit in March 2016, aiming to inspire a new generation of digital pioneers, and building on the ground-breaking role of the BBC Micro, which helped introduce the nation to computing in the 1980s. The BBC micro:bit can be used in conjunction with other single board computers to increase potential applications and expand opportunities, for example utilising the bluetooth technology within the BBC micro:bit to create a tiny, handheld remote control for games or vehicles built on your Raspberry Pi, Beaglebone Black or Arduino board.
The device is supported by a website, www.microbit.co.uk, that features a range of resources and tutorials to help teachers, parents and students take advantage of the BBC micro:bit’s vast potential. The BBC micro:bit can also be coded direct from a smartphone, with apps available for Android and iOS designed by Samsung and ScienceScope respectively.
element14; www.element14.com/microbit
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