Design Challenge Prizes - What Do You Want?

Here is an attempt to list the top 11 cool prizes for electronics experimenters in design challenges - in order of desirability:

1. oscilloscope
2. 3D printer
3. camera for video blogging
4. camera for macro photography
5. bench power supply
6. signal generator
7. accurate DVM
8. electronics CAD software
9. android phablet
10. prototyping breadboards and general purpose modules like PSoC kits, arduinos and RPi's
11. e14 vouchers

I am lucky to have most of this stuff but still missing a decent signal generator, so for me #6 and #11 are probably more motivating.

Nice list

Some kind of CNC router would also be nice.

In addition to what I have already wrote in a post before, that is a general view, personally for me it will be great a 3D printer. This will be one of the few cases the competition itself will be interesting as the prize because I use a mill machine and a 3D printer is not actually essential but will be perfect to complete the range of options to work on prototypes design. I should experience what are the cases in which I can reach the precision I need with a 3D printer instead of a mill machine.

You forgot the minions

I'm going through the edX course EE40LX right now, which i think e14 was involved with, and they use a myDAQ for all the measuring, including everything from volt meter to  oscilloscope. That, and the parts kit for that course (and perhaps for other similar online courses) might be suitable prizes too. Maybe others might also like sponsorship of certificates for such courses? I just take these courses for learning and fun, so certificates aren't important to me, but maybe younger folks might like that to add to their resumes.

Nico, that edX course looks good. I'd be interested in your review once it's done. I might have a look for work related courses too.

Well the 3D printer for the Xmas Lights challenge was a real motivator.

But even more fun was the Minion giveaways and Minion flavor Duck Tape for the current one.

It is quite weird what motivates us ???

So in some cases it is the little things but a grand prize that is tangible and will keep on going or helping with the hobby for a long time to come is always a winner

So

Oscilloscope

DMM

Soldering Iron / tools

Vouchers to use at the Newark Store

General EE Equipment

Electronic Kits for pleasure

Lab organization/ tools

Components and lots of 'em

I think everyone has something different to motivate them so cool and useful should cover it

Yes, silly stuff such as Minion Duck Tape would definitely motivate.

Following up on Nico's comment about the myDaq and my lack of a scope, I spotted this WFS210 - VELLEMAN SA - DIGITAL STORAGE OSCILLOSCOPE, WLAN | CPC UK

Andy Clark wrote:

 

Following up on Nico's comment about the myDaq and my lack of a scope, I spotted this WFS210 - VELLEMAN SA - DIGITAL STORAGE OSCILLOSCOPE, WLAN | CPC UK

That's a neat product, using a Tablet as display, and having it be wirelessly connected is nice!

I realized that because I already have a multimeter that the use of a myDaq for me would be mostly for oscilloscope anyway, so that would be a great option. Not sure what I would ever do with a function generator (also in the myDaq). Maybe that's for more advanced techies.

So far I'm enjoying it and learning a fair bit.

I was not sure what I was expecting, but it's a nice bonus that they are going into detail on different bits of circuits (like opAmps, and uses of resistors and capacitors etc).

So for me being a software-centric guy, it's nice that they focus a fair bit on the hardware side of it.