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Arduino
Arduino Forum Some thoughts on the last inventor kit from SparkFun
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Related

Some thoughts on the last inventor kit from SparkFun

balearicdynamics
balearicdynamics over 10 years ago

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13271?utm_source=SparkFun+Customer+Newsletter&utm_campaign=5582a812a4-June19_newslette…

 

What shown in the link above is essentially what is shown in the image below:

image

I have done a small test about its content:

The main piece is the sort of Spark-uino image, Arduino compatible etc. with optiboot instead of the standard Arduino bootloader. It costs 19$ from Sparkfun.

Then the kit includes:

DC motor, 2$ - 3$

20 coloured LEDs, 6$ for all, average price on Farnell site

3 pushbuttons + 2 (different size) and other discrete components for about 4$ (average price on Farnell site)

I want to ignore the cables, anyway we can add another 3$ for this stuff

Servo motor, around 6$

Sound sensor and accelerometer, 10$ (just to exagerate)

A small-sized breadboard with support, around 5$

 

The total of this stuff is less than 60$, most of them IMHO is useless.

 

The kit is sold at 149$, three times more (!!!) but what leave me astonished is that after years (because are years) the new, the last updated release, the non-plus-ultra again proposes always the same soup: a list of always the same circuits, from blinking a LED up to detect acceleration, detect sound and so on. With a very poor satisfaction of the customer, I think, as he should do nothing more than copy-and-plug the circuits designed on the documentation. That is all downloadable.

 

What a well educated, really supported user can do with 150$ ? I think more and more and more. With more satisfaction and surely acquiring more knowledge.

 

Just to share a point of view.

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Top Replies

  • mcb1
    mcb1 over 10 years ago +2
    balearicdynamics Enrico you are quite right about the cost markup ... just because it's packaged. Whether they supply you with Labview is perhaps the only difference. DAB The kit makes a great gift for…
  • ipv1
    ipv1 over 10 years ago +1
    I get most of my stuff from www.seeedstudios.com which is pretty decent in terms of the price. They offer free shipping for orders above 50USD and this order may also include PCBs! I recently got a solar…
  • mcb1
    mcb1 over 10 years ago in reply to balearicdynamics +1
    It seems that Labview is either another marketing exercise or the uptake was poor. That's a hefty discount ... Diligent are selling the Labview Home Bundle for $49 https://www.digilentinc.com/Products…
Parents
  • mcb1
    mcb1 over 10 years ago

    balearicdynamics

    Enrico you are quite right about the cost markup ... just because it's packaged.

    Whether they supply you with Labview is perhaps the only difference.

     

     

    DAB

    The kit makes a great gift for young kids just getting interested into the technology.

    Sorry but while I support this sort of gift, the price for this is just not worth it.

    There are many other kits or raw components out there that just make this an expensive marketing exercise IMO.

     

     

    This kit business to get new people into electronics comes up with my involvement in schools.

    My thought is that if the price is less than a video game then it should be no brainer for the parents.image

     

     

    We had a similar discussion regarding kits and good value back here. ...

    http://www.element14.com/community/message/148785/l/re-arduino-curriculum-for-home-school#148785

     

    Maybe its something that element14 could step up to the plate with.

    With their buying power and contacts they should be able to source and make a profit on a similar kit for USD$50.

     

    element14jamie

    nlarson

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  • balearicdynamics
    balearicdynamics over 10 years ago in reply to mcb1

    Last: three of the presented project in the "LabView Maker Hub" are done by a guy that - declared by himself in the videos - is an engineer at NI... Frankly I think we can expect a bit more if it is not again pure marketing.

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  • mcb1
    mcb1 over 10 years ago in reply to balearicdynamics

    It seems that Labview is either another marketing exercise or the uptake was poor.

    image

    That's a hefty discount ...

     

    Diligent are selling the Labview Home Bundle for $49

    https://www.digilentinc.com/Products/Detail.cfm?NavPath=2,1301,1450&Prod=LABVIEW-HE

    image

     

    Unfortunately their kit includes just the microcontroller, and no parts (that kit is also rather expensive)

     

    It is interesting that there are many discussions here about using Arduino software and how it teaches 'ignorance' (or other expressions), but these packages go one step further and are graphical.

     

    There is an alternative [roduct produced by a very clever man here in Chch.

    http://onerobot.org/products/12blocks/

    Best of all it covers so many other controllers ...

    image

     

     

     

    Mark

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  • mcb1
    mcb1 over 10 years ago in reply to balearicdynamics

    It seems that Labview is either another marketing exercise or the uptake was poor.

    image

    That's a hefty discount ...

     

    Diligent are selling the Labview Home Bundle for $49

    https://www.digilentinc.com/Products/Detail.cfm?NavPath=2,1301,1450&Prod=LABVIEW-HE

    image

     

    Unfortunately their kit includes just the microcontroller, and no parts (that kit is also rather expensive)

     

    It is interesting that there are many discussions here about using Arduino software and how it teaches 'ignorance' (or other expressions), but these packages go one step further and are graphical.

     

    There is an alternative [roduct produced by a very clever man here in Chch.

    http://onerobot.org/products/12blocks/

    Best of all it covers so many other controllers ...

    image

     

     

     

    Mark

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