Ideas for next evolution of pyboard
Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 11:31 pm
Hi MicroPython community!
It's been almost 2 years since the Kickstarter campaign was successful, and just this week we started receiving boards from the third manufacturing run. The pyboard has been upgraded to v1.1 (LDO improved, 8MHz crystal changed to 12MHz, addition of JST battery connector) and we now have a lite pyboard with an STM32F411 (512k flash, 128k RAM, 96MHz, less peripherals than the F405, much lower power consumption) that sells for under GBP20 / USD25.
The pyboard with its current form-factor and feature set will remain available and supported for some time to come, but I know that we also need to innovate and provide exciting new hardware that makes the most of the cool new MCUs out there. After all, hardware sales directly support the ongoing development of the software.
So, what would you like to see in the next evolution of the pyboard?
Think outside the box! Are you interested in low cost and basic functionality? Or a quad-sized pyboard with hundreds of IO pins? Or builtin Ethernet? Or a builtin display? Is connectivity really important? I always wanted to make a half-sized pyboard, but that would lack IO and the SD card would need to go (maybe that's not a bad thing?).
There is also the option to develop more "skins" (epaper perhaps?), or support more 3rd party add-on modules (eg LCDs).
Please voice your ideas and opinions!
It's been almost 2 years since the Kickstarter campaign was successful, and just this week we started receiving boards from the third manufacturing run. The pyboard has been upgraded to v1.1 (LDO improved, 8MHz crystal changed to 12MHz, addition of JST battery connector) and we now have a lite pyboard with an STM32F411 (512k flash, 128k RAM, 96MHz, less peripherals than the F405, much lower power consumption) that sells for under GBP20 / USD25.
The pyboard with its current form-factor and feature set will remain available and supported for some time to come, but I know that we also need to innovate and provide exciting new hardware that makes the most of the cool new MCUs out there. After all, hardware sales directly support the ongoing development of the software.
So, what would you like to see in the next evolution of the pyboard?
Think outside the box! Are you interested in low cost and basic functionality? Or a quad-sized pyboard with hundreds of IO pins? Or builtin Ethernet? Or a builtin display? Is connectivity really important? I always wanted to make a half-sized pyboard, but that would lack IO and the SD card would need to go (maybe that's not a bad thing?).
There is also the option to develop more "skins" (epaper perhaps?), or support more 3rd party add-on modules (eg LCDs).
Please voice your ideas and opinions!