Our kid’s show “A is for Ampere” – Circuit Playground Episode 1″ is now featured on youtube.com/edu. Next episode is coming out soon, B IS FOR BATTERY!

YouTube EDU brings learners and educators together in a global video classroom. On YouTube EDU, you have access to a broad set of educational videos that range from academic lectures to inspirational speeches and everything in between.

Come here for quick lessons from top teachers around the world, course lectures from top-tier universities, or inspiring videos to spark your imagination.

Adafruit’s new kid’s show is here! Circuit Playground “A is for Ampere” – Episode 1, learn all about electronics with Ladyada, ADABOT and special guests! Ampere describes the number of electrons that flow through a circuit in one second. It is named after Andre-Marie Ampere – http://adafruit.com/coloringbook/

Credits:

• Ladyada – Limor Fried
• Andre-Marie Ampere – Collin Cunningham
• ADABOT – Collin Cunningham & Phil Torrone, Puppet by Anney Fresh, design by Bruce Yan
• Music: Tom White & Collin Cunningham
• Intro animation – Bruce Yan
• Written, filmed, edited, directed and produced by – Collin Cunningham, Limor Fried, Phil Torrone and the Adafruit team

caitlinsdad writes:

Awww, You make me blush. Wouldn’t it be cool to animate your Adafruit Circuit Playground electronic component plushie? I have Ruby the Red LED plushie. I wanted it to light up and have it respond to sound.  Here  is an easy mod to get that done. Sorry, no lasers this time.

Probably wouldn’t really be considered old-school soft circuits but probably more of a hybrid, electronics in a softshell case. I still have a bobbin of conductive thread I need to do something with. Note that this was a first attempt  in trying to do a mod with stuff I had on hand but I will offer suggestions on what you should do to get a more satisfactory result.

Ruby’s partner in crime Mho the Resistor plushie has been modded as an analog resistor value decoder.

From phenoptix

Mho has a laid back, passive personality. He likes to do as little work as possible, and prefers to simply let the world happen around him. Mho is kind of a hippy, and is very quiet and gentle. He is best friends with Ruby, the red LED, who shares his idealism, though he’s often reluctant to go off with her on her adventures because he thinks they will probably end up in trouble. Mho has sort of a nasally, hippie voice (California accent, but not a surfer). His catch phrase is “no worries, man. it’s all easy.”

Get Mho!

Resistors are passive electrical devices that resist the flow of an electrical current. The voltage across and the current through a resistor are related by Ohm’s law. Unlike capacitors and inductors, the resistance of a resistor does not change with its frequency. The amount a resistor constricts the flow of a current is its resistance. ‘Thru-hole’ resistors are labeled by their resistance using a color band scheme.

Mho!

says hi

Connie is the co-leader of the group with Cappy. Connie is much more level-headed though, and somewhat of mother figure for the others, particularly Ruby and Billie. She is very thorough, remarkably smart, and has a good heart. She is very dedicated to the others and acts as a balance to the zaniness of Cappy and Ruby. Connie is able to handle Hans’ indecision, Ruby’s hyperactivity, Billie’s soulful blueness and Cappy’s impulsiveness with good natured aplomb. Her catchprase is “very nice, very nice” said in an unpatronizing, motherly, humoring sort of way

About BJTs:
The first BJTs were created at Bell Labs in 1948 by William Shockley, building on his work with John Bardeen and Walter Brattain in 1947. A transistor is an active electronic device which allows one circuit to control another circuit, and as such finds use as a switch, amplifier, or buffer.

More!

Board layout goes a lot faster with help from Mho and Hans

Mho has a laid back, passive personality. He likes to do as little work as possible, and prefers to simply let the world happen around him. Mho is kind of a hippy, and is very quiet and gentle. He is best friends with Ruby, the red LED, who shares his idealism, though he’s often reluctant to go off with her on her adventures because he thinks they will probably end up in trouble. Mho has sort of a nasally, hippie voice (California accent, but not a surfer). His catch phrase is “no worries, man. it’s all easy.”

About resistors:
Resistors are passive electrical devices that resist the flow of an electrical current. The voltage across and the current through a resistor are related by Ohm’s law. Unlike capacitors and inductors, the resistance of a resistor does not change with its frequency. The amount a resistor constricts the flow of a current is its resistance. ‘Thru-hole’ resistors are labeled by their resistance using a color band scheme.

Get Mho!

Hans is the ‘old man’ of the group. He tends to be nervous and is often indecisive. Hans frequently changes his mind, and is a little fidgety (he oscillates) when he’s not moving around. He is very meticulous and precise in other ways; Hans does not like to compromise, preferring to be in a steady state until a dramatic change is called for. Hans speaks with the voice of a kindly old man with a Swiss-German accent, though his voice can become more nasally when he’s upset or feels strongly about something. His catchphrase is “maybe so, but perhaps not.”

About the 555:
The 555 timer IC was designed by Hans Camenzind in 1971. It consists of two threshold triggers, an RS flip-flop, and an output buffer. The 555 provides an easy, reliable way to create rectangular waveforms of adjustable pulse width and frequency by using different external component values.

Get Hans!

Just watch out for the blue smoke monster

Ben writes -

How do you get from plates to glasses? I was not sure but Mho was able to help. The plushies caused some giggles and I thought you might appreciate a share.

Mho has a laid back, passive personality. He likes to do as little work as possible, and prefers to simply let the world happen around him. Mho is kind of a hippy, and is very quiet and gentle. He is best friends with Ruby, the red LED, who shares his idealism, though he’s often reluctant to go off with her on her adventures because he thinks they will probably end up in trouble. Mho has sort of a nasally, hippie voice (California accent, but not a surfer). His catch phrase is “no worries, man. it’s all easy.”

About resistors:
Resistors are passive electrical devices that resist the flow of an electrical current. The voltage across and the current through a resistor are related by Ohm’s law. Unlike capacitors and inductors, the resistance of a resistor does not change with its frequency. The amount a resistor constricts the flow of a current is its resistance. ‘Thru-hole’ resistors are labeled by their resistance using a color band scheme.

Get Mho!

Here are the Circuit Playground plushies, we have a lot of things planned with the cute components, from teaching “props” to special projects to puppet versions for our upcoming kid’s show. Most of all we know it’s hard to figure exactly what will spark a young mind on to the journey towards science, technology, engineering, art, math and more – we wish we had these when were young We’re waiting on the blue LED ones to arrive in a week or so (Billie) she’s always late, but shows up dressed to glow

CAPPY THE CAPACITOR
HANS THE 555 TIMER CHIP
MHO THE RESISTOR
CONNIE THE TRANSISTOR
RUBY THE RED LED
GUS THE GREEN LED

Tons of photos after the jump!

ADABOT is on Snapchat (Real-time Picture Chatting for iOS and Android). We are experimenting with Snapchat, our friendly robot ADABOT is on the service (username: adabot). Feel free to add ADABOT and get photos live from the Adafruit factory where ADABOT lives.

What is Snapchat?
Snapchat is the fastest way to share a moment on iPhone and Android – up to 10x faster than MMS. You control how long you want your friends to view your messages.

We think this will be a fun way to share some of the behind the scenes photos of ADABOT & the factory with young engineers!

Amiga custom chips @ Wikipedia.

In addition to the Amiga chipsets, various specially designed chips have been used in Commodore Amiga computers that do not belong to the ‘Amiga chipset’ in a tight sense.

Gary (the Gate Array)…
Fat Gary
Gayle
Buster
Super Buster (Fat Buster)
CIA
Ramsey & (Super) DMAC
8727 DMA
Amber
Budgie
Bridgette
Akiko
Vidiot

More here.

New Year’s Resolutions From 10 Top Minds and Makers @ Wired Design.

Every New Year people around the globe resolve to get healthy by joining gyms, eating better and quitting the detrimental habits that we complain about for the remaining eleven and a half months. We applaud those efforts, but propose that in 2013, we don’t just work on our waistlines, but on our hacking, coding, soldering and making skills as well.

We’ve gathered 10 DIY experts to get their proposed New Year’s resolutions, including repurposing forgotten materials and 3-D printing less stuff. And documenting projects better, something you’ll hear from a few of them. Read up, then get to your workshop.

Here’s to an inspired and productive 2013.

Read more!

Circuit Playground’s version 1.6.3 update adds a new feature and irons out a few more wrinkles in the app’s attire, namely:

LED Resistor Calculator now provides power rating
In addition to recommended resistance, this calculator now outputs the minimum resistor wattage.

Bugfix for Ohms Law Calculator sometimes truncating current value
Smaller current values will now be presented correctly

Bugfix for LED Resistor Calculator value saving on iPhone
iPhone users may have noticed this calc not saving values – all fixed now!

Please take a moment to update and then resume being awesome.

Circuit Playground’s version 1.6.2 update tidies up a few details in the app, namely:

Increased Show & Tell photo sizes on non-retina devices
All devices now submit photos at the standardized dimensions

Improved UI functionality in Show & Tell module
Buttons respond immediately, prior to camera/photo library appearing

Fix for incorrect scrolling height in Pinouts module
Bugfix for Pinouts list being unable to fully scroll to bottom in iPad landscape orientation.

Please commence updating – and creating!

Circuit Playground (iOS Only) – Circuit Playground simplifies electronics reference & calculation so you can have more fun hacking, making, & building your projects! This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad.

• Decipher resistor & capacitor codes with ease
• Calculate power, resistance, current, and voltage with the Ohm’s Law & Power Calc modules
• Quickly convert between decimal, hexadecimal, binary or even ASCII characters
• Calculate values for multiple resistors or capacitors in series & parallel configurations
• Store, search, and view PDF datasheets
• Access exclusive sneak peaks, deals & discounts at Adafruit Industries

ElectroDroid (Android Only) – Powerful collection of electronics tools and reference.A must for any enthusiast

ElectroDroid is a simple and powerful collection of electronics tools and reference; it includes: Resistor color code decoder (3-6 bands), Inductor color code decoder, Ohm’s law calculator, Reactance calculator, Voltage divider, Resistor ratio, value/series/parallel, Capacitor charge calculation, and much much more.

AutoCAD WS (multi-platform) – Open and edit DWG files with just a web browser and from any computer. Manage and edit drawing files using a powerful set of AutoCAD© tools.

Mechanical Engineer (iOS Only) – part of MultiEducator’s “Formulator” Line, is the perfect tool for any Mechanical Engineer or engineering student. Available for both iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch, our Mechnical Engineer app contains over 300 important mechanical engineering formulas, there are over 300 additional conversion formulas in the program as well as 70 area formulas. Major areas covered in the program now include: Actuators Bearings, Belts, Boiler, Brakes, Clutches, Elevators, Gears,Fluid Power, Heat Transfer,Internal Combustion, Kinetic Energy, Metalworking, Plates, Plumbs, Power Plants, Refrigeration,Shafts Springs and Vehicle Drive.

Educreations (iOS Only) – an interactive white board.  Educreations turns your iPad into a recordable whiteboard. Creating a great video tutorial is as simple as touching, tapping and talking. Explain a math formula… Create an animated lesson… Add commentary to your photos… Diagram a sports play…

With voice recording, realistic digital ink, photos and text, and simple sharing through email, Facebook or Twitter, now you can broadcast your ideas from anywhere.

SHIPPING DEADLINES

Here are your 2012 shipping deadlines for ordering from Adafruit. Please review our shipping section if you have specific questions on how and where we ship worldwide for this holiday season.

UPS ground (USA orders): Place orders by Friday 11am ET – December 14, 2012 – Arrive by 12/24/2012 or sooner.

UPS 3-day (USA orders): Place orders by Wednesday 11am ET – December 19, 2012 – Arrive on 12/24/2012.

UPS 2-day (USA orders): Place orders by Thursday 11am ET – December 20, 2012 – Arrive on 12/24/2012.

UPS overnight (USA orders): Place orders by Friday 11am ET – December 21, 2012 – Arrive on 12/24/2012.

UPS International: Place orders by Monday 11am ET – December 17, 2012. Can take up extra time due to worldwide delays and customs. Should arrive by 12/24/2012 or sooner.

Please note: We do not offer Saturday service for UPS.
Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012, Christmas, no UPS pickup or delivery service.
Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, New Year’s Day, no UPS pickup or delivery service.

United States Postal Service, First Class and Priority (USA orders): Place orders by Friday – December 14, 2012 – Arrive by 12/24/2012 or sooner.

USPS First class mail international (International orders): Place orders by Friday – November 23, 2012. Can take up to 30 days ore more with worldwide delays and customs. Should arrive by 12/24/2012 or sooner, but not a trackable service cannot be guaranteed to arrive by 12/24/12.

USPS Express mail international(International orders): Place orders by Friday – December 14, 2012. Can take up to 15 days or more with worldwide delays and customs. Should arrive by 12/24/2012 or sooner.

Gift Certificates are always available at any time.

When in doubt contact us!

Adafruit’s Circuit Playground simplifies electronics reference & calculation so you can have more fun hacking, making, & building your projects! This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad and it’s now being featured on Apple’s App Store!

The App Store features amazing educational apps that cover a wide range of subjects for a variety of levels of learning styles. Whether you’re a student, teacher, or lifelong learned, these handpicked collections will engage you on academic topics of all kinds and inspire creative development in music, photography, and more. For teachers, they supply indispensable tools that will inspire students in every classroom.

Adafruit’s app Circuit Playground is in the Physics / Electricity and Magnetism section. Circuit playground is also set up for educational pricing and the app is basically “free” since we give you a discount code!

Not on iOS? If you’d like to support a cool Android app and developer check out ElectroDroid.

Hot on the heels of v1.6, Circuit Playground’s 1.6.1 update takes full advantage of the iPhone 5′s four inch display, adding newly optimized layouts throughout the app. This latest update also streamlines user interface elements for all iOS devices.

Plus – every calculator & converter now remembers your input values and mode selections, so you can always pick up where you left off from a previous session. And if need be, all input values can be reset via the Options menu. This feature was available for a few calcs previously, but now works throughout the app.

Be sure to grab the 1.6.1 update from the App Store if you haven’t already. And if you did – I deem you awesome!

Circuit Playground’s 1.6 update brings another heaping helping of electronics assistance to our highly nutritious iOS app. Be sure to grab it fresh from the App Store if you haven’t already. Let’s dig in to what’s new on the menu in 1.6 -

• Resistor Divider Calculator

Enter any three of the four values: Vin, Vout, R1, & R2 – and your voltage divider is ready for the breadboard.

• Heat Sink Calculator

Make sure that heat sink can keep your component (relatively) cool while in use – provide the top four values, then enter Power or Junction Temp to calculate the remaining. Temperature can be given in Fahrenheit or Celsius.

• Wavelength to Color Converter

It’s a little tough to visualize an LED’s color when you only have its light wavelength go by. Input that nanometer value into the Wavelength to Color Converter for a preview of the color + relevant RGB/Hex values. Alternatively – use the color slider to find a color’s wavelength.

• Trace Width Calculator

Ensure your PCB traces can handle your circuit’s current – calculate the required trace width by providing 4 values for your project. Includes unit options for temperature & length values.

• Quarter Wave Calculator

Find the antenna length you’ll need to use for a given frequency, or the corresponding frequency for a given length. Length can be specified in feet/inches or metric value.

• New Pinouts for connectors, ICs, & boards

We’ve added a bunch of useful pinout diagrams to the app including – Raspberry Pi GPIO, MAX232, LM386, 74HC595, USB (A&B), RS232 (DB-9), VGA (DB-15), Ethernet (RJ-45), 16×2 LCD, 78xx, & 78Lxx

• Show & Tell more!

Show & Tell now lets you share multiple pics & video with Adafruit. Choose up to 3 photos and/or 1 video clip to represent your project – tap a thumbnail image to review each piece of media or remove it from your submission. Of course you can also use your iPad/iPhone/iPod’s camera to grab new pics or video – each one will automatically be saved to your device’s photo library.

Also – Circuit Playground 1.6 also adds support for iOS 6 & requires iOS 4.3 or later. Changing calculator pages on iPad can now be done with a two-finger swipe across the main view.

Circuit Playground 1.6 is available now on the App Store and is a free update for existing users. Bon appetit!

‘Sesame Street’ Adds ‘Elmo the Musical’ @ NYTimes.com.

…Each adventure — there will be 10 in rotation this year and 5 added next season — includes snappy original songs, a special musical cue to indicate that Elmo is using his imagination (and thus viewers should too) and math skills to learn, part of the show’s current focus on a curriculum of science, technology, engineering and math, popularly known as STEM. More educational activities will be online.

Using puppets/muppets to teach STEM.

Capacitor - Cappy, Cappy E. Lectricfield
Red LED – Ruby!
Green LED – Gus, New yorker, LED, sounds a bit like Richard Feynman
Blue LED – Billie, sings the blues
Transistor – Connie, short for “silicon”
555 timer IC – Hans, named after Hans Camenzind
Resistor - Mho!

• Capacitor – “Cappy”
• 555 timer – Hans, named after its inventor
• Transistor – “Connie” for silicon
• Red LED – Rudy
• Green LED – Gus
• Blue LED – Bluey
• Resistor – Mho

Post up in the comments here or on Google+

Paul sent in his latest project via the Circuit Playground show-and-tell feature! He writes -

Hi Adafruit! Here’s something I made that I wanted to share… Dc motor driver board . Relays, mosfets and transistors. Powers two motors. The relay flips the positive and negative leads to the motor. The transistor drives the relay coil, and the MOSFET provides on/off and pwm speed control.

From the planning stages of Circuit Playground we’ve had a lot of features we’ve been really looking forward to – things like a kid’s game module “angry circuits!” to amazing new calcs like Op Amp Calculators. The Op Amp calcs just made it in with today’s release *and* so did “Show and Tell”. Show-and-tell is an extension of our weekly live video show and tell on Google+ Hangouts live (tons of makers, 31 weeks & 12+ hours of show and tells!). The iPhone/iPad can take photos so we figured it would be a great way for makers to share their photos of their projects. Just load up Circuit Playground, hit the show and tell menu item and send off a photo of your project from the camera or your stored photos. That’s it! Our team will check it out and post to our site. We’ll eventually add video and other features, please try this out – we’ll think you’ll really like it!

Hi Adafruit!

Here’s something I made that I wanted to share…a battery-powered controller to monitor the water level of a livestock tank and turn on/off an irrigation valve using a DC latching solenoid, an H-Bridge driver, and an MSP430 micro controller. More project details including links to schematic, design files, and software are at www.zephyr-labs.com

Thank you,
Maddox

Sent via Circuit Playground.

Circuit Playground 1.5 update is by far our biggest update yet – and as you may have already guessed, it contains much newness and improvements!

Check out some of the new features below:

Op Amp Calculators


Eight Op Amp Circuits total – including such classics as: Inverting Amp, Non-inverting Amp, Summing Amp, Differentiator, Integrator, Differential Amp, Current Source, + a Buffer schematic thrown in for good measure.

Op Amp Pinouts


When you’re ready to build that operational amplifier circuit, swipe on over to the Op Amp Pinout Reference where you’ll find layouts for the most common single, dual, & quad op amp IC packages.

Show & Tell


Got a finished project you’d like to show off? We want to see it! Circuit Playground’s new Show & Tell section lets you easily snap a pic or choose one from your photo library, then send it to Adafruit along with your project description.

Touch schematic components to change values.



On any calculator that includes a schematic, you can now edit input values by tapping the relevant component symbol.

+ Additional improvements throughout


You’ll also notice a quite a few other tweaks and improvements added to make the app easier to use.

Version 1.5 is a free update for all current users – and as always, can be downloaded from the App Store. Thanks again to everyone who purchased Circuit Playground + all the helpful feedback & reviews – do stay tuned for more awesome!

iPhone Tools for Creative Types @ Wired Design.

The iPhone is a Swiss Army Knife for makers. It looks like a brick of metal and glass, but with the touch of a button, instantly becomes almost any tool required. No matter if you’re a vegan looking for a new way to cook seitan or a carnivore searching for the ultimate grill gadget, there’s an app for that. Kids working on their first tree fort, grandfathers building their 1,000th ship in a bottle, and kitchen table crafters alike can use these 10 apps to get inspired, develop ideas, and share their work with the masses.
So get that knife out of your pocket and tool up!

Features Circuit Playground!

lowlights papercraft resistor helper on Thingiverse — make your own!

Hot on the heels of the Circuit Playground v1.1 update, comes one more decimal point – and with it, some welcome changes! Specifically, the following:

• Bug fix for RC Filter Calc’s High Pass mode displaying incorrect unit label
The Delay value’s label was displaying “sec” instead of “Hz” – but no longer.

• Bug fix for zero value input errors on 555 Calc & RC Filter Calc, plus relevant alert views
If a zero value is entered, a pop-up now kindly asks you for a non-zero value.

• Added alert view for component count fields in Multi Resistor & Capacitor Calcs
The Multi component calculators accept a component count of 2 to 9, and now express their needs appropriately.

Do be sure to grab the update from the App Store. And for those who already did – thanky.
There is much more exciting newness currently in the works for Circuit Playground – this thing just keeps on growing!

Papercrafts at Adafruit! We’re excited to share this Resistor Helper you can download and make yourself. It’s the newest tool in our Circuit Playground family– when you can’t get to your iPhone or iPad, use paper! One side helps you read 4-band types and the other side takes care of 5-band types. The Resistor Helper is on Thingiverse as a PDF (with Illustrator editability preserved). Designed by Adafruit with Matthew Borgatti. You can also grab the PDF on github.

Read on to learn how to put it together!

Print out your Resistor Helper in color. It’s sized to fit on one 8.5″ x 11″ sheet.

The wheels are paired with small arrows. Cut around the holder and separate your wheel pairs from each other.

Cut out and glue pairs of colored wheels back to back.

Liquid glue can make the paper curl a bit, so we recommend drying the wheels under a heavy book (or warm laptop) for about an hour. Or you can use a glue stick!

Line up your colored wheels by the letters and numbers – 4a is the first wheel on the 4-band side, for example. Keep track of your pieces because we’re about to cut out the ID numbers!

Use a craft knife to carefully cut out the viewing windows in the holder.

Double check your windowed holder against your row of wheels so you still remember where they go.

Now carefully cut out the inner circles on your wheels, placing each one back in line before cutting the next one.

Of course you can always refer back to this page if you forget which wheel is which!

Cut small slits over the red dots on the holder (both sides = 8 cuts). This is where the paper fasteners will anchor each wheel.

Shorten the tabs on four paper fasteners with a pair of clippers.

This is optional but we think it looks nicer!

Use a ruler to gently score (but not cut!) the fold line on the holder.

The holder folds easily and neatly after scoring.

Pierce a paper fastener through a tab on one side of the holder and through a wheel.

You can assemble the Resistor Helper with either side as the “front,” but we think you’ll use the 4-band side more often.

Pierce through the opposite side of the holder and flare out the tabs on the fastener to secure.

Repeat with the other three wheels.

Once you’ve verified you assembled the wheels in the right order, carefully glue the corners/edges together of the holder.

That’s it! Use and enjoy! Tutorial also on Instructables and Make: Projects.

Software updates that deliver new “performance optimizations”, “stability enhancements”, etc … they’re nice and all, but you know what I like – new features!  Version 1.1 of Adafruit’s Circuit Playground packs in quite a few of those nice new things.  Let’s have look, shall we?

• 555 Timer Calculator

Designed to assist in the construction of 555-based oscillators and one-shot delay circuits, the 555 Timer Calc allows you to specify component values and find the resulting frequency/delay, or vise-versa.  Those component values are also plugged right into the relevant schematic displayed for your referencing enjoyment.

• RC Cutoff Filter Calculator

Similar to the 555 Calc (though a bit simpler), the RC Filter Calc expedites the design of basic cutoff filters.  Did you know that both high & low pass RC filters are calculated using the same equation?  You did … ah, very good then.  In case you’d like to reference said equation, you can find it shown at the bottom of this calc’s display.

• Microcontroller Reference

Need a pinout for the ATTiny2313?  Then the Microcontroller Reference module is your friend, providing zoomable vector diagrams for popular Atmel chips – courtesy of our friends at Akafugu.  More pinouts to come – any in particular you’d care to see added?

• Additional Additions

Several other elements have been spruced up as well, including a revamped index menu for iPhone/iPod as well as relevant equations displayed at the bottom of each calculator module.  Users of the iPad 3 New iPad will also notice Playground’s graphics have been thoroughly retinatized (sp?), utilizing 200% more luxurious pixels than prior incarnations. Aah yes, pixel luxury … Oh and v1.1 does include quite a few of those slightly less glamorous enhancement & optimization type changes under the hood.

Big thanks to everyone who sent us user feedback for Circuit Playground. Version 1.1 is available now in the App Store, and as always, updates are free – more good stuff to come!

Fraser Speirs – Blog – We Need to Talk About Android. Good overview of some of the growing pains with Android if you’re a developer. Chart above, Android update history by MICHAEL DEGUSTA.

Right now, the Android platform looks stalled in the marketplace at Android 2.x. Android 2, coupled with vague promises of future upgrades seems to ‘good enough’ for most carriers and OEM manufacturers. Even Sony just launched their Experia S phone with Android 2.3 and a promise to upgrade to Android 4 in Q2 2012 (we’ve heard that one before).

And…

From a purely economic perspective, I can no longer legitimize spending time on Android apps, and the new features of the market do nothing to change this.  While this news may be disappointing, I hope people can accept that we’ve done everything we can reasonably do to bring our apps to as many potential players as possible, despite the obstacles.

Another note about the challenges here. Some have suggested we do a free version for Android and fill it with ads, we’re not really in to that idea. It’s also hard for experts to figure all this out too.

A few people have asked if we’ll an Android version of our “Circuit Playground” app. The short answer is yes, in the works. We’re working on getting our iOS offering rock solid, fully featured and then we’ll be able to look at the best way to deploy an Android app. The good news, we have some time for adding features and for the Android world to settle a bit so it’s easy for us to maintain multiple apps. And while that’s all happening we’ll continue to sell and support the Arduino ADK, along with an upcoming Android-related product we’re excited about! (more on that soon).

Adafruit’s Circuit Playground update 1.0.2 is in Apple’s iTunes App Store! If you have 1.0 you automatically get the update for free. If you were on the fence, now is a great time to pick up our app! Here’s are the updates for 1.0.2

What’s New in Version 1.0.2

• Improved support for multiple region formats
• Clear buttons now available for text fields
• Additional tweaks & optimizations

As you can tell we’re working on updates and new features with this app. Best of all, when you buy the app you get a coupon for Adafruit store for the cost of the app!

“Very useful “by MakerMaker
Incredibly handy for anyone working in electronics. Perfect for engineers and non-engineers alike.

“Just what this hobbyist needs” by JoshuaUnwin
I love the clean look and focused tools in this app. It has earned a spot on my first home screen…

Circuit Playground simplifies electronics reference & calculation so you can have more fun hacking, making, & building your projects! This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad.

• Decipher resistor & capacitor codes with ease
• Calculate power, resistance, current, and voltage with the Ohm’s Law & Power Calc modules
• Quickly convert between decimal, hexadecimal, binary or even ASCII characters
• Calculate values for multiple resistors or capacitors in series & parallel configurations
• Store, search, and view PDF datasheets
• Access exclusive sneak peaks, deals & discounts at Adafruit Industries

All that, plus updates with additional features & enhancements – MANY NEW CALCULATORS AND TOOLS being added! Not on iOS? An Android version is in the works For now, if you’d like to support a cool Android app and developer check out ElectroDroid. Please scroll down here and watch the HD video below about Circuit Playground and check out the screen shots!

Circuit Playground - Made with love by Adafruit, Collin Cunningham, Limor Fried, Daigo Kawasaki, Mosfet and Phillip Torrone

Adafruit’s Circuit Playground update 1.0.1 is in Apple’s iTunes App Store! If you have 1.0 you automatically get the update for free. If you were on the fence, now is a great time to pick up our app! Here’s are the updates for 1.0.1

• Support for region-specific decimal & grouping separators
• Support for iPhone 3G & iOS 4.2
• Resistance fields now accept abbreviated input values
• Fixed bug where CapCodeCalc returned incorrect values for some input formats
• Fixed bug causing MultiResCalc & MultiCapCalc to sometimes load incorrectly
• Prevented modules from loading simultaneously when selected in fast succession
• Fixed bug where Datasheet Viewer’s page bar was sometimes positioned incorrectly
• Fixed bug causing ResCodeCalc to sometimes load with incorrect band mode
• + add’l tweaks/optimizations – and more to come!

As you can tell we’re working on updates and new features with this app. Best of all, when you buy the app you get a coupon for Adafruit store for the cost of the app!

“Very useful “by MakerMaker
Incredibly handy for anyone working in electronics. Perfect for engineers and non-engineers alike.

“Just what this hobbyist needs” by JoshuaUnwin
I love the clean look and focused tools in this app. It has earned a spot on my first home screen…

Circuit Playground simplifies electronics reference & calculation so you can have more fun hacking, making, & building your projects! This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad.

• Decipher resistor & capacitor codes with ease
• Calculate power, resistance, current, and voltage with the Ohm’s Law & Power Calc modules
• Quickly convert between decimal, hexadecimal, binary or even ASCII characters
• Calculate values for multiple resistors or capacitors in series & parallel configurations
• Store, search, and view PDF datasheets
• Access exclusive sneak peaks, deals & discounts at Adafruit Industries

All that, plus updates with additional features & enhancements – MANY NEW CALCULATORS AND TOOLS being added! Not on iOS? An Android version is in the works For now, if you’d like to support a cool Android app and developer check out ElectroDroid. Please scroll down here and watch the HD video below about Circuit Playground and check out the screen shots!

Circuit Playground - Made with love by Adafruit, Collin Cunningham, Limor Fried, Daigo Kawasaki, Mosfet and Phillip Torrone

Circuit Playground – An electronics reference app from Adafruit – reviewed at Hack a Day. Mike writes -

A few data persistence nitpicks aside, I think that Circuit Playground is a solid app with a lot of potential. At $2.99 it sits at the higher end of the App Store pricing structure, so whether or not these tools are worth it is ultimately up to you. Adafruit does say that anyone who purchases the app gets $3 off their next order in their online store, which essentially makes the app free if you are a regular customer.

Read more!

Solid review with great feedback, this is really helpful for us as we prepare the next update. More features, some fixes and lots of surprises. Visit Circuit Playground’s page!

“Very useful “by MakerMaker
Incredibly handy for anyone working in electronics. Perfect for engineers and non-engineers alike.

“Just what this hobbyist needs” by JoshuaUnwin
I love the clean look and focused tools in this app. It has earned a spot on my first home screen…

Circuit Playground simplifies electronics reference & calculation so you can have more fun hacking, making, & building your projects! This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad.

• Decipher resistor & capacitor codes with ease
• Calculate power, resistance, current, and voltage with the Ohm’s Law & Power Calc modules
• Quickly convert between decimal, hexadecimal, binary or even ASCII characters
• Calculate values for multiple resistors or capacitors in series & parallel configurations
• Store, search, and view PDF datasheets
• Access exclusive sneak peaks, deals & discounts at Adafruit Industries

All that, plus updates with additional features & enhancements – MANY NEW CALCULATORS AND TOOLS being added! Not on iOS? An Android version is in the works For now, if you’d like to support a cool Android app and developer check out ElectroDroid. Please scroll down here and watch the HD video below about Circuit Playground and check out the screen shots!

Circuit Playground - Made with love by Adafruit, Collin Cunningham, Limor Fried, Daigo Kawasaki, Mosfet and Phillip Torrone

ASK AN ENGINEER 7/16/2011 (video). Text log from the chat/IRC after the jump.

7:02 bigbodynobrain: i kinda don’t want to put it in chat
7:03 Miaximus: Yesh
7:03 Chankster: bigbodynobrain send it in a PM
7:03 richms: email me on richms @ gmail if you want an invite then
7:03 jersagfast: jeremysaglimbeni@gmail.com – someone send my an invite.
7:03 Miaximus: Real feedback is golden!
7:03 Nashblackcat: I wish we had a hackerspace in Nashville…
7:03 wa7iut: hello
7:03 RoboMaster: It’s like instant hackaday.
7:03 yachris: I’ll invite jersagfast
7:04 RoboMaster: Yes, please stream it\
7:04 jersagfast: Thanks yachris!
7:04 Nashblackcat:
7:04 hammerhead74k: Why not just do it the same way you do youtube & webpages?
7:04 georgegraves: Very cool. We recorded so you guys will get to see it.
7:04 yachris: np
7:04 BeauvoirR: but hopefully without the trolls
7:04 Nashblackcat: Make sure you tell google you would like that as a G+ feature
7:04 socket11: Hello All!
7:04 socket11: 廁所在哪裡？
7:04 Zadster: Dontcha love technology
7:05 jersagfast: Anyone else have massive pauses in the video?
7:05 georgegraves: trolls.
7:05 ChrisGammell: kicking people out would be bad in both directions
7:05 Miaximus: Thats awesome george!
7:05 aeiche: Hello
7:05 johngineer: there ought to be moderated hangouts… i mean, i’d think that would be a feature.
7:05 granitepenguin: there should be the concept of a moderator , though
7:05 granitepenguin: Rickroll
7:05 Dosbomber: As soon as it becomes more popular, they’ll need a kickuser function
7:06 rdump: i cured my massive rebuffering pauses in the video by killing off google automatic update. it picked the worst time to force a new version down my throat
7:06 wa7iut: great idea
7:06 ChrisGammell: guess so, nice thing is the chats will keep up after the mod leaves
7:06 Nashblackcat: Gotta love a Beta
7:06 jersagfast: Arduino powered troll boot
7:06 Miaximus: Yes
7:06 AngrySpinach: Buy my arduino clone!
7:06 Miaximus: Agree
7:06 georgegraves: yep
7:06 richms: I will do it once it is a little warmer in my workspace
7:06 AngrySpinach: Obey my dog!!!
7:06 aeiche: My project wasn’t ready to show off, so hopefully next week!
7:06 socket11: Cats rule!
7:06 hammerhead74k: Buy my new SOLDERAGRA! Guaranteed to make your iron HAWT!
7:07 AngrySpinach: Q: Is Radioshack in Canada?
7:07 aeiche: I just saw the DIY QR code at a shack yesterday
7:07 Dosbomber: ew hammerhead
7:07 georgegraves: Speaking of spam, RS has been hammering me with emails. I wonder where they got my address?
7:07 socket11: They push this in store also!
7:07 ChrisGammell: haha, Radio Shack probably had some MBA that said “I HAVE THIS AWESOME IDEA”
7:07 ADAbot: :: Welcome to the weekly adafruit “ask an engineer chat” ::
7:07 ADAbot: :: for all the makers here – use the code “NYAN” to get 10% off many kits!
7:07 ADAbot: :: at the end of the hour we will have a special giveaway!
7:07 ChrisGammell: “DID YOU GUYS KNOW PEOPLE MAKE STUFF ONLINE?”
7:07 johngineer: and he got a promotion too, Chris.
7:07 granitepenguin: buy parts from them
7:07 Zadster: Best way to track that George is to get your own domain and signup with sitename@mydomain.com
7:07 thoughtfix: Heathkit computers!
7:07 ChrisGammell: yes, yes he did John
7:07 RoboMaster: I hope that RadioShack pushes this more in stores.
7:08 Chankster: sadly though their parts are over priced
7:08 hammerhead74k: I had a 200-in-one kit… was cool.
7:08 thoughtfix: My first computer was a Heathkit 286 at 10 MHz
7:08 georgegraves: yea zadster. There is also a way to go it in gmail by adding asuffix to your email addy
7:08 johngineer: Every time an MBA gets promoted, an engineer cries.
7:08 socket11: I know a mgr. in a store and they are working it.
7:08 Improviser: I built the old Science Fair kits from RS
7:08 excavatoree: I still have my H-89. (Z80, running 8080 code)
7:08 Nashblackcat: I use to work for them
7:08 jersagfast: When i worked for radio shack, any invention that i made was theirs, even a year after leaving
7:08 AngrySpinach: Mine was a Dell latitude at 2GHz
7:08 ChrisGammell: nothing lik an old codger coming in and yelling at you that all the 2n2222s are gone
7:08 physics_dude: Reminds me about the scene in “Short Circuit 2″ where that dude had to repair the Jonny 5.
7:08 Miaximus: Yes, the combination of the build-it kits + the awesome tutorials + the community is a huge draw (at least for mep
7:08 Len17: @AngrySpinach RS in Canada was sold and is now The Source
7:08 Improviser: Worked for them17 years
7:09 mikeortman: .
7:09 socket11: CORP!
7:09 Nashblackcat: I made so much money off of helping people fix things rather than sell new stuff to them
7:09 mightymik: I go back to P-boxes
7:09 jersagfast: Velleman masters : Radio Shack
7:09 georgegraves: One’s bigger
7:09 mikegrb: I worked at RS in high school and loved when customers came in for parts for something and I could help them solve their problem drawing a schematic on reciept paper
7:09 Improviser: when it was Tandy corp and they actually manufactured things
7:09 jersagfast: Ditto!
7:09 ChrisGammell: @mikegrb, that’s awesome
7:09 Nashblackcat: I left when the wall of parts was gone
7:09 socket11: Let people play!
7:09 ChrisGammell: how about one of those vending machines that Best Buy has
7:09 ChrisGammell: like in the airports
7:10 hammerhead74k: What kind of reception can I get with this Arduino? How much is the data plan for it?
7:10 AngrySpinach: I would go to San Fransisco if that was created
7:10 thoughtfix: Hahaha I’d commute to SF for that.
7:10 ChrisGammell: or whoever sells iPods
7:10 reipoom: i don’t think i’ve been to a radioshack with intelligent staff
7:10 AngrySpinach: I live in london
7:10 thoughtfix: But there are several hackerspaces in the SF Bay.
7:10 jersagfast: Do you want a cell phones!!
7:10 RoboMaster: They need to utilize the fact that it’s very convienient to buy at RS instead of ordering online, for like the weekend project
7:10 Nashblackcat: Some rat shacks are still indy
7:10 mikegrb: yeah laser cutter, and 3d printer
7:10 jmcglinn: and Seattle
7:10 socket11: Hackerspace in an airport? good idea!
7:10 Nashblackcat: I could see that
7:10 AngrySpinach: Buy the Viagra
7:10 Nashblackcat:
7:10 mikegrb: time is free if you buy the parts at that location
7:10 thoughtfix: Viagra’s expensive dude.
7:10 socket11: Love NPR !!! funny!
7:10 Nashblackcat: Sometimes NPR has no clue
7:11 drenboy: ohh i tot he meant neil patrick harris
7:11 Miaximus: lol
7:11 johngineer: NPR is my favorite comedy radio station.
7:11 Dosbomber: I went to a Radio Shack once and got hit on by one of the female clerks… still can’t figure that one out.
7:11 Nashblackcat: lol good one John
7:11 socket11: LOL
7:11 thoughtfix: That’s like saying “Sony contributes to iPod’s success.” Yeah kinda — because they make crappy products by comparison!
7:11 seanpalmer: I’m upset
7:11 jmcglinn: speaking of viagra… http://xkcd.com/924/
7:11 usunoro: having worked at radioshack for a few years, most female employes are broken on a fundemental level
7:11 Improviser: Radio Shack ripps everyone off
7:11 reipoom: yeah
7:12 johngineer: let’s move on from Radio Shack, shall we?
7:12 georgegraves: Alright. enough about Radio shack. We’re moving on. —————–
7:12 reipoom: most of the staff seem like highschool dropouts
7:12 socket11: I like local componet shops!
7:12 reipoom: at least in peoria IL
7:12 Miaximus: Nice
7:12 Improviser: now lets kill Microsoft!!!
7:12 jersagfast: Can i have your email for a coupoun?
7:12 thoughtfix: hahaha
7:12 Improviser: or Micro$oft
7:12 drenboy: community pressure! woot!
7:12 Miaximus: At least future stories about it will be more true.
7:13 Nashblackcat: Did they air a correction ?
7:13 AngrySpinach: The SDK kinda sucks
7:13 guysmiley48x: MS wants a taste of any commercial kinect applications
7:13 socket11: I want a piece of this!
7:13 AngrySpinach: sorta like apple
7:13 AngrySpinach: 99.9% please
7:13 Improviser: Microsoft missed the boat and will never admit to it
7:13 yachris: I refuse to believe M$ is losing money on the Kinect. They never did on the XBoxes…
7:13 RoboMaster: ?: did NPR state a correction?
7:13 richms: MS have to care about how they licensed the technology, randoms buying it and hacking it dont have to give a damn about the license that MS paidfor etc
7:14 thoughtfix: It’s not losing money. It’s called a “loss leader” … big difference
7:14 thoughtfix: EMSL!
7:14 Miaximus: Looks cool
7:14 AngrySpinach: nyan
7:14 seanpalmer: That is the best adaptation of Nyan cat ever
7:14 ADAbot: :: Welcome to the weekly adafruit “ask an engineer chat” ::
7:14 ADAbot: :: for all the makers here – use the code “NYAN” to get 10% off many kits!
7:14 ADAbot: :: at the end of the hour we will have a special giveaway!
7:14 Nashblackcat: POV
7:14 BeauvoirR: long exposure light painting
7:14 jmcglinn: what is NYAN?
7:14 Miaximus: Ahhhhh
7:14 BeauvoirR: POV is a brain process
7:14 seanpalmer: I liked the original project, but this is amazing
7:14 joachimbean: go to a lighting studio
7:14 AngrySpinach: not POV
7:14 BeauvoirR: if you can’t see the effect IRL it’s not POV
7:14 jersagfast: Persistance of Vision
7:14 johngineer: PO
7:15 socket11: Cool!
7:15 yachris: Persistence of Long Exposures, then
7:15 georgegraves: If could be POV if you run really fast.
7:15 Improviser: could be used for pov on the side of a semi truck
7:15 Miaximus: Its very nicely done
7:15 AngrySpinach: presistance of camera vision
7:15 ChrisGammell: get out your ol’ 35mm
7:15 johngineer: persistance of machine vision
7:15 socket11: What moved?
7:15 BeauvoirR: hmm, not sure I agree with that
7:15 ChrisGammell: develop the film
7:15 seanpalmer: original http://www.nearfield.org/2011/02/wifi-light-painting
7:16 ChrisGammell: spend hours in the dark room
7:16 Chankster: socket11 the earth
7:16 johngineer: film. seriously.
7:16 yachris: Film? What’s that?
7:16 mndless: but the grass and the building show no evidence of movement
7:16 ChrisGammell: ya know
7:16 jersagfast: The LED stick
7:16 ChrisGammell: the filmy stuff
7:16 guysmiley48x: the camera is locked down
7:16 georgegraves: camera on tripod
7:16 Chankster: the stick floated in thin air
7:16 Improviser: long exposure
7:16 Chankster: the earth moved
7:16 jersagfast: Shutter on bulb with remote
7:16 enzyox: Note the bouncing
7:16 ChrisGammell: my friend does glass frame exposure photography
7:16 ChrisGammell: it’s crazy
7:16 socket11: Looks 3d as the background stays
7:16 johngineer: i’ve done that.
7:16 johngineer: it’s fun.
7:16 Improviser: just ike car light streaks
7:16 Miaximus: I love these, gonna make a pool light out of them in a month or two
7:16 guysmiley48x: using the LED strip is genius
7:16 ChrisGammell: much in the same way people say “Why do you guys MAKE this stuff”
7:17 enzyox: It must be hard to walk with the stick
7:17 ChrisGammell: its the process
7:17 johngineer: or, i used to, before my darkroom got flooded.
7:17 johngineer:
7:17 ChrisGammell: ouch
7:17 ChrisGammell: how?
7:17 ChrisGammell: with developer?
7:17 johngineer: no. basement flooded.
7:17 ChrisGammell: ah
7:17 mikegrb: what developped of the flood?
mikegrb runs
7:17 ChrisGammell: just plain ol’ water, eh
7:17 johngineer: then we had to get rid of the mold.
7:17 ChrisGammell: yuck
7:17 ChrisGammell: sucks man, sorry
7:17 thoughtfix: XKCD
7:17 AngrySpinach: lol xkcd
:35 richms: Q: do you have the longer ones like you supply with the ftdi friend available?
7:35 AngrySpinach: Solder a header pin to an alligator clip
7:35 Nashblackcat: It is so easy to make quick and dirty jumpers with some heat shrink
7:35 Nashblackcat:
7:35 socket11: Standard board headers.
7:35 RoboMaster: Yep, can see the bumps, that’s good
7:35 ADAbot: richms: Q: do you have the longer ones like you supply with the ftdi friend available?
7:35 hammerhead74k: Flush cutters work well with that as well.
7:35 LapsusAntepedis-1: Q: is it possible to get header strips that are equally long on both sides for connecting female sockets to breadboards, for example?
7:35 fennec: count twice before breaking
7:35 socket11: Love them!
7:36 AngrySpinach: you broke my arm!!!
7:36 scott-42: Q: is there a male breakable version?
7:36 AngrySpinach: ow
7:36 scott-42: Q: I mean female
7:36 yachris: Q: Are you going to stock female ones?
7:36 Nashblackcat: I would use some flush cutter if you want to make jumpers sometime it can split with diags
7:36 kieno: you can move the plastic to make them the same length
7:36 hammerhead74k: It is possible… I have seen them.
7:36 scott-42: Thanks
7:36 georgegraves: Cut them with a small hack saw.
7:36 richms: cut thru one of them to destroy it and then file it smooth
7:36 Dosbomber: Dremel the edges and they’re technically “breakable”
7:36 socket11: Table saw? LOL
7:37 yachris: chainsaw
7:37 AngrySpinach: laser
7:37 socket11: LOL
7:37 jersagfast: Torch.
7:37 Miaximus: Oh yeah
7:37 jmcglinn: the kerf on a chainsaw and table saw is going to eat more than 1 pin
7:37 AngrySpinach: godzilla
7:37 Miaximus: I like the thinner body
7:37 hammerhead74k: Laser cutter? Waterjet? LHC?
7:37 AngrySpinach: Will buy
7:37 joachimbean: Can you make an iWristband?
7:37 rougenaxela: jigsaw on header would be a disaster
7:37 yachris: LHC WINS!
7:37 Miaximus: hehehe
7:37 jersagfast: Dremel
7:37 Dosbomber: 5mm smaller… wow
7:37 socket11: CNC!
7:38 richms: would be awesome to have the logo on both sides and 2 LEDs inside
7:38 Nashblackcat: Such a smart idea, gonna sell them like hot cakes.
7:38 Len17: It’d be cool if you could actually turn the person off by pressing it.
7:38 jersagfast: Oohhhhh!!!
7:38 ChrisGammell: Q: Have you guys caught any flac from them Apple yet over creating something similar to their product?
7:38 AngrySpinach: Q: Haven’t apple trademarked the letter i yet?
7:38 georgegraves: I got a mini hacksaw on ebay for $10 shipped or something. Works perfect. You kinda need a small vice though.
7:38 Improviser-1: a hammer works good
7:38 Zadster: its a generic logo, not apple’s
7:38 thoughtfix: Want to buy: pin
7:38 Len17: It’s not an Apple thing it’s an ISO standard.
7:38 seanpalmer: chris: you mean ALAC
7:38 fennec: it might be fun to make the case itself part of a capacitive sensor so the cufflinks could process a touch
7:38 jersagfast: ISO
7:38 Nashblackcat: PanaVise
7:38 socket11: Best tool HAMMER!
7:38 johngineer: everyone i’ve shown the cufflinks too is super jealous.
7:38 yachris: At my age, all my vices ar small
7:38 yachris:
7:38 georgegraves: lol
7:38 ChrisGammell: oh crap
7:38 ChrisGammell: I asked
7:38 hammerhead74k: Q: How many sales have you made on the cufflinks?
7:38 Miaximus: lol
7:39 thoughtfix: ooooooo!
7:39 AngrySpinach: two!!!!
7:39 physics_dude: O_O
7:39 zool: lol huge
7:39 fennec: oooh charliplexing eh?
7:39 mikegrb: BIG
7:39 BeauvoirR: zomg
7:39 yachris: WOW!
7:39 georgegraves: wow.
7:39 richms: RGB?
7:39 Zadster: Want
7:39 Miaximus: Zoing!
7:39 AngrySpinach: oooooooooooooooo
7:39 LapsusAntepedis-1: oh my god
mikegrb want want want
7:39 guysmiley48x: white LEDs or RGB?
7:39 thoughtfix: And it’s pre-soldered?
7:39 ADAbot: hammer, thousands and thousands still on the waiting list
7:39 rougenaxela: Ooooh… shiny….
7:39 robotjohn: !!!
7:39 richms: OOOOHHHHHHHHH NICE!
7:39 guysmiley48x: niiiiice
7:39 Miaximus: Ooooo
7:39 RoboMaster: whoooo
7:39 fennec: rgb!!
7:39 LapsusAntepedis-1: I want eight
7:39 AngrySpinach: want
7:39 mikegrb: RGBN!!!!!!!!!
7:39 Miaximus: Shiny
7:39 Chankster: i want!
7:39 Nashblackcat: OMG
7:39 SierraNevada1: oh ya
7:39 robotjohn: want!
7:39 BeauvoirR: wowowowo
7:39 Nashblackcat: Droool
mikegrb unzips
7:39 Dosbomber: omfg… I just did an 8×8 RGB LED matrix and it took me 3 days to build it from scratch.
7:39 jersagfast: My video isbehind, what isit??
7:39 scott-42: WANT
7:39 ADAbot: these are usually on the sides of busses that have video
7:39 ChrisGammell: thousands and thousands adabot? That’s a lotta dough!
7:39 hammerhead74k: @Adabot – sweet!
7:39 RoboMaster: RGB! you’re spoiling us!
7:39 Miaximus: Note the text Adapeoples! This will sell
7:39 georgegraves: driven by???? – oh I can’t ask!
7:39 Chankster: SHINY LEDS! I WANT!
7:39 bigbodynobrain: Q: thru-hole or SMD
7:39 mikegrb: OMG OMG OMG when can haz
7:39 ipadfanboysf: You better make a LOT of these…
7:39 seanpalmer: 16x24x?? bits per color?
7:39 richms: so long as it is affordable, yes
7:39 ADAbot: chris, it’s a good seller already – we’re really happy with it
7:39 AngrySpinach: hehehehehehe pretty colours, all mine
7:39 Nashblackcat: DONT ASK !
7:40 Miaximus: Nice
7:40 ADAbot: we’ll likely sell more necklaces though
7:40 Miaximus:
7:40 ChrisGammell: woot, hire more people!
7:40 Improviser-1: on board drivers
7:40 ChrisGammell: economic growth FTW!
7:40 fennec: i bet these are gonna be $$$
7:40 Chankster: ^^
7:40 ChrisGammell: but WHERE WILL YOU GUYS POST THE JOBS?
7:40 ChrisGammell: haha
7:40 ChrisGammell: sorry
7:40 yachris: fennec: Absolutely
7:40 Zadster: I can imagine people wearing pendant ones on their shoelaces
7:40 ChrisGammell: I”m pandering to myself
7:40 ADAbot: so far we haven’t needed to use our own jobs boards yet!
7:40 Miaximus: Interesting
7:40 Nashblackcat: http://www.adafruit.com/jobs/ ?
7:40 ChrisGammell: do eeeeet
7:40 Nashblackcat: XD
7:41 jersagfast: WANT!
7:41 Improviser-1: so shift register driven
7:41 thoughtfix: Q: Is this a kit or a fully soldered panel?
7:41 ADAbot: so far we’ve been hiring people we know, but eventually we’ll use our own jobs boards too
7:41 georgegraves: I’m guessing those are surface mount LED’s.
7:41 fennec: somebody get workin’ on an arduino mega library stat
7:41 Miaximus: I think I would want to get really good at the LED strips before I jump into something this more complex (for me)
7:41 ADAbot: it’s not out yet, can’t ask
7:41 ChrisGammell: yeah, that’s good to hire those you trust
7:41 thoughtfix: Damn
7:41 ADAbot: but we’ll have it soon
7:41 hammerhead74k: Build your own jumbotron!
7:41 ChrisGammell: harder to hire new folks, messes with the culture
7:41 fennec: any chance to power it on vid?
7:41 ChrisGammell: and you guys seem to maintain that well
7:41 socket11: So a split drive function?
7:41 Chankster: MAKE IT BLINKY!
7:42 AngrySpinach: over already
7:42 Improviser-1: kinda like driving a shift brite led
7:42 ChrisGammell: we need a script so that every time there’s a question mark, the bot shouts at that person
7:42 jersagfast: Just a few MCD?
7:42 AngrySpinach:
7:42 mikegrb: that panel is “Sex on a stick”
7:42 socket11: Nice!
7:42 thoughtfix: Q: Will you please please please release Mega shields?
7:42 AngrySpinach: ewwww
7:42 seanpalmer: Q: How’s your hair?
7:42 physics_dude: q: What would be the use for a 1 gigohm resistor?
7:42 AngrySpinach: What is bes
7:42 marty200: a
7:42 robertmeffe: I am trying to “hack” a circuit board to control the binary rotary encoder via a microprocessor. What is the best way to replace the binary rotary encoder with something I can control via a microproce
7:42 AngrySpinach: oope
7:42 AngrySpinach: oops
7:42 ChrisGammell: physics_dude should know physics
7:42 StandardRockets: With all auto electronics, why do they generally advise you disconnect the negative battery terminal and not the positive?
7:42 thoughtfix: I know – but I want to stack say … Xbee and Motor
7:42 richms: the SPI is a PITA with a mega
7:42 ChrisGammell:
7:42 electropants: Hi! I’d like to install about 2 m of the RGB LED strips into pants. Could you suggest how to power them?
7:42 ADAbot: sean: engineer/electronics questions, thanks!
7:42 AngrySpinach: typing in darak=hard
7:43 LapsusAntepedis-1: Q: as a next step past the arduino, what do you think of the leaflabs maple?
7:43 electropants: The 3.7 LiPo battery on sparkfun + the 5 V converter is only rated up to 600 mA, but my design could draw up to ~4 A…
7:43 AngrySpinach: dark
7:43 Zadster: Bleed resistor on a HV generator?
7:43 electropants: (is 20 watts a bit much?)
7:43 joachimbean: Q: when are you going to get the Arduino ADK and Ethernet?
7:43 StandardRockets: Q:With all auto electronics, why do they generally advise you disconnect the negative battery terminal and not the positive?
7:43 Dosbomber: Yeah, people’s talents should be represented by their online handles…. oh wait.. nevermind.
7:43 socket11: NFC for posters or a portal close to a kit?
7:43 richms: StandardRockets its so if your tool hits the chassis, there is no spark
7:43 hammerhead74k: Depends on the rotary encoder – TTL out, or switch type, or…
7:43 RoboMaster: Q: The POV camera nya hack: did he run at an even speed or hook it up to an accelerometer or something?
7:43 AngrySpinach: Q: What is the best arduino/clone to leave in a project?
7:43 ChileanRegulator: q:Why does the internal EEPROM in the arduino have a limited life. What does wear out?
7:43 Nashblackcat: Q: I needed to take the 3,5mm jack of the waveshield to fit it in a case and it wont play from the speaker hardwired to the board, does it have to have the jack to work?
7:43 Zadster: if you accidentally drop it, it will only short to ground, which isnt a problem
7:43 robertmeffe: its binary define by set on/offs
7:44 scott-42: Q: Can you recommend a good beginner book for PCB design and layout for DIY to get you ready for a board house run?
7:44 ADAbot: StandardRockets: With all auto electronics, why do they generally advise you disconnect the negative battery terminal and not the positive?
7:44 granitepenguin: Q: Are you considering a WiFi shield product?
7:44 excavatoree: Convention. Doesn’t matter
7:44 ericwertz: safety
7:44 jersagfast: 1,000,000 cycles for EEPROM in arduino as tested bt tronixstuff.
7:44 hammerhead74k: So you can’t short to ground?
7:44 _oPossum_: Becuase you may short the tool to the chasis!
7:44 Zadster: correct hammer
7:44 socket11: The chassie is ground all over!
7:44 guysmiley48x: hot is keyed whereas ground is direct to chassis maybe?
7:44 bigbodynobrain: – is ground and it is linked to the entire chasis
7:44 Haremtech: Because usually earth is attached to chassis
7:44 Improviser-1: you are more likely to touch a ground first
7:44 ADAbot: electropants: Hi! I’d like to install about 2 m of the RGB LED strips into pants. Could you suggest how to power them?
7:44 fennec: Q: Do LEDs (without plastic optics) emit polarized light natively?
7:44 ChrisGammell: carefully
7:44 Miaximus: lol
7:45 Miaximus: yes
7:45 Nashblackcat: less likely to get yourself in between the hot side and the battery, ever shorted a car battery ?
7:45 socket11: Lets meet!!!
7:45 Nashblackcat:
7:45 seanpalmer: iLuminate
7:45 socket11: lol
7:45 excavatoree: It only matters if you are disconnecting the battery. When you remove the +, you might touch the frame/body with the wrench.
7:45 ericwertz: if you leave the hot line connected the circuit is still hot when it appears to be off
7:45 Haremtech: If you disconnect positive first you have a huge chance of shorting out to earth. Not so if you disconnect earth first
7:45 bigbodynobrain: NYAN-PANTS
7:45 ADAbot: LapsusAntepedis-1: Q: as a next step past the arduino, what do you think of the leaflabs maple?
7:45 jersagfast: Because if you hitthe tool to the ground while onthe post, IT WILL SPARK!
7:45 ADAbot: joachimbean: Q: when are you going to get the Arduino ADK and Ethernet?
7:45 hammerhead74k: OR weld!
7:45 RoboMaster: Q: the barometric sensor you featured today: I’m curious how one solders to it; the pads are on the bottom so how do you get at them when soldering??
7:46 ADAbot: RoboMaster: Q: The POV camera nya hack: did he run at an even speed or hook it up to an accelerometer or something?
7:46 Chankster: RoboMaster: reflow it
7:46 BeauvoirR: no accel
7:46 BeauvoirR: it was just walking
7:46 ADAbot: AngrySpinach: Q: What is the best arduino/clone to leave in a project?
7:46 thoughtfix: Diavolino!
7:46 fennec: You can see the footsteps in the rainbow
7:46 RoboMaster: Ok, I had thought I heard about an accel somewhere
7:46 Haremtech: Remeber old English cars are POSITIVE earth – so be careful when hooking up battery etc
7:46 joachimbean: Arduino Pro too
7:46 ericwertz: rbbb is cheap
7:46 socket11: True!
7:47 jersagfast: Triumphsare positive ground
7:47 ADAbot: ChileanRegulator: q:Why does the internal EEPROM in the arduino have a limited life. What does wear out?
7:47 socket11: Jag!
7:47 granitepenguin: Q: Do you have any tutorials or information about designing your own PCBs and getting them made?
7:47 Nashblackcat: Q: I needed to take the 3,5mm jack of the waveshield to fit it in a case and it wont play from the speaker hardwired to the board, does it have to have the jack to work?
7:47 richms: boarduino is great when put into a DIP socket on a protobaoard
7:47 Len17: I’ve used Pro Mini, DC Boarduino, USB Boarduino, Diavolino – depdns on the situation
7:47 AngrySpinach: Q: If you could put one sensor (with data logger) into (near) space what would it be?
7:47 ADAbot: Nashblackcat: Q: I needed to take the 3,5mm jack of the waveshield to fit it in a case and it wont play from the speaker hardwired to the board, does it have to have the jack to work?
7:47 hammerhead74k: Atom diffusion degrades the component…
7:47 socket11: Near space?
7:47 georgegraves: http://hackaday.com/2011/05/16/destroying-an-arduinos-eeprom/
7:47 RoboMaster: ChileanRegulator: search on this, people have done tests on the EEPROM
7:48 ADAbot: scott-42: Q: Can you recommend a good beginner book for PCB design and layout for DIY to get you ready for a board house run?
7:48 jersagfast: Thanks George
7:48 Nashblackcat: Ohh ok
7:48 thoughtfix: And did you pet MOSFET for me?
7:48 Nashblackcat: just never for the email
7:48 georgegraves: “” The EEPROM saw it’s first write error after 47 days and 1,230,163 cycles. This is an order of magnitude better than the spec on the atmel datasheet, but similar to the results of similar experiment
7:48 Nashblackcat: I will tell him to look at it again
7:48 socket11: Burn something up and you will get it!
7:48 ADAbot: granitepenguin: Q: Are you considering a WiFi shield product?
7:48 ChileanRegulator: thanks RoboMaster. I saw some tests over 1MM writings before it died.
7:48 Miaximus: Nice g!
7:48 jmcglinn: dorkbotpdx has nice group service
7:48 Cadmandu: Is it possible to multiplex a series of PWM outputs to control an array of servos?
7:48 Miaximus: Cool
ah, dorkbotpdx is awesome
7:49 BeauvoirR: and purple!
7:49 ChileanRegulator: Just curious to learn what is it what wears out
7:49 ADAbot: fennec: Q: Do LEDs (without plastic optics) emit polarized light natively?
7:49 bigbodynobrain: BatchPCB is i good boardhouse that i like
7:49 ADAbot: RoboMaster: Q: the barometric sensor you featured today: I’m curious how one solders to it; the pads are on the bottom so how do you get at them when soldering??
7:49 richms: Whatever you do, allow for an ext antenna on any wifi device so a yagi can be attached
7:49 fennec: Q: Have you dreamt of any circuits other than storage that might benefit from memristors?
7:49 jersagfast: Ladyada has GREAT tutorials on PCB’s
7:49 hammerhead74k: @cadmando – not very well. Most servos are only happy with a continuous signal.
7:49 ADAbot: granitepenguin: Q: Do you have any tutorials or information about designing your own PCBs and getting them made?
7:49 enzyox: I have a mix of 1.1V 3.3V and 5V analog sensors… TXB0108 can hanlde my 3.3V, how about my 1.1V sensor?
7:49 georgegraves: dead bug it.
7:50 ADAbot: AngrySpinach: Q: If you could put one sensor (with data logger) into (near) space what would it be?
7:50 RoboMaster: Ok, I’ll search for reflow stuff, that sounds interesting
7:50 guysmiley48x: see the eevblog youtube page for some good soldering tutorials
7:50 fennec: MOSFET sensor!
7:50 ChrisGammell: boooooo
7:50 fennec: cat on pick-n’-place hooked to camera
7:50 socket11: pROXIMITY?
7:50 ericwertz: dead bugging is easier to talk about than do
7:50 ChrisGammell: alpha detector
7:50 BeauvoirR: Russia
7:50 thoughtfix: Light
7:50 Miaximus: q: I have a Wave shield and an Ethernet shield on the same rig, both use the SPI. As long as I’m only using one of them at a time, can it code it to work?
7:50 georgegraves: Here’s a great video about dead budding a leadless chip: http://www.eevblog.com/2011/06/21/eevblog-181-dead-bug-prototype-soldering/
7:50 BeauvoirR: the ISS is not shutting down
7:50 excavatoree: You can’t super-glue the presure sensor as Dave die, however.
7:50 seanpalmer: http://www.howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com/
7:50 hammerhead74k: Camera?
7:50 rougenaxela: jpeg-encoding camera sensor woudl be good
7:50 Zadster: There are many amateur satellites in space with all sorts of sensors on
7:50 Len17: The Chinese are getting ready to launch their own space station
7:50 Miaximus: The ISS will be fine.
7:50 Improviser-1: there are plenty of space cadets already out there
7:50 Dimitri0101: Q: Could you either do or recommend a good soldering tutorial for mil-spec style? (pre-snipping and not bending the leads)
7:51 fennec: Sound decibel level graph
7:51 ADAbot: Cadmandu: Is it possible to multiplex a series of PWM outputs to control an array of servos?
7:51 AngrySpinach: ooh magnetometer
7:51 Miaximus: The Russians are better at getting into space than we are. :p
7:51 thoughtfix: q: What’s the easiest way to capture and analyze an image with an Arduino?
7:51 jersagfast: Temperature
7:51 ADAbot: fennec: Q: Have you dreamt of any circuits other than storage that might benefit from memristors?
7:51 socket11: How about an LPR function with the kenkic?
7:51 hammerhead74k: There’s the NASA soldering quality guidelines… google for them.
7:51 gbauer: Q: Is it possible to put low AC signal in human skin for use to detect contact (e.g., with a saw)?
7:51 ADAbot: Miaximus: q: I have a Wave shield and an Ethernet shield on the same rig, both use the SPI. As long as I’m only using one of them at a time, can it code it to work?
7:52 AngrySpinach: HP hides them
7:52 Miaximus: Okay
7:52 ADAbot: Dimitri0101: Q: Could you either do or recommend a good soldering tutorial for mil-spec style? (pre-snipping and not bending the leads)
7:52 Miaximus: Cool thanks!!
7:52 Miaximus: Great news
7:52 georgegraves: Arduino and multiple servos: http://arduino.cc/playground/Learning/TLC5940
7:52 Dosbomber: gbauer: There are saws with sensors in them, if you physically touch the blade, it cuts power and slams brakes onto the blade.
7:52 hammerhead74k: @gbauer – look up how capacitive touch sensors work.
7:53 ADAbot: thoughtfix: q: What’s the easiest way to capture and analyze an image with an Arduino?
7:53 Zadster: Try your local university library
7:53 thoughtfix: Just bought myself a digital controlled Weller soldering iron today. Goodbye $20 iron!
7:53 gbauer: Q: I am talking about saws for butchers
7:53 Miaximus: q: Off Topic question; What is your Kitty’s Chinese name?
7:53 ADAbot: gbauer: Q: Is it possible to put low AC signal in human skin for use to detect contact (e.g., with a saw)?
7:53 ADAbot: mao1
7:53 ADAbot:
7:53 Miaximus: hehe
7:53 fennec: Q: what’s the circuit on the Ustream page background? x0x?
7:53 Zadster: d’oh
7:53 ericwertz: license the tech from SawStop
7:53 AngrySpinach: Q:
7:53 ADAbot: fennec: wavebubble
7:54 fennec: cool
7:54 socket11: Look up a table saw from craftsman!
7:54 AngrySpinach: oops
7:54 thoughtfix: MOSFET in Chinese is MOSFET
7:54 jersagfast: Q: can you have shift register data, clock, and latch on any pin? Analog or digital?
7:54 LapsusAntepedis-1: q: What’s your favourite non-atmel microcontroller?
7:54 Haremtech: Trouble is that meat and human flesh are hard to tell the difference
7:54 Zadster: Mosu-fetu in Japanese
7:54 richms: jersagfast yeah you can, but there is other names for the analogs when used as digitals
7:54 gbauer: @Haremtech: EXACTLY
7:54 socket11: 廁所在哪裡？What doesthis mean?
7:54 hammerhead74k: NASA workmanship stuff: http://nepp.nasa.gov/index.cfm/5511
7:54 Haremtech: Become vegetarians
7:55 jersagfast: Thanks richms!
7:55 AngrySpinach: yay vagitarians
7:55 gbauer: @Harem – not gonna happen
7:55 AngrySpinach: vegitarians
7:55 socket11: Beer!
7:55 AngrySpinach: godammit
7:55 yachris: That was a funny typo
7:55 Miaximus: Ooo.
7:55 richms: and the LED board panel?
7:55 AngrySpinach: facepalm
7:55 StandardRockets: WHOA!
7:55 Dosbomber: Freudian typo
7:55 thoughtfix: I haven’t had header in months
7:55 mark8675: left overs?
7:55 mikegrb: woowoo prizes
7:55 drenboy: LOL
7:55 Haremtech: gbauer – scientists are working on the butcher problem. I think your idea has merit!!
7:55 scott-42: Helly Kitty
7:55 UNTEngineer: hmm wtf
7:55 Miaximus:
7:55 jmcglinn: can you hold up that humidity sensor again?
7:56 thoughtfix: Bricklin and Frankenston
7:56 Zadster: lol it does look like Collin
7:56 socket11: x and cel! lol
7:56 UNTEngineer: colling :S
7:56 hammerhead74k: Dan bricklin
7:56 mikegrb: Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston
7:56 patrickmccb: Dan Bricklin, refined by Bob Frankston
7:56 zool: the plaid brothers
7:56 ipadfanboysf: fred and barney lotus
7:56 robotjohn: Dan Bricklin Bob Frankston
7:56 granitepenguin: dan bricklin Bob Frankston
7:56 tosborn56: dan bricklin
7:56 caspencer: Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston
7:56 marty200: Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston
7:56 RoboMaster: I have a book with these guys and this picture
7:56 georgegraves: Mr. Visi And Mr. Calc
7:56 BeauvoirR: Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston
7:56 UNTEngineer: steve jobs lol
7:56 bigbodynobrain: bill gate & steve woz
7:56 ADAbot: thoughtfix, you won!
7:56 yachris: congrats!
7:56 thoughtfix: Thought like your mind Fix like repair
7:56 Miaximus: cool
7:56 mndless: Hansel and grettle
7:56 thoughtfix: You know how to find me
7:56 UNTEngineer: lol
7:56 schnoggman: iPhone keyboard too slow
7:56 Miaximus: whew
7:56 macman320: steve and steve
7:56 Zadster: Now we know where Collin got his hair style
7:56 Miaximus: Those shirts were killing me
7:56 fennec: just fix him in your thoughts and you’ll know his email
7:56 thoughtfix: I was 3 when that happened
7:56 UNTEngineer: thats such a random question
7:56 Nashblackcat: z80
7:56 socket11: Q: try it 廁所在哪裡？
7:56 hammerhead74k: Was on TWiT a while back… good episode.
7:56 Zadster: Mmm nylon shirts, feel that static
7:57 mark8675: Apollo XI was also launched on this day in 1969
7:57 georgegraves: kinda miss the dos version of 1-2-3.
7:57 ipadfanboysf: NoteTaker HD for the iPad, I beleive
7:57 Miaximus: UG
7:57 mndless: groovy
7:57 thoughtfix: Leo is 20 minutes from me
7:57 hammerhead74k: Is also responsible for the popularity of NAT routers, IIRC…
7:57 zool: original hipsters
7:57 thoughtfix: (TWiT)
7:57 Nashblackcat: haha
7:57 Zadster: Open University lecturers
7:57 RoboMaster: Q: how do you guys know Colin? Does he live there?
7:57 Miaximus: hehehe
7:57 schnoggman: Protocol-hipsters
7:57 socket11: M OSFET!!!
7:58 Miaximus: Like your LED’s
7:58 Zadster: Heeeere pusspuss
7:58 schnoggman: Godddddamn autocorrect
7:58 Miaximus: nice
7:58 UNTEngineer: holy crap
7:58 Len17: We can’t ask about those boards because they just grabbed them off the sides of buses.
7:58 Improviser-1: setup like big shiftregisters chainthem like 495s
7:58 JMartinez9: ..
7:58 Miaximus: That’s gonna take alot of juice
7:58 Zadster: I see a Mosufetu
7:58 Nashblackcat: Sweet jebus
7:58 UNTEngineer: whats the processor?
7:58 yachris: MOSFET!
7:58 thoughtfix: 3
7:58 mndless: fet
7:58 hammerhead74k: MEOW!
7:58 Miaximus: Meow
7:58 mikegrb: kitty kitty
7:58 Miaximus: cool
7:58 AngrySpinach: mao1
7:58 socket11: MEOW!
7:58 thoughtfix: Oh my … My Lina jumped in my lap when MOSFET arrived!
7:59 UNTEngineer: Its not Meowingtons
7:59 Miaximus: Can I bring my horse?
7:59 Miaximus:
7:59 socket11: Cats rule!
7:59 thoughtfix: q: Does MOSFET want tweeting dishes? I have a second set now.
7:59 jersagfast: I fixed LED signs, they chain EXACTLY like that.
7:59 mark8675: oh great overlord please spare us
7:59 mndless: led rope cat thing
7:59 AngrySpinach: deadly snake hangout
7:59 UNTEngineer: LOL
7:59 excavatoree: MOSFET looks unamused.
7:59 schnoggman: I’ve noticed that. Every Hangout must have a cat
7:59 georgegraves: Mosfet poops rainbows.
7:59 zool: NYANFET
7:59 socket11: now hes pissed!
7:59 georgegraves: yep!
7:59 AngrySpinach: ew
7:59 yachris: thanks guys!
7:59 Miaximus: Great Show!!
7:59 Zadster: nah Mosfet is always chilled
7:59 UNTEngineer: I missed question session
7:59 Nashblackcat: Goodnight
7:59 jersagfast: Lol george
7:59 scott-42: Thanks for the nice program.
7:59 AngrySpinach: Thank You
7:59 Miaximus: I’ll get mine ready
7:59 AngrySpinach: Good morning
7:59 Len17: Thanks guys!
7:59 socket11: Link?
7:59 UNTEngineer: I have projects in the works now…good ones too
7:59 robertmeffe: It was fun! Thanks
7:59 Miaximus: q: How long a video should I make for it?
8:00 UNTEngineer: lol sweet
8:00 georgegraves: and we’re out……………………
8:00 Miaximus: hehehe
8:00 Nashblackcat: Ohmmm
8:00 mndless: zzeeennnerrr
8:00 Zadster: ->|_-
8:00 Miaximus: Have a great weekend!
8:00 richms: Miaximus its live via webcam, not a video
8:00 Dosbomber: Projects I almost always have, but I don’t connect cameras to my computer. :/
8:00 thoughtfix: I just bought a handful of zener this morning. They’re in Fry’s inventory as “Zenner”
8:00 SierraNevada1: thanks guys, nite all
8:00 socket11: Thanks you all!
8:00 Miaximus: ok
8:00 UNTEngineer: woot
8:00 Miaximus: Thats even better
8:00 electropants: thanks!
8:00 Miaximus: I have a webcam
8:00 AngrySpinach: merci
8:00 Miaximus: and a cat :p
8:00 jhmorris: bye
8:00 seanpalmer: http://www.howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com/
8:00 socket11: Beer run for the night!!!!