SparkFun launches ProtoSnap, pre-wired Arduino kits for beginners (video)
Looking to get your start in the world of Arduino programming, but having trouble with that whole circuit prototyping thing? Well, the crafty guys and gals at SparkFun have whipped up something they call ProtoSnap -- pre-wired boards with an Atmel AVR processor and a small pile of components that are ready for experimenting. When you've got your code down, the parts easily snap apart for use in a properly soldered, permanent project. There are three different kits available in the online store now, the Pro Mini ($45), the LilyPad Development Board ($60), and the LilyPad E-sewing kit ($20), the latter being an accessory pack for the LilyPad Board. Check out the gallery of goodies below, as well as the video and PR after the break.
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SparkFun Electronics Announces ProtoSnap, a New Line of Products to Enable Beginners to Explore the World of Embedded Electronics
New product line aims to enable beginners in programming, prototyping and designing with electronics
BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SparkFun Electronics (www.sparkfun.com), a provider of parts, knowledge and passion for electronics creation, today announced a new line of products designed to help the novice electronics enthusiast ease into the world of programming, prototyping and design.
Each product in the new ProtoSnap line features various input and output boards that are linked together, complete with traces, to form a multi-use prototyping platform. This allows users to experiment with embedded electronics without the burden of soldering, wires or other typical prototyping limitations.
There currently are three different products in the ProtoSnap line - the ProtoSnap Pro Mini, the ProtoSnap LilyPad Development Board and the ProtoSnap LilyPad E-sewing kit.
The Pro Mini combines an Arduino Pro Mini with a host of inputs and outputs to allow users to experiment with the Arduino language. When they have mastered programming the ProtoSnap Pro Mini, it can be broken apart so the individual components can be used separately. Both the ProtoSnap LilyPad Development Board and the ProtoSnap LilyPad E-sewing kits are designed to help users ease into e-textiles. They, too, can be broken apart into individual components and used in any number of different projects and applications.
"The ProtoSnap line is really designed with the beginner in mind," said SparkFun Engineer Ryan Owens. "We really think it will help introduce people to prototyping in an easy-to-understand and user-friendly way."
While the ProtoSnap line currently has three products, the range of possibilities for expansion is endless. SparkFun is excited to see the implications this new product holds for beginner electronics enthusiasts and hopes the ProtoSnap line will introduce a new group of people to the wonders of embedded electronics.
For more information, visit (www.sparkfun.com).
About SparkFun
Founded in 2003, SparkFun shares its passion for electronics by providing parts, knowledge, and innovation for those looking to explore the world of embedded electronics. It helps anyone discover their inner inventor and enables individuals to create their own electronics projects. SparkFun currently offers more than 1,800 products, ranging from simple components, like capacitors and resistors to GPS units and Bluetooth modules. The company employs 120 people and is based in Boulder, Colorado.
