BBC micro:bit - what is it?

[@RichardEricCollins]

Nice video and a good introduction. How about a new channel, the microbit guy? :-)

[@yeet1337]

How is the power consumption? How long do the batteries last when using the led matrix?

[@KelanProductions]

You should make a video on an electric skateboard with a raspberry pi.

[@ra8620]

What you could learn 1 function mechine 2 layers of programs 3 variables 4 how to implement machine language 5 input out put values 6 micro controllers 7 function of the logic gate 8 operating platforms 9 integrated environment and many more concepts of mechine learning and automation and artificial intelligence.

[@ra8620]

ARM is a heatless type processor platform.

[@emilcarr7190]

I bet they're only gonna be handed out in England though, damn government doesn't care about us up in Scotland. And I also think it would be much more suitable to hand it out to S3's (Year 10) who took computing science, as they are the ones who would actually be interested or make use of one.

[@rossgibb9826]

Yeah north east Scotland schools still use core 2 duo rm pcs too lol

[@rossgibb9826]

+Darryl Sloan oh yeah don't get me started in that

[@emilcarr7190]

Nope, we never got the raspberry pi (actually my school has 3 but we were supposed to get more than that), we never got the AstroPi, we hardly ever get PC upgrades or anything. It would be damn nice if they noticed us for once.

[@cube6108]

Emil Carr I was in year 7 and my school didn't even order any :( I bought one off of amazon though, can't wait!!

[@cube6108]

And you should see the computers in my school... loads of them don't work. In my primary school, they still used windows vista...

[@therealbillrichardson]

where can I get these? I cannot find them for sale?

[@Henbush8]

This is amazing! I mean I already knew about this as I visited the Big Bang Fair and someone was talking about it. I have a question though - can it be connected to/ used as a motor board? Just asking

[@Henbush8]

And I have talked to my teacher (as I am a Year 7 going into 8) and she said that we'd be getting them in year 8

[@TheRaspberryPiGuy]

Glad to hear you enjoyed and are looking forward to doing stuff with your micro:bit! I believe you can get motor add ons for it: www.kitronik.co.uk/5602-motor-driver-board-with-edge-connector.html

[@cube6108]

TuxedoNINJA643 I had to pay for mine :P I was in yr 7 but my school didn't order any :P oh well, looking forward to it arriving!'

[@wavesofintelligence]

Is it possible to program it with scratch from the raspberry pi?

[@EvanRustMakes]

scratch is python based, so it should work.

[@Gaget01Stuff]

Scratch is not python based

[@AlexSmith-ff4wy]

sadly not

[@wavesofintelligence]

Alex Smith Just found this www.raspberrypi.org/learning/microbit-game-controller/

[@lucasgreenford5276]

If anyone is looking for one I bought a starter kit on eBay for £9.99 with £2 postage, so I would say that's the best place to get one

[@LorcanAdrain]

Don't see the point of this board, without patents having operating knowledge and resource backup, they will be a 5 minute wonder for the kids. If they need PC access it would have been far better to go down the Arduino or Raspberry Pi route and use existing trusted technology as a stepping stone.

[@Coffeeology]

but is it fun to you?

[@lewwy_lemons]

it's primary 7 not year 7

[@Totogita]

Why are we holding back on what children can use. It seems that this is too old of a technology. Having worked in technology for a while now, it seems that China ,Japan gets to play around with all the nice stuff and our kids gets these expansive low tech stuff. Whatever happened to Texas instruments and the folks who gave us the Heathkit environment. America and American children deserves to plunge into the same stuff the Japanese children are getting into. The Raspberry Pi was a start but it is using old technologies, stuff that the industry is throwing out in the trash. I remember when we use to be the innovators and our kids were using the state of the arts to move forward not move backwards. I blame NASA for this since they are not very forthcoming with the latest. We are all being kept in the dark about the new stuff while others are expanding with discoveries payed for by tax payer dollars.

[@tuxcup]

HongKonger here. The computers in our schools don't even connect to the internet half of the time.

[@bizareted]

It's a starting point. You have to learn how to walk before you can run.

[@Totogita]

tuxcup The technology that I am referring to became known to me in 1984. It has nothing to do with the Internet. Everything on the Internet that is free happened before 1984. Ever since N.A.F.T.A was signed there have been a moratorium on new technological knowledge sharing in the U.S.A. It feels like the Berlin wall fell and then total blackout on newer technology. Some blame it on the inability to shrink stuff. Why is it that a 64 bit Raspberry pi cannot make the full jump to 64 bit OS is beyond me. But I will blame Microsoft for that one. I once work for a company interfacing IBM computers to German machines. I was able to do so because in those days newer technologies were being publish in magazines among others.

[@tuxcup]

+Dart Gar My meaning was "We don't even have basic equipment", and didn't really have anything to do with the internet.

[@Totogita]

tuxcup The statement I made is only about newer technologies being released in the East first then come here to the West. It has to do with recent events. Honk Kong may not have the Internet but your factories are building with newer technologies being released first there. The President just released a statement that our kids should be learning to code. However the technologies need to do so is being manufactured in China and Europe.

[@ra8620]

My kids got it so my time to mess with it it is a cool think for time wasting.

[@starwarsgames5467]

Arduino is better