“As a result of this testing, we’ve decided to make some minor revisions to the way power is supplied around the board, as this was affecting a few devices in rare and isolated instances”.
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The pocket-sized codeable computer is the BBC’s most ambitious education initiative for 30 years. “We’re expecting to start sending them out to teachers before Christmas and to children early in the New Year”, a BBC spokesman said.
Micro Bit can also be connected to other computers like Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and Galileo to undertake additional complex tasks.
That’s not to say that the finished micro:bit is not a positive and important idea, and can’t still succeed; manufacturing issues are common with any hardware launch and particularly common nowadays in the age of Kickstarter.
It lacks the full-size USB ports or display outputs seen on competitors, but it does have an array of 25 red LED lights, two programmable buttons, onboard accelerometer and magnetometers, and Bluetooth for connecting to PCs and mobile devices. It was originally planned to be a coin-shaped battery, but has since been transformed into an external AA battery pack.
The devices will be arriving in schools from late October, allowing children to settle in, and teachers to incorporate the devices into the curriculum.
In an amusing quirk of fate, the BBC’s last big educational computing effort-the BBC Micro-was also delayed.
On a personal note, I’ve been trying to obtain a Micro:bit from one of the BBC’s hardware partners, so that I can review it for Ars-but so far I’ve just received baffled looks and various mumblings along the lines of “go away; you’re too old”.
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At the launch in March, BBC director general Tony Hall promised the autumn-long Make It Digital campaign would redefine the public discourse about technology.
