I am new to this field , and want to build some small and medium projects on Adruino
I am well acquainted with C/C++ and I am confused about selecting a board
Which board should I chose and what more(e.g. sensors,shields) should I but with it?
For the beginner I would suggest the Uno R2 with DIP package 326 processor. The reason being that the chip is easily replaced should it get harmed (I have replaced a couple myself). As for parts, what are your intrests? For robotics you would need to study motor control and sensors like rangefinders etc. For lighting projects (LED cube, LED strips) you would study multiplexing and shift registers.
Have fun!
Like Grumpy_Mike said. I would add motors with encoders (to measure motor rotations and thus distance) and for starters maybe a rangefinder (like the HC-SR04 or Ping), switches for bumpers and a servo to make a scanner with the rangefinder. Learning those and incorporating them together will get you started. There a tons of kits with the chassis and motors available. I started with an old Roomba that I got cheap at a yard sale. A big decision is what type of drive system to use. There are 2 wheel drive, four wheel drive, tracks, differential steering. Ackerman steering.
As you are beginner (and looking at products from Simple Labs) I don't think It would be a bad idea to look at the InduinoX board by Simple Labs. It is an UNO clone (and the latest one is an UNO R3 clone), and contains many features useful to a beginner, like LED's, Buttons and some sensors attached to the board. This makes it easy to learn and saves the time which you might spend fiddling with a breadboard.
And if you are not a fan of clones I would recommend using the Arduino UNO. Even if the leonardo has got more PWM outs and more analog ins I don't recommend it to a beginner because if you kill it somehow (which is likely to happen if you experiment A LOT) .. replacing the IC can be troublesome, whereas in the UNO you can easily replace your dead IC for a new one simply at home.
sid3695:
I am new to this field , and want to build some small and medium projects on Adruino
I am well acquainted with C/C++ and I am confused about selecting a board
Which board should I chose and what more(e.g. sensors,shields) should I but with it?