Comparison of Arduino Starter kits

Sid,

Forgive me if I've missed this, but it doesn't look like your kit actually includes an Arduino of any kind. $12 would be an amazing price if it included an official Arduino, or even a free Arduino variant. With the Freeduino you offer, the total would be more around $35.00, still a good deal I think for what your customer is getting. You should offer the components kit with a Arduino Compatible device.

SirCastor,

Thanks for your feedback, well actually we are offering multiple variants of Arduino/Freeduino/Sanguino boards with different configurations. Most of our customers are happy to pick the board of their choice whether its Arduino Severino, Lilypad, Freeduino Serial, Freeduino USB, Freeduino Lite or even the powerful Sanguino and then get the Basic Component kit as an add-on accessory. So we have left the choice to the end user. Something like a product configurator, which is working out well.

Plus our recent tie up with Indian Postal Service (SpeedPost) has got down the domestic and international prices by 40% which also works in favour of our customers.

Win-Win situation for everybody :slight_smile:

I'd like to disagree with your comments that the piezo sounds aren't pretty!
See my post: "Pinging (literally)"

Where does it say that?

Piezoelectric Sounder – Make noise with this? but don't plan on it being pretty.

Under one of the kits in the second part of the reviews.

Awesome writeup sircastor! Kinda wish I had found it before I got my kit. Love the image mouse-over popups too.

I did a write-up of the kit I got, the Arduino Experimentation Kit from RobotShop.ca. Looks like the kits you reviewed all came more than my kit did.

Indeed the kit is HUGE and is set to get bigger as the next incarantion will have 2 x 7-segment displays and a 16x2 LCD display for NO extra cost

When will these 2 things be added? :)?

Although in your 2nd part you admit to being a bit sick of starter kits, I'd like to point anyones attention to the Fritzing starter kit (Fritzing - electronics made easy). It is more or less comparable to the Adafruit starter kit (from what I saw), it's contents is on that page. It is reasonably priced at 55 euro (ex VAT), certainly if you keep in mind that you support the work on the Fritzing tool ("With the purchase of one starter kit you are supporting one hour of bug-fixing."). Oh and last but not least: they are very friendly over at Frizing!

PS: not affiliated and so on, of course

I would be careful of the earthshine design starter kit. I ordered mine over a week ago, and he has my money, but the order is sitll at the processing stage. I have tried contacting him via the website and e-mail but not repsonse yet. Currently it does not matter how good the start kit is if you can't actually buy it.

A couple more to look at.

very basic starter pack

an advance starter pack

an advance starter pack that includes the making things talk book which is a great arduino guide.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm in the process of updating my information and moving it to a more permanent page that'll be kept up-to-date, As well as be a little more readable.

If anyone else has kits they'd like to see in the list, I'll be happy to add it. I'd like to make my list as comprehensive as possible. My requirements are that the kit ought to be known as an Arduino kit, and should at least be offered with an Arduino/Freeduino. In otherwords, no General electronics kits for beginners.

Just and update: I got a e-mail from earthshine design late Thursday and I received the kit this morning (Saturday). I must say I am impressed with this kit, and the time he has put into the manual.

I have not found any other seller for Freeduino/Arduino in India. Buying from US/UK is much more expensive because of shipping charges and customs duty imposed by the Indian Govt.

Now it's available at DeccanRobots.com is for sale | HugeDomains

Also there are couple of others...

An Arduino Projects Kit (and The book: An Arduino Workshop) is available from www.smileymicros.com and Nut&Volts

What else do I need to use the Earthshine kit in the US?

Since you mention earthshine I'll say that I ordered some kit on 28 May and haven't heard anything since (my paymeny went but my order hasn't been processed).

MC Mike hasn't been online here this month, so I guess he's on holiday or something. It's a relief to see hairlocks had a similar experience, I was getting a little worried at the lack of response.

edit: I've got home to find an email telling me my order has been shipped :slight_smile:

Hi,

Check out our kit (no arduino)
http://simplelabs.co.in/drupal/content/arduino-quick-starter-kit

and clone board
http://www.simplelabs.co.in/drupal/content/induino-low-cost-arduino-usb-clone-board

Let me know of any comments. There is another variant of this coming out soon.

Cheers,
Pracas

Thanks for ur sharing,
I'm appllying it right now and hope it will be okay.

Hi, just wanted to add that I ordered my kit from Earthshine and received it in pretty good time. Looks like a good kit, I just need some time learn how to use it now!

SparkFun has updated their kit. It's now called the SparkFun Inventor's Kit.

After wading through your articles and thinking a lot more about this than I should be, this is the one I went with. I like the idea of the bigger breadboard and the parts list seems decent.