I'm looking for ideas here. I'd like to make a LED controller and send it as a present to someone. Think a minimum Atmel with necessary components to run, battery operated, and a string of addressable RGB LEDs.
What I'm wondering is if there is a way I can have the code that's in the Atmel updated by the end user, without them needing to know either the Arduino IDE, or having to run avr-dude or stuff like that.
Initially I thought of adding a USB connection so all they do it plug it in, however that would still require some sort of software to run on their computer to download the new code. So I'm looking for other suggestions. Maybe use an SD card with code on it? But then how do I update the Atmel's code?
"He says that this method of programming comes in handy in certain cases where he builds things for friends, because they can easily update the software on their own without a lot of fuss."
You'd have to build the "audioino" part into it. Then maybe you could send updates on a CD, etc.
You will have to write a custom bootloader, as has the hackaday fellow.
Once you decide to do that you can use any method you like to program the chip. For example copy a HEX file to a virtual serial port on the USB.
You can do something similar to that audio technique but I don't see the virtue in turning a HEX file into a WAV file then demodulating it at the other end. Just send the characters over serial.