Hello everyone, today I added a new page “Arduino BLE-Shield v1.0.0” to the “Bluetooth Hardware” section of my blog. The old page, covering the pre v1.0.0 prototype version of the Shield is still available, but since the first Kickstarter BLE-Shields has been shipped already, please refer to the new page for details, tips and tricks and compatible/tested Arduino Boards. Thank you very much, Michael.

Hello everyone, yesterday I received my Tag-Connect In Circuit Cables. I wanted to reduce the footprint of my next Arduino or BLE112 based hardware prototypes, and reduce the BOM as well, since the programming connector for the BLE112 modules I’m using on the BLE-Shield for Arduino is only used once. There was a PCB included, where one can see the tiny footprint which is needed for the programmer. I will add an Arduino ICSP header part and a BLE112 programming header to my Sparkfun library asap.

Hi everyone, I started another hardware where I’m using a BLE112 module, but this time an Arduino core as well. So why should I solder the ISP for flashing the bootloader to the ATmega328 once? I added an FTDI header to the development board as well, so I will be able to program my Arduino clone board using USB. So I came up with the idea to build something using the Pogo-Pins provided by Adafruit (http://www.

Hello everyone, I created a repository at: https://github.com/michaelkroll/BLEbee where I already added WIP version of the BLEbee firmware and eagle designed files to. The firmware was developed using Bluegiga’s Bluetooth Smart SDK v1.0.3 and the eagle design files are created using Eagle 5.11.0. Please let me know any feature requests or general questions concerning the BLEbee in it’s dedicated forum at: http://forum.mkroll.mobi/viewforum.php?f=11 Thanks, Michael.

The BLE-Shield files are now available at github.com. I created a repository at: https://github.com/michaelkroll/BLE-Shield where I already added the latest BLE-Shield v1.0.0 firmware and eagle designed files to. The firmware was developed using Bluegiga’s Bluetooth Smart SDK v1.0.3 and the eagle design files are created using Eagle 5.11.0. All further updates to the BLE-Shield firmware and design files will be available through this repository. The iOS application which is part of the BLE-Shield Kickstarter Project reward will be available in this repository as well.

No, no it’s not the iPad-Mini. After I created the BLE-Shield in Arduino Shield form factor, I shrinked the BLE-Shield to an XBEE size form factor and added even a little more functionality. The idea behind it was quite simple. Now that I developed the BLE-Shield, why not shrink it to an XBEE form factor, name it BLEbee and use it with an Arduino FIO or the Arduino Wireless Shield, where an XBEE module can be used.

Hi, since I started the Kickstarter project, is now already funded and there are still 13 days to go, I started to work on the final PCB design and the final firmware as well. The v1.0.0 is already available in a Kickstarter Project update, but not yet on my blog. So I will change this now and add this to the blog as well. I’ll post the schematic and the updated boardfiles as soon as I soldered an additional engineering sample of this board to prove that there are now last minute bugs added while changing the board slightly.

Hello BLE112 hardware developers, to make hardware development a little easier, I simply created a BLE112-A Breakout board for you that can be used on a breadboard. I added three 100nF block capacitors and the programming header for the CC-Debugger to the breakout board. I’m open for suggestions, since the board is in version 0.5.0. The eagle design files and the PDFs of the schematic and board files can be found in the “BLE Other Files” box on the blog’s main page.

Hello guys, finally I managed to get the BLE-Shield, teamed up with Jonathan Prevo and Don Mallicot again. See the following link to get to the Kickstarter Project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rowdyrobot/arduino-ble-shield-connecting-the-ios-and-the-ardu I decided to startover on Kickstarter, since the initial poll I made to get an estimate how many people are interested in a shield, showed me that I could never afford it to pay for this amount upfront. The final design of the Shield v1.

Hello everyone, During this week my BR-EVAL-LE4.0-S2A and BR-XB-LE4.0-S2 orders of Blueradios arrived. I have not yet had a chance to play around with it that much, but I hope to test it soon. Moreover I’m in good contact with other manufacturers as well, as I will test and write about other development kits is the future. Thanks, Michael.