Gadgetory

there's a strong argument that says if we want technological innovation to continue we have to find ways of getting younger generations interested in computing here in the UK public service broadcaster the BBC has an ambitious plan for doing just that the microbe it is a tiny computer that will be distributed for free to every UK child in the year 7 year group which means kids around 11 to 12 years of age very small and extremely basic the microbe it is a sort of blank canvas through which kids can let their imaginations run wild bending it's many elements to their creative will to create all manner of projects set to enter schools in October this micro computer is built for flexibility it has 25 LEDs on the front two programmable buttons a built-in accelerometer and a compass it hooks up to sensors or other devices via five inputs and output rings and also packs Bluetooth coding happens through a Microsoft built interface which because it's browser-based can be accessed from loads of different devices the micro bit follows in the footsteps of Raspberry Pi which similarly aimed at getting kids into coding but with buttons and LEDs right on the front of the device plus a huge push into schools the BBC's new toy could potentially make more of an impact than other micro computers to date the BBC says it hopes the micro bits flexibility will push forward the Internet of Things a term that describes all the tech in our lives becoming interconnected although kids using the micro bits won't remember the BBC does have form when it comes to computing aiming with its newest gadget to match the success of the BBC micro in the 80s a machine that was hugely influential in getting a whole generation into programming and into computers more than 30 years later can the BBC repeat that trick let me know what you think and stay tuned to see net