Gargamel Can't Catch These BlueSMiRFs!
The BlueSMiRF v2 is now available with or without headers attached, along with a new Soldering Kit featuring the PINECIL soldering iron.
Hello everyone and welcome back to another Friday Product Post here at SparkFun Electronics! This week we have so many new products, and we start with the newest versions of the BlueSMiRF boards to effortlessly and effectively transmit serial data over Bluetooth®. These boards come in two versions, one with headers pre-soldered and one without. Following that, we have a new Soldering Kit with the remarkably robust PINECIL soldering iron equipped with a RISC-V SoC for six second start-up and built-in IMU. From SparkX we have a new Qwiic USB Development Kit which allows you to interface a Qwiic device quickly and easily to a computer. There are quite a few more products to check out this week, so let's jump in and take a closer look at all of them!
Ready to beacon your way to brilliance?
The SparkFun BlueSMiRF v2 (available with and without headers) is a wireless Bluetooth® serial link. These boards work as a wireless serial UART pipe and are a great wireless replacement for serial cables. Simply pair, connect, and transmit serial data between your TX/RX lines! Any serial stream from 2400 to 921600 baud can be passed seamlessly between two devices.
The PINECIL Soldering Iron Kit provides a compact powerhouse and everything you need to ignite your DIY dream. Inside, you'll find the game-changing PINECIL iron, renowned for its lightning-fast heat-up and pinpoint precision. A premium USB-C cable also ensures seamless power, while a sturdy soldering stand and brass sponge keep your workspace organized and safe. A PD wall adapter is included to extend your soldering sessions, ready to fuel your creative marathon. With everything in one place, the PINECIL Soldering Iron Kit empowers you to craft, repair, and personalize like never before.
Of course, we are going to carry the soldering iron on its own, too! The PINECIL is a smart mini portable soldering iron with a 32-bit RISC-V SoC featuring a sleek design, a built-in IMU for auto standby and it heats up to an operating temperature in just six seconds!
The Qwiic USB Development Kit is designed for folks that want to interface a Qwiic device quickly and easily to a computer. The core processor is the SAM21 which allows quick (hah!) and seamless serial printing over USB, as well as easy development and programming using the Arduino environment. The professional printed enclosure makes the device easy to plug/unplug as well as allowing Qwiic boards to be mounted to the enclosure itself.
The Sipeed Tang Primer 25K can connect a USB joystick, plug in a 40Pin SDRAM module, use three PMOD interfaces to connect to an HDMI display, or plug in a PS2 joystick to form a typical RetroGame console configuration. It can also be paired with the series of PMOD modules produced by Sipeed, for use in FPGA university teaching.
These tiny, stepper-driven, XY stages were obviously manufactured for... something? We're not sure what they were made for, but they looked too cool for us to pass up. With a travel of 2.4mm on each axis, this mechanism is great for projects that require precision movement, such as automated microscopy. The assembly is mostly plastic and slides on metal pins. Each axis is pushed by square nut on a threaded shaft with a return spring. There is a photointerrupter on each axis that essentially acts as a homing switch.
This breakout board is designed to accompany our Micro XY Stage, which comes with a 0.3mm-pitch flat flex cable that makes it difficult to prototype with. Slide the cable into the FFC connector and enjoy having it broken out to clearly labeled 0.1" headers, ready to breadboard or mount in your project.
This is a 65W power delivery (PD) wall adapter. The power supply will deliver a maximum of 240VAC, 1.5A. It has one USB-A and two USB-C ports. The adapter uses an internal primary current fuse, inrush limiting for input protection.
Ditch the adapter clutter and power up globally with this handy 3-pack International PD Adapter Socket. Equipped with connectors for EU, UK, and Australian outlets, it easily bridges the gap between your devices and the world's power grids.
Need a way to connect that power adapter? This USB-C to USB-C power charging cable might be what you need! It comes with a flexible, tangle free silicone coating. Coming in at 3m (9.84ft.) giving you plenty of length to work on your project without needing to be right next to the power source.
Tidy up your workspace and keep your soldering tip in peak condition with this handy Soldering Stand and Brass Sponge combo. The weighted base holds your iron securely, while the integrated brass sponge cleans excess solder with every rest. No more frantic searching for cleaning supplies or risking accidental burns - this combo solution keeps everything organized and within easy reach.
The ATtiny84 is another of Atmel's little tiny 8-Bit Processors. 8KB (4K x 16) of program space, 12 I/O lines, and 8-channel 10 bit ADC. It will run up to 20MHz with an external crystal and can be programmed in circuit.
This is a common MOSFET with very low on-resistance and a control voltage (aka gate voltage) that is compatible with any 3-5V microcontroller or mechanical switch. This allows you to control high-power devices with very low-power control mechanisms.
That's it for this week. As always, we can't wait to see what you make! Shoot us a tweet @sparkfun, or let us know on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. Please be safe out there, be kind to one another! We'll be back with more new products next week so make sure to check back then. Happy hacking!
I love the t-shirt Nate is wearing in the video!