Getting Started with the micro:bit: Coding and Making with the BBC's Open Development Board

by Wolfram Donat

The bit, a tiny computer being distributed by the BBC to students all over the UK, is now available for anyone to purchase and play with. Its small size and low power requirements make it an ideal project platform for hobbyists and makers. You don't have to be limited by the web-based programming solutions, the hardware on the board is deceptively powerful, and this book will teach you how to really harness the power of the bit. You'll learn about sensors, Bluetooth communications, and embedded operating systems, and along the way you'll develop an understanding of the next big thing in the Internet of Things.

Genres: Technology

177 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 24, 2017

Reviews

[Patrick DiJusto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't kid yourself -- THIS is the micro:bit book you want to read. Fantastically written, with interesting projects that cover all the attributes of the micro:bit.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting that the book makes it a point to talk about how the microbit is cheaper than the raspberry pi (as far as I can tell, only by 10-15 bucks), but if someone were to purchase this book in addition to a microbit, then they're already at or above the cost of a pi, so what's the point?
In any case, the microbit is an interesting board, and while this book does get you enough information to begin your journey into using the microbit, it really doesn't cover enough to be all that useful at learning the microbit's features, and how to really use them adequately. It touches on each piece of the microbit, but it does so in such a way as to be too brief for a beginner to really get a sufficient understanding of how it all works.
Still, it's a handy reference, and an easy starting reference, but I'd not recommend it for anyone who truly wants to know how to get the most out of their microbit, as it's coverage is minimal, and it's price tag is too high for what it offers.
Lucky for me, I got it as a humble bundle, so I didn't pay over $12 bucks for it, so I don't feel cheated, but other buyers might, since it promises to show you how to use your microbit, then proceeds to cover everything with as little as it can possibly get away with, and calls it a complete tutorial for getting started. (not hardly).
Anyway, if you're looking for a complete reference/sample programming guide on what your microbit can do, this isn't the book you want.
On the other hand, if you've got money to burn, and you're just looking for something that will give you a basic grounding in what the microbit is, and what it can do, then this book might (barely) cover your needs.