Worth a Thousand Words

We launched a new version of our website tonight and for the first time we've included pictures of how the actual product looks.  It's an exciting moment because it's the culmination of close to 18 months of hard work by the awesome Bug Labs team and it's incredibly gratifying to see it all released to the public. 

It's also a slightly scary moment because now, for the first time, we get to hear what everyone thinks of our work.  But this is where the discussion really begins.  Because everything we're doing is open source, you are free to make it perfect yourself.  You want to change something?  Go right ahead.  And when you do, we're hoping you share your improvement with everyone else so we all benefit.  It's why we call our work community electronics instead of simply consumer electronics.  We, Bug Labs, don't own the keys to your satisfaction, you do.  And this, in our humble opinion, is how it should be. 

Please let us know what you think!

Here's some of the discussion so far:

Engadget, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, CrunchGear, Popular Science, MAKE

Comments

[Owen]

This looks really awesome. Congrats!

One suggestion for a future module: higher-capacity flash memory. I know that the BUGbase has an integrated MMCmicro reader, but I have an idea for a gadget or two that needs more memory (several gigabytes) of storage. Plus, if you released an 8GB memory module along with the double-wide screen, we could make an iPod Touch clone. ;-)

[Coza]

I'm currently taking my dissertation on Interopobility of sensors in my BEng Electronic System Design course. I was looking at WiFi, ZigBee and Bluetooth. This seems like a very useful tool but can't see any Bluetooth/ZigBee. I'm less concerned over ZigBee as I have pretty much chosen Bluetooth already. Will this be available in the UK?

[Coza]

I'm currently taking my dissertation on Interopobility of sensors in my BEng Electronic System Design course. I was looking at WiFi, ZigBee and Bluetooth. This seems like a very useful tool but can't see any Bluetooth/ZigBee. I'm less concerned over ZigBee as I have pretty much chosen Bluetooth already. Will this be available in the UK?

[Accelerator]

Bug Labs "the concept" has just made my day!!

I was surfing rapid prototyping with 3D printers and a link to your site came up. I have been working on a mechanical hardware concept simular to your electronic/software offering.

I have listened to your podcast interview several times and if you are planning to grow your business model in the same modular fashion as your devices there should be exponential success in your future.

I defintely want and will be a part of your ramp up.
I have started a concept design listing of ways to use and evolve your product as a grouping of its iniatial offering and also how to integrate it into mechanical modular components for expanding your utility in the area.

Kudos to the Bug Lab team!!!

Accelerator

[tom61]

I don't like the idea that modules are colored based on input, output and input/output. A single color would be more unifying. The input vs. output should be apparent based on additional connectors on the module. The LCD module does have an interesting contrast, that draws attention to it, that could be kept the same color as it is now and would be OK, but an input module next to an output module is a bit jaring.

What connector is that on the bottom of modules? I was hoping for something common and easy to get a hold of to be able to homebrew my own modules easily. Hopefully, this is easy to get ahold of.

[tom61]

Note: my above comments about colors were based on the Engadget Hands On. In the press photos the colors are all white except for the LCD module, which I like a lot better. Also, the modules appear to have a greenish tint in the Engadget photos.

[tom61]

Sorry about hitting the comment button so many times, but I just keep getting ideas.

Have you considered selling empty modules with necessary connector for the hardware hackers(like me)? That way people with hardware ideas can implement them on their own without having a rapid prototyper/vacuum former/plastic injection machine/woodworking skills to make snap in modules for this.

[LeMel]

I appreciate tom61's comments about the connector spec and the possibility of selling 'blanks'..interesting...

Overall, each new glimpse I get of this project makes me smile wider. I'm just really happy with the design decisions that have been made.

In the SDK, emulation might be cool, so I could design my device virtually before plunking down money for modules (I'm poor, but ambitious).

This is a really exciting product to watch being born.

[Jonas Krøyer]

This product is really great!

I'm really looking forward to get my hands on it.

The modules is kind a bulky and no Bluetooth...?

I would also like to see a composite video in port, so it would work with security cameras and bullet cameras.

[Peter Semmelhack]

Thanks for the encouraging comments and great ideas everyone. This is the type of user interaction we were hoping for. It's really gratifying to see it happen.

Owen - we have several memory and storage expansion modules on our radar. So stay tuned...

Coza - Bluetooth and Zigbee modules are also on the docket.

Accelerator - thanks for the kind words

tom61 - keep the great ideas coming! And yes we will be selling a blank, header module that is just a blank PCB with the appropriate interfaces labeled, the connector and standard plastic housing. We should have that soon after launch.

LeMel - psyched you like the idea of SDK emulation because it's already included in the SDK :) I think you'll like it when you see it.

Jonas - we've gotten lots of requests for video in/out so you can bet we'll be putting something together soon.

Thanks again everyone!

[atomburn]

this looks so fricking awesome. I would love to buy this stuff immediately. When will these go on sale?

[Jonas Krøyer]

How about a HSDPA module so one can make his own cell router... I've looking for a way to do that for ages and cellphones just doesn't cut it.

[John Miner]

Great stuff, I can't wait till you start selling, my money is waiting. I would really like you to add a x86 base. Some of my projects only have x86 code. Intel has some great low power small chips that would be great.
Regardless great idea(s)

John

[Turn_self_off]

It would be interesting if one could get a combo of x2 display (with 800x something resolution preferably) keyboard and hsdpa module all onto one device.

[turn_self_off]

btw, is there a irc channel or similar up for bug?

[Excited Newb]

Any plans for blueprints and lessons for complete and utter newbs (with accompanying newb level explanations), who would love to build cool things while learning about electronics and programming?

[nc]

Any chance of a mobile / cell phone module, where you could insert a SIM card to mobile data enable it?

[Brian Gallagher]

Add in some robotics functionality, or perhaps just create an interface to Lego Mindstorms devices. That will add lots of extra tech to your project without having to engineer anything other than the API.

Looks great!

[james]

So is the SDK going to be mac-only or will I be able to do development from my Linux desktop? Will it also be open source?

[turn_self_off]

the sdk is eclipse based iirc, so it should work on any platform.

where did you get the idea that it was mac only?

[Marhnoose]

When and where will these go on sale?!!

[joe dokes]

Why is this device limited to Java and an SDK for development? Considering that there are plenty of linux-on-chips (SOC), why cant the BUG have the capability of running DSL/E17 and harness the full power of the OS? (Like Palm/Linux)