A brand new device from the has just hit the market called the BBC Micro Bit, and kids aged 11 are eligible for a free one.
Major initiative ‘Make It Digital’ are giving away the new Micro Bit to kids that are currently attending year 7 in school and mirrors the features of a more well-known Raspberry Pi machine.
The Raspberry Pi model is currently loved by intense coders and DIY hackers alike.
The Micro Bit has a built-in 32-bit ARM Cortex processor, 16k of RAM at 16MHz as well as inputs and outputs. There are two programmable buttons on the front of the device. There are even 25 programmable LEDs so you can customise what the colours mean when they flash. The micro USB input is so you can upload your custom code to the device.
After having an initial release of last summer, the Micro Bit is now making its way to one million 11-year-old UK kids in school.
There are an initial release of codes to the BBC website so kids can get started right away. The initiative is to enable kids to learn how to write their own codes and apps for the Micro Bit.
Tony Hall, BBC Director-General, said: “This is exactly what the BBC is all about – bringing the industry together on an unprecedented scale and making a difference to millions. Just as we did with the BBC Micro in the 1980s, we want to inspire the digital visionaries of the future. Only the BBC can bring partners together to attempt something this ambitious, this important to Britain’s future on the world stage.
