Powered Up 3.0 update

[kbalage]

LEGO released the 3.0 update of the Powered Up app yesterday. As we were informed previously this is an important update with long awaited features like the multi-hub support or the support for the Technic hub and the L and XL motors. Check out my review about the update here:

What I liked:

• new cleaner main interface looks good, easy to navigate
• multi hub support really works, 4 hubs can be connected simultaneously and they can be all different kind (Boost, AAA hub, Technic hub)
• sensor data from Technic hub can be accessed and used
• multiple sensors can be used the same time, external and internal as well
• phone/tablet orientation can be used as a controller although the zero position is still a question

What I did not like:

• Biggest frustration – total lack of documentation. The app is getting super complicated, if I were a kid I would not bother trying to figure it out. This should be the number one priority to sort out.
• L & XL motors have proper speed control but steering is still laggy, absolute positioning does not work for steering
• Controller interfaces are still limited, the 2 slider one works only for tracked vehicles or the Batmobile, the joystick interface is not scaled properly on a tablet and cannot be used with the L/XL motors for steering
• The app still needs to be killed to disconnect all hubs or they have to be disconnected manually one by one
• The whole app looks like a tech demo for programmers beyond the set-specific controls. It does a lot but without any documentation and you don’t know what supposed to work and what not. It has a great potential for advanced users but totally misses the point for the ones who’d like to go one step further from the stock builds and want to add a light or a motor to a creation, it’s way too complicated.

[efferman]

And again Lego shows they are only great in Hardware. so Praise the great Minifig for BrickController 2

[msk6003]

Now we can make segway using C+ hub!

 

[rm8]

Balazs, thank you for review. Dissapointed again. But I have another question. In the end you tested BC app with gamepad. I also have Gamepad and last BC app on iOs. Playing with 42109 I can't make steering work right - no return to center. Is it it the problem of iOS version?

[kbalage]

@rm8 just tested the latest iOS app with the servo, yes it seems to have a problem with the steering. The Android app works fine.

[lego3057]

Hi

How can one use the second connected hub in the app?

[kbalage]

@lego3057 if you watch the video you can see what block is used to address the the different hubs. Each connected hub gets a number and there's a dedicated block that you can use to select the hub's number and the output port.

[fred67]

So, I've got to admit I largely stepped away from LEGO last year and haven't been keeping up with things.  I've been interested in PU from the start (got Boost at the TRU closing discount), but hadn't really done much with it until recently.

I got the Disney Train on black Friday and, after building the train and running it on my Winter Village layout, ran to S@H to order some separate components - I thought it was just awesome. But then I discovered something that I haven't seen mentioned lately, and not mentioned enough - the miserable battery life of the PU hub.  IMO, it's so bad that I can't believe it's not mentioned more often.  It makes me think that, if you actually got a four port hub, you'd be lucky to run it for more than ten minutes.

So is it really just me?  The batteries I was using?  After going through a second set of alkaline batteries in like 20 minutes, I got a bunch of rechargeable batteries just for the hub, but it seems to me to be a pretty serious drawback to PU.

And, yes, I also agree that the lack of documentation for people actually using the App is terrible.  I'm a professional programmer, and have figured out quite a bit so far, but the lack of any way to give feed back to the person using your UI, and the lack of documentation seems to really baffling to me, seeing as how Boost came out like two years ago.

[kbalage]

@fred67 I did not notice the bad battery life and I was running several different hubs in different vehicles. I am using rechargeable batteries from IKEA and they work very well. The last test I did was with 42109 and the Technic hub - it was running 8 hours straight on a test platform and even after that it was able to run on a carpet.

[Tcm0]

I can't confirm bad battery life for the pup hub either. It ran 25 minutes straight without any major problem.

The boost hub is a bit different. It consumes much energy after you ran a program on it. You should turn it off after every usage.

https://www.philohome.com/wedo2reverse/consumption.htm

[Razer7]

I have the first asus rog phone with the gamepad accessorie. For anyone not familiar the gamepad clips on to the sides of the phone and adds a "joystick" on each side. I wonder if it could be used in the app. It would make controlling a excavator feel more natural maybe. Has anyone tried this?

[kbalage]

@Razer7 the Powered Up app uses virtual control elements on the screen and it does not support any external devices like gamepads. Your best chance to use the gamepad with that phone is the BrickController 2 app.

[Razer7]

I dont think support is needed. When playing a game I can setup each button in the phone app for it to replace any function I want. The powered up app has nothing to do with that and would never know :p Anyway it was just a idea I had. Not able to test this atm myself but I'll look into it later.

[kbalage]

@Razer7 I assume those games are prepared to be played with a gamepad, therefore you don't need any extra support. As I said the Powered Up app is not prepared for that, so there's nothing you can set up and map on your phone. 

[Razer7]

Some are, some are not. Those that arent you can setup the controles for yourself. Like if the steering wheel is in lower middle part of the screen you can assign a joystick to that yourself without messing with the controle +app. I know what the powered up app is like i already tested it.

[kbalage]

I didn't know about this virtual mapping option, I checked the manual online and it's quite interesting. Let us know if it works with the Control+ app if you'll be able to test it.

[Razer7]

I built the 42100 while visiting my parent for christmas and had to leave it behind...such a beast. But yeah when I get a chance to test ill make a post about it :)

[Bartosz]

Hi,

Am I missing something obvious, or it's really the case the documentation for powered up app is non-existant? I must say, I'm programmer so I really intuitively grasp almost all of that, but if I was a kid..hmm, would require really lots of toying to learn all those things.

Or should I look into boost which might include some info on those programming blocks and their behaviour?

[kbalage]

@Bartosz that's the best you can do, check the Boost blocks and their information as the PU app has zero documentation or info about the blocks.

[Philo]

@Bartosz There is a spreadsheet summarizing Michael Harris findings available in Facebook Powered Up group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PoweredUp/permalink/2234377586863700/

[TeamThrifty]

8 hours ago, Bartosz said:

I'm programmer so I really intuitively grasp almost all of that

I'm also a programmer and i love it to be honest.. but its not very accessible due to lack of documentation. 

Connected instantly to 42100 and was able to program it straight away, so i am a big fan.. but it desperately needs documentation. They've got a very powerful product here, but it needs to be adopted by users.

[fred67]

Another programmer - I was able to hack a little thing to run my trains, but it wasn't particularly complex, either.  There are a few blocks here and there that I just have no idea what they are supposed to do (like the new "play" block that has what looks like an electrical circuit on it).