MINDSTORMS RI app going away June 1

[AVCampos]

Alternatively, if I'm not mistaken both Spybotics and Cybermaster can also be programmed with BricxCC, but I never used the former and don't have the latter.

[Toastie]

32 minutes ago, AVCampos said:

Alternatively, if I'm not mistaken both Spybotics and Cybermaster can also be programmed with BricxCC, but I never used the former and don't have the latter.

Can confirm, both can be programmed/operated with BricxCC. Have both, and they do behave well.

Best
Thorsten 

[Gunners TekZone]

2 hours ago, Toastie said:

Control Lab: Just use DOSBox-X, install Control Lab for DOS and there you go. Original software is available on the Internet Archive.

This "portable" option is working as is on my Windows 10 64bit laptop.

https://archive.org/details/control-lab-win-95-portable

Edited March 26 by Gunners TekZone

[Jetro]

6 hours ago, Gunners TekZone said:

This "portable" option is working as is on my Windows 10 64bit laptop.

https://archive.org/details/control-lab-win-95-portable

Thank you for the direct link! Looking forward to having some time this weekend to try it out.

 

8 hours ago, AVCampos said:

Alternatively, if I'm not mistaken both Spybotics and Cybermaster can also be programmed with BricxCC, but I never used the former and don't have the latter.

I've used BrickxCC with Spybotics - I had a GBC module based on a Spybotics pBrick that I programmed that way

[Jetro]

It's been over 2 weeks and the app is still not allowing me to download the content. I sent a follow-up to LEGO, and their reply was:

Quote

I have contacted the team that manages all our apps, and they have informed me that the LEGO® MINDSTORMS app is currently experiencing issues. This will be resolved as soon as possible, and you will be able to access all the content again. 

I hope "as soon as possible" is before they pull the app from the store.

Still no word about making the app available through some other channel to ensure future access 
Have any of you heard back from LEGO?

[sizlaq]

Hi,

I will be emailing Lego support with the concerns raised here. Stopping support is fine and understandable but I hope they don't pull the apps as they contain content which isn't available in other formats or means.

I was able to download the additional content from the app on Android and Mac OS but not Windows. It would be good to see if we can extract the APK on Android along with the additional content so that it could be reloaded on other devices if needed.

It is a shame the additional builds don't have a PDF download option which would have made things a bit easier.

 

[vascolp]

I asked this in late march:

I recently realized that the Mindstorms Robot Inventor application will be discontinued in June. What can I do after that date? Is it possible to obtain copies of the installation version of the application?

Since it will no longer be supported, is it possible for the source code to be made available for the community to continue using?
----

(yes I asked for the source code! :-).

Got a fast one day after answer:

Thanks for reaching out about the LEGO MINDSTORMS theme! Our designers in Denmark are busy inventing new LEGO® toys all the time, which means we sometimes have to stop making a few of the older sets to make room for even awesome-er things.  

Sadly, we're unable to share any source code or copies of this application for future use.

We'd recommend making sure you update as often as possible before it's removed from the app store. You may find more information on fan-based websites or forums dedicated to this theme. These websites aren’t affiliated with the LEGO Group but are run by passionate fans.

Have you checked out any of our newer tech-based sets? Go to Coding for Kids, Trains, Powered Up and Robots for Kids on LEGO.com to see what we’ve got to offer!

 

[sizlaq]

I emailed Lego and also used the support form on the website with the following:

Quote

Dear LEGO Support,

I own the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor set and have some questions regarding the discontinuation of the app from 1 June 2026:

1. Will the Robot Inventor app continue to function on devices where it is already installed, or will it stop working after this date?
2. Will the app be removed from app stores and users’ download libraries after 1 June 2026?
3. If it is removed from official app stores, will LEGO provide an alternative way to download or access the app?
4. Will the app continue to include all existing downloadable content and community features after discontinuation?
5. Will the building instructions and other downloadable content be made available separately (e.g., as PDFs), similar to the five base models?
6. Will LEGO provide guidance on recreating or replacing the custom blocks required for the official models?
7. Since existing Robot Inventor programs are not compatible with the SPIKE app, will there be any tools or guidance to support migration?
8. If transitioning to the SPIKE app, how can users access or recreate the custom blocks required for Robot Inventor models?

Thank you for your support and clarification.

Kind regards.

Got the following response:

Quote

Thanks for getting in touch with us about the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Robot Inventor set.

 

With the set being retired, it limits the support we can provide but the app is expected to continue to function on devices where it is already installed. Just keep in mind that the app will not receive further updates and will be removed from app stores. Unless you already have it downloaded on your device there won't be an alternative way to download or access the app but you will still be able to find all of the building instructions on our website here.

 

As for guidance on future projects or information about the community section, we are looking into option we can provide but as the product is officially retired, we won't be able to promise a future support. I would suggest keeping an eye on the website for further instructions.

For now, let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

I'm currently looking into a way to see if I can extract the Android APK (along with content) and install that on another device.

Edited Thursday at 12:51 PM by sizlaq

[Jetro]

9 hours ago, sizlaq said:

I'm currently looking into a way to see if I can extract the Android APK (along with content) and install that on another device.

Thanks. Let me know how you fare!

[sizlaq]

It looks like the Robot Inventor APK is a split-APK. I extracted the APKs from my Pixel phone and was able to successful install the app on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 (with Internet turned off on the tablet to make sure it didn't depend on a Lego server). Interestingly I was not able to officially install it on a Samsung Tab S4 when using the Google Play Store but I was able to install it using the APKs and the adb tool. 

I'm going to check if there is a way to copy the additional downloads (further activities, advanced activities, and community content) so it can be preserved.

[Jetro]

I called LEGO Customer Service - I really wanted to vent, but as usual the people who man their phones are really nice and it isn't their fault LEGO is being a **** about this. Anyway, still no downloadable content and still no insight into what will happen after June 1.

[sizlaq]

I can download content from the app on Android and MacOS. Downloading from the Windows app is still broken for me.