SBrick General Discussion

[Mowikan]

Count me in!

But please and I can not emphasize this more please build a stable app!

And a mac bluetooth app

[AVCampos]

Regarding the PS3 controller, will any one do? I don't own a PS3 and my Xperia Pro only has BT 2.1, so I was thinking about buying an "imitation" controller in one of those cheap online stores for the SBrick.

[rollermonkey]

70.5K with 4 days to go?

Too bad none of the mainstream media outlets have picked up on it... Has anyone at least gotten it on Reddit?

[PhyBuilder]

http://en.wikipedia....7_(2013_version

)

As I see on the wiki page Nexus 7 comes with Bluetooth 4.0. So it will supported by SBrick! ;)

Please check your facts before posting, especially as a team member

. A device supporting BT 4 does not imply that it also supports BT Low Energy. Unfortunately, the

Nexus 7 2012 does not support the Sbrick

.

I think it should be made very clear to all backers and buyers, that a Bluetooth 4 Low Energy device is neccesary to have it work. The

list of devices supporting it is rather small and premium though

:

http://www.bluetooth...vices-List.aspx

[pasztorl]

Please check your facts before posting, especially as a team member

. A device supporting BT 4 does not imply that it also supports BT Low Energy. Unfortunately, the

Nexus 7 2012 does not support the Sbrick

.

I think it should be made very clear to all backers and buyers, that a Bluetooth 4 Low Energy device is neccesary to have it work. The

list of devices supporting it is rather small and premium though

:

http://www.bluetooth...vices-List.aspx

Please correct me if I wrong, but Bluetooth 4.0 comatible device supports Bluetooth Low energy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth_low_energy

[PhyBuilder]

No, it's the other way around: Bluetooth Smart / Bluetooth Low Energy always comes with Bluetooth 4. Bluetooth 4 does not always come with the Bluetooth Smart extensions and thus Low Energy.

Read the Wiki you've quoted and you'll see. Furthermore, I can confirm the thing by experience: a Fitbit for example does not work with my Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 (BT4 w/o LE), but it does connect to my iPhone 4S. This is according their specs.

[rollermonkey]

Huh? Which is Low Energy? both Smart and Smart Ready say low energy, and together this list is pretty long.

[AVCampos]

Bluetooth Low Energy is Bluetooth Smart. A given Bluetooth device may be Smart Ready, which means it supports Bluetooth Smart as well as "normal" Bluetooth, or it may be just Bluetooth Smart:

Bluetooth Smart Ready indicates a dual-mode device compatible with both Classic and low energy peripherals.

Bluetooth Smart indicates a low energy-only device which requires either a Smart Ready or another Smart device in order to function.

So, it could be said that BLE is a subset of BT 4.0: some devices have both BLE and the other BT functions (like the iPhone 4s and newer), others only have the other BT functions (like the Nexus 7 2013), others only have BLE (like the SBrick).

[kennywest]

I have a 2012 Nexus 7 and a Fairphone ... seems they both don't support Bluetooth Smart :(

Edited August 9, 2014 by kennywest

[Philo]

Looks like there is some hope for Nexus 7 (2012), but it's not simple...

Some background: http://stackoverflow...h-android-4-4-2 and a possible solution https://play.google....nstaller2&hl=en

[Paul Boratko]

Took the SBrick out for another drive with a smaller, lighter, and all around more fun vehicle..

Edited August 10, 2014 by Paul Boratko

[Moz]

Oh yay, TechnicBricks have a survey up about this but I can't comment because I'm not willing to share my google ID with them and can't be bothered creating a new openid when there are already two comment forums open (plus the SBrick one which is a bit dead right now). So... it's interesting that they list the Galaxy SIII asan option(but not it screen resolution) since BLE support on that device is apparently tricky.

I too am looking at a "new" smartphone, probably a second hand Galaxy SIII or Note I, if I can get either of them to work (both belong to friends who want to upgrade). But given the "hardware but not software" BLE support on the SIII I am not optimistic. I may end up buying a new smaller, cheaper phone (which I will select based on "cheapest BLE phone I can find").

I am really, really hoping the RFDuino will pair with an SBrick and I can build some joystick-and-switchs hardware remote controls for it.

[AVCampos]

I may end up buying a new smaller, cheaper phone (which I will select based on "cheapest BLE phone I can find").

When you do, please share with us what you found! ;)

Alternatively, I'm looking at this PS3 controller; I wonder if it'll work with the SBrick?

http://www.dinodirect.com/dual-shock-3-wireless-controller-for-playstation-3-white-p41350522.html

[rollermonkey]

Almost 76K with 53 hours to go.

I wonder what color the initial run of SBricks will be?

Clear like the prototypes or one of the more standard colors like LBG?

[Moz]

I may end up buying a new smaller, cheaper phone (which I will select based on "cheapest BLE phone I can find").

When you do, please share with us what you found! ;)

I've just spent an hour or so grinding through the BLE support page trying to find phones from that on the Cyanogen supported device list and looking at online prices. It is very tedious

So far it's looking like the LG Optimus Pro, since that has a Cyanogen build available and it's about $AUS350/$US300 at Plemix (just as a price reference). The Motorola Moto G has CM is $200 at plemix but doesn't have an SD slot.

The device list page is completely useless for Samsung and Sony, since it just says "Galaxy Series" which means I can't tell the difference between the "i9000" (which has Bluetooth 3.0) and the S3 (which has hardware but not software support for BLE) and the S5 (which has both). Ditto Sony Xperia series. If you can get hold of one of those and try it then it might be worth getting second hand, but I'm not willing to buy one on the off chance.

Right now I'm quite away that it will be months before I have an SBrick to test with, and the smartphone market will have changed a bit by then. I'm leaning towards buying a new phone from somewhere with a good return policy so I can send the phone back saying "BLE connectivity did not work with my device". But I'm hoping that when the SBrick people start having more users they will make their website more usable (it's just an advertisement right now, obviously) and add a "known to work with" list.

[TheItalianBrick]

But guys, somehow sounds like "buy an Sbrick, and and Iphone5 to let it work".

I understand the advantages pf using a BLE, but probably the smart choice would have been to offer both options on Sbrick!

There is anything the Sbrick Team can do for this?

[Moz]

But guys, somehow sounds like "buy an Sbrick, and and Iphone5 to let it work".

That's why I've made the comments above - first to point out that there is a $US200 phone that should work with the SBrick, and second to prod the SBrick team to start collecting a list of phones that are known to work. It would be worth them getting a bunch of people together at a club meeting so they can try it. But so far they have not even published a list of the phones they have already tested - maybe they all own iPhone 5's?

[rollermonkey]

Even though I know it's the typical pattern for a bunch of late backers to show up, I'm still surprised to see how fast it has been climbing the past couple days...

79.3K GBP?

Just wow.

Still curious what color the initial run will be.

Edited August 12, 2014 by rollermonkey

[skriblez]

I have all maner of phones i could test with but that ain't going to help since i will be getting it along with everyone else :/ But if anyone is still on the fence you can send me a pm when i get it and i can test it with "your" phone if that is wanted

[LEGOGEL]

Even though I know it's the typical pattern for a bunch of late backers to show up, I'm still surprised to see how fast it has been climbing the past couple days...

79.3K GBP?

Just wow.

Still curious what color the initial run will be.

I guess that the remained available backer options being all comparatively high price also contributes to the fast growth of the total backed amount.

[rollermonkey]

Must be something, they picked up over 4K in about 20 hours!

I'm really surprised how many people have pledged for the 8 SBrick package, and that's certainly not hurting the cause.

Anybody want to guess a final number? I want the square for 87K.

At least they won't have to do as much borrowing to get to 100K now. Those guys must be pretty excited, this does confirm that there was a significant audience for the product.

[Lighti]

yeah, the BLE/bluetooth smart worries me at the moment as well. when I checked for devices I read "samsung galaxy series" and my wife owns a s3mini (I only have an old iphone 3GS)

so I thought everything ok, I borrow her phone.

But now it seems that wont work.

even my pretty new kindle fire HDX has bluetooth 4.0 listed, but doesn't support BLE because its based on Android 4.2.2

So I will get one of the first sbricks, but at the moment I have no device to use it with... :cry3:

I totally understand why they used BLE, and fingerpoint should go towards google, who seemed to refuse to deliver the drivers in android for quite some time

but the whole situation is pretty bad, since I guess plenty of backers will have similar problems.

At least there should be some hint on the kickstarter page then, or shipped with the sbrick that its not their fault.

Because the package of the S3mini clearly displays "bluetooth smart ready", which is definately not true.

[DickesC]

6 hours to go to reach 100K at the 60K goal.

Come on, just 15K left ;-)

[pasztorl]

6 hours to go to reach 100K at the 60K goal.

Come on, just 15K left ;-)

:)

[PROlego]

FUNDED! 88152 GBP

Edited August 13, 2014 by PROlego