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Arduino.cc has released the latest version of its integrated development environment (IDE) this week with some shiny new features, but reports of bugs mean that those looking to upgrade may be better off waiting for the next build. The Arduino IDE is one of the jewels in the project's crown. Designed to mimic many of the features of professional-grade development environments but in a beginner-friendly cross-platform format, the open-source software package is all you need to get started with programming an Arduino microcontroller bar the hardware itself. As well as allowing you to write your program, it handles compilation, flashing...

An undeniable strength of the Arduino ecosystem is that it's far from one-size-fits-all. Even if you're concentrating solely on official boards, there are form factors and features aplenty to choose from - and when you expand your search to Arduino compatible designs, you'll find everything from our own Breadboard Arduino Compatible (BBAC) kit to specialist tools like the Arachnid Labs Tsunami signal generator and analyser. Typically, though, picking and choosing between non-specialist Arduinos means making some sacrifices and tough choices. The popular Arduino Nano is a great example of this: based on the Arduino Pro Mini layout but with integrated...

Computer numeric control (CNC) is a common sight in industrial manufacturing, allowing for higher speed and greater accuracy than hand assembly, and is becoming increasingly popular in maker circles thanks to clever homebrew devices like Joris Van Looveren's recently-completed XY-Table. Built to aid in the manufacture of home-etched printed circuit boards by automatically drilling the holes - one of the most tedious and time-consuming parts of the process - Joris' well-documented project began with the creation of a custom circuit board, drilled by hand to bootstrap the project, which allows an inverted Arduino Uno to drive the stepper motors that...

One of the biggest strengths of the Arduino ecosystem is the concept of Shields: add-on boards which piggyback on top of the Arduino itself to add functionality, ranging from network connectivity and additional sensors to H-bridges for driving motors. Sometimes, though, you don't have a particular Shield to hand for a given experiment, and you don't want to invest cash before you're sure the project has wings. The solution: VirtualShield. The creation of Jakarta-based developer Saggaf Arsyad, the open-source VirtualShield turns any Android device with Bluetooth support into a series of software-driven shields. Using nothing more than a normal Arduino...

Of all the devices found in a modern household, the alarm clock is arguably the one which could benefit most from the injection of a little intelligence. At least, that's the belief of engineer Pieter Delobelle, who has recently completed the first functional prototype of an Arduino-based alarm clock capable of tracking the user's sleep and monitoring their upcoming events. Dubbed Bao Time, or bTime, the alarm clock has existed as a very early prototype since July this year, but it's the latest prototype where things get really interesting. The heart of the clock is simple: a pair of NeoPixel...