January ThingM Newsletter!

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Family3 blink(1) KICKSTARTER UPDATES Happy New Year to everyone!  Thank you for your patience as we developed the non-programmer documentation and applications!  We are working constantly towards making blink(1) as easy-to-use as possible. For Windows users we now have the Blink1Control application available to match the OS X version.

To follow the blink(1) progress and updates please visit: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thingm/blink1-the-usb-rgb-led/posts To pre-order a blink(1): http://shop.thingm.com/blink1/ Questions: blink1@thingm.com

THINGM BLOG We have shared some new ThingM projects are up on the blog!  Matthew Brooks made a very cool "busy" indicator door light out of his blink(1).  Inspired after accidentally being interrupted while on a phone call, the green light means he's available while red indicates that he's busy.

We've also shared our first ThingM Seedkit project for 2013!  The EcoTarium is a unique indoor-outdoor science and nature museum in Worcester MA. The goal of using the ThingM Seedkit is to use programmable LEDs in a museum setting. Learn more about the first "Paper Theater" project on our blog.

To see the photos and read more visit the ThingM blog:   http://blog.thingm.com/

EcoTarium + ThingM Seedits!

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ThingM report The EcoTarium is a unique indoor-outdoor science and nature museum in Worcester MA. Set in an urban oasis, the EcoTarium has a digital planetarium, observatory, narrow gauge railroad wildlife trails and engaging science, nature and technology exhibits. The EcoTarium offers visitors a chance to get hands-on with family friendly exhibits.  The goal of using the ThingM Seedkit is to use programmable LEDs in a museum setting.

First Project:  Paper Theater

What we did:  To test the idea of a paper or model theater, we used the reproduction book ”Children’s Theater”, a pop-up book with four theater scenes published in Germany in 1878. It provided an easy start for experimenting with MinMs as set lighting.

What they learned:  Our kids for this demo were quite young, and were delighted with the pop-up book theater. We used the Christmas themed page to match  the season. Again we started with standard LEDs and batteries, then moved on to BlinkM products. The concept of stage lighting and inserting LEDs between the wings was easy for them to try themselves, and they were surprised by what the lighting affects could do to change the mood of the book pages. What we learned:  Using the BlinkM Sequencer to change the lighting between “scenes” was a big success. We used a LinkM, CtrlM and FreeM let them do this at a distance. The favorite was using the thunderstorm sequence on the Red Riding Hood set to create threatening weather before the wolf showed up!

 

blink(1) Update: Control IFTTT connector for Windows

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ColorGradients Thank you for your patience as we developed the non-programmer documentation and applications!  We are working constantly towards making blink(1) as easy-to-use as possible. For Windows users we now have the Blink1Control application available to match the OS X version.

Please visit our full Kickstarter post for more information and downloads: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thingm/blink1-the-usb-rgb-led/posts/386780?ref=email&show_token=98ba1abb470fd882

blink(1) Update: Start hacking!

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Exciting! Thanks to Ben, Keri, Preston, Ann, Abe, and Carlyn, we had a few more epic blink(1) assembly parties and have shipped a total of 4800 blink(1)s to our fulfillment house.  The most recent blink(1) update will review:

  • Shipping updates
  • Time to start hacking
  • Raspberry Pi with blink(1)
  • WiFi Routers and blink(1)
  • Linux & HIDRAW
  • Mac & Windows apps and IFTTT

For the full post and more photos please visit: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thingm/blink1-the-usb-rgb-led/posts/363432?ref=email&show_token=0e0ad1a8c907e7f1

blink(1) Update: We're Shipping!

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It's been a busy two weeks since our last update.  The most important news to report is: we're shipping!

On Monday, we shipped 1200 blink(1)s to our fulfillment house, Fulfillrite.  The wonderful people there should receive it early next week and start shipping them out to you shortly after that.  They are based in New Jersey so don't be alarmed that it's not coming from California.  We will try to ship in the order that people backed.

Next Monday we will ship out at least an additional 1200 blink(1) units. Why aren't we shipping all of them at once?  Read all the nitty gritty details in our full Kickstarter post here:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thingm/blink1-the-usb-rgb-led/posts/354223?ref=email&show_token=6c2617d2a1b6ae00

blink(1) Update: Production Samples!

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We have received production-level samples of all components: the electronics, the enclosure pieces, and the packaging.  They look great and we're almost there!  We have been encountered a few frustrating (but not unexpected) delays.

To read the full update about our production process and how this affects the ship date please visit: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thingm/blink1-the-usb-rgb-led/posts/334543?ref=email

blink(1) Update: Happy Mooncake Festival!

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Hi everyone!

Ever heard of the Mooncake Festival?  It's a pretty big holiday around China, with everyone taking at least a week off. It looks really fun, and mooncakes are delicious.  We knew we were going to run into this holiday and have it affect our schedule, but I'd hoped we'd have most of the production done before it occurred.  We didn't quite make it, so we lost about a week from it.

For more details about the electronics, enclosure, packaging, and applications please just click here!  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thingm/blink1-the-usb-rgb-led/posts/328132?ref=email&show_token=d4b889a6ba9a602e