The Arduino may not be a toy (it’s just a development kit with an Atmel MCU)… however most of the “innovative” crap posted that involves an Arduino is just that–crap.

Since the Arduino is one of the easier and popular MCU dev kits, many beginners’ projects use it, and usually those projects are very simplistic (naturally). This leads to a self-inflicted stigma associated with the Arduino (e.g. “Arduinos are toys”).

Engineers get annoyed at the Arduino “fad” because beginners’ projects tend to trivialize actual engineering, which involves _far_ more than simple proof-of-concept hacks. Beginners should be aware of this difference, but of course the only way to learn is to start as a beginner!

Nonetheless, it sounds like you’re a bit overly defensive of the Arduino…

Posted at 4:43 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by alexsfox

The Arduino may not be a toy (it’s just a development kit with an Atmel MCU)… however most of the “innovative” crap posted that involves an Arduino is just that–crap.

Since the Arduino is one of the easier and popular MCU dev kits, many beginners’ projects use it, and usually those projects are very simplistic (naturally). This leads to a self-inflicted stigma associated with the Arduino (e.g. “Arduinos are toys”).

Engineers get annoyed at the Arduino “fad” because beginners’ projects tend to trivialize actual engineering, which involves _far_ more than simple proof-of-concept hacks. Beginners should be aware of this difference, but of course the only way to learn is to start as a beginner!

Nonetheless, it sounds like you’re a bit overly defensive of the Arduino…

Posted at 4:46 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by alexsfox

“Engineers get annoyed at the Arduino “fad” because beginners’ projects tend to trivialize actual engineering, which involves _far_ more than simple proof-of-concept hacks.”
And other engineers like it because it removes the tedious (and generally pointless for a prototype) process of setting up flags, etc, when bashing out a quick prototype requiring a microcontroller.
Doing things the hard way doesn’t automatically make it the better way.

Posted at 4:53 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by EdZ

wow,one decent,innovative use for an arduino doesn’t explain why every other post has one.

little sensitive about protecting the sponsors products,aren’t we?

Posted at 5:13 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by bobob

He needs a hand modal, that’s one hairy arm lol.

Posted at 5:19 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by MrEng

why is there always more discussion about the platform than the actual hack?

I don’t own a blackberry but it looks like a nice complement to a mobile phone, something the phone companies should’ve been selling us years ago, instead this guy has beaten them to it.

I’d like to see something like this that can pair with your PC and gives whatever information you need, like an untethered hi-res LCD-smartie, maybe a couple of buttons or touchscreen to extend its capabilities a little.

Posted at 5:38 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by Reggie

@ Reggie

The windows mobile platform has allowed you to do this for years.

Posted at 6:13 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by damox

nice.. something other than crappy halloween shit

Posted at 7:07 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by bill hates

@alexsfox

That was a beautifully elegant way to describe your feelings on the Arduino. I agree with 95% of what you said. I wish everyone on here would argue this way… a lot more constructive than this over-excessive cursing and EE bigotry (yes, I’m an EE).

Posted at 7:33 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by samurai1200

also, this thing is pretty impressive power-consumption-wise.

the battery is 150mAh lion-poly running an oled screen, motor, and bluetooth (as well as a couple other controllers im sure) for 4 days under moderate usage? thats pretty awesome.

Posted at 7:45 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by samurai1200

im impressed that there was a way to get that bluetooth profile to work .. they can be finicky them blackberrys ..

Posted at 8:09 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by realcomix

I’m an arduino user, but I think that everyone should be looking at it’s increased popularity as a good thing.

[1] There are a lot more posts here now. No you don’t have to like every single one, but often you can find at least an ASPECT of the project that you find useful, or inspiring.

[2] Arduino is a stepping stone to bigger/better/more compilicated projects – and for most it’s the FIRST STEP. The price, and ease of use, means more people are into “hacking” than ever before.

Anyways that was off topic.

This project is pretty damn awesome – would love to see even more details of the development process.

Posted at 8:33 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by trialex

Arduino debate aside, I think it’s really cool that Allerta posted details of their development process. I wish more companies would do that. Their CEO must be a pretty cool geek :D

Posted at 8:34 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by Dating for Geeks

bobob-
I see only “arduino hacks” in the category listing. You’re not suggesting that there are other microcontrollers out there, are you?

Anyway, I really like this project because it’s like the wireless lcd I used for debugging some time ago and I would have killed for this instead of my 1×16 lcd. Clouds happy mr. Sun and stuff!

Posted at 9:01 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by jimmys

Where does it talk about the Arduino on the InPulse blog? I looked and looked, even did a search on the blog page and came up empty.

Posted at 11:24 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by PeterM

@bill hates

Hear, hear

Posted at 11:44 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by lexi

@EdZ i like the way you think.

“Doing things the hard way doesn’t automatically make it the better way.”

Posted at 11:44 pm on Oct 26th, 2009 by Matt

@alexsfox I agree with what you said in full. It’s especially annoying to see idiots getting all bug eyed about “hacking” when all they’re doing is making a high powered LED flash.

Posted at 12:46 am on Oct 27th, 2009 by Neckbeard

This is an impressive feat though. This device started as nothing, now actually is a useful purpose. Well done.

Posted at 3:06 am on Oct 27th, 2009 by blizzarddemon

Don’t know what will be in the Future, but i think it’s good idea!

Posted at 3:08 am on Oct 27th, 2009 by shamuss

The arduino is a powerfull development tool, I think people on here only bitch about it when they are been used in situations where it is not needed or use of such is over the top.

Posted at 3:53 am on Oct 27th, 2009 by shadow

if it hasn’t already, an alarm to detect disconnection from the blackberry may be a good idea. My friend keeps leaving his phone on trainS and at restaurants, luckily I have been there most of the time but one time he did end up losing his iphone.

Posted at 5:22 am on Oct 27th, 2009 by babble

The arduino isn’t a ‘worthless’ toy. It’s just an annoyingly overpopular and simple one.

Posted at 5:34 am on Oct 27th, 2009 by M4CGYV3R

@ damox, Yup, you have been able to do it on winCE for years, more expensively with more power consumption and more weight hanging off my wrist than a mere watch sized unit :)

Posted at 5:54 am on Oct 27th, 2009 by Reggie

The hardware is really interesting but what impresses the hell out of me is the work on getting the blackberry to cooperate. Those damn things are ORNERY. Every time I’ve tried to develop for mine I end up jumping through endless hoops to get a partial kludge to work.

I love me some arduino, but that daemon on the blackberry is the real story IMHO.

Posted at 7:51 am on Oct 27th, 2009 by Mike77

I think it is awesome! What hardware was used is not that important to me.

Posted at 8:01 am on Oct 27th, 2009 by maryland mortgage modification

[flame on]
Flame war about arduino, at this time looks like provocation from hackaday. As someone mentioned, at all 3 links and all blog entries are not such phrase arduino.
Are hack a day get paid or what?

Posted at 11:34 am on Oct 27th, 2009 by Jancans

@Jancans,
We don’t advertise Arduino on Hackaday. We have banner advertisements, you can see who buys advertising from us.

He submitted his story to us. This is an excerpt from his email
“I hacked together the first prototype by interfacing a stock arduino with one of those cheap Nokia 3310 displays. It’s only evolved since then…”

Posted at 11:45 am on Oct 27th, 2009 by Caleb Kraft

Well, for $150 & no winmo support. FAIL
lol
just kidding i’d get one in a heartbeat if I had a bb

Posted at 12:37 pm on Oct 27th, 2009 by gabe

Want one for the iPhone.

Posted at 7:32 am on Oct 28th, 2009 by atombomb1945

i really love this Blackberry because of its functionality and design. this is a very cool electronic gadget for staying in touch with your friends and family members –

Posted at 4:05 am on Nov 10th, 2009 by acnemobo