A versatile handheld to learn and create while having fun.
For ESPboy - homebrew gadget / development platform
It's been a year since I ordered my first ESPboy2, and I think it's time to give my opinion on this little jewel.
First of all, I would like to thank Roman, its creator, for his kindness, availability, and all the energy he puts on to make his project evolve by proposing unceasingly new experiments around this fantastic handheld.
The ESPboy2 is just amazing! And this new hardware version of the ESPboy is neat and much better than the first version. I bought a second one to make it communicate with the first one! And I even hope to see one day an ESPboy3.
I'm not going to remind you of all the possibilities this handheld offers as they are already widely described in the product presentation. But I'm going to add some details.
Beyond the hardware and electronic realization which fascinates me, I'm a developer, and it is under this angle I approached the discovery of the ESPboy. I had never developed on ESP8266 before, but I must say that you learn very quickly and that this microcontroller has all the qualities required to offer you incredible possibilities of experimentation and thousands of hours of pleasure before you've done the trick of the ESPboy.
You can go from programming video games to making tools for IoT or electronics. ESPboy's crafted with STEAM education in mind. If you're a parent, look no further if you want to give your kids something that could change their lives. It's a good gift for a teenager who wants to discover the world of science and technology, electronics, and robotics. All this through programming. And it's not too late for older kids :-)
If you are a fan of retro video games and want to play games developed for other platforms such as the ZX Spectrum, the Gameboy, the Arduboy or the Gamebuino META, and even the CHIP8 virtual machine on a single device, you need an ESPboy!
If you feel like a tinkerer and want to create tools for music, radio, wireless communication networks, or for IoT in general by collecting data from scattered sensors, you need an ESPboy!
Yes, you can do all this with this small but powerful handheld!
I want to specify that all the projects developed for the ESPboy are Open Source.
To make it easier to use the ESPboy with a reliable and efficient development environment, I have developed a software library that should help you to take full advantage of the possibilities offered by this handheld. Come and discover the ESPboy library:
=> https://m1cr0lab-espboy.github.io/ESPboy/
You have the choice to develop with the development environment of your choice:
- the Arduino IDE, which is very common in the Makers' world,
- the PlatformIO IDE is much more advanced and particularly adapted to microcontroller programming.
This library allows you to easily control the handheld through a clear and straightforward API, control the display on the TFT screen, apply colored effects to the NeoPixel RGB LED, or read the push buttons status of the ESPboy. In addition, it offers a few examples of use that will allow you to get to grips with it quickly.
Many applications already exist for the ESPboy. Roman has developed a WiFi client that allows you to access a dedicated AppStore directly from the ESPboy so you can easily browse the available applications and install the ones you want.
To extend the connectivity of the AppStore, I have developed in parallel an online web version, which allows you to browse and install applications directly from your Internet browser. This alternative offers you a more adapted and much faster ergonomics to discover and install all the applications you want. This web version of the AppStore is still in the demo stage, but it will soon evolve into a full-fledged tool with a more polished user interface:
=> https://espboy.m1cr0lab.com/demo/appstore/
In general, you can follow everything that's happening around ESPboy on the following sites:
=> https://www.espboy.com/
=> https://community.espboy.com/
Roman has also set up a Discord server which allows all those who wish to come and get information from the community of ESPboy users or to share their experiments:
=> https://discord.gg/9GQ8kBHh
Honestly, don't hesitate to order the ESPboy! It's just great. You won't regret your purchase.
Feel free to glance at this illustrative review which briefly and effectively presents the ESPboy:
=> https://youtu.be/kh-U0U2xn4o
Response from ESPboy | Nov. 17, 2023
Hi Steph!
I have just discovered the ability to leave comments on reviews and I hasten to thank you for such a detailed and heartfelt review.
I am very pleased that you liked the project and thank you very much for your contribution to the popularisation and development of engineering creativity.
I hope that many enthusiasts and hobbyists will join our hobby and ESPboy project and will get a lot of pleasure from fiddling with this device and from communication in ESPboy community.
Regards,
Roman
