Pimoroni Explorer board is a Raspberry Pi RP2350-based learning platform with 2.8-inch LCD, breadboard sensors and more

Pimoroni Explorer Starter Kit

The Pimoroni Explorer board is an electronic prototyping board built around the Raspberry Pi RP2350 chip with a 2.8-inch LCD screen, a speaker connector, and various I/Os, which makes it easy to build circuits, prototype projects, and even make small robots. It also features a mini breadboard, tactile buttons, and crocodile clip terminals, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced makers. The RP2350 MCU was recently released by Raspberry Pi Limited along with the $5 Raspberry Pi Pico 2 board. Since that initial release, we have seen many RP2350-based development boards like the Cytron MOTION 2350 Pro, the Bus Pirate 5XL and 6, and many other development boards released, feel free to check those out if you are looking for development boards built around the RP2350 MCU.   Pimoroni Explorer board specifications Microcontroller  – Raspberry Pi RP2350B MCU CPU Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 @150MHz with Arm Trustzone for secure boot Dual-core 32-bit […]

Google Pigweed SDK now supports Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller

Raspberry Pi Pico 2 (RP2350) with Enviro+ pack hat.

Google Pigweed, a collection of open-source libraries for embedded software development, now supports the Raspberry Pi RP2350 MCU and comes as a software development kit (Google Pigweed SDK). These libraries, also called modules, are building blocks that make embedded software development faster and more reliable. It targets tiny 32-bit microcontrollers such as STMicro STM32L452, Nordic Semi nRF52832, and the Raspberry Pi Pico line of microcontrollers. The library components have shipped in Google Pixels, Nest thermostats, robots, satellites, and drones. On August 8, the Pigweed project was released as a software development kit (SDK) in developer preview with official support for Raspberry Pi RP2350 and the associated Pico 2 development board. The new release uses the Bazel build system – a feature upstreamed into the Pico SDK by the Google Pigweed team – and a complete, open-source Clang/LLVM toolchain. The Google Pigweed SDK includes sample code, modules, and a comprehensive tutorial […]

SparkFun Pro Micro – RP2350 development board comes with 16MB flash, 8MB PSRAM

SparkFun RP2350 Pro Micro DEV

The SparkFun Pro Micro – RP2350 is a compact and powerful development board built around the RP2350 chip from Raspberry Pi and equipped with 16MB flash and 8MB PSRAM. It follows the updated Pro Micro design and includes a USB-C connector, Qwiic connector, WS2812B RGB LED, Boot and Reset buttons, resettable PTC fuse, and both PTH and castellated solder pads. Last week, besides the Raspberry Pi Pico 2, we wrote about more boards with the Raspberry Pi RP2350, like the XIAO RP2350, Solder Party’s RP2350 Stamp, and Cytron MOTION 2350 Pro. Feel free to check them out if you are interested in these boards. SparkFun Pro Micro – RP2350 specification Microcontroller  – Raspberry Pi RP2350A MCU CPU Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 @150MHz with Arm Trustzone for secure boot Dual-core 32-bit Hazard3 RISC-V @ 150MHz Up to two cores can be used at the same time Memory – 520 KB on-chip SRAM […]

Challenger+ RP2350 WiFi6/BLE5 board combines Raspberry Pi RP2350 MCU with ESP32-C6 WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 LE module

Raspberry Pi RP2350 board ESP32-C6 WiFi module

You don’t need to wait for the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W to get a Raspberry Pi RP2350 board with WiFi and Bluetooth thanks to the Challenger+ RP2350 WiFi6/BLE5 board that combines an RP2350A microcontroller with an ESP32-C6 module offering 2.4 GHz WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 LE connectivity. The board follows the Adafruit Feather form factor with 28-pin through holes for I/Os making it compatible with FeatherWings add-on boards. It comes with a USB-C port for power and programming, and a JST connector plus a charging circuit for people wanting to connect a LiPo battery. Challenger+ RP2350 WiFi6/BLE5 specifications: Microcontroller – Raspberry Pi RP2350A MCU CPU Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 processor @ 150MHz Dual-core 32-bit RISC-V processor @ 150MHz Only two cores can be used at a given time Memory – 520KB internal RAM 8KB OTP Storage Package – QFN-60; 7×7 mm Memory – 8MB PSRAM Storage – 8MB SPI […]

XIAO RP2350 is a tiny USB-C board based on Raspberry Pi RP2350 MCU

XIAO RP2350

The XIAO RP2350 is an upgrade to Seeed Studio’s XIAO RP2040 board with a more powerful Raspberry Pi RP2350 dual-core Cortex-M33 or dual-core RISC-V microcontroller found in the just-launched Raspberry Pi Pico 2 board. The new Raspberry Pi RP2350 USB-C board has the same form factor but adds eight more GPIOs on the bottom with pads for a total of 19 GPIOs, and we lose two LEDs for serial port connectivity. Most people will still be fine with the XIAO RP2040, but if you need a more powerful microcontroller, extra memory, a few extra GPIOs, and built-in security, then the XIAO RP2350 will be an improvement. XIAO RP2350 specifications: Microcontroller – Raspberry Pi RP2350 MCU CPU – Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 processor @ 150MHz (Note: again RISC-V is not mentioned at all by Seeed Studio, like for the Cytron MOTION 2350 Pro board) Memory – 520KB internal RAM 8KB OTP Storage […]

$5 Raspberry Pi Pico 2 launched with Raspberry Pi RP2350 dual-core RISC-V or Arm Cortex-M33 microcontroller

Raspberry Pi Pico 2

The Raspberry Pi Pico 2 is an MCU development board based on the new Raspberry Pi RP2350 dual-core RISC-V or dual-core Cortex-M33 microcontroller with 520 KB on-chip SRAM, a 4MB flash, a micro USB port for power and programming and the same GPIO headers as the Raspberry Pi Pico board with an RP2040 dual-core Cortex-M0+ microcontroller with 264KB SRAM. The RP2350 embeds both an open-source Hazard3 RISC-V dual-core CPU and a dual-core Cortex-M33, but only one cluster can be used at a given time. Apart from the faster MCU cores and higher SRAM capacity, the RP2350 is about the same as the RP2040, albeit it also adds one extra PIO block bringing the total to three. One important new feature is built-in security when using Arm Cortex-M33 cores with Trustzone and other security features. Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller Let’s have a closer look at the RP2350 microcontroller, before checking out […]

$180 Zeal 8-bit Computer Complete Edition is an all-in-one retrocomputing platform based on the Zilog Z80 microprocessor

Zeal 8 bit Computer Complete Edition

The Zeal 8-bit Computer Complete Edition is a system that aims to bring retrocomputing to the modern age with the aid of a motherboard built around the Zilog Z80 microprocessor and several peripherals. The Zeal 8-bit Computer project began in early 2021 and has been released in bits and pieces since then. Now, a finalized version tagged the “Complete Edition” is ready for release to the public. It promises a modern retrocomputing experience with the simplicity of retro computers and support for relatively recent features such as VGA graphics, TF cards, and NOR flash. The Zeal 8-bit Computer Complete Edition includes the following components: the Zeal 8-bit Computer motherboard, the Zeal 8-bit Video Board, and a 3D-printed enclosure with a touch sensor for turning the board on/off. The Zeal 8-bit Video Board is based on a Lattice ECP5 FPGA and can output up to 65,536 colors via VGA. It also […]

SkyByte Mini Wi-Fi-controlled drone runs the open-source ESP32-Drone firmware (Crowdfunding)

SKyByte Mini drone fully assembled

The SkyByte Mini is a simple, miniature drone powered by the ESP32-WROOM-32 WiFi and Bluetooth module, and comprised of an MPU6050 inertial measurement unit, coreless motors, and plastic propellers. The Espressif ESP32-WROOM-32 module on the board provides a wireless connection that can be used to control the drone from a mobile app. The printed circuit board uses an “all-in-one” design that removes the need for 3D-printed parts and makes for a more compact final product. The drone’s functionality can be extended with external sensors to suit desired applications. It can be used for hobbyist and educational purposes. SkyByte Mini drone specifications: Wireless Module – ESP32-WROOM-32 module, dual-core Tensilica processor, with integrated Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.2 LE Motor control – 4x SI2302 N-Channel 20V MOSFET USB – USB-C port for power and programming Sensor – TDK Invensense MPU6050 IMU 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer Misc- 3x debugging LEDs, 1x power LED, […]

EmbeddedTS embedded systems design