We're unveiling our second clicker 2 board (the clicker with two mikroBUS™ sockets), this time for PIC18JF. And this time we designed a completely new page to highlights its features.
Early-day software developers used to program computers line by line with punchcards. Contrast that with the efficiency of today's IDEs, with all the pre-defined functions and libraries and shortcuts and so forth. It's like comparing a 19th century steam locomotive with a bullet train.
Similarly, hardware developers used to rely on breadboards to build prototypes. Now contrast that with something like clicker 2—a fast click board two-seater that'll get you from idea to prototype, all the way to your final product, while the breadboard guy is still figuring out which wire jumper connector goes where.
It has two mikroBUS™ sockets, allowing you to take advantage of the huge potential of click boards. You just slide a click board into the socket, and you've added a functionality to your design.
Now add a second click, and you can make a fusion that results into a completely new functionality for your specific gadget. And with over 90 click boards available, there is over 4500 ways to combine two.
To help you finish your firmware quickly, each click comes with a Libstock example. Once your code is done you'll quickly upload it using the built in USB-HID bootloader on clicker 2.
By now you're delighted with your invention and eager to share it with the world. You can do it almost immediately because you already have a battery connector to make your device standalone. The battery can be charged through USB. All that's left is to flip the onboard power switch and your device comes to life! Nice work.
Now back to the breadboard guy. He finally made some LEDs blink. He says: This is all great but while you have only two mikroBUS™ sockets my breadboard has hundreds of pins. What'll you do now?
That's easy.
Notice that clicker 2 has the same pocket-size form factor like mikromedia boards. This includes the two 1x26 pinouts on each side of the board. You can connect additional electronics to it. For example mikromedia shields. A mikroBUS™ shield will get you two additional sockets for click boards, or, if you're really into it, there's the PROTO shield that's basically a breadboard.
Check out the clicker 2 for PIC18FJ page, it features an interactive section that lets you combine clicks and brainstorm some ideas right away.
We also updated the page for the clicker 2 for STM32 so check either one of those, depending on what's your architecture of choice.
Yours sincerely,
MikroElektronika