The holidays can be a great time to pick up a new passion, or start a new project! And if you are at home with friends and family, a DIY challenge can be just what you need to spend a few hours together – learning and laughing all the way. We’ve definitely kept all of this in mind while fine tuning our 2023 gift guides, full of ideas and inspiration for the special people on your list! We’re sure you’ll find something for everyone… and a treat for yourself too.
Giving the gift of creativity
A kit with step-by-step instructions and all the components you need can provide the perfect pastime, even with kids: you can go through the Starter Kit one project at the time to learn the basics of electronics and coding, or try your hand at IoT – it’s easy with the Arduino Oplà IoT Kit! This 8-projects-in-1-box gift allows even beginners to explore smart connectivity: anyone can have their smart lights system, personal weather station, or home security alarm ready by New Year’s Eve, and do the whole thing without coding, using the templates available on Arduino Cloud. And once the basics are mastered, the experience can be customized to infinite creative ideas: for example to monitor a room’s temperature and humidity levels, connect the heating to Alexa, or control Spotify – three ideas to make your time at home even more pleasant, during the holidays and beyond.
Learning something new in the new year
Speaking of the new year, we have some great options for anyone making 2024 their year to learn something new. For example, the Make Your Uno Kit can take anyone from the basics of soldering to their first synth (also available as part of the Make Your UNO Soldering Bundle). Sound daunting? Not to worry: the learning experience is supported by a dedicated content platform with video tutorials, a 3D interactive viewer to help with the finest details of soldering, and instructions on how to program the board once it is finished.
If you have someone on your list who would enjoy a huge confidence boost to go with their newly acquired electronics and programming skills, the official recognition of the Arduino Junior Certification Bundle will make for the perfect present.
Finally, for anyone interested in learning MicroPython, the Nano ESP32 is the perfect choice to start their journey! But it can also be the key to amazing home automation projects like the one created by one of our Project Hub users, help you recreate Penny’s computer (remember Inspector Gadget?), or make one of the most interesting, hypnotizing timepieces ever. And yes, it can even run Doom.
Automating your living and work spaces
If being home gets you thinking about how you could make your humble abode more comfortable, fun, or futuristic, experiment with automation using the MKR WiFi 1010 (the easiest point of entry to basic IoT). Bigger plans? Check out the new Arduino Pro Opta micro PLC, offering industrial-grade performance within the friendly Arduino programming experience.
Looking for something more open-ended?
Our gift guides highlight a wide range of versatile and feature-packed modules that can be at the heart of any project you – or your loved ones – may have in mind. Caution: you may end up spending your holidays creating a humanoid robot! Choose the iconic UNO R3, a cornerstone in the maker revolution, or the UNO R4: WiFi or Minima are both great options for any creative project and for any skill level. Artists like Tigris Li and Monica Rikic have used the UNO R4 for their recent works, and fashiotech designer Anouk Wipprecht even made a beautiful dress light up with it. But an UNO R4 can also be used for a DIY filament extruder, or to make a small robot with PID control.
Last but not least, check out the Nano 33 BLE, introducing a better processor, a micro-USB connector, and a 9 axis IMU to the Nano family: that’s enough, for example, to create a micro robot arm to control a macro robot arm (it actually makes a lot of sense: read more about it here!).
Have a friend passionate about technology? Look no further!
Our gift guides include cutting-edge gadgets that will surely light up their faces, and make this holiday season unforgettable. Consider the Portenta Hat Carrier for the robotics enthusiast, or the powerhouse combo that is the GIGA Display Bundle for anyone into gaming, sound design, or really any tech-driven pursuit. Examples of what you can do with these are a whole system to control the lights and fans in your home via a single, custom dashboard, or even a Chat GPT client to boost productivity!
No matter who is on your list and what their skill level or interests may be, head to our 2023 gift guides and find the perfect present for them! We hope you’ll enjoy learning, creating, and making together.
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