Make reviews the Adafruit Feather RP2040 microcontroller board.
One of the most exciting things about the RP2040 is the number of programming environments to which it is amenable. Raspberry Pi’s own Pico SDK enables development in C, C++ or assembly, while Earle Philhower’s Arduino-Pico core brings unofficial Arduino support to the board. But because this is an Adafruit board, we thought it would make the most sense to try it with CircuitPython, the MicroPython fork that Adafruit recommends as the best way for newcomers to the world of microcontrollers to get started.
If you would like to use CircuitPython with the Feather, the first thing you’ll need to do is flash it with the required firmware, which is a relatively simple process. This is thanks to the RP2040’s in-ROM USB UF2 bootloader, combined with Adafruit’s dedicated firmware download site: just save the .uf2 file to your PC, hold the BOOTSEL button while plugging in your board via USB, and drag the file to the “RPI-RP2” mass storage device that appears. The board will recognize the presence of this new firmware, flash and reset itself, and you will be presented with a newly-named drive “CIRCUITPY” into which you can start dropping CircuitPython code.
They conclude the review with:
If you’re looking to get started with the RP2040 and/or CircuitPython, the Adafruit Feather RP2040 is a great way to do so. With all of the hallmarks of Adafruit’s Feather range: onboard LiPo charging, a STEMMA QT connector, tons of GPIO, and compatibility with the extensive ecosystem of Adafruit and 3rd-party FeatherWings, this board will grow with you as you learn, and may be the only RP2040 you’ll ever need. Coupled with Adafruit’s fantastic documentation, and, lest we forget, a pink PCB, it’s hard not to recommend that everyone pick one up, especially given those two words we see all too rarely these days on dev board product pages: “In Stock!”
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Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.
Python for Microcontrollers — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: MicroPython Pico W Bluetooth, CircuitPython 8.0.4 and much more! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi
