In a bid to assist enthusiasts and developers of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, Microsoft and Adafruit have teamed up to offer the Microsoft Internet of Things Pack for Raspberry Pi 2. The starter kit is deemed as the easiest way to start off doing IoT projects IoT using Windows 10 and Raspberry Pi as an IoT-enabled device.
The bundle comes with electronic parts, a compatible set of sensors, cables and wires that have been tested to work with Windows 10 IoT Core, says Steve Teixeira, director of program management for Internet of Things at Microsoft, in a blog post on Thursday, Sept. 24.
"We're proud to announce that we are partnering with Adafruit to release a new Starter Kit designed to get you started quickly and easily on your path of learning either electronics or Windows 10 IoT Core and the Raspberry Pi 2," writes Teixeira.
Customers can buy the kit for $114.95 at the Adafruit Store.
The pack specifically contains the official Raspberry Pi Edition mini Wi-Fi module, a full-size breadboard, a power supply, an Adafruit BMP280 temperature and humidity sensor, an RGB color sensor, as well as an eight-channel 10-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC).
Furthermore, the kit is equipped with an 8GB SD card preinstalled with Windows 10 IoT Core. This implies IoT developers can begin their projects straight away, says Teixeira.
To sweeten the offer, the kit boasts sample code for projects that developers can make, as well as instructions to get started.
Meanwhile, a version of the Windows IoT Core Starter Kit with no Raspberry Pi is available for $75.
"You can also use this pack with Raspbian Linux and Python," reads the product page.
At the time of writing, the kit has already sold out incredibly fast.
"We're sold out but making more as soon as we can," says Adafruit.
Developers and enthusiasts who would like to grab one can still enter their details on the product page, and Adafruit will inform them through email once the product is back in stock.
Tech Times reported in August that Microsoft had officially made the Windows 10 IoT Core available to developers, entrepreneurs and students who want to develop Internet of Things devices.
"Windows 10 IoT Core is a new edition for Windows targeted toward small, embedded devices that may or may not have screens," said Teixeira. "For devices with screens, Windows 10 IoT Core does not have a Windows shell experience; instead you can write a Universal Windows app (UWP) that is the interface and 'personality' for your device."
