GHI Electronics is proud to introduce the first .NET Gadgeteer compatible kit FEZ Spider Starter Kit, including the FEZ Spider Mainboard and numerous compatible Modules. FEZ Spider leverages EMX Module's advanced core features, including but not limited to, WiFi, PPP, USB thumb drive support, USB webcam support and RLP for loading native code. More information is found at http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/category/265/

"As soon as we heard about Gadgeteer we saw the potential of the platform and we engaged with Microsoft to see how we could help bring it to market" said Gus, Engineering Manager at GHI Electronics. "We're excited to be one of the first partners in what we believe will quickly become a healthy ecosystem."

Microsoft .NET Gadgeteer is an open-source toolkit for building small electronic devices using the .NET Micro Framework and Visual Studio/Visual C# Express. Gadgeteer combines the advantages of object-oriented programming, solderless assembly of electronics with a kit of peripherals, and support for quick form-factor construction using computer-aided design. This powerful combination allows embedded and handheld devices to be iteratively designed, built and programmed in a matter of hours rather than days or weeks. Learn more at http://www.netmf.com/gadgeteer/

FEZ Spider Starter Kits will be at Detroit Maker Faire on July 30th/31st. Come visit us and you will get to meet GHI and Microsoft's main developers behind FEZ Spider and .NET Gadgeteer. More details on Maker Faire at http://www.tinyclr.com/forum/15/3700/

I'd like to add that we're already in production and many lucky developers will receive their FEZ Spider Starter kits over the next few days. Since this is a new product, demand is very high and we will not be able to fill all order as fast as we'd like. We are doing our best to get you kits as soon as possible.

Gadgeteer is 100% C# managed code so it is not tied to any firmware (C++ code). GHI hasn't decided on what is open and what is not, everything is possible but we are busy finishing/shipping the product at this time.

The important point from gadgeteer is the "open socket-connections standard". What this means is, you can get a module from company x, another module from company y and use both on mainboard from company z, even if you didn't have design files. All will work together nicely. Of course someone may come up with an advanced moduel that requires special software but mostly modules will simply work.

We look forward to see what other companies will come up with, as far as mainboards and modules. The more options we all have the stronger gadgeteer is. You can even make your own modules to go on any mainboard...this is the beauty of gadgeteer. Think of this as "arduino shield like" but better since there is no pin overlapping and you are not limited to couple shields before the board is too long to be usable. You could even take the gadgeteer socket standard and use it on a board that is not running NETMF at all , but you will lose all the nice software gadgeteer provides.