Chibitronics has launched “Love to Code” board to enable beginners to try out programming without having to install software. The tiny board comes with a clip that designed for “paper circuits”, and can be programmed with either Microsoft MakeCode editor for visual programming, or the company’s online editor inspired from Arduino IDE.
![](http://www.cnx-software.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Love-to-Code-Board.jpg)
Love to Code board hardware (tentative) specifications:
- MCU – NXP Kinetis KL02 ARM Cortex M0+ @ 48 MHz with 32KB flash, 4KB RAM
- USB – 1x micro USB port used to power and program the board over a Y cable with micro USB and an audio jack to be connected to your smartphone as shown below)
- Expansion – 4x through holes for TXT, +5V, GND, and RGB, 6x programmable ports on clip to drive LED stickers, or used as switch / sensor inputs.
- Misc – Programming button, RGB LED
![](http://www.cnx-software.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Love-To-Code-Board-Paper-Circuit.jpg)
The way it works is that you can first create a paper circuit using LTC platform’s circuit stickers which can be LEDs, sensors, etc.. to be used on a sketchbook. You can now clip the board on the book, and connect a special micro USB to USB and audio jack cable with the former connected to a power supply or laptop to provide power, the latter connected to the 3.5mm audio jack to the programming device, which can be a smartphone, tablet, or almost anything with an audio jack and a display.
The board also required Internet connectivity as program is either done through a web browser either with MakeBlock visual programming editor or Chibitronics’ LTC Editor with a more traditional Arduino like text-based programming. They are various tutorials & projects to get started.
![](http://www.cnx-software.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/MakeBlock-Editor.jpg)
If you want to learn more about the motivation about this project, you can watch the 56-minute presentation by Bunnie on the product page, or read the slides of Bunnie’s presentation, mixing social justice with software & hardware technical details.
Love To Code Board is sold for $30 with the power & programming cable, but you’ll probably need to buy a few stickers and a sketchbook to make it useful. This version is still beta according to the shop, and they are looking at more experience programmers for now.
![Jean Luc Aufranc](https://www.cnx-software.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Jean-Luc-Aufranc.webp)
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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I also write codes, but I don’t have a girlfriend. I’m shy, and I don’t have time because of work (((