Webinar Summary
The following summary is auto-generated from the webinar recording.
Welcome everyone to the Blues Holiday Spectacular! Today, we're looking back at 2024, focusing on product releases and feature updates, while also peeking ahead at 2025. We have a special guest lineup, including the Blues Developer Relations team, and yes, you can expect some musical numbers!
As we wrap up the year, many of us feel a mix of pride and exhaustion. It’s that time of year when we reflect on our achievements and gear up for the future. Our agenda today is simple: we’ll recap our product releases, dive into cloud service improvements, and unveil a product release happening today!
2024 Hardware Recap
Let’s kick things off with our hardware highlights for 2024. We launched some exciting new products that have made a significant impact.
Starnote for Skylo
First up is the Starnote for Skylo, our first product focused on satellite connectivity. This no card accessory works in tandem with a cellular or Wi-Fi no card and is designed as a fallback communication device. If your cellular connection drops, Starnote ensures you still have connectivity via satellite.
With Starnote, you program the no card, which decides when to use satellite connectivity based on your specified requirements. Thanks to our partner Skylo, Starnote accesses geostationary satellites, so you’re never waiting for a satellite to come into view.
Starnote ships prepaid with 18 kilobytes of data, enough for approximately 150-byte payloads per day for about a year. Beyond that, you can pay as you go at a rate of 75 cents per kilobyte.
Wireless for PLC
Next, we introduced the Wireless for PLC, designed to connect with the Arduino Opta PLC. PLCs are widely used in industries like automotive and energy for machinery control.
This product snaps onto the Opta and provides turnkey cellular data syncing with any cloud service. It’s perfect for building SMS alerts, live dashboards, and allows for two-way communication capabilities.
Updated Cellular Only Notecards
We also updated our series of cellular-only Notecards, switching from green to black PCB and dramatically improving design to lower costs. These new boards use the same cellular radios as their legacy counterparts, ensuring quality without the higher price tag.
Notecard for LoRa
The Notecard for LoRa was another significant release this year, priced at just $10. This product fits perfectly into the Blues ecosystem of wireless connectivity and is available in both US and EU versions.
We also launched a Blue Starter Kit for LoRa, including a pre-provisioned Gateway that runs on The Things Stack, along with three Notecards, carriers, and lipos for power.
New Notecarriers
We unveiled the new line of X Series Notecarriers, starting with the XS, designed for integrating Starnote with your cellular or Wi-Fi no card. This small form-factor carrier comes with both quick and E SL ports, switching to USB-C for better compatibility.
Additionally, we introduced the XM carrier, a minimal design for building essential Notecarriers. We also open-sourced all our Notecarrier designs on GitHub, encouraging users to provide feedback and use them as best practices.
Notecard XP
Last but not least, we launched the Notecard XP, a customizable cellular product starting at $19. This model lets you optimize costs while maintaining the same quality as our legacy models.
While it strips down to its core, optional add-ons are available for features like SIM switching and flash storage. Interested customers should reach out to our sales team for more information.
Cloud Improvements: Notehub Recap
Now, let's shift gears to our cloud service improvements with Notehub. In 2024, we made significant strides in enhancing the user experience.
DFU Improvements
We’ve introduced new improvements in device firmware updates (DFU) through Notehub. You can now manage both Notecard firmware and host firmware updates via APIs, allowing for greater control over your devices.
This means you can filter devices by tags, location, and more, making it easier to schedule firmware updates and monitor their status in real-time.
New Routes: Arduino Cloud and Blink
Additionally, we added routes for Arduino Cloud and Blink. Arduino Cloud integrates seamlessly with our Opta expansion, making it easier to manage devices and control IoT setups.
Blink specializes in low-code IoT platform development, allowing users to create mobile and web dashboards effortlessly.
S3 Archiving and Snowpipe
We introduced an archiving solution for seamless data storage in S3-compatible buckets, available in the archive tab of your Notehub project. This feature will be free for all users starting January 1st.
Snowpipe integration allows users to pipe data directly into Snowflake databases, enhancing data management capabilities.
Alerts and Monitoring
This year, we also added a full alerting and monitoring system in Notehub. Users can now create various monitors to track specific data conditions, like temperature thresholds or device activity.
You can receive notifications via email, Slack, or Twilio, making it easier to stay informed about your devices' status.
Looking Ahead: Sneak Peek at 2025
Finally, let’s talk about what’s coming in 2025. We have some exciting features on the horizon, including the highly anticipated Mojo.
The Mojo is a power consumption counter that integrates directly with the Notecard, allowing you to measure energy usage in real-time. This product will be available for deployment in early February.
Midband Notecards
We will also be introducing midband Notecards, a cost-effective solution that requires only a single antenna, making deployment simpler and more affordable.
Cygnet Release
Lastly, we’re excited about the Cygnet, a new feather MCU that offers a lightweight, cost-effective alternative to our existing models. It’s designed for low power consumption and is ready for orders now.
Final Thoughts
As we wrap up this year’s spectacular, we want to thank everyone for joining us. We appreciate your support and feedback as we continue to innovate and grow. Here’s to another exciting year ahead!
