Unless you’ve been living under a non-connected rock for the last year or so (or don’t like DIY electronics, which makes me wonder why you’re reading this), you’ve probably heard of the ESP8266 WiFi module. You also may have heard of the even more capable ESP32 module, which features a 240 MHz microcontroller, 16 MB of flash, and both WiFi and Bluetooth communication capabilities.
What likely holds many people back from experimenting with these modules is getting started. If this sounds like you, then perhaps this ESP32 development board from “Ezsbc” is worth a look. In addition to breaking out pins described in the product’s listing, it has two built in tri-color LEDs which could be quite useful. It also features an FTDI FT231XS USB to Serial converter, allowing it to be programmed like an Arduino board, of which you’re probably familiar!
As someone who grew up thinking that a computer running at 200 MHz was extremely fast, it still blows my mind that something with this kind of processing power is available in a package small enough to be held on one finger and at less than $10. This development board costs $16.95 plus shipping, but considering what an equivalent computer cost 20 years ago, it’s absolutely amazing!
