Swayne just replied to me privately with their version number. Thanks Swayne! But I think there is a misunderstanding. It could still be me, I'll admit, but it could be helpful if this reply is publics so I am back "on-list". Swayne is talking about the Bluetooth programming blocks on the advance menu. I agree that functionality is present in both versions. But that is not what I am talking about. If you have never used the commercial version then you don't know what you are missing. On the menu there is a "remote control" option that allows you to connect the robot via Bluetooth wireless. From there you can download software, check battery voltage, and remotely control the bot. As in you push the up arrow and the bot moves forward. Right arrow, it turns right. etc. Neat trick but not all that useful. Remotely download program files and remotely reading sensor values, etc., THAT is very useful and worth buying. To be clear, this has *nothing* to do with the NXT programming language. As I said, if you have always had the educational versions and have never used this feature, then you don't know what I am talking about and that is a real shame. Hence my advice to not by the educational version. I hope someone proves be wrong and tells me how to find this secret fuctionality on the educational version. I would be happy to find it. Paul From: First Lego League in Virginia and DC [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul Conlin Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 7:33 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [VADCFLL-L] EXT :Re: [VADCFLL-L] LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Books ? Hmmmm. That is great news. Please tell us how to find this feature on the educational version. We use it daily on the commercial version of the software. The menus are slightly different when we compare the two packages side-by-side. We have what we think to be the latest educational software. We actually have a site license. I'm not in front of one of the computers now to find the exact version number. I know you said version 2.0 but can you post the exact version number the software displays, including any updates, where this Bluetooth wireless feature works. It would be appreciated. Thanks. Paul From: Swayne, Dominic - swaynedd [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 7:24 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [VADCFLL-L] EXT :Re: [VADCFLL-L] LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Books ? The bluetooth works just fine on the educational version. They are identical in this regard - at least on version 2.0 of the software From: Paul Conlin <[log in to unmask]> Organization: Blaze Broadband Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]> Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:10:24 -0400 To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: [VADCFLL-L] EXT :Re: [VADCFLL-L] LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Books ? No one has mentioned the Bluetooth wireless link that is missing from the educational versions! Unless someone can explain how to find this feature in the educational versions of the software, I would highly recommend buying only the retail version. While wireless is not permitted during competition it is a very valuable feature while teaching and during the program development phase. Not only can programs be very quickly downloaded without plugging in the bot, this bi-directional wireless link can also be used to read motor positions and sensor values from a live robot. For example, you can move the arm and read exact number of degrees of rotation. Then plug that value into your code and you are done. No more time wasting iterations. This can work for wheel rotations too. You can also read sensor values to determine what the robot is sensing, in real time! I feel Lego's decision to delete this wireless feature from the educational version was a big mistake. Paul From: First Lego League in Virginia and DC [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Aucoin, Bill (ES) Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 1:57 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [VADCFLL-L] EXT :Re: [VADCFLL-L] LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Books ? Wendy, Nice summary. Attached is part of a presentation that I put together. This particular slide helps summarize the same information in a matrix for easier comparison. As you mention, the biggest differences in the kits are: . Color sensor vs. Light Sensor . Batteries . Included? . Rechargeable? . Software license . None . Single Seat . "FLL Team License" Also, this blog, from Northern California, discusses the differences: http://www.norcalfll.org/elgg/pg/blog/jillw/read/3609/which-lego-mindstorms- nxt-kit-to-buy Thanks, Bill From: First Lego League in Virginia and DC [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of W bretton Sent: Monday, October 24, 2011 9:37 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: EXT :Re: [VADCFLL-L] LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Books ? Below is information I sent to some friends a while back. The product number for the Resource set changed & prices went up, so the differences listed below may not be exact, but generally speaking FLL Robot set = Retail kit (8547) + Resource Set (9695) with a few differences... ____________________________________________________________________________ _______________________ The "FLL Robot Set" consists of: LEGOR MINDSTORMSR Education NXT Base Set Product ID: W979797 <http://www.legoeducation.us/eng/product/lego_mindstorms_education_nxt_base_ set/2095> http://www.legoeducation.us/eng/product/lego_mindstorms_education_nxt_base_s et/2095 LEGOR MINDSTORMSR Education Resource Set Product ID: W979695 <http://www.legoeducation.us/eng/product/lego_mindstorms_education_resource_ set/2214> http://www.legoeducation.us/eng/product/lego_mindstorms_education_resource_s et/2214 LEGOR MINDSTORMSR Education NXT Software <http://www.legoeducation.us/eng/product/lego_mindstorms_education_nxt_softw are_2_1/2240> http://www.legoeducation.us/eng/product/lego_mindstorms_education_nxt_softwa re_2_1/2240 (Purchasing thru FLL provides the FLL Team license ) The retail kit (8547), which you find on the web for $250-$270, is essentially the NXT Base Set above with just a few differences as follows: Retail kit does not come with the rechargeable battery. Retail kit has color sensor. The Education set has just plain light sensors. Retail kit comes with the software, but not the license for loading it on many computers as you would need in a school setting. I think the retail kit did not have the sound sensor either??? I could be wrong. I think the retail kit has fewer tire choices. The retail kit does not have the red and blue plastic balls either (minor difference) The retail set (8547) + the Education Resource Set above (9648) (~$80) is a close equivalent to the "FLL robot set" with differences listed above. Hope this helps. -Wendy Bretton From: First Lego League in Virginia and DC [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rajesh Shah Sent: Monday, October 24, 2011 8:04 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [VADCFLL-L] LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Books ? I had another rookie team question. We bought the NXT kit from Amazon this summer. What is difference between this Kit and NXT kit supplied by FLL. Do we need to buy more parts ? On Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 7:05 AM, Rajesh Shah <[log in to unmask]> wrote: We are not competing in this years competition. As you said, we are mostly getting ready for next year. Yes,we do plan to visit this years event. Appreciate your inputs. Rajesh On Sun, Oct 23, 2011 at 10:11 PM, B Bergenstock <[log in to unmask]> wrote: Do you mean that you just started your team and are registered for a local tournament? Because competition is just 2 to 3 weeks away, and that's a pretty tall order. But good luck to you and your team. If it were me and I had just started, I would not enter into this year's competition, but hold an after school program starting in January every other week, teaching them programming and then enter next fall's tournament. Definitely go to this year's event, even as a spectator, because being at the competition teaches you a lot. As for books to teach lego to your team,. I highly recommend Educate NXT http://www.educatenxt.com/ It's the best value for your money and time. Carnegie Mellon also has an excellent series called Robotic Engineering. They started a free online class equivalent but I can't seem to find that link right now; Maybe someone else has that link. Regards, Brandy . On Sun, Oct 23, 2011 at 9:48 PM, Rajesh Shah <[log in to unmask]> wrote: We are new FLL team recently registered with parents as coach and mentor. We are all new to LEGO Mindstroms NXT Constructions and Programming. I was a thinking a good book will be a nice way to get a jump start for our team. I see a bunch of books available in Amazon. Any suggestion ? http://www.amazon.com/gp/search? ie=UTF8&keywords=LEGO%20MINDSTORMS%20NXT&tag=nxtprogramsco- 20&index=books&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325#/ref=nb_sb_noss? url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field- keywords=LEGO+MINDSTORMS+NXT&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3ALEGO+MINDST ORMS+NXT Thanks for your help. Rajesh Shah -- To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list". -- VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-ANNOUNCEMENTS-l.html to subscribe. <rtfimage://> To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list". VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-announcements-l.html to subscribe. <rtfimage://> To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list". VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-announcements-l.html to subscribe. _____ To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list". VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-announcements-l.html to subscribe. _____ To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list". VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-announcements-l.html to subscribe. _____ To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list". VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-announcements-l.html to subscribe. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list". -- VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-ANNOUNCEMENTS-l.html to subscribe.