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Live Unboxing of the AdaBox 021!

Hi there!

If you're here, it's because you were given the gift of electronics with an AdaBox! You are a beginner who is getting started with your AdaBox or you just want to relive what it's like being a beginner at electronics again. But most of all, you want to how to build and make stuff with electronics!

And, you're in luck: there's never been a better time.

Gone are the days where you need thousands of dollars of equipment and a physics/math background. Nowadays, if you want to learn to work with electronics, you can jump right in for $100 or less, and any sort of computer. And we're talking about learning a lot of electronics - from the basics of analog to the complexities of firmware. With a good pack of parts, you can build a base of knowledge that will take you from your first blinking LED to someone who can start prototyping and inventing custom products.

Who is this for?

Anyone with a computer they can install software on, an Arduino or compatible and the ability to type and click a mouse. That's pretty much the minimum. Remember, this guide is specifically for people who have purchased or received an AdaBox subscription!

You don't need to know a lot of physics or math, and just like an Art Degree isn't required for making art and being creative, you don't need to have a computer science degree. It helps if you're comfortable using computers but that's a skill most people pick up through life.

If you know how to program already - great! If not, don't worry, we'll teach you enough to be dangerous.

Who isn't this for?

While you can follow along without an AdaBox, it will not make as much sense unless you have all of the components and more which either came as a gift or purchased yourself - remember, the goal is helping beginners!

If you're an expert, please visit our hundreds other tutorials and jump right in at learn.adafruit.com

So are you ready? Let's do this thing!

Unboxing AdaBox 021

Unboxing Adabox 021

Wake up, Sleepy-head...stretch and yawn and rub your eyes, for ADABOX has awoken from hibernation and lumbered into your hands. After many years of part shortages, we finally got enough parts to ship out the thousands of ADABOXes that have been patiently waiting.

This special ADABOX is all about making memories, which is why it is called MEMENTO: it's a digital camera you can build and program yourself. This camera is built around a OV5640 sensor with 72° lens: 5 megapixels, auto-focus, and a charming low-fidelity aesthetic. We use a WiFi and Bluetooth-capable ESP32-S3 module with plenty of PSRAM to power it. Preview images on the 1.54" color TFT, and snap photos to be saved onto a Micro SD card. You can punch up your pics with the built-in RGBW LED ring for adding colorful effects or natural white lighting to illuminate your subjects.

Thanks to DigiKey for being our muse and technical assistant as we worked so hard to revive ADABOX over the last year - they provided parts, advice, and feedback that made this box picture-perfect!

And, of course, thank you for your patience - ADABOX is a labor of love, and we're excited to get back to shipping these out to all our subscribers. We have many more boxes planned and in progress, and we know you will enjoy opening them as much as we enjoy designing them.

-- ladyada, pt and kiddo

NOTE: The firmware that ships with your MEMENTO may not have LED ring functions enabled -- you can add this by updating to the Factory Reset UF2 in the MEMENTO main guide, or by switching to CircuitPython and the "fancy camera" example in the adafruit_pycamera library. See links below.

MEMENTO Factory Reset

MEMENTO CircuitPython Install

ADABOX021: CONTENTS

  • Adafruit MEMENTO - A DIY digital camera with ESP32-S3 processor, OV5640 camera sensor, 1.54" TFT preview screen, micro SD storage, interface buttons, mini speaker, and external hardware interfacing support.
  • MEMENTO LED Front Plate & JST Cable - This protective plate is an 8x RGBW LED ring light to add color or bright white lighting to your photography subjects. Use the 3-pin JST cable to connect the main board to the LED ring.
  • MEMENTO Protective Back Plate & Hardware Kit Attach the back plate with the included M3 screws and hex nuts.
  • Lithium Polymer Battery & Foam Adhesive - To make your camera portable, use the thin foam sheet to attach the included rechargeable battery to the mainboard. The LED plate will sandwich it from the other side during use.
  • 256 MB MicroSD Card - Store hundreds, if not thousands, of photos and GIFs on this tiny card that can be read by your computer for long term storage. NOTE: You can use cards with up to 32GB capacity.
  • Protective Neoprene Case - Keep your camera safe by storing it in this zippered soft case, it works best tucked into the mesh pocket!
  • Poseable Figurine - MEMENTO can make stop motion animation with onion-skin mode, and this wooden figurine is an excellent, easily-posed subject!

MEMENTO Assembly

https://learn.adafruit.com/adabox021/memento-assembly

Visit adafruit.com/adabox021 for a special unboxing.

Visit learn.adafruit.com/adabox021 for AdaBox tutorials.

Visit forums.adafruit.com/adabox to discuss your projects.

For subscribers, a one-time use 10% off discount code has been added to the Adafruit account associated with your AdaBox order.

Adafruit asks that you share your creations on X, Facebook, and Instagram with #adabox and #adabox021

Your Exclusive and Exciting IoT Experience:

Unboxing Adabox 021

AdaBox021

Unboxing Adabox 021

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AdaBox020

THE EYE LIGHT ZONE

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AdaBox019

MACROPAD

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AdaBox018

MAKE OUTSIDE THE BOX

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AdaBox017

GOOD FORTUNE AHEAD

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AdaBox016

PIXEL SHOW

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AdaBox015

COME TO YOUR SENSORS

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AdaBox014

CIRCUIT PLAYGROUND BLUEFRUIT + TFT GIZMO

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AdaBox013

THE MONSTER M4SK

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AdaBox012

PYGAMER

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AdaBox011

PYPORTAL

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AdaBox010

RAINBOW TRELLIS

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AdaBox009

HALLOWING

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AdaBox008

OCTO CRICKIT

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AdaBox007

SPY

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AdaBox006

CIRCUITPYTHON

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AdaBox005

READY FOR PI

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AdaBox004

MAKING THINGS DANCE

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AdaBox003

THE WORLD OF IOT (CURATED BY DIGIKEY)

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AdaBox002

MAKING THINGS MOVE

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AdaBox001

WELCOME TO THE FEATHER ECOSYSTEM

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