Major hit to the BBC, schools as Micro:bit use probably pushed back full academic year.
by Sebastian Anthony - Sep 18, 2015http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2015/07/bbc-microbit-e1436343377298.jpg
BBC Micro:bit features, pinouts, etc.
The BBC's Micro:bit, a single-board educational computer that was meant to be distributed to a million Year 7 students in the UK this month, has been delayed until at least "after Christmas." This will come as a big hit for the BBC and for British schools: the original plan was for teachers to use the Micro:bit to help teach kids the basics of programming and electronics, but it seems unlikely that the computer will be built into this year's teaching syllabus if it doesn't arrive until at least three months into the school year.
According to the BBC, the delay is due to an issue with the Micro:bit's power supply. The problem only "affected a small number of devices," but for obvious reasons (kids!) they wanted to make sure the devices were as robust and reliable as possible. The new plan is to send some Micro:bits out to teachers "before Christmas," and then to the million-or-so Year 7 kids (age 11-12) "early in the new year."
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