Reviews of the best BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) prototyping IOT hardware platforms

You just wanted just a BLE prototyping IOT hardware evaluation tool?

The nRF52 from Nordic Semiconductor brings you a SOC or a single board development kit (an EVM, if you prefer that term) that supports BLE (Bluetooth Smart), ANT and even 2.4 Ghz connectivity. In addition, this IOT prototyping kit can be fitted with a antenna to support NFC functionality. In short, this IOT development evaluation module can be used to prototype almost all your IOT prototyping ideas.

Processor for the nRF52 IOT development platform:

The nRF52 BLE prototyping hardware evaluation platform has a Cortex M4F processor to provide your IOT product enough processing juice to power most of your connectivity prototypes.

Software for the nRF52 BLE prototyping hardware kit :

Along with the BLE hardware prototyping kit, you get Nordic’s nRF5 SDK for IoT- a complete software stack consisting of drivers, libraries and live examples. Whats really cool about the nRF5 software is the easy implementation of IPV6 to Bluetooth Smart IOT applications.

The decision clincher : Choosing Nordic’s nRF52 as your Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) IOT hardware protyping platform

If you love Arduino and only want to work with a BLE hardware prototyping platform that supports Arduino, choose nRF52. Also, if you are looking for Bluetooth Smart over IPV6, definitely choose nRF52 as your BLE hardware prototyping EVM.

You just needed one sensor to go along with your Bluetooth Smart microcontroller for your IOT product?

Texas Instruments offers 10 sensors (WOW!) as part of the CC2650 Sensor Tag kit evaluation module . Simply amazing. The sensors included that can be easily interfaced with Bluetooth Smart connectivity for your IOT product:

You only wanted Bluetooth Smart (BLE) connectivity for your IOT prototype?

The CC2650 Sensor tag development kit supports :

• Bluetooth Smart
• Zigbee
• 6LowPan
• Zigbee RF4CE

The support that CC2650 Sensor Tag development platform offers for 6LowPan is rather unique among IOT hardware prototyping tools. If you are looking at a smart grid application, then the CC2650 Sensor tag prototyping tool could use the 6LowPan concept to prototype transmission of IPV6 packets.

When would you choose CC2650 Sensor Tag as your BLE IOT hardware prototyping platform : The decision clincher

• If your IOT application needs a lot of sensors, then you will save a lot of money by going in for the CC2650 Sensor Tag kit. Another reason for choosing the CC2650 Sensor tag kit
• If you need not only BLE (Bluetooth Smart) support, but you are also open to looking at Zigbee and 6LowPan, the CC2650 development platform is the right fit for you
• Finally, if you are from the academic world or a dilettante hobbyist interested in the Internet Of Things, the CC2650 Bluetooth Smart Sensor Tag kit is a great tool for you to learn all the IOT connectivity technologies and understand how the sensor work

Want a quick start to your Bluetooth Low Energy Project? Use the Cypress Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Pioneer kit

The Cypress Bluetooth Low Energy Pioneer Kit includes the PSOC Creator , the industry leading IDE to create BLE applications that integrate easily with the hardware. The best part of the PSOC Creator are the sample projects that get you started on your next BLE application really quickly. And did we tell you that the PSOC Creator is free software that runs on Windows?

Unique features of the Cypress Bluetooth Low Energy Pioneer Kit – a coin cell holder in addition to the battery

This Cypress BLE kit touts its low power feature – a 3V coin cell is provided for the coin cell holder and is enough to drive most simple BLE prototypes

Cypress BLE solutions have modular qualification for the Bluetooth SIG Standards

If qualification for Bluetooth SIG standards worries you, this Cypress hardware development kit ensures that you have nothing to worry! A modular qualification approach towards Bluetooth SIG standards ensures greater flexibility for customers developing a particular BLE application.

Essentially, all the Bluetooth Low Energy Development Kits that are reviewed above are cool, but the unique features of the BLE prototying tools(EVM development kits) should help you choose the right platform. Once you have made your choice for the hardware platform, you can develop applications for Bluetooth Low Energy and qualify them