So just how much better is the new brick?  Below you can find a table that puts some of the main aspects of the new EV3 brick vs. the NXT.

Other very cool features include the ability to auto-identify the sensors and motors when you plug them into your brick.

Some detailed information about the sensors for the EV3 sensors.  Please note that some of these sensors are for the Education market only and do not come standard with the retail set.

Source: http://botbench.com/blog/2013/01/08/comparing-the-nxt-and-ev3-bricks/

The third generation of Lego’s best-selling programmable robotics platform is here, and features more sensors, motors, and flexibility than ever. Plus mobile apps.

by Daniel Terdiman January 6, 2013 9:01 PM PST

The brand-new Lego Mindstorms EV3 platform is designed to make it easy for adults and children alike to program robots. The new platform comes with an all-new series of sensors and motors. Out of the box, users will be able to build 17 different robots, including this one. (Credit: Lego)

LAS VEGAS–Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, start your programming engines: Lego Mindstorms EV3 is here.
The third full generation of Lego’s programmable robotics platform, EV3 is aimed at both enthusiasts — young and old — and educators, and blows past the previous generation with a long list of new features that add speed and power, intelligent programmability, and more ways to communicate with the robots. Lego expects to begin selling the product, which includes 594 Technic pieces that can be used to make five different robots, this summer at a retail cost of $350. It will also release instructions for 12 additional robots at launch.
Lego Mindstorms EV3 makes programmable robotics easier than ever (pictures)

Lego released the first version of Mindstorms in 1998, and the second iteration, Mindstorms NXT, almost exactly six years ago at that year’s edition of the International Consumer Electronics Show. This year, too, the global toy giant chose CES as the place to unveil Mindstorms EV3. In the interim, countless thousands of kids and adults alike learned to program and build their own robots thanks to Lego, and Mindstorms became the best-selling product in Lego’s history, at least as measured by revenue.
In the interim, Lego developed a strong relationship with the enthusiast community and even turned to users to help figure out how the platform could best be used. Because Mindstorms NXT sold more in 2011 than it did upon its initial release in 2006, Lego knows there is still intense interest in the platform. And with Mindstorms EV3, a new generation of children, and plenty more adults are likely to become immersed in personal robotics. And as it did with NXT, Lego once again turned to its users to help develop EV3.
As with the two previous generations of Mindstorms, EV3 is about a simple programming environment designed to let almost anyone create robots that follow directions and carry out specific tasks. The system is built around a series of new sensors, as well as programmable intelligent bricks, each of which is meant to control a different motor, sensor, or screen. The bricks can be programmed to direct how a robot should move, for how long, and how far to go. Lego believes that almost anyone can get a Mindstorms EV3 robot up and running within 20 minutes of opening the box, and can even start programming their robots without turning on their computer.

This is one of the programmable intelligent bricks that make up part of the Mindstorms EV3 platform.
(Credit: Lego)

Each programmable EV3 brick comes with an ARM9 robotic processor, an SD expansion slot and embedded 16MB flash memory, Linux, Bluetooth 2.1, iOS and Android compatibility, a USB 2.0 interface allowing Wi-Fi connectivity, four input and output ports, a Matrix display with a loudspeaker.
On the hardware side, Mindstorms EV3 features three interactive servo motors, two touch sensors, an infrared seeker sensor that can measure distance, movement, and object detection, an infrared “beacon” designed to control the robots remotely from a distance of up to 6 feet, and a color sensor. Up to four bricks can be daisy-chained, and the USB port and Wi-Fi connectivity allow for a wide range of expansion. Mindstorms EV3 is also backwards compatible with all Mindstorms NXT robots, allowing users to utilize everything they bought during the NXT generation with EV3.
Programming environment
Perhaps the most important element of the Mindstorms EV3 platform is its programming environment. While the primary way users can program their Mindstorms robots is to do so in the development interface on their computers, and then download the instructions to the robots, the intelligent bricks also have an interface that allows for simple programming. At the same time, Lego will soon release mobile apps that can be used to design programs for the robots.
Lego knows that the enthusiasts who play with Mindstorms EV3 want to get started right away, so the new version of the platform features motors and sensors that know what and where they are so that the second they are powered on, they appear in the programming interface, ready to be controlled. Similarly, any new motors or sensors that are plugged in will also automatically appear.
The Mindstorms platform has always been about sharing, with users encouraged to upload their creations to a common Web site. And that is more true than ever with EV3. While Lego will release instructions for 17 different robots at launch, it expects users to come up with thousands more unique designs that can be shared among the worldwide Mindstorms community.

Deadly accuracy
In a demo of the product at CNET last month, Lego executives showed off some of the impressive capabilities of the Mindstorms EV3 platform.

Elephant robot. (Credit: Lego)
For example, a spiderlike robot called Spik3r was able to automatically identify the location of the remote-control beacon and fire little red balls directly at it, hitting it more often than not. Then it charged at the beacon.
With its sensors, another one of the robots was able to detect when someone’s hand was in front of it, and when there was, it lashed out. Another demo showed how one of the robots was programmed to weave its way around a small obstacle course, knocking little tires over along the way — intentionally — and then hitting a specific color sensor.
Education

Lego has long worked closely with the global education community, and that’s no different with Mindstorms EV3.
The company began letting teachers in on its plans for the new platform quite some time ago, it said, looking for the educators’ input on how to best position Mindstorms EV3 as a learning tool for children, and how the new product can best meet teachers’ needs. All told, Lego talked to more than 800 teachers around the world, it said.
One of the most important questions it wanted to be able to answer was how even non-tech-savvy educators could easily bring Mindstorms into their classrooms. And that meant figuring out what those teachers would need to successfully understand the platform and then help their students learn from it.

What became clear, Soren Thompson, from Lego Education, explained, is that teachers need to be able to build a program around Mindstorms EV3 in as little as 45 minutes. Ultimately, though, the goal of Thompson and his colleagues in Lego’s Education program is to make it possible for kids to quickly learn the platform and understand how to build their own robots.
And, Lego is emphasizing the ability teachers will have to build robotics curricula using Mindstorms that they can then easily share with other teachers around the world.

Interested in robotics but your school does not have a robotics club?

Would like to develop the interest in your kids but do not know where to start?

Join your workshop and courses at your neighborhood Community Clubs… Learn robotics in a fun way and also network with people sharing the same interest… Who knows, you may form a team to participate in Local and International Robotics Competition like the FIRST LEGO LEAGUE!

For details please visit http://one.pa.gov.sg

Note: Commencing of courses and workshops are dependent on the minimum attendees/participation rate. Please write to us if you wish for a course near you and we will work with the Community Club/Community Center in your neighborhood.

Effectual Devices introduces Robotics to the Community

Effectual Devices Fathers and Sons bonding through Robotics

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There have been a few customers who approached us to find out when the NXT 3.0 would be released, the price and other queries. Most people wanted to know when they can get their hands on it!

How to improve on the highly successful 2.0? What features will it contain?

The truth is – We have not heard anything from LEGO. LEGO typically announces new product releases to distributors and re-sellers months in advance. However since the NXT 1.0 was released in 2006 and the NXT 2.0 was released in 2009 it reasonable for NXT fans to expect the replacement/enhancement for 2.0 to be released within 2 years.

In line with LEGO tradition we can expect backward compatibility of parts, sensors, interfaces and software. So the new release is not expected to render the 2.0 obsolete anytime soon. In fact, as many enthusiasts are aware, the RCX (pre-NXT robot kit released in 1999) is still being used widely especially at schools and in competitions. The RCX sensors and motors are compatible with the NXT intelligent brick.

With the rapid technology advances we could expect some interesting enhancement to the NXT.

Here are some of the enhancement we would like to see:

-          Increased I/O ports

-          More powerful and faster processor – Dual core

-          More memory for programs and files

-          Large color LCD screen

-          Touch screen

-          WiFi connectivity

-          SD card support

-          Built in Accelerometers

Write in and share your ideas/comments:

We are now a distributor for Mindsensors, the robot accessories company. Most of the products are designed for use with the LEGO NXT set, further enhancing the capabilities and use experience of the NXT.

Mindsensors

We are also the carry products by Dexter Industries, the new kid in the block for NXT Mindstorms hardware. We are the exclusive distributor in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and also supplies hardware to neighboring countries.

Dexter Industries

Order through us to avoid shipping and currency exchange charges. As we plan to stock most of the items, you will get your items quickly.

To provide an enhanced experience for our students we have designed and created our own robot activity mat modeled after competition mats. My students had a great time and the activities designed around the mat kept them busy for hours. The PVC mat was able to handle all the abuse without any problems. At the end of the week, I just washed the mat and it is as good as new. I would not imagine any mat made out of paper would have made it though the week

You may order one at our online store.

Experimented with Firgelli’ Linear Actuators and created a simple robot arm. Firgelli’s linear actuator stroke distance can be programmed in a precise manner (in mm or lego holes). Speed can also be programmed. The actuators high-torque output is ideal for this application.

Watch a video of the actuators in action: