MakeblockmBot2 Coding Robot for Kids, AI Learning Robot Support Scratch & Python Programming, Robotics Kit for Kids Ages 8-12 and up, Building STEM Robot Toys Gifts for Boys Girls

The media could not be loaded. I'm an 80 year old grandfather of 5. Several years ago I bought an mBot for my oldest. Recently I bought an mBot Neo (aka mBot 2) for myself. What fun! This new version is full of great capabilities to stimulate my aging grey matter. My 2 year old granddaughter is into police cars and I have programmed it to look and sound like one. (See attached video.)Like other MakeBlock kits the mBot Neo is solidly constructed of beautiful blue anodized aluminum. It is easy to put together, and the block style programming language makes it possible for kids and aging seniors to teach it new tricks. The block-style language can also be used as a stepping stone to learn the professional Python language.I wish there was more in the way of tutorials for programming the mBot, but technical support (located in Shenzhen, China) is excellent. And there are lots of videos on YouTube to help.The older mBot kit is still available, but I recommend going straight to the mBot Neo because it has so much more to offer. I also recommend getting the MakeBlock Bluetooth Controller which enables remote control of the Bot. (Robotic operation is autonomous.) I set up obstacle courses in my living room to keep my hand / eye coordination sharp.If you decide to buy one of these for your kids or grandkids, I have only one caution: you may want it all for yourself.

PlusPrice - for a robot like this - really? well done !Features - check out website - so many cool and fun thingsInstall - EasyQuality - Built well - you could tell from packaging that it was going to be goodSupport - Email them and in 24 hrs you get a great and clear responseCommunity - Large - lots of people giving advice and supportUpgrades - I got the pick up arm - so fun !. I would buy more when available.MinusNothing really - The Internet of things options is not that impressive yet - but I bet in time will be !The phone app control is silly but super easy and I am sure they give that for instant gratification to maneuver the robot immediately. So again - Brilliant!

I just received the mBot NEO to use with my class. We have the previous mBots and love them. This new mBot NEO has many new features that my kids are going to go crazy over. You can watch me unbox it here:https://youtu.be/QZf4M2AdqhAIt was relatively easy to build and there are multiple forms of instruction. I used a combination of the printed guide and the online directions. The printed guide is helpful because you can match the screws with the actual size photo to make sure you have the correct item each step of the way. I'm not the most technical and it did take me a minute to notice that the included screwdriver switches from a Phillips to a hex nut, but after I figured that out, it was smooth sailing. 4th and 5th graders can build this with limited supervision. Feel free to check out my build video. If I can build it, they can. https://youtu.be/3SHgRf6MmBoThe battery is AMAZING. Such a huge improvement! It lasts 5 hours and is rechargeable without taking the robot apart. This is one of the features that my robotics team is most excited about. It simply connects to a computer or USB charging cube with one cord.The built-in features get you moving immediately and they have added some really cute features for the younger kids. The Makeblock app controls the robot and we used it on an iPad. Easy peasy. You can take a look at me testing them out here: https://youtu.be/XqI5VxB9yMEThe voice controls are fantastic and will be a huge hit with my nonreaders. You can. check out a video of me using them here: https://youtu.be/svA39uDeLmEThis is great value for the money. It is sturdy and easily controlled and perfect for your robotic enthusiasts.#OMGRobots

I bought this for my 6 year old grandson, and we've had a lot of fun with it. He has been learning Scratch, so a robot that could be programmed using mBlock looked pretty exciting! It has turned out well -- the hardware is nice and very capable. There are a lot of fun things you can do with it and I think it will keep our interest for quite a while.My only criticism is that the documentation for the robot and mBlock is pretty sketchy and there aren't a lot of examples to start from. Makeblock has done some Youtube videos, but they are old and not terribly detailed. So it's been hard to find good introductory projects for a little boy. I've been doing a lot of little experiments just to figure out how the sensors, lights, and motors really work -- otherwise, I'd give it five stars.

Updating my review: this is a good company. The mBlock app (on iOS and Google App Store) connects to the cyber pi that’s connected in back to the mBot 2, but I also got the laptop software to connect to the mBot 2 via USB. I can play with my beautiful mBot 2 robot now! I apologize for the poor review I gave before.