SparkFun's SparkX MicroMod Thing Plus Marries Together Two Popular Ecosystems — While Stocks Last
A limited run to gauge demand, this board takes a MicroMod Processor and converts it to the Feather-compatible Thing Plus footprint.
SparkFun has launched a board designed to marry together two different ecosystems: the MicroMod Thing Plus, which accepts a MicroMod Processor Board and offers a Thing Plus-style Feather-compatible pinout.
SparkFun launched the MicroMod family a year ago, hoping to do away with development board obsolescence by separating the processor from the board — allowing new processors, built onto compact M.2-format boards, to be dropped in as upgrades at any time.
The MicroMod range has only grown since, and now SparkFun's looking to make it easier for those already invested in the Feather-style Thing Plus ecosystem to take part — by launching a new carrier board design.
"The MicroMod Thing Plus brings the ability to use the MicroMod ecosystem with the popular Feather footprint," the company explains. "This board breaks out the MicroMod Processor Board's pins on the M.2 connector to 0.1" spaced PTH pads on the edge of the board. This Carrier Board is great if you're interested in testing out different MicroMod Processor Boards for your application."
There's only one catch: The new board is a SparkX design, the name given to SparkFun's small-run experimental boards. While completely tested and fully functional, they're provided without the company's usual technical support promise — and when the initial production run is sold out, there's no guarantee new boards will follow.
The MicroMod Thing Plus is available while stocks last at the SparkFun store for $14.95, though will also require a MicroMod Processor Board to operate — with prices start at $11.95, for a board based on the Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller.