Review on Arduino OPLA IoT Cloud Starter Kit: Advanced IoT Kit for Seamless Connectivity by Mark Toth

I assume that you have already read the product description and are familiar with the contents of this kit; therefore I will not repeat the content. At first glance that seems like a high price for a couple of items and I have to admit I was skeptical too. But the hidden gem in all of this is 12 months free internet access to the Arduino server, where you can access your designs from anywhere in the world using your smartphone or computer. At $6 or $7 a month for this service, the actual price of this package drops to around $20 while on sale, or $44 at regular price. I bought this kit direct from Arduino not knowing it was for the same price. The price is here at Revain. This was a mistake as it would have cost me shipping if it was described here. However, having one of the included themes (or one of my own) as the custodian is a good investment in the learning potential and bottom line. At this point, I want to address something that many people think about. What exactly is the difference between the Opla IOT kit and the Explore IOT kit? The items provided are almost identical in both sets, the only difference being the shape of the LCD. The display in the Opla set is round, while the display in the Explore set is square. Another difference lies in the packaging. The Opla kit comes in a box to keep the parts in unless you provide your own storage case. The Explore kit comes in a plastic storage case, which is a nice touch; But more on that later. Lessons/projects for the Opla kit can be downloaded from the Arduino website; but I'm not sure if the Explore kit lessons are also downloadable. The main difference between the two kits is the intended use: the Opla kit is for use by experimenters/builders, while the Explore kit is for school children to study with. With the Opla kit, you are invited to choose one of the projects to create a permanent item that you will use. The Exploration Set is designed to be reused by students without building anything permanently. For this reason, the Explore kit comes in a plastic storage case rather than a cardboard box. Which one is right for you? If you want to build a smart thermostat for your home, I would choose Opla. If you want to learn and then pass the components on to your kids, the Explore kit is for you. There really isn't a single correct answer as both sentences are essentially the same. But the training component included with Explore might make it a better choice. I will try to compare the documentation of the two kits in about a week after my Explore kit is delivered. Yes, I ordered one of each. I hope to give you a clear idea of the strengths and weaknesses of each of these sets.