Question:

> I was just wondering why my mbed did not come with that supper cool 
> button like the one on your website. I dont really care I just wanted 
> to know what happened.

So we have been using that button on everything we did on the mbed project since we started out in 2005. All the proof of concept board, the 64 pin version we made, the eary test batches of the current design all used that button.

It was remarkable how much attention it drew, both from the "love it" and the "hate it" camps. It really did divide opinion, which is quite remarkable considering it it just a button on a microcontroller.

However, the real blow was dealt earlier this year when we were informed by the manufacturer that the button was being discontinued. I spent a long time looking for something similar, but nothing seemed to compare. The replacement offered  by the manufacturer is the one we are now using.

If anyone wants to nominate a suitable super-cool button replacement, I'd be happy to consider it for future builds!

Thanks,
Chris

What are the specifications on the button. I visited the local electronics shop in toronto and they have many similar looking buttons that look and feel much nicer then the one that is on the board now.

Also what would the wholesale cost need to be for your consideration?

What are the specifications on the button. I visited the local electronics shop in toronto and they have many similar looking buttons that look and feel much nicer then the one that is on the board now.

Also what would the wholesale cost need to be for your consideration?

Hi Vlad,

The button needs to be surface mount, about the same size as the one we already have, available in tape and reel format for production and cost about $0.15 US

It might be that the supercool button you found is actually the same one that we are using. As with many products there is a lot of stock out there in electronics stores for a long time after it is End-Of-Lined - but it is a different story when you want to buy 10,000 of them in production reels.

If you can find out the manufacturers part number of the ones you found, I'd be happy to take a look.

The supercool blue button was by EAO, and it's part number was MC10311-91 - if that helps rule anything in/out

Cheers,
Chris

I too like the blue button, but I replace my MBED's buttons with this one ..

from Farnell, (#1522054)

It has a nice force curve, and is much easere to press than the supplied button.

Cheers

Lex.

Maybe you already know, but you do know you can also reset the mbed via serial? In teraterm for example it is alt+b. For this reason even if I am not using serial in an application I still use teraterm when programming the mbed, simply to be able to reset it without having to fumble around with the button.