[sudont]

Indeed. CSR has a nice-sounding SoC for this, but their dev program sucks for hackers. $10k for a seat? Blegh.

TI is a bit more friendly in this regard, see video in below link.

I'm interested to see if anyone could potentially implement a lightweight data format for send/receive to create an open system for communicating from app-to-mote. Right now, any iPhone receiver app on the store wouldn't be allowed to download any drivers, however a common application-layer protocol transmitting JSON would probably work. After all, it wouldn't be code, just rules on how to interpret it.

http://www.ti.com/tool/cc2540dk-mini#Related%20Products

[jws]

I've pondered a similar concept whenever I design an embedded system that needs a user interface. Provide a common formatted set of data (JSON say), a fallback interface (HTML,CSS,javascript), and an identifier for a better interface if the user's device can get to a network and snag an app or updated UI (URL).

Look at all the things around you in daily life with awful user interface devices, and yet you almost certainly carry a really nice UI device in your pocket and probably have a really great device in your bag.

[jordanhackworth]

UPnP already does this. It can even include a presentation URL.

[davidcann]

There's already a set of standard protocols for LE (such as heart rate) that are managed by the Bluetooth standards group. Their intention is to grow that list based on feedback from developers.

[samlittlewood]

That is good - $99 for an evaluation kit from TI. I used the CC2500 part a while ago for a hobby project with good results. Hmm - just using this to make a matchbox size robot would be feasible.

Also, interesting to see the chipcon parts carrying on with the 8051 CPU cores.