It is an excellent time to be a kid today and be interested in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering. There are just a lot of toys that cater to those who like to tinker around with robots and programming. Several of these toys are found in the classroom, such as Arduino, Elegoo, Raspberry Pi, and Ozobot.
Ozobot toys are considered to be an excellent introduction to robotics and programming. If your kid can draw a line, then they can play with the Ozobot robots. As their skills advance, they can program their robots’ actions on a mobile phone, tablet, or desktop computer.
There are two Ozobot robots available right now: the Bit and the Evo. Should you buy your kids these robots? And which one is perfect for them?
Ozobot Bit
The Ozobot Bit aims to get kids interested in both robotics and coding. It starts off easy with kids being able to code with markers. As they grow to love coding, they can program the Ozobot Bit by using the OzoBlockly program.
Features of the Ozobot Bit
What are the characteristics of the Ozobot Bit?
Fully customizable
The Ozobot Bit comes with two OzoSkins, DIY stickers, and pop-outs. Your kids can use all of these to customize their robot and give it some personality.
Coding with a marker
The package comes with four different color markers that you can use to program your robot. You can draw a path for your robot using a black marker, and then use the color markers to make the robot’s LED lights change colors.
Aside from that, the Bit also comes with a PDF that explains how color codes work. By drawing a series of small lines in different colors, the Bit will either slow down, change direction, do a zigzag or spin.
Coding with OzoBlockly
OzoBlockly allows your kids to be in complete control of how their Ozobot Bit would move around. With OzoBlockly, your kids will be using blocks, and each block will have a command that the Bit would carry out. For instance, the first block would tell the robot to wait a certain amount of time before doing anything. You can then connect another block to the first block, telling the robot to change the LED lights to red.
You can create a short program or even a complicated one. Each command will be done by the Ozobot Bit. After finishing your code, all you have to do is to load the program to your robot by putting the Bit on top of your device screen and then wait for the robot to stop flickering the green light. After the program has finished loading, you merely have to press the power button, and the robot will start executing the commands.
Other features
The Ozobot Bit uses a strong plastic shell that is made of polycarbonate material. This material makes the robot very durable, allowing it to survive hard bumps and even manhandling by an excited toddler. It also uses a rechargeable lithium polymer battery. You only need to recharge your robot for an hour in between play.
What’s in the box?
- The Ozobot Bit robot
- Four color markers
- Two OzoSkins
- An activity pack with more than two dozen STEAM projects
- DIY stickers and pop-outs
- USB charging cable
- Quick start guide
Ratings and reviews
The Ozobot Bit has an average rating of 4.3 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon. Verified buyers love how the Ozobot Bit works and how everything you need is already included in the package. With 25 pages of activities, there is always something new to try out. Kids do love playing with the Ozobot Bit and learning programming at the same time. Meanwhile, younger kids are still able to have fun with it because all they need to do is to draw a line.
However, there are complaints that the robot is not able to navigate on carpets and dusty surfaces. You should ensure that any surface you put it on is sparkling clean.
Pricing for the Ozobot Bit
The Ozobot Bit robot is available on the company’s online store (Check out the latest rates here!). You can, however, get it cheaper on Amazon.
Ozobot Evo
If you like the Ozobot Bit, then you would love the Ozobot Evo. The Evo does everything that the Bit robot does, including following lines and executing programs created on OzoBlockly. But the Ozobot Evo has more sensors that allow it to be aware of and interact with the environment.
More sensors and tech
What are the technology and sensors you will find on the Ozobot Evo?
- Bluetooth Smart. The Ozobot Evo connects to your smartphone so that you can control it by using the companion app.
- Speaker. You can make the Evo robot talk and hear it make sounds with the built-in speakers.
- Proximity sensor. This sensor allows the Evo to know whether there is an object nearby, allowing it to change direction without bumping into it.
- Optical sensors. Also found on the Ozobot Bit, optical sensors help the Evo “see” lines and identify colors.
This robot also includes a micro USB port, dual motors, a worm drive, and the microcontroller, which acts as the Evo’s brain.
Features
With these sensors, the Ozobot Evo is able to perform tricks. When you first get the Evo, it can already show you three tasks, including music, follow, and escape.
It can also follow lines and work out color codes. You can even use OzoBlockly to program your Evo. Plus, you can remotely control it using your smartphone. The Evo also has sound effects. It also gets firmware updates, giving you new features. Plus, you will love how you can unlock bonus features as you play more games.
You can also connect with your friends using the app.
What’s in the box
- Ozobot Evo robot
- Evo Experience Pack
- OzoSkin
- Four color code markers
- Carrying pouch
- Quick start guide
- USB charging cable
Ratings and review
The app-connected Ozobot Evo has a rating of 4.1 stars out of 5.0 on Amazon. Parents find this robot as the perfect gift for their kids. They also like how entertaining it is, as well as how it makes learning how to code fun and engaging. But some reviewers warn potential buyers about how some pieces get broken even after a short time of use. For instance, the wheels stop turning. Others report that the robot itself has ceased to work.
Pricing for the Ozobot Evo
As expected, the Ozobot Evo is more expensive than the Bit. Ozobot sells these robots (Check out the latest rates here!).
How does the Ozobot Bit compare with the Ozobot Evo
There should be no comparison between the Ozobot Bit and Ozobot Evo. The Bit robot is much cheaper than the Evo, but the Evo has more tech built into the robot.  You can do more with it, and you can drive it.  The Bit is also targeted towards younger kids, while the Evo is an excellent choice for those with older kids and teenagers.
Here is a side-by-side comparison of the features you can find on each
| Model | Ozobot Bit | Ozobot Evo |
| Price | (Check out the latest rates here!) | (Check out the latest rates here!) |
| For kids aged | 6 – 10 | 8 – 14 + |
| Number of LEDs | 1 | 7 |
| Companion app | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Built-in speaker  | No | Yes |
| Proximity sensors  | No | Yes |
| Firmware upgrades  | No | Yes |
| App updates  | No | Yes |
| Drive Mode  | No | Yes |
| Ozochat  | No | Yes |
| Ozojis  | No | Yes |
Final recommendations
The Ozobot Evo and Ozobot Bit are great toys to introduce kids to programming and robotics.  It is straightforward to play with and has a lot of fun activities.  Kids would no doubt find these toys engaging, guaranteeing hours and hours of play.
What would you like about both the Ozobot Bit and Evo? Unlike other STEM robots, the Ozobot Bit and Ozobot Evo allow you to program the robots without having a smartphone or computer. These robots get our recommendation! Go ahead and buy one for your children!
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