Tag Archives: SPIKE Prime

LEGO discontinuing Mindstorms brand, sunsetting 51515 Robot Inventor at end of 2022 [News]

Today LEGO announced that they are retiring the Mindstorms brand and sets, instead choosing to focus on robotics products like 45678 SPIKE Prime, which we reviewed in 2020. The current Mindstorms product, 51515 Robot Inventor will be discontinued at the end of 2022, along with Powered Up elements 88016 Large Hub and 88018 Medium Angular Motor. In a clear signal that the company is shifting away from Mindstorms rather than preparing to launch a new generation, LEGO has said that the current Mindstorms team will be reassigned to other departments. The company has promised the current Mindstorms Robot Inventor app will be available through 2024. The 51515 Robot Inventor set (US $359.99 | CAN $459.99 | UK £314.99) is currently out of stock from LEGO in the United States and Canada, and it’s not clear whether it will be available again before it is removed from sale.

Here’s the full press release from LEGO:

Since its launch in September 1998, LEGO MINDSTORMS has been one of the core ‘Build & Code’ experiences in the company’s portfolio, carrying with it significant brand equity and becoming a stand-out experience for the early days of consumer robotics and leading to current Build & Code experiences such as SPIKE Prime, from LEGO Education’s LEGO Learning System.

However, now having a number of priorities in LEGO Education and other Build & Code experiences, we have decided to focus our resources and future plans by redirecting our MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor team and their expertise into different areas of the business.

This means the physical MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor product (51515) and its related elements (88016 and 88018) are to exit our portfolio from the end of 2022, whilst digital platforms – such as the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor App – will remain live until at least the end of 2024.

We still have strong belief in the Build & Code proposition and will continue to support it through platforms such as SPIKE Prime, and we are continuing to hold on to the trademark for the MINDSTORMS brand and assessing our future plans together with LEGO Education.

The next generation of LEGO robotics: Mindstorms 51515 Robot Inventor [Review]

The year 2013 feels like eons ago. After all, a lot can happen in 7 years, and that’s how long it’s been since Mindstorms EV3 arrived on the scene. Now it’s beyond high-time for the long-awaited successor to LEGO’s premier robotics platform to hit the stage. Back in June when LEGO Mindstorms 51515 Robot Inventor was revealed, some people were ecstatic, but many were unimpressed with the features of the new system. In this review, we’ll take a deep dive to see if this set proves that you shouldn’t judge a bot by its cover. Robot Inventor contains 949 pieces and will be available beginning October 15 for US $359.99 | CAN $459.99 | UK £329.99.

Click to read the full in-depth review

SPIKE on a bike [Video]

Several months ago, we reviewed LEGO Education’s new product, SPIKE Prime. And just a couple weeks ago, we featured news about the latest addition to the Mindstorms theme, the SPIKE-esque 51515 Robot Inventor. This new generation of programmable robotics brings bright colors and fresh ideas to the table. We’re already seeing some awesome builds coming from the education community, like this bike by the folks at Creator Academy Australia and Project Bucephalus. What’s so awesome about it? It’s self-balancing. This little guy can ride along on its own without tipping over (as long as there isn’t a wall). Click the link below to see it in action!

Click to watch!

LEGO Education celebrates 40 years by launching SPIKE Prime engineering kit worldwide [News]

LEGO Education is celebrating its 40th birthday with the worldwide launch of its newest educational tool, 45678 SPIKE Prime. Announced early last year, SPIKE Prime is a hands-on STEAM learning set intended for the classroom that comes with 528 pieces (including 11 new elements, motors, and a hub) and a drag-and-drop coding language with 32 lesson plans. SPIKE Prime retails for $329.95 in the US with variable pricing worldwide.

To mark LEGO Education’s 40 years, The Brothers Brick is taking a close look at LEGO’s well known (though not as well understood) educational arm. Over the next few days, we will get a hands-on look at SPIKE Prime, dive deep into the history of LEGO Education, and have a chat with some of the group’s key designers.

Click to get a closer look at LEGO Education SPIKE Prime

Hands on with LEGO SPIKE Prime at Moscow International Education Fair 2019 [News]

During the past week, the recently announced LEGO Education SPIKE Prime sets made their first appearance during the Moscow International Education Fair 2019. Certified LEGO Education teacher and LEGO Ambassador Vera Senyuta, PhD, attended the press-conference and brought us the latest details about LEGO’s most advanced educational solution.

The press conference and the presentation covered both LEGO SPIKE sets, 45678 LEGO Education SPIKE Prime Set ($329.99 USD) and 45680 LEGO Education SPIKE Prime Expansion Set. The event was hosted by Tom Hall, General Manager, LEGO Education International; Yannick Dupont, Content Manager; and Thomas Rose, Training Program Manager. Together they told the audience about the idea behind the new sets and how the set will play a role in modern schools, as well as answered questions about the products.

Editor’s note 4/15: Since publication of this article, LEGO Education reached out to us to share some clarifying information about SPIKE Prime that we have incorporated into the article and quoted below.

Keep reading about the new LEGO Education SPIKE Prime set