The Mindsensors NXT Camera has finally gotten a hard ship date, and price.   Its still lacking alot of details but it looks to be quite the slick sensor.   Unlike the camera I used for my Rover, which required a PC to do the image processing, the Mindsensors camera can operate solely with the NXT.  It looks like it has a decent bit of processing power on board, and it also has a USB connector to hook up directly to a PC.  Seems likely that you will use a PC to program it, and then it would send some simple feedback to the NXT.  Sadly, at almost $100 its not cheap, but it does look like it would be extremely useful.  Shipping on October 12th, check it out over at Mindsensors.com.

» Read more: Mindsensors Camera gets a ship date

Lego has released an update for the standard NXT firmware.  Bringing it to 1.05  Its the first free update for the NXT in a long time, and I'm looking forward to giving it a shot.  The Lego site doesn't say alot about what it changes, just these:

• Multiple datafile control within user programs
• Communication with 3rd party external devices
• Bluetooth communication within user programs

Head over to the Lego software update page and give it a shot!

» Read more: Lego Mindstorms NXT Firmware V1.05

The latest version of LeJOS NXJ was released today.  LeJOS NXJ is a Java Virtual Machine for the NXT.  Together with iCommand it allows Java code to be run on the NXT brick.  Its still fairly green, (being only at 0.4) but it already has some great features.  This latest release expands the feature set with Bluetooth cummincation between bricks, the ability to play wav music files, and a multi-level menu.  For the full release notes, and to download it, head over to the LeJos Sourceforge page.

» Read more: LeJOS NXJ Version 0.4 Released

Reports are starting to come in that NXT-G has arrived in teh hands of some of the FLL teams.  It is also avalible for purchase over at the Lego Education site.  It seems pretty light on new features, however everyone is saying its alot faster, and alot less buggy.  I think its a shame Lego is charging for what is essiently a performance and compatibility update, but at least its out there now if you need it.

» Read more: NXT-G 1.1 Now Shipping

The folks over at The NXT Step have a new book coming out soon, and they've just posted a preview of it.  The  Lego Mindstorms NXT Idea Book, looks to be a great book for someone who has built all the bots included with the NXT, and has ventured out a bit on there own, but doesn't really know where to go next.  It goes into some more depth on the various programming aspects of NXT-G, particularly the Sensor blocks and Debugging.  It also has an Appendix to help you get through the process of digitizing your models with the various Lego CAD tools that are avalible.  Lastly the book includes eight new models to build and enjoy.  The NXT Step folks seem very proud of the book, and I look forward to reading it when it becomes avalible.

» Read more: Lego Mindstorms NXT Idea Book Preview

Golem over at Nxtasy.org has developed a new tool to enhance the data collection ability of the NXT.  Instead of just being able to log data to the NXT's internal memory this allows the data to be transmitted directly to as Bluetooth PC.  You therefore get access to the PC's huge data storage, as well as not having to deal with the NXT's less than perfect data recording.  Seems like a great tool, espcialy when combined with a custom sensor, like a tempature sensor.  He's working on a user manual for it, so if you have any questions pop over to the NXTasy.org forums and let him know.

» Read more: NXT BLuetooth Logger

While there still aren't any other NXT sets, a few new technic sets are the next best thing.  Three new sets are now avalible for purchase over at Shop@Home.  The first is the Off Road Truck.  Its MSRP is $50 and has just over 800 pieces so its a pretty good deal, although no inventories have been submitted yet so its hard to tell how many of those pieces are really useful.  I think the Combine Harvester is a much more intresting model espicaly since it has a Dragster as the alternate model.  It weighs in at 1000 pieces for $70, and includes some nice big tires.  Lastly the much anticiapted Bulldozer is on sale now as well.  As excpected its $150, which although a bit pricey, it does include a total of four (two small and two large) new 'Power Functions' motors. In additon to the motors it comes with a IR remote control.  Lastly its also the first appearance of the new big gears for the new tracks (as well as including 84 links of track as well).  I'm looking forward to picking this set up, and as soon as I do I'll post a nice review of it.

» Read more: New Technic Sets

Matteo Valdina has released the fourth alpha of his NXTAssembler.  As its still in the Alpha stage there isn't a whole lot fo details on the project. One of its biggest features seems to be the use of XML format for the source code.  This allows for the code to be written in existing editors/parsers.  The most recent release fixes some bugs as well as adds some new features, including Validation cabilibity and multithreading.  Check out the page over at the Sourceforge.

» Read more: NXTAssembler Alpha 4

HiTechnic announced their gyro sensor back in Feburary, but since then had been realitvley quiet on the subject.  We assume they must have had a few bugs or supply issues, but finally the new sensor is avalible for purchase over at their site.  It's a single axis gyro, which means that it can tell it what oreintation the sensor is pointed and compare it to a initial oreintation.  In this respect is rather similar to the compass sensor, except that it is more accurate, and also works in whichever axis you put it on rather than just flat.  The only problem with the sensor, which at almost 50 bucks is rather steep.  Still it'd be very useful in a slew of applications, so if you want to pick one up head over to HiTechnic.

» Read more: HiTechnic Gyro Sensor now shipping!