NEWS UPDATE! Now with the option powering from 5 - 9v with addition of voltage regulator kit!

http://openmicros.org/index.php/articles/88-ciseco-product-documentation/133-xb4a-v15-build-instructions

This XINO basic is the new "little sister" to the rest of the XINO range. Designed to be the most economic way possible of running an Atmel ATmega 8/168/328 with Arduino shaped plug and play shields. The kit does not include a 328, load capacitors or xtal, these are available separately (see other items)

Customer review: http://blog.thiseldo.co.uk/?p=543

Gone is the FTDI chip, gone are the voltage regulators*, everything that can be saved has been. We have pared an Arduino down to the bare essentials. 

The board appeals to either those on a very tight budget or users wishing to make/deploy their existing designs into finished projects without the expense of comitting a full "Arduino".

• Designed to support the Popular 328 PDIP, 168 PDIP and 8 PDIP (not included, see our other items for pre loaded ATmega chips).
  
  
• Designed to fully support the Arduino IDE.
  
  
• Socket for standard 6 pin header (2x3) for in circuit hardware programming (ICSP).
  
  
• 5 way header brings out RESET, GND, MCUPWR, TX, RX. Can be programmed with almost any FTDI board, even the one on the arduino (see what andy did in his review). Another popular way is to pop in an already programmed chip. Soon you will be able to program wirelessly using an XRF.
  
  
• Really really useful project space in the top left corner to add your own parts, sensors etc. Has SMT pads for two SOT23 devices (FET's, transistors, voltage regs. etc) and one SOT235-6 pad for smaller SMT parts. We think it's fair to say for a lot of "finished" projects all you need is this board. This could save you the cost of a separate proto shield.
  
  
• Easily "stack" add on boards (shields) see our other items.
  
  
• Can be battery powered by 2 or 3x1.5v cells, or Lipos ect. Most mcu's will run at between 1.8v and 5v, this saves power and cost.
  
  
• Lowest current consumption from powering the device is directly, not through voltage regulators.
  
  
• Through holes to add an external crystal and load capacitors. Did you know you can run on the internal oscilator?
  
  
• Right angled side facing reset switch. Much easier to press when boards are stacked above.

• * Through holes available to add voltage regulators and capacitors to allow the board to be powered from 5 - 9v (Voltage regulator components available as seperate kit)