Jameco's Newsletter: June 2012

The Most Radical Idea in Jameco's 38-Year History

We saw the need clear as day. We had plenty of research that told us what customers wanted, but we struggled to find a way to deliver the perfect solution. Then it dawned on us. We should stop trying to lead and instead follow our customers’ lead. The result is a new website called Club Jameco. Customers tell us they want to spend more time on their hobby, but there are a million excuses why they can’t. Club Jameco solves these problems.

Find out how to earn money with Club Jameco.

The Club Jameco you see today is frankly just a start. We are excited about the enhancements and improvements planned for the months ahead. But as always, we need your help. Drop me a note and tell me how you suggest we improve the Club Jameco concept. I think you know by now that I read and respond to all my email and value nothing more than real customer input.

Regards,
Greg Harris
Vice President, Marketing
Greg@Jameco.com

What is Club Jameco?

Club Jameco is a new website where electronics designers can earn cash for their electronics designs. It starts with a Project Brief where you tell us about the electronics project you want to design. Once approved, you begin the project design phase. You’ll identify the components and write step-by-step instructions. That’s it. Jameco does the rest. Jameco will source the components, build out the kit, promote and sell it. The kit’s Designer earns a royalty on every sale.

Electronics Anyone Can Design
By: Frances Reed

If you’ve ever looked at an electronic contraption and wondered “how does that work?” It’s really not as hard as you might think. The most famous and widely read electronics author, Forrest M. Mims III, is completely self-taught. We hear from many of our readers about how they started with nothing more than a deep fascination with electronics. Before you begin, you’ll need to make sure your work bench is ready to go and you are prepared to turn an idea into a project and ultimately into a kit for sale.

The essentials for designing your own kit.

My Story: Mindstorms NXT Hack

Every popular electronics product seems to be followed by an equally popular hack. Here, reader Kevin Packard hacks the hugely popular Lego NXT Mindstorms. Kevin shows us a cool hack that joins forces with another popular kit. The result is the smartest Mindstorms robot we’ve ever seen.

Project Innovation Takes Off

Designers have taken to Club Jameco’s design-a-project concept like solder to flux! Take a look at a few of the exciting and innovative project ideas already pitched:

Photodiode Geiger Counter
By: Robman

Detects alpha, beta and gamma rays within its range by lighting an LED and a ticking using a photodiode instead of an expensive Mueller tube.

Transformer Kit
By: Tesla72

Build a tailor-made transformer with a simple kit of a magnetic core and a length of wire with an optional center tap.

Solar Sequencer
By: JohnG

Uses a single solar panel to charge up to three lead acid automotive type batteries with an add-on that will use the solar panel output to also run a ventilation fan.

Club Jameco

Become a Great Designer

You love electronics but could you be an electronics designer? Yes, you can! In this article Product Manager Robert Cong shares one of Jameco’s best kept secrets about how easy it is to design an electronics kit. He’ll also offer some suggestions and offer a few idea starters along the way.

See how easy it is to design an electronics kit!

Excellence in Efficiency

By now you should have received our latest product catalog. If you haven’t, order yours today. Jameco’s latest catalog cover features a robot-assisted system that automatically stores and retrieves books from the Santa Clara University library in California.

Didn't get a catalog? Order yours free today!