Blogs

FIRST Choice Opening and FRC Manual Apps

FIRST Choice Opening

We’re very excited that FIRST Choice and select PDV’s open for ordering today at noon - check October 25th’s blog (http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog-10-25-2012) for the original announcement. FIRST Choice password and Voucher codes will be in TIMS for all registered and paid teams at that time.

FRC Blogged - More Award Updates, FIRST Choice, and a New FRC Xbox Game!

Excellence in Design Award

FRC Blogged - FRC Administrative Manual, Award Notes, KoP Early Ordering, and New York City Regional Dates Shift

FRC Administrative Manual

The FRC Administrative Manual is now live!  You can find it here:  http://frc-manual.usfirst.org

Award Notes

FRC Blogged - Blog Clarification

My blog on Friday, with regards to Regional slots, was confusing.  Sorry about that.  Let me try again.

The Regionals listed below all currently have open capacity showing on the Regional page on our website.  If you are interested in going to one of these Regionals, and you apply, you will likely be granted a slot right away – depending on how many teams, if any, also apply between the time these words get posted and the time you apply.

FRC Blogged - FIRST Choice, 2013 Control System, and Regional Slots

FIRST Choice

In case you missed it, FIRST Choice opened for a little pre-holiday window shopping on Monday.  Check it out:  http://www.andymark.com/FIRST-Choice-Public-s/411.htm

And don’t forget to look at the 2013 FIRST Choice Ordering Rules: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/first-choice-ordering-rules

FRC Blogged - Dean's Slingshot

Check out the short film linked to below, Produced and Directed by Paul Lazarus, member of the FRC Game Design Committee.  This wonderful film features Dean and his Slingshot water purification device and has been entered in the Focus Forward Film Competition.  If this film doesn’t inspire you to become a scientist or engineer so you can make the world a better place, I don’t know what will.     

FRC Blogged - FIRST Future Innovator Award (FFIA)

The FIRST Future Innovator Award (FFIA) opens today at Noon, EST.  Entries must be submitted via the FFIA portal, www.allthingspatent.com/frc .  More information regarding the FIRST Future Innovator Award can be found at http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/awards.  Dean personally chooses the winner from the top submissions.  We had lots of great submissions last year, we hope to see more of the same for 2013!

More later

Frank 

Team Counts and KoP Early Option Details

Team Counts

We’re currently at 2,328 teams registered for events, and several dozen waitlisted for events.  This means we’ve already exceeded our total team count from last year!  It’s shaping up to be an exciting season.

KoP Early Option – More Details

Some commenters have asked good questions on my post regarding the Early Option.  Here are a few more details:

FRC Blogged - An Early Option

I’ve got some news I think many teams will be happy with.

As more Kit of Parts items shift from the Kickoff Kit to FIRST® Choice and the Virtual Kit (e.g. Product Donation Vouchers, PDVs), teams will receive fewer items in the Kickoff Kit each year, but have a wider variety and volume of items from which to choose that may meet their specific needs better. However, the added flexibility of FIRST Choice and PDV’s mean that teams may need to plan a little extra time for part selection and shipping.

FRC Blogged - Team Counts, Kit of Parts Drive System Option, Windows 8

Team Counts

As of 10AM EST on Monday, 10/22, we had 2,166 teams registered or waitlisted for events.  That’s a little more than 18% greater than where we were last season at this point in the registration process.  Note that 2,166 is a larger number than is showing on our ‘What Events and Teams Are In My Area?’ page on website right now, because this page only shows teams registered for events, not those waitlisted.

Kit of Parts Drive System Option

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