Hello, I have just got my Picocalc built, and already enjoying programming some very simple things in BASIC, but now I am unsure if I need to update anything as I have seen there is some discussion about keyboard needing updating and newer versions of the built in apps. I don’t have a modern computer, just an ipad, so from what I can gather it seems like I won’t be able to update anything as it seems a desktop PC or Mac is needed, is that correct?
Not sure, don’t have ipad either, but i think with stlink you can update stm32 firmware (keyboard driver) and with usb tethering you can upload new uf2 files to your picocalc.
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Thanks @randorandus I have a SD card reader for my ipad so getting files onto SD card is working ok, I guess that wrt to updating the keyboard driver I need access to a windows/linux/mac computer as it seems there is nothing for ipad, I do have an android tablet too, I will look into if there is something I can use on that.
for android
Thanks again @randorandus I tried it but it isn’t recognising the connection, I have a USB C cable connected from the port on my tablet to the USB C on Picocalc, I set dip switch 1 up before connecting but it isn’t seeing it - does it mean I need a special cable or am I missing something?
Maybe an stlink device?
The keyboard firmware on recent picocalc is recent ennough to not require an immediate update.
Now Firmware-wise for the picocalc you may want to go with the uf2loader and then just use the SD card for upcoming updates.
Enjoy your picocalc.
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@Marsupial Thanks, I installed uf2loader but now all I get is boot straight into mmbasic, I did create the apps folder and copied the boot2040.uf2 onto the root of the card, but when I hold F1, F5 or UP it just boots into basic, any ideas what I am doing wrong?
Edit - I did not compile source or build bootloader, I don’t even know what that means, I just downloaded the files from github (which is pretty confusing to use to me 
not being a coder)
Try pushing UP before power up, it should work. mmbasic was probably the last installed app, so power leads to it.
Thanks @randorandus Tried it but still no joy, it just boots into basic v6.01.00b10, before I did the update it was v6.002 iirc.
try erase flash and install again bootloader, maybe.
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Did you actually install uf2loader, or just copy files to the SD card?
Just putting BOOT2040.UF2 onto the card is not sufficient.
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Thanks @pelrun I installed it but now I have done something stupid and lost picomite v6.01.00b10 and can’t find it, can someone post a link to the uf2 as I can’t seem to locate it 
You don’t want to use the old picomite binary anyway.
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Perfect, thanks all seems to be working now, aside from the boot button falling apart inside can still get into update mode using the update firmware command for now, I will probably get a pico2 later anyway. In meantime aside from picoware what other stuff can I put in the apps folder?
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To install a uf2 firmware into the picoboard,you need to kick your picobard into bootselect mode.
First you need a mini USB cable,then connect the picocalc whith iPad throught it like this:
[iPad] ------ mini USB cable ------------> [mini USB port on picoboard(Note the type C Charging
port)],
You need to press and hold the boot-select button on picoboard before plugin,then plugin and release the boot-select button until the picoboard show as a messstorage device.(And you need to do this when the picocalc is shutted down)
Then you can copy past the uf2 file into it,and the pico will auto reboot after transfer.
Theoretically, any device that supports USB Host and can read/write to the messstorage can perform this operation. A computer is not necessarily required.
UF2 Loader do the job to “Load” a uf2 firmware from sd card dynamictly,but to install “UF2 Loader.uf2” itself you still need the boot-select operate.
lua and master system emulator :]
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Big thanks to everyone for the hand holding, for now all working fine, did have a few weird crashes after flashing the bios where the screen was glitching, and an invalid characters error which caused a reset, I nuked the flash, removed the batteries and started over and both those issues are resolved. The boot button breaking was a bit disappointing, I wasn’t rough with it, but no biggie as I intended on replacing the pico1 with a pico2 eventually anyway.
Really enjoying the picocalc despite all these frustrations though, planning to make some stuff in BASIC, the sound options are quite interesting so I think some simple synths, sequencers and maybe a drum machine will be possible. The audio output has a bit of high frequency whine, not sure of the cause (possibly pwm, screen interference or some other internal parasitic crosstalk) but maybe I can either work around it or figure out a fix.
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The LUA port has some interesting sounds and a way to implement ‘include files’
https://github.com/Lana-chan/picocalc_lua/blob/main/docs/API.md#sound—programmable-sound-generator
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