You can use the Garagino instead Arduino UNO in any project since it has the same digital pins (14 (6 PWM output)), the same analog pins (6 inputs), the same microcontroller, etc. On the software side, you can use the same Arduino sketches, libraries, Arduino IDE and more. But even so, why someone would like to replace the Arduino with Garagino since both has the same specification? Based only on the specification, no one could find a reason to replace the well-known microcontroller with the newly released Garagino, and I have a ton of reasons to continue with the Arduino microcontroller board.
But, there are at least four reasons that make me think to use Garagino instead Arduino, four cases when the Arduino cannot help me.
The first case when I would prefer to use the Garagino instead the Arduino UNO is when I work with a breadboard for prototyping things. The Garaginos is engineered for directly attach to the breadboard and save me to use fewer wires in my project.
Because the Garagino is compact and has longer headers, it can be soldered directly to the PCB, and this is the second reason to use Garagino instead Arduino
The Garagino uses the same microcontroller as Arduino UNO, the ATmega328, but there is something new. The DIP (dual in-line package) packaging system let me replace the microcontroller. Just in case disaster strikes!
And finally, the board let me use a wider range voltage between 1.8 to 5V for power supply, and it’s easier to interface devices that operate with 3V3.
For programming, the Garagino is different that Arduino UNO in a negative way. The board can be programmed using a USB to serial converter, and this method is not always a good solution since I need a serial converter. The Arduino UNO can be programmed easily using a simple USB Mini-B cable.
This is not the first and most probably not the least project inspired by the Arduino architecture. Most of these projects are trying to bring something new, something fresh to hang on the fly makers and hackers. The Garagino is fit into this concept, and I hope to be transformed in a successful project because it worth!