Unboxing

Unboxing is always a critical moment. The out-of-the-box process is key  on the user's experience.

Content

Big boxes
The box contains plastics bags with the elements. There is no container.

The set requires buying another box to keep the elements and avoid from loosing the small parts.
The box packs all the elements in plastic bags inside two containers in light plastic.

One of the two containers has specific cavities for the controller, the camera, and two motors. 
Left, the only protection is for the 3V3 controller.
Right, one of the 2 containers is specific.
The box stipulates the components are made in Denmark, Hungary, Mexico, China, Indonesia and the Czech Republic.
The box promotes a "Made in Germany" on a silver circle.

Printed Manual
The box contains one printed manual but for one model only, and a environmental document. There is no warranty document.
The box contains one printed manual with the building instructions for all the models, one CD-ROM with the application and additional documentation in PDF, and a warranty document.

​ CD-ROM
There is no CD-ROM. All the tools and documentations need to be downloaded. An internet connection is thus compulsory.
The CD-ROM contains
  • the RoboPro application, 
  • the user manual for the RoboPro application,
  • all the building instructions for all the sets of the Robotics line,
  • a technical document on the controller,
  • and a didactical manual introducing robotics and the components included in the set.​​

Websites
The Lego website ​is available in many languages and provides
  • the building instructions for the 5 remaining models as PDF documents, plus 12 other models from fans, 
  • the Mindstorms application and its user's manual,
  • ​links to the iOS and Android applications,
  • the firmware for the EV3 and additional sensors,
  • and an extensive technical documentation on the controller and the peripherals, including the schematics, and on the communication protocols.
The fischertechnik website is available only in German and English, and provides
  • the updates for RoboPro, which includes the update for the controller firmware,
  • ​the circuit diagrams for the computings sets with the Robotics TXT,
  • a technical reference on Linux root access, a C/C++ programming package and a tool-chain, with some documentation in English.

​An additional website, the fischertechnik eLearning Portal, is available in many different languages and provides didactical material. The printed manual provides a code  to get access.

iOS and Android Apps
There are many iOS and Android apps!
  • A simplified version of the programming Mindstorms application (iOS and Android),
  • A robot commander app (iOS and Android),
  • A 3D builder app for the 5 additional models, powered by Autodesk (iOS and Android), and
  • A game (iOS and Android).​​​
Actually, the iOS and Android apps exist, although they aren't mentioned on the website.
  • TXTCamdroid for Android and TXTCamControl for iOS provide a  remote control of the Robotics TXT with a live video feed.

Forum
Lego has an official forum for the Mindstorms community, operated in English.

There are many external forums in any language.
fischertechnik has no official forum, but the ft:c forum acts as the reference forum, although almost exclusively in German. It is operated by the fischertechnik community, which publishes a quarterly review, ft:pedia, also in German.

Conclusion

When fischertechnik includes a printed building instructions manual for all the models and a CD-ROM with the application and documentation, Lego provides as little as possible and thus makes the internet connection compulsory. I don't understand this policy.

​Lego offers all the technical documentation for both the hardware, including the schematics of the controllers and peripherals, and the software, including the protocols used.

fischertechnik is shyer about technical documentation and openness. The collaterals (forum, review) are only on German.

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