Version History
Firmware Updates
Track every improvement, feature, and fix across all Nexus Pen firmware releases.
Version History
Every Nexus Pen firmware release, documented.
v10.3
Released
OLED UI Polish & Status Bar Fixes
- Fixed status bar elements overlapping main content on OLED display
- BLE connection dot indicator now renders correctly in all states
- Battery icon no longer shown when battery monitoring is disabled
- Thinking screen animated dots display correctly during AI processing
v10.2
Released
Battery Monitoring & Animated Feedback
- Battery level monitoring via ADC with accurate percentage display
- Battery icon on OLED status bar updates in real time
- BLE connection icon added to status bar
- Listening animation shown on OLED while PTT is held
- Thinking animation shown while Donna processes your query
v10.0
Released
Performance Architecture
- AI mode display on OLED — shows active mode (Answer, School, Research, Creative, Language)
- Spinlock-based ring buffer for race-condition-free audio streaming
- CPU frequency scaling — 240MHz during processing, 80MHz at idle for battery savings
- Sine LUT (look-up table) replaces real-time sine computation for faster audio processing
v9.0
Released
Boot Animation & AI Mode Cycling
- Boot animation on OLED at startup — Nexus Pen logo fade-in sequence
- Persistent status bar with clock, BLE, and battery indicators
- AI mode cycling via Button B — switch modes directly from the pen
- Developer tools accessible via button sequence for diagnostics
v8.0
Released
Runtime Volume Control & Voice Commands
- Runtime volume control via NVS (Non-Volatile Storage) — settings persist across reboots
- Voice command detection: "Donna mute/max/lower/raise volume"
- Developer mode (Button sequence ABC-CBA) with easter egg responses
- Enhanced settings menu with more options accessible from the pen
- Improved I2C reliability for OLED blocking mitigation
v7.2
Released
BLE Audio Optimisation
- Tuned BLE burst audio delivery at 24KB/s for consistent playback
- Prebuffer tuning — eliminated audio dropouts at session start
- OLED I2C blocking mitigation — display no longer interrupts audio stream
- Reduced BLE reconnect latency after device wake
v7.0
Released
24kHz HD Audio Pipeline
- Upgraded audio pipeline to 24kHz for dramatically improved speech clarity
- CE32A-8 1-1/4" 8Ω speaker support with MAX98357A amplifier
- Ring buffer architecture for smooth, gap-free audio streaming
- Backend TTS upgraded to OpenAI tts-1 with parallel processing
- G.711 u-law encoding for efficient BLE audio transport
v6.0
Released
Multi-Button Interface & Settings Menu
- Three-button interface (A, B, C) fully implemented
- On-device settings menu accessible without the app
- Demo mode for showcasing the pen without an active subscription
- OLED menu navigation with smooth scrolling
v5.8
Released
PCB Pin Configuration Finalised
- Pin configuration locked for production PCB: AMP (BCLK=17, LRC=16, DIN=27), MIC (BCLK=26, WS=25, DOUT=34)
- I2C bus: SDA=23, SCL=19, RST=12
- PTT=4, Button A=15, Button B=32, Button C=14
- I2S dual-port audio — simultaneous mic input and speaker output
v5.0
Released
Initial BLE Audio & OLED Display
- First working BLE audio streaming from backend to pen speaker
- OLED text display of Donna AI responses
- PTT (Push-to-Talk) recording and transmission
- Basic Donna AI integration with GPT-4o backend
10
Major Releases
v10.3
Current Version
24kHz
Audio Quality
OTA
Update Method
How to Update Firmware
Keep your Nexus Pen running the latest features. Updates take approximately 2 minutes.
Over-the-Air (WiFi)
The recommended method. Requires WiFi setup.
- Connect your pen to WiFi via the app (Settings → WiFi Setup).
- When a new version is available, the OLED displays "UPDATE AVAILABLE".
- Press Button A to begin the update.
- Keep the pen charged. Do not power off during the update.
- The pen reboots automatically when complete — OLED shows the new version number.
Via App
Flash firmware directly over BLE from the app.
- Open the Nexus Pen app with the pen connected via BLE.
- Go to Settings → Firmware → Check for Updates.
- If an update is available, tap Download & Install.
- Keep your phone near the pen during the transfer.
- The pen will reboot when the update is complete.
Important: Always ensure your pen has at least 30% battery before starting a firmware update. Interrupting an update may require a manual flash — contact NexuspenLLC@gmail.com if this occurs.
Always getting better.
Every firmware update is free. Your Nexus Pen improves automatically over time.
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