Picking the right development board

   There is a lot of competition out there when it comes to processors and embedded systems. The above image is one example of modern development boards currently available. With the exception of the one on the lower right, all of these boards can be programmed through the Arduino IDE, and through the manufacturers respective tools.
   Some of my personal favourites are the trinket and feather boards by Ada Fruit. These boards are compact can be easily placed into a bread board and for that reason tend to remain a favourite.
The Atmel now Microchip boards are fantastic, and also work with the arduino ide. Currently there are boards for several processors including the 328pb, Sam D10, and the tiny104. The Xplained line makes for a great set of development boards.
   Last to note are the arduino boards from Arduino.cc with a wide selection there are the standard size board which is a form factor that can accommodate a variety of what are called shields, a stack-able circuit board.

Various suppliers are around for Arduino and compatible boards. To list some:
Arduino.cc
Robotshop.ca
Ada Fruit
SeeedStudio