Selecting a Bluetooth module w/HCI or AT command set

I am looking for a module I can connect to via UART/I2C/SPI, and which implements a command set of some sort.

  • Supports both central and peripheral roles.
  • At least BLE 4.0.
  • Dual mode would be nice
  • a module with simple connector (like Grove or 0.1 header) would be nice

Can you suggest some parts? It looks to me as if the Laird 652/654 are the right kind of thing.

Laird BL652 / BL654 are good choices but they are only available in surface mount modules. Microchip RN4870 / RN4871 would also be a family to look at but are also only available in SMT. Unfortunately I couldn’t find anything with a simple header or 0.1 header.

I did some further searching and found Mikroelektronika Click boards (with 0.1 headers) for the RN4870 and RN4871, MIKROE-2543 and MIKROE-2544 .