It seemed like such a good idea at the time.
I’ve wanted an autotransformer for electronic troubleshooting work for a while. Autotransformers are variable transformers that let you bring the AC voltage up slowly on a piece of gear under test. I owned a Radio Shack/Micronta variable transformer for decades, but it didn’t survive my move to … Read More → "Pimping My Variac Autotransformer (Actually, it’s a Philmore)"
“Plastics.” – Mr. McGuire, “The Graduate”
Silicon Valley, like Las Vegas and parts of New York, is full of people with get-rich-quick schemes. But I’ve got a foolproof plan. I want to say just one word to you. Are you listening? Infrastructure.
Forget making must-have products or killer apps. The real path to riches in this … Read More → "How to Get Rich (I Think)"
Processors and FPGAs go together like chocolate and peanut butter, but it took a few years to get the recipe just right. Early turn-of-the-millennium attempts included the Xilinx Virtex II Pro with an on-chip PowerPC processor core and Altera’s Excalibur device with an ARM922T processor core. These early products are considered market failures. Actually, Kevin Morris called the Altera Excalibur “a monumental flop” in his article titled “< … Read More → "Microsemi Joins RISC-V Love Fest with SoC FPGA"
In this week’s episode of Fish Fry, we take a closer look at a IoT landscape that could not only reduce our battery power dependence but could also make a “forever battery” a reality. David Su (CEO – Atomic Technologies) and I discuss Atmosic Technologies’ holistic approach to power management, the details of their lowest power radio technology, and how their controlled energy harvesting is integral to their new … Read More → "Battery Free for You and Me"
“Let’s do the time warp again.” – Riff Raff
My relationship with Radio Shack goes back more than 50 years, when the company opened a store on Shelbyville Road near my home in Louisville, Kentucky. Heck, I even worked in a suburban Radio Shack as a freelance repair person for a summer during my college days, and I’ve still got the 50< … Read More → "The Radio Shack at the End of the Universe"
This week’s podcast is coming to you from the land of vineyards, grapevines, and MEMS magnetic field sensors — Napa Valley, California! In this episode of Fish Fry, we have an interview with each of the entrants of this year’s MEMS and Sensors Executive Congress Technology Showcase (think of it like a mini “Shark Tank” for … Read More → "On Your Mark, Get Set, MEMS!"
