fish fry archive
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Compilers, Counterfeits, and Contests

In this week’s Fish Fry, I check out some recent rumblings in the world of EE venture capital and investigate why both Applied Materials and the CIA are interested in Infinite Power Solutions. Also this week, I look into the newest developments in compilers from Microchip Technology and examine a recent report by the US Senate Armed Services Committee about counterfeit parts used in military applications.

Also this week, I have a TI MSP-EXP430FR5739 Experimenter Board (courtesy of Mouser) to throw your way, but … Read More → "Compilers, Counterfeits, and Contests"

Ready, Set, Embed!

This week’s Fish Fry is all about embedded design – from microcontrollers to tools.  We examine why the death of 8-bit MCUs might not be so close at hand and what the new l-Jet in-circuit debugging probe is all about. Then, it’s off to some truly strange “News You May Have Missed” where we see how Nintendo is teaming up with Toyota to make driving more like a video game.

Also this week, I have a brand new nerdy giveaway (a TI MSP-EXP430FR5739 Experimenter Board) courtesy of … Read More → "Ready, Set, Embed!"

Springtime in the SoC

In honor of the Design Automation Conference that is less than a month away, I take a little foray into the mysterious land of tools. First up, I chat with Henk Hamoen (Synopsys) about how Synopsys is working its way into audio IP, and then it’s an interview with Mark Zarins of GrammaTech about static code analysis and why your level of comfort in dealing with abstraction is important to them. Finally, I have a special “News You May Have Missed” segment about some recent rumblings on the Mentor Graphics Board of Directors.

Read More → "Springtime in the SoC"

Sensing 3D

Not much could be cooler than 3D video using FPGAs, right?  Yeah, that’s what I thought too, so in this week’s Fish Fry, I chat with Niladri Roy of Lattice Semiconductor about some of the coolest video-related FPGA applications out there right now. Lattice is using FPGAs in some pretty creative ways in their new camera development kits, so if you’re into video technology, you’ll want to check out this week’s interview. 

Ready… Goggles on… Go!

Also this week, I am giving everyone … Read More → "Sensing 3D"

On Your Mark

In a special executive focus Fish Fry, this week I interview Achronix CEO Robert Blake about Achronix’s new high-end FPGA family (based on Intel’s new 22nm Tri-Gate technology).  Robert and I discuss why this new family may be a serious contender – going head-to-head with the most powerful FPGAs from the big guys.  We also explore what their software tool story looks like, and why domain-specific hard IP may be the key ingredient in their secret sauce.

Also this week, I am giving everyone another chance to win a MACHXO Pico Development Kit courtesy of Lattice … Read More → "On Your Mark"

Wirelessly Going Where No Man Has Gone Before

This week’s Fish Fry is all about wireless technology and how it is shaping the world today. First up, I interview Martin Squibbs from Atmel about a big announcement in the world of RF transceivers. Martin talks to me about a technology that may change the roadmap for battery-operated wireless applications in the industrial and consumer market places. Next up, I check out how wireless technology is shaping medical care in Africa, and finally I’ve got a short Interview with Karen Lightman about the MEMS Industry Group and how they are looking to carve out … Read More → "Wirelessly Going Where No Man Has Gone Before"

The Long ARM of Intel

In this week’s Fish Fry, I look at Intel’s ever-expanding reach into the world of electronic design. I interview Jarrod Siket about Netronome’s collaboration with Intel and I also investigate the recent announcement that Intel and Xilinx will be funding R&D at EDA startup Oasys Design Systems. This week I also chat with Tom DeSchutter of Synopsys about what ARM’s big.LITTLE is all about and how software can help with energy efficiency in mobile designs.

Did you know that a company in Dubai is offering push button pizza delivery? Its … Read More → "The Long ARM of Intel"

Coming Back for Seconds

In this week’s Fish Fry, I look into two ever-present themes at this year’s Design West Expo: power and software. On the software side, I interview David Kleidermacher (Green Hills Software – CTO) about embedded security, virtualization, and even Green Hills’s collaboration with Nintendo. On the power side, I chat with Infinite Power Solutions about energy harvesting and find out why they don’t call themselves “Limited Power Solutions”.

I have one more MAX V CPLD Development Kit courtesy of Altera to give away this week, … Read More → "Coming Back for Seconds"

Spring into Action

In this week’s Fish Fry, I dig into the multi-layered world of power optimization with Shawn McCloud (Vice President, Marketing – Calypto).  Shawn and I discuss the problems surrounding power reduction in today’s smaller geometries, and why he thinks power optimization is ignored by many designers. I even grill Shawn about why he has a ban on high heels at his house.  Also this week, I unveil the details of EE Journal’s first conference contest called “Find Amelia at Design West” and even throw out a couple super … Read More → "Spring into Action"

Getting Your Verification Ducks in a Row

Look out! A new way to verify is coming your way. In this week’s Fish Fry, I check out Synopsys’s new Verification IP announcement with a special in-depth interview with Neil Mullinger from Synopsys. Neil and I discuss the details of this new verification platform, what markets it’s destined for, and why whipping up your own verification IP may be a thing of the past. Also this week, I look into a new development in transistor technology headed up by a team at the University of Tel Aviv and why it may … Read More → "Getting Your Verification Ducks in a Row"

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