Integrates FPGA, ARM® Cortex™-M3 Processor, and Programmable Analog
Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it is stocking the Actel SmartFusion™ Evaluation Kit, an intelligent mixed-signal FPGA that is the only device to integrate an FPGA, an ARM Cortex-M3 processor, and programmable analog into one device. The Actel SmartFusion Evaluation Kit supports the SmartFusion mixed-signal FPGAs that feature integrated FPGA, an ARM Cortex™-M3 processor, and programmable analog, and comes with free one-year Libero Integrated Design Environment (IDE) software and Gold license with SoftConsole for program and debug. The evaluation board included with this Actel SmartFusion kit features an Ethernet interface, USB port for power and HyperTerminal, USB port for programming and debug, J-Link header for debug, mixed-signal header, SPI flash (off-chip memory), Reset and 2 user switches, 8 LEDs, POT for voltage / current monitor, temperature monitor, and an Organic light-emitting diode (OLED).
Mike Scott, Mouser Vice President of Active Products, believes the new SmartFusion products from Actel are ideal for design engineers who need more flexibility and integration. “Combining programmability with all three main system building blocks – logic, analog and the ARM Cortex-M3 processor core – into a single device gives the designer an impressive palette to make their next idea a reality. Coupled with the SmartFusion Eval Kit and included software, a designer needs only a great imagination.”
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RS Agreement with Arduino
RS Components today announced that it has signed an agreement to become the exclusive official global catalogue distributor for the cult Arduino electronics prototyping platform for creating interactive objects or environments. Since it emerged from the Interaction Design Institute in Ivrea, Italy, Arduino has acquired a strong following as a simple, powerful, cost-effective control interface and over 50,000 boards have already been shipped worldwide.
Arduino is a tool for the design and development of embedded computer systems, consisting of a simple open hardware design for a single-board microcontroller, with embedded I/O support and a standard programming language. The Arduino programming language is based on Wiring and is essentially C/C++.
Commenting for RS Components, Glenn Jarrett, Head of Electronics Marketing said: “RS is delighted to support the Arduino project by taking this open hardware and open source software concept to the global market.” He continued: “The Arduino board is so straightforward and easy to program that it is accessible to engineers with no prior experience, but at the same time offers enough performance and capability to address complex tasks. Arduino is a really important tool that engineers everywhere are looking at and in particular we believe will engage the next generation of engineers.”
Massimo Banzi, co-founder for Arduino, said: “The RS website is the first stop for engineers around the world seeking tools and technologies for their next project. Its ability to deliver any of those tools and technologies to the bench the next day is legendary. A major goal of the Arduino project is to make our tools accessible and the unrivalled reach of RS’ marketing and logistics truly takes our technology to the world’s electronics engineering professionals.”
RS Components Arduino stock profile includes the Duemilanove MCU board based on the Atmega328, ZigBee and Ethernet Shield boards and workshop kits containing all the components required to begin prototyping.
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Digi-Key’s e-commerce tools integrated as part of NXP’s new SimPort Design Center developed by Transim Technology
Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, in partnership with Transim Technology and NXP Semiconductors, today announced the launch of the NXP SimPort Design Center incorporated with Digi-Key’s industry leading e-commerce platform.
This design simulation tool provides engineers with the capability to create custom reference designs and immediately verify and test their designs online using Transim’s proprietary WebSIM® technology. Once the designs are tested and approved, the engineer can immediately purchase components using Digi-Key’s e-commerce tools.
Digi-Key’s e-commerce tools enable the user to create a bill of materials from a simulated design and view real-time pricing and availability of parts for the design.
“Digi-Key is committed to providing innovative solutions to our customers. The partnering of our e-commerce platform with Transim and NXP embodies those goals,” said John Collins, Digi-Key’s chief information officer. “By utilizing web services as an integration platform, we bring together the powerful combination of Transim and NXP solutions with Digi-Key’s unparalleled breadth of product and leading edge technologies to give the customer the most convenient, flexible experience possible.”
Transim’s Design Center combines engineering software, internet and simulation technology to create a powerful simulated design solution. The simulated design center is customized to meet manufacturers’ needs and features their products and technologies in an easy-to-use web application. Transim engineers collaborate with each manufacturer’s design engineers to mimic the design process as it occurs when conducted in real life.
“Digi-Key has a long history of embracing leading edge technologies to provide their customers with the absolute best service possible,” said Birgit Knorr, Transim’s president and CEO. “Integrating our innovative online engineering solutions within Digi-Key’s state-of-the-art website provides the customer with a complete and intuitive experience from design support through BOM management and order fulfillment.”
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Digi-Key Tools Xpress offers tools, research and distribution from Digi-Key’s supplier partners to engineers worldwide
Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, today launched Digi-Key Tools XpressSM in partnership with Embedded Developer, LLC, the embedded industry’s leading semiconductor research and compare site. Digi-Key Tools Xpress provides embedded design engineers with a worldwide sales and distribution network for development tools.
Digi-Key Tools Xpress is the only development tool program in the industry that gives engineers the capability to compare tools based on features and performance before making a purchase. This comparison capability was developed by Embedded Developer and is modeled after its signature device-compare process.
Additionally, the Digi-Key Tools Xpress program provides embedded engineers with more purchasing options from Digi-Key’s extensive offering of embedded development tools. The program also allows engineers to minimize research time concerning tool options and availability and maximize design efficiency.
“Having access to the broadest array of development tools, emulators, debuggers and evaluation kits is critical to the design engineering community. The primary objective of the Digi-Key Tools Xpress program is to search out those innovative third parties and make their tools accessible to the engineers through Digi-Key and Embedded Developer,” said Digi-Key Vice President of Semiconductor Product Dave Doherty. “With Digi-Key’s breadth of embedded product and Embedded Developer’s compare capabilities, this program offers engineers the ability to find, compare and purchase the industry’s widest array of tools available for immediate shipment.”
“Digi-Key and Embedded Developer have been providing engineers with development tools for years,” said President of Embedded Developer Glenn ImObersteg. “It’s time for a program that allows engineers to make the same educated decisions about their development tools as they have been making for their devices. Every day thousands of engineers shave weeks off their device research time by using our search and compare engines to locate, evaluate, and compare their devices and purchase them through Digi-Key without leaving the site. This new program will allow us to extend those capabilities to development tools at that moment in time when engineers decide on the processor they are going to use.
“Digi-Key Tools Xpress is a new joint venture for Digi-Key and Embedded Developer,” said Digi-Key Vice President of e-Commerce Tony Harris. “We are confident the Digi-Key Tools Xpress site will be a valuable tool for embedded engineers and believe this program will help streamline and consolidate their design processes.”
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Appoints Nanosoft as value added distributor and recruits additional value added resellers in Russia and the CIS
Altium has appointed Nanosoft as its new value added distributor in a rapid expansion of its business in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Altium and Nanosoft are actively recruiting resellers, with 15 already technically and commercially trained and certified. Altium expects to double this number over the next 12 months to expand sales and support across the CIS.
This new sales channel will report to Altium country manager Evgeny Shikhov.
Altium is expanding its business in Russia and the CIS to tap into what it believes is a huge potential for its next generation electronics design solutions. According to the Information-Analytical Center, the Russian electronics industry has more than 2,500 enterprises and 360,000 employees.[1] Large investments see the sector continuing to expand.
Altium is also currently running a large amnesty campaign for users of pirated copies of its older P-CAD and Protel design software. The amnesty, launched in November and supported by the Business Software Alliance (BSA), supports the migration of users of this pirated software to the latest version of Altium Designer with a one-year amnesty for each legalized seat. Altium Designer is the successor to the well known and widely used P-CAD and Protel design solutions. In a single solution, using a single data model, it lets designers create products in all three design domains: PCB layout, programmable hardware and software.
The new sales channel is the infrastructure Altium will now use to grow new business, taking Altium Designer to new customers across Russia and the CIS. “The new channel structure, with Nanosoft as value added distributor responsible for channel, sales and marketing activities in Russia and the CIS, is the next major step to developing this exciting market,” said Martin Harris, Vice President EMEA at Altium.
“Most importantly, we can now get closer to our customers across the region to support them in modernizing their electronics design processes. The next generation of electronic products will require a higher level of connectivity with the web. And the electronics embedded in products continue to represent more and more of the overall value of those products. Being able to manage the electronics design processes effectively without stifling innovation is what will define “success” in electronics design in the future. Altium Designer delivers that required level of electronics design data management today.
“Electronics designers in Russia and the CIS can now compete on a level playing field with competitors anywhere in the world.
“In Nanosoft, Altium has a modern, innovative, highly professional value added distribution and marketing organization as a partner.”
“We are proud to represent and distribute one of the best in class solutions in the Russian and CIS market,” said General Director of Nanosoft Maxim Egorov. “Altium products, which cover the demands of the electronic industry, will perfectly fit our business. So we can provide our 100+ partner-channel with a truly balanced portfolio of CAD solutions.”
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Sigma Designs, Inc.’s New Z-Wave® Evaluation Kit Available Only at Digi-Key Corporation
Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, today announced it has stock on Sigma Designs, Inc.’s Z-Wave® Evaluation Kit in both US and European frequencies. Additionally, Digi-Key is the only distributor to stock this kit because it is custom-assembled in Digi-Key’s 600,000 square-foot (55,741 square-meter) facility in Thief River Falls, Minn., USA.
The Z-Wave Evaluation Kit is now available for purchase on Digi-Key’s US and European websites and will be featured in future print and online catalogs.
The Z-Wave Evaluation Kit provides a lower cost of entry and includes hardware and software needed to evaluate Z-Wave technology. The kit allows programmers to write host applications from a PC or embedded processor that communicates to the Z-Wave interface through the Serial API. The APIs are limited but enable a developer to write simple control application and become acquainted with the Z-Wave solution.
In addition, each kit includes ZM2120 (with SMA connector) + Interface board with LED dimmer SW, ZM2120 (with SMA connector) + Interface board with static controller SW, 9V power adapter, 6-cell (AA) battery holder with barrel plug adapter, serial cable RS232, swivel antenna, and access to Sigma support login for evaluation kit software and documentation.
“We are excited to offer Sigma Designs, Inc.’s new Z-Wave Evaluation Kit exclusively at Digi-Key,” said Dave Doherty, Digi-Key’s vice president of semiconductor product. “This Digi-Key custom-assembled kit will be a valuable tool for design engineers interested in developing a wireless sensor network for applications such as home automation and control.”
» Contact Details for Digi-Key Corporation
Digi-Key Corporation and Avago Technologies Expand Partnership, Offer Products in Europe
Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, announced today the expansion of its partnership with Avago Technologies US, Inc. to offer Avago’s products to customers in Europe.
Avago Technologies US, Inc. products offered by Digi-Key include fiber optics, diodes, rectifiers, amplifiers, digital isolators, optoisolators, optoelectronics, LEDs and LED-displays, and more. Products in stock are featured in Digi-Key’s print and online catalogs and are available on Digi-Key’s US, Canadian and global websites and are slated to be featured in future print and online catalogs.
“Digi-Key is pleased to broaden its partnership with Avago Technologies and offer Avago’s top quality products to customers in Europe,” said Dave Doherty, Digi-Key’s vice president of semiconductor products.
Avago Technologies US, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and global supplier of a broad range of analog semiconductor products. Avago’s product portfolio includes more than 6,500 products in primary target markets such as wireless communications, wired infrastructure, industrial and automotive electronics, and consumer and computing peripherals. Avago locations include two design centers in the United States, four in Asia and three in Europe. In addition, Avago has developed an extensive portfolio of intellectual property that includes more than 5,000 US and foreign patents and patent applications.
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Digi-Key Announces Stock on New Freescale Semiconductor Tower System Modules and Kits
Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, today announced it has stock on several new modules and kits for Freescale Semiconductor’s Tower System.
The following products are in stock and available for purchase on Digi-Key’s global websites:
* TWR-ZGWIFI – ZeroG-based 802.11b WiFi module
* TWR-S08LL64-KIT – Includes TWR-S08LL64 microcontroller module, TWR-PROTO prototype module and TWR-ELEV
* TWR-S08LL64 – 8-bit segment LCD module
* TWR-MCF5225X – ColdFire® V2 Connectivity microcontroller module with complimentary Freescale MQX™ Software
* TWR-MCF5225X-KIT – Includes TWR-MCF5225X microcontroller module, TWR-SER serial module and TWR-ELEV
* TWR-SER – Serial module: Ethernet, USB, RS232/485, CAN
The Freescale Tower System is a modular, reconfigurable development platform that allows designers to get to market faster with packaged evaluation boards, tools and runtime software.
Comprised of three types of modules (microcontroller, peripheral, and elevator modules), the Tower System enables engineers to reuse tools and rapidly prototype designs.
For more information about Tower System products stocked by Digi-Key, visit its global websites or towergeeks.org, an exclusive online community created for engineers by Digi-Key.
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Intelligent Mixed Signal ICs that Simplify Embedded System Designs
Mouser Electronics, Inc., known for its rapid introduction of the newest products, today announced it has signed an exclusive global catalog distribution agreement with Keterex, a developer of mixed-signal ICs and systems.
Mouser’s Keterex stock includes the KX1400 Audio Playback IC that plays pre-recorded 8KHz audio data directly to an external speaker via an on-chip digital audio processor and Class-D driver. It enables embedded systems designers to add voice prompts and sound effects to their design quickly and easily. Keterex’s KX1400 can be used in toys, games, building and industrial automation, alarm and security systems, and appliances.
Also in stock is the USB-910H, a USB-to-SPI/I2C Embedded Systems Interface that turns a PC into a SPI, I2C, SMBus, or parallel GPIO controller. Mike Scott, Mouser Vice President of Active Products, states, “We are pleased to be adding Keterex to our semiconductor linecard. Keterex’s expertise in mixed-signal design and embedded systems helps address unique challenges design engineers face.”
“We’re pleased to have Mouser as a world-wide distributor of our products,” said Jim Divine, CEO of Keterex. “Mouser’s reputation as a leading source of new technologies for design engineers enhances our ability to support our customers with exciting new products.”
» Contact details for Mouser Electronics, Inc.
Digi-Key Corporation and Torex Semiconductor Ltd. Announce Global Distribution Agreement
Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, and Torex Semiconductor Ltd. today announced the companies have signed a global distribution agreement. Torex is a specialist in analog power supply IC design, development, and manufacturing.
Torex products stocked by Digi-Key are now available for purchase via Digi-Key’s global websites. Additionally, these products will be featured in future print and online catalogs.
“We are delighted to expand our semiconductor portfolio through this partnership with Torex Semiconductor,” said Dave Doherty, Digi-Key vice president of semiconductor product. “Torex’s low power and efficient heat dissipation allow them to offer some ultra-small packaging alternatives that are very attractive to design engineers.”
“Torex is very excited to begin a business partnership with Digi-Key, which is a world-wide leader in business development,” said Koji Shibamiya, Torex managing director. “We are confident we will have a successful, mutually satisfying relationship. Torex will continue to release new Power Management ICs, which will be environmentally friendly, have low power consumption, and be available in small, thin, lightweight packages. We will strive to provide customers with devices which will enable their product development to be as effortless as possible.”
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