Long term support for Topaz

If you are looking to design a product with a long life-time, one of the big questions you consider is component availability. Having to re-design in 3 years just to account for an end-of-life part is an unnecessary cost and drain on resources.  Designing with a CPU module takes away a lot of this pain (and transfers it to us!).   We manage the availability risk for the components that go into the module, and can re-design if necessary, while keeping the interface to your board the same as before.

The only really hard part to manage is the processor – without the i.MX25, we couldn’t really make Topaz!  Fortunately, Freescale have a longevity program that clearly indicates how long a part will be supported for.  In the case of the i.MX25, this is 15 years from launch.  You can look this up here - filter on MX25 to find it quickly.

Micro Framework v4.1 Firmware Released

Yesterday, Microsoft announced the availability of v4.1 of the .NET Micro Framework.  This has a number of new features (including support for Visual Studio 2010) and is the first release to include code contributed from the community.

You can try out this new release on Tahoe and Tahoe-II boards.  The new firmware, and supporting SDK is available for download here.  An update to our Board Support Package and firmware for Meridian/P will follow in the next few days.

Topaz Introduction Video

Sometimes it’s easier to watch than read…

 

BETA firmware for .NET Micro Framework v4.1 available for Tahoe-II

Microsoft released a refresh to the 4.1 beta late last week and we have firmware available for you to try out on Tahoe-II!

One of the biggest reasons to take a look at this is the support for Visual Studio 2010 (including the express edition).  Other features are listed in this post.

The downloads page has the new Tahoe-II firmware and a new SDK. 

Something to watch out for when converting your projects: VS2010 does a good job most of the time, but we have found at least one instance where it wasn’t 100%.  If your application is not working correctly (especially when deploying or starting), either review the .csproj file and make sure it is not referencing the 4.0 tools, or create a new project in VS2010 and move your code into it.

Let us know what you think.

Freescale Technical Forum, Orlando

This event in Florida (21-24 June) is a great way to get in-depth training on Freescale products and see what new things they have.  It’s also a really nice change from the current weather in NZ!

Let us know if you are going to be at the show, or are in the area – we would love to meet up with you.

New pricing for Innobedded Rich Media Extensions

If you are developing .NET Micro Framework applications that require user interface we recommend you check out Rich Media Extensions from Innobedded.  It provides a complete set of controls for application development and can be customised to match the look you need.

The commercial license has been reduced in price to US$249, and there is a new low-cost non-commercial license.

You can also try it out for free!

Ball-in-maze game – now for MFW 4.0!

Due to popular demand, we have updated the ball-in-maze game to support v4.0 of the .NET Micro Framework.  There are versions for the original Tahoe + accelerometer and Tahoe-II. 

Get it on the Downloads page!

Contributing to the .NET Micro Framework

Are there features you would like to see added to the Micro Framework?

There are plenty of ways to get involved with the future of the Micro Framework through the netmf.com web site.  You have been able to participate in feature discussions for while.  Now Microsoft has posted more information on how you can contribute to the core implementation, so others can benefit from your coding genius!

VS2010 Support coming for the .NET Micro Framework

Microsoft have announced plans for v4.1 of the .NET Micro Framework! 

We are working on a version 4.1 release that includes (pending any last minute contributions):

• - VS 2010 support
• - The Hashtable proposed on the netmf.com discussion and contributed by Ed Harlow
• - Open Source TCP/IP and SSL
• - DPWS enhancements
• - Big Endian support

We don’t have any dates to share yet – but we will have beta firmware for Tahoe-II and Meridian/P as soon as we are able.

Announcing the Topaz i.MX25 CPU Module and Development Kit

We are very pleased to announce the Topaz i.MX25 CPU Module and Development Kit.  Topaz is a new CPU module designed for portable, industrial and automotive applications.

The Topaz module includes a Freescale i.MX25 (400MHz ARM926), 64MBytes mobile DDR, 128MBytes NAND flash, Freescale Power Management IC and Ethernet PHY.  Like Meridian, Topaz is a surface mount module.  This is easy to mount on new hardware and scales well in volume production.

Topaz includes 10/100 Ethernet (just add a MagJack), USB Host and High-Speed OTG ports, LCD controller, Touch-controller, ADC, SD card, CAN, 5x serial ports, PWM, One-Wire, SPI, I2C, Security and more.  Check out the product page and data sheet for all the technical details.

For Topaz, we worked with partners to support Windows CE and Linux, as well as the .NET Micro Framework.  We are shipping today with Windows CE 6.0 R3 in conjunction with GuruCE.  The .NET Micro Framework and Linux are in development.

Topaz is ideal for portable applications as it uses low-power memory and can be powered from a LiIon cell.  For HMI applications, the built-in LCD and touch-screen controllers make it simple to connect a variety of display types.   For automotive applications, Freescale supply specific variants of the i.MX25 and these are supported by the Topaz module.

The Development Kit is great for evaluating the Topaz CPU module and development devices.

It includes 10/100 Ethernet, Serial, USB host and OTG ports, SD card and audio out.  All other signals are available on 0.1” interface headers for easy connection.

You have a choice of LCDs for use with the kit:

4.3” 480×272 TFT LCD with touch-screen.

7” 800×480 TFT LCD with touch-screen.

The development kit is priced at US$299 and the LCD kits are US$199 for the 4.3” option and US$299 for the 7” option.  These are available from our web shop now, and will be with distributors in the next 2-3 weeks.