Microsoft Revises USB Developer Documentation

The Microsoft Windows USB Core Team has finished a major review and update of the USB documentation on MSDN. As they explain in their latest bog post, USB Driver Documentation Updates in the MSDN Library, they have added more header file macro definitions, removed the unsupported USB Port Driver Interface, and added a lot of WinUSB information. There is also a new list of USB Device classes with Microsoft drivers.

Want to experiment with Linux? Get a Didj!

Now that the Didj has been discontinued by Leapfrog, it is sure to be on sale for much less than the cost of a similarly featured development board for Linux.  You can find all of the datasheets, reference material, and source to do your Linux experimenting at the eLinux.org Didj wiki page.  Below is a teardown of the toy and some processor specs, you can download the full datasheet from the site.

• 32bit CPU Embedded Architecture : 533MHz ARM926EJ with 16KByte I-Cache and 16KByte D-Cache.
• High performance 3D Graphics Accelerator
• USB 1.1 Host Controller, USB 2.0 Device, 4Ch UART
• LCD Controller, 8Ch DMA, Timer, Interrupt Controller, RTC
• SD/MMC, I2S, I2C, SSP, ADC, GPIOs, PWM, Power Manager

Leapster's Latest Handheld ARM-Linux Gaming Platform

Leapfrog is promoting the Leapster Explorer as an all in one platform for gaming, e-books, videos and educational content.  It can also function as a camera and video recorder if you purchase a camera accessory.  It has an ARM processor, 512MB of flash storage, a 420x420 pixel 3.2 inch touch screen, 3D graphic processing, and a flash engine for applications and video.  The image below is from an explorer review by Nicole Tanner at whattheyplay.com

The release of this new product seems related to the news that Leapster is discontinuing the Didj, another ARM processor based Linux gaming system that has been on the market only 2 years.  The Didj announcement isn't going over well with parents on the Leapfrog community forum.  Leapster2 owners are also upset that the cartridges will not be compatible with earlier products.

PIC18F Starter kit design competition

The PIC18F Starter kit design competition deadline is June 30th, 2010.  The winners do not receive cash or other prizes, but have the opportunity to showcase their coding skill and advertise their company.  The next version of the starter kit will include the winning designs as demos.

New Lattice XP2 FPGA kit available for $29

Press Release: New Low Cost Brevia Development Kit Accelerates Application Development for Popular LatticeXP2 FPGA Family

The LatticeXP2 Brevia Development Kit comes with all you need to start developing including a board, parallel JTAG cable, serial RS-232 cable, and AC adapter.

Update: This kit has been replaced by the $49 LatticeXP2 Brevia2 Board WITH LatticeXP2 FPGA: LFXP2-5E-6TN144C and on-board FTDI-based USB JTAG programmer.