On Target: Embedded Systems

Will Android Erode the Software Development Tool Market? - Part I

ARM recently announced a free toolkit (ARM Development Studio 5 Community Edition) for the Android application developer community. At a high level, you might be thinking, “so what, aren’t there already a number of free Android app tool kits available?” And, to a certain extent, you wouldn’t be wrong…until you start to consider the “so what” part. For one, make no mistake about it – This is not your run-of-the-mill open source toolkit; ARM is in the business of delivering premium tools. In fact, they have an entire division with P&L responsibilities focused on it. This new toolkit supposedly can... Read more →

Converged Devices Cannibalizing Sales of Stand-alone Consumer Electronics Devices

But also driving the transition to multicore processors The consumer electronics industry continues to foster a wide variety of innovations that bring cutting-edge technologies to the mainstream. Mounting demand for internet connectivity, inter-device communication, and device mobility have been the key factors driving this innovation. From televisions and set-top boxes to digital cameras and video gaming systems, the ability to access and share content via the web has become one of consumers’ primary device requirements. Similarly, growing interest in device mobility has fueled momentum behind handheld devices such as portable gaming systems, e-readers, and portable media players. More than ever,... Read more →

Medical Devices Segment within Multicore Components & Tools Market Expected to Double by 2013

Industry’s considerable market opportunities highlighted in VDC’s 2011 Multicore Components & Tools Report Intensifying graphical and high-definition imaging demands of ultrasound equipment, x-ray systems, and various patient monitoring devices have continued to promote the adoption of multicore processors in medical devices. Furthermore, the increasing mobility requirements of many medical devices have also served to drive interest in multicore due to its ability to satisfy specifications around light weight, low power consumption, and low heat dissipation. VDC estimates that the commercial market for solutions powering devices in this sector reached nearly $16 million in 2010, a total expected to swell to... Read more →

Can the Use of Multicore Processors Really Double in Two Years?

Or will the same old challenges continue to impede the adoption of this technology? In recent years, as embedded systems – and the software within them – have become increasingly complex, the emergence and adoption of multicore processors in the embedded space has been a trend closely followed by industry participants. Thus far the transition to multicore has been a slow one, with only 16% of engineers responding to VDC’s 2011 Embedded Engineering Survey indicating they were currently working on a project that incorporated a multicore processor. Looking forward two years, however, engineers expect that ratio to more than double.... Read more →

Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) – Boston 2011

VDC attended the 2011 Embedded Systems Conference in Boston on September 27 and 28 and held face-to-face meetings at the conference with over 20 exhibitors. This year’s ESC included greater than 100 exhibitors and was part of what UBM Electronics called Design Days Boston. Design Days Boston featured four events including ESC as part of one show including DesignMED North America, DesignCon East, and designing with LEDs. These four programs span a wide range of technologies and interests and were supported by numerous technical sessions. Conference organizers reported at the show that registration was up 10-15% year over year. During... Read more →

What Do Engineers Prefer for a Host Development Platform?

Every year VDC conducts an extensive worldwide survey of embedded engineers and their development projects to better understand engineering requirements, preferences, and trends. This information is available from VDC in unique cross tabbed reports to offer readers a detailed, in-depth, view of engineers in the development project trenches. Engineers use numerous tool types in their development projects. Tools range from compilers, debuggers, editors and build tools to software and system lifecycle management tools such as automated test and verification, modeling, and virtual prototyping tools. Some of the factors most important in the selection of tools include price/cost, technical capabilities, ease... Read more →

AVAILABLE NOW - VDC RELEASES EMBEDDED ENGINEERING SURVEY DATA FOR 2011

The 2011 engineering survey data reports provide insight into the behavior, opinions, and demographics of embedded engineers, the degree to which embedded system engineering tasks are converging, and key system engineering trends likely to impact embedded systems manufacturers and solution providers over the short and long term. This survey data is based on detailed Web survey responses collected worldwide in the March to July 2011timeframe and offers an understanding about the dynamics of the embedded market as they relate to current and future product development trends. This detailed data provides access to VDC’s extensive knowledge of the embedded engineering community... Read more →

Engineers' Multicore/Multiprocessor Experience Improving

Adoption of multicore processors finally meeting expectations in embedded? VDC has been following the use of multicore processors in the embedded space for a number of years, and as we kick off research for the 2011 edition of our Multicore Components & Tools report, we have been examining some of the data collected from respondents to our end-user surveys. According to survey responses, the percentage of engineers with no multicore or multiprocessing experience dropped by more than 25% from 2010 to 2011. VDC believes this is an indication that the actual adoption of multicore processors in the embedded space is... Read more →

ESC Boston is This Month - Still Time to Register and Meet with VDC

The Embedded Systems Conference will be held this month (September 26th-29th) at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. VDC will be attending the conference once again this year and will be presenting our 7th annual Embeddy Awards for Best in Show live at the conference. The winners will be announced live ahead of Wednesday's morning keynote session. So how can your company win the Embeddy award? To be considered, you must schedule a meeting with VDC to discuss the announcement that you are making at the show. You can arrange a meeting time with VDC by doing one of the... Read more →

Can QNX Save RIM?

It has been hard to look at any tech news websites recently and not see articles questioning the future of RIM. Its stock price has dropped over 50% so far this year and it has consistently lost market share over recent quarters as more smartphone users have opted for iPhones and Android devices. It also always seems somewhat strange reading articles that pit the QNX OS (apparently more marketable than Neutrino?) as a new creation capable saving RIM’s smartphone business. Well, for one, QNX certainly isn’t new. QNX is actually one of the well established leaders in the embedded OS... Read more →