# 272: Stick 'Em on Whales

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2018-12-28
- Length: 1h 27m
- Episode: 272
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-28-272-stick-em-on-whales
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/272-stick-em-on-whales

## Summary

Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics Consulting joins hosts Chris White and Alicia White to discuss the state of the embedded industry, the shift towards rapid 'Lego prototyping' using cheap dev boards, and the challenges of IoT device management. The conversation covers the longevity of the ESP32, the complexities of Wi-Fi provisioning and OTA updates, and the rise of LoRaWAN for long-range sensor networks. They also touch on career transitions, including Chris Gammell's move to iOS development and Alicia White's work with autonomous robots.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-28-272-stick-em-on-whales#t=6) Introduction and Consulting Updates
- [3:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-28-272-stick-em-on-whales#t=181) Contracting vs. Consulting and Remote Work
- [8:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-28-272-stick-em-on-whales#t=495) Accounting, LLCs, and Business Operations
- [19:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-28-272-stick-em-on-whales#t=1171) The Rise of Cheap Dev Boards and Lego Prototyping
- [39:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-28-272-stick-em-on-whales#t=2389) ESP32 Longevity and Wi-Fi Provisioning Challenges
- [45:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-28-272-stick-em-on-whales#t=2745) IoT Management Platforms and OTA Updates
- [1:00:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-28-272-stick-em-on-whales#t=3623) LoRaWAN and Chuckable Sensors
- [57:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-28-272-stick-em-on-whales#t=3478) Emotive Robots and Future Predictions

## Topics

- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Contextual Electronics (company)
- Embedded.fm (other)
- The Amp Hour (other)
- KiCad (tool)
- ESP32 (chip)
- ESP8266 (chip)
- CircuitPython (tool)
- Particle.io (company)
- Electric Imp (company)
- Azure IoT Hub (other)
- AWS IoT (other)
- LoRaWAN (other)
- Anki Vector (product)
- LoRa (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Stick 'Em On Whales](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-12-28-stick-em-on-whales) (The Amp Hour)
- [Tips for Accelerating Your IoT Solution | Blues Wireless' Brandon Satrom](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2022-05-26-tips-for-accelerating-your-iot-solution-blues-wireless-brandon-satrom) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [Maker Wizardry, LoRaWAN Decade Long Battery Life Sensors, The Cutest Hacking Tool Ever, and More!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-electromaker-show/2025-01-23-maker-wizardry-lorawan-decade-long-battery-life-sensors-the-cutest-hacking-tool) (The Electromaker Show)
- [Gotta Update My Dog](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-04-29-gotta-update-my-dog) (The Amp Hour)
- [The Endless Y2K](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-10-23-the-endless-y2k) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-12-28-272-stick-em-on-whales. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.