# What's In A Name?

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2010-08-07
- Length: 58m
- Episode: 1
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-08-07-whats-in-a-name
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/1-whats-in-a-name/

## Summary

Dave Jones of EEV blog and Chris Gammell of Chris Gammell's Analog Life launch the first episode of The Amp Hour, discussing the nascent maker movement, the business models of open-source hardware companies like SparkFun and Adafruit, and the challenges of component sourcing. They analyze industry consolidation, the impact of major customers like Apple on supply chains, and the strategic use of low-cost development tools by companies such as Texas Instruments and Microchip to capture market share. The conversation highlights the trade-offs in engineering design, from BOM optimization to the realities of manufacturing in China versus local hand-assembly.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-08-07-whats-in-a-name#t=0) Introduction: Dave Jones and Chris Gammell launch The Amp Hour
- [3:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-08-07-whats-in-a-name#t=232) The Maker Movement and Maker Fairs in Detroit and San Francisco
- [12:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-08-07-whats-in-a-name#t=746) Apple's Supply Chain Dominance and Component Shortages
- [15:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-08-07-whats-in-a-name#t=915) Semiconductor Industry Debt, Freescale, and Consolidation
- [19:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-08-07-whats-in-a-name#t=1155) TI Launchpad, Microchip Tools, and the Free Economy Model
- [27:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-08-07-whats-in-a-name#t=1658) Counterfeit Components, Gray Market Risks, and Rochester Electronics
- [35:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-08-07-whats-in-a-name#t=2128) BOM Optimization, Cost Engineering, and Open Source Hardware Business
- [46:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-08-07-whats-in-a-name#t=2798) Local Manufacturing vs. China and Distributor Competition

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- EEV blog (other)
- Chris Gammell's Analog Life (other)
- SparkFun (company)
- Adafruit (company)
- Apple (company)
- Freescale (company)
- Texas Instruments (company)
- Microchip (company)
- Rochester Electronics (company)
- DigiKey (company)
- Mouser (company)
- Farnell (company)
- RS (company)
- Eagle (tool)
- DesignSpark (tool)
- TI Launchpad (product)
- Arduino (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [372: The Motivation of Creativity](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-05-06-372-the-motivation-of-creativity) (Embedded.fm)
- [322: Learn Assembly Code](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-02-28-322-learn-assembly-code) (Embedded.fm)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-10-14-the-spark-gap-episode-41) (The Spark Gap)
- [293: Skateboard Tricks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-06-27-293-skateboard-tricks) (Embedded.fm)
- [293: Skateboard Tricks (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-12-23-293-skateboard-tricks-repeat) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-08-07-whats-in-a-name. 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 The Amp Hour.