# EEVblog, National Semiconductor, Texas Instruments - The Chinese Clairvoyancy

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2011-04-06
- Length: 1h 04m
- Episode: 37
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2011-04-06-eevblog-national-semiconductor-texas-instruments-the-chinese-clairvoyancy
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/the-chinese-clairvoyancy/

## Summary

Dave Jones, formerly of Altium, and Chris Gammell discuss Jones's recent retrenchment from Altium and his transition to full-time video blogging. They analyze Texas Instruments' acquisition of National Semiconductor, focusing on the consolidation of analog product portfolios and fab operations. The hosts critique Altium's strategic shift toward the 'Internet of Things' and away from its core PCB design tools, while also reviewing April Fool's jokes from the electronics community.

## Chapters

- [0:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2011-04-06-eevblog-national-semiconductor-texas-instruments-the-chinese-clairvoyancy#t=28) Introduction: Dave Jones and Chris Gammell
- [2:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2011-04-06-eevblog-national-semiconductor-texas-instruments-the-chinese-clairvoyancy#t=137) Dave Jones's Retrenchment from Altium
- [13:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2011-04-06-eevblog-national-semiconductor-texas-instruments-the-chinese-clairvoyancy#t=800) TI's Acquisition of National Semiconductor
- [35:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2011-04-06-eevblog-national-semiconductor-texas-instruments-the-chinese-clairvoyancy#t=2129) Altium's Strategic Shift and China Move
- [52:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2011-04-06-eevblog-national-semiconductor-texas-instruments-the-chinese-clairvoyancy#t=3154) April Fool's Jokes and Design Contests

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Altium (company)
- Texas Instruments (company)
- National Semiconductor (company)
- Burr Brown (product)
- Eagle (tool)
- SparkFun (company)
- HAKO 926 (product)

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- [CES 2019 Special: Tyson Tuttle, Silicon Labs + Chris Stansbury, Arrow](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2019-01-14-ces-2019-special-tyson-tuttle-silicon-labs-chris-stansbury-arrow) (EE Times Current)
- [AI Chip Revelations | A Corporate Soap Opera | The Sounds of a Pandemic](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2020-04-17-ai-chip-revelations-a-corporate-soap-opera-the-sounds-of-a-pandemic) (EE Times Current)
- [EMS@C-LEVEL 2022 Season Episode #1 with Altium and MacroFab](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2022-02-20-ems-c-level-2022-season-episode-1-with-altium-and-macrofab) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [EP: 126 NVIDIA/AMD Back in China! TSMC Earnings, and Agentic AI Causes Total Infra Upgrade](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-07-21-ep-126-nvidia-amd-back-in-china-tsmc-earnings-and-agentic-ai-causes-total-infra) (The Circuit)

## Citing this page

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