Hardware Podcasts

Cheap Respins And A Time Machine - Multiscience Mercenary Marketplace

The Amp Hour · 4 Jun 2014 · 1h 16m · Episode 201

What this episode covers

Hosts Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss the economics of hardware startups, with Jones explaining why he avoids distributors to maintain margins on his microcurrent products. They analyze emerging 'mercenary' marketplaces like ProtoExchange and Google Helpout for electronics consulting, contrasting the high-stress, billable-hour lifestyle of contract engineers with the stability of corporate roles. The conversation shifts to PCB design failures, where Gammell details a footprint error in his 'Bench Buddy' course project, leading to a discussion on the necessity of cheap respins and the psychological traps of design verification. Finally, they touch on the commoditization of chip design via services like MOSIS and the future of space exploration with SpaceX.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies and makers and hobbyists

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Contextual Electronics, Radio Shack, Osh Park, SpaceX, NASA, Mentor Graphics, Cadence, TSMC
Products
Arduino, Google Glass
Tools
Google Voice, Google Helpout, Maven, ProtoExchange, CircuitHub, MOSIS, Altium, IBM Watson
Also
EEV Blog

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