# The Art Of Staying Interested In Electronics - Exponible Electronics Ennui

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2015-04-09
- Length: 1h 07m
- Episode: 244
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-04-09-the-art-of-staying-interested-in-electronics-exponible-electronics-ennui
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/244-the-art-of-staying-interested-in-electronics-exponible-electronics-ennui/

## Summary

Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss 'electronics ennui,' attributing their lack of excitement to the consolidation of technology into all-in-one microcontrollers and the lack of a direct product goal. Jones explains he is now managing a product development project with a manufacturing partner, moving from pure design to business oversight, while Gammell explores the challenges of selecting microcontrollers in a market dominated by few players. They critique the startup ecosystem's focus on 'everything has WiFi' and debate the necessity of prototypes before crowdfunding, emphasizing that constraints drive better engineering decisions.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-04-09-the-art-of-staying-interested-in-electronics-exponible-electronics-ennui#t=0) Introduction: Technical Frustrations and Workflow
- [10:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-04-09-the-art-of-staying-interested-in-electronics-exponible-electronics-ennui#t=631) Chris Gammell on Electronics Ennui and Consolidation
- [17:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-04-09-the-art-of-staying-interested-in-electronics-exponible-electronics-ennui#t=1077) Dave Jones' New Product Management Role
- [27:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-04-09-the-art-of-staying-interested-in-electronics-exponible-electronics-ennui#t=1624) Project Worthiness and Prototyping Standards
- [40:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-04-09-the-art-of-staying-interested-in-electronics-exponible-electronics-ennui#t=2421) Microcontroller Selection and Industry Consolidation
- [45:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-04-09-the-art-of-staying-interested-in-electronics-exponible-electronics-ennui#t=2707) Prototyping Tools: Other Mill, 3D Printing, and Breadboarding
- [49:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-04-09-the-art-of-staying-interested-in-electronics-exponible-electronics-ennui#t=2977) Review of The Art of Electronics 3rd Edition

## Topics

- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- KiCad (tool)
- Canon (other)
- Sony (other)
- XSplit (tool)
- Teensy (product)
- Arduino (product)
- MacroFab (company)
- Kickstarter (company)
- Indiegogo (company)
- DigiKey (company)
- SparkFun (company)
- Art of Fruits (company)
- Shapeways (company)
- Other Mill (product)
- Carbide 3D (product)
- Radio Shack (company)
- Tandy Electronics (company)
- The Art of Electronics (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [181: Work on It for Ten Years](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-12-30-181-work-on-it-for-ten-years) (Embedded.fm)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2014-12-10-the-spark-gap-episode-23) (The Spark Gap)
- [372: The Motivation of Creativity](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-05-06-372-the-motivation-of-creativity) (Embedded.fm)
- [44: Light Up Strikes Back](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-03-26-44-light-up-strikes-back) (Embedded.fm)
- [81: Two of Those People Can't Be Ducks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-12-17-81-two-of-those-people-cant-be-ducks) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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