# Rubber Duck Incarnate

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2026-01-26
- Length: 1h 09m
- Episode: 713
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-01-26-rubber-duck-incarnate
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/713-rubber-duck-incarnate/

## Summary

Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the recent public falling out between SparkFun and Adafruit, which resulted in Adafruit losing the right to resell the Teensy microcontroller board designed by Paul Stoffregen. They analyze the technical implications of the Teensy's proprietary NDA-protected bootloader and explore how the RP2350 chip's Programmable IO (PIO) state machines offer a versatile alternative for custom hardware. The conversation also covers Chris's use of the Zephyr RTOS for embedded development, AI-assisted coding tools, and portable debugging via terminal apps on mobile devices.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-01-26-rubber-duck-incarnate#t=0) Introduction: Dave Jones and Chris Gammell
- [1:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-01-26-rubber-duck-incarnate#t=66) Dave Jones's Starlink and Internet Failures on Road Trip
- [7:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-01-26-rubber-duck-incarnate#t=459) Starlink Satellite Orbits and Artemis Moon Mission Updates
- [19:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-01-26-rubber-duck-incarnate#t=1179) SparkFun and Adafruit Dispute Over Teensy Resale Rights
- [26:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-01-26-rubber-duck-incarnate#t=1610) Teensy Proprietary Bootloader and NXP Security NDAs
- [36:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-01-26-rubber-duck-incarnate#t=2164) AI Coding Tools and Zephyr RTOS Shell Debugging
- [54:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-01-26-rubber-duck-incarnate#t=3243) Donut Lab Solid State Battery Controversy and EV Cannonball Run
- [1:02:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-01-26-rubber-duck-incarnate#t=3726) RP2350 PIOs, External Flash, and Key CAD Ecosystem

## Topics

- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- SparkFun (company)
- Adafruit (company)
- Teensy (product)
- Paul Stoffregen (other)
- NXP (chip)
- Zephyr (other)
- RP2350 (chip)
- Raspberry Pi (company)
- Donut Lab (company)
- Key CAD (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [293: Skateboard Tricks (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-12-23-293-skateboard-tricks-repeat) (Embedded.fm)
- [ESP32 vs Pi Pico, ShaRPiKeebo Tiny Linux Deck, new Arduino kit and more!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-electromaker-show/2022-05-13-esp32-vs-pi-pico-sharpikeebo-tiny-linux-deck-new-arduino-kit-and-more) (The Electromaker Show)
- [The Spark Gap - Episode 32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-spark-gap/2015-05-06-the-spark-gap-episode-32) (The Spark Gap)
- [Apple II controlled Synthesizer, Rust on Everything, New Pi Bootloader](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-electromaker-show/2022-02-10-apple-ii-controlled-synthesizer-rust-on-everything-new-pi-bootloader) (The Electromaker Show)
- [Ep102: Raspberry Pi Microcontroller, Microphone Killswitch, and a 45-Degree 3D-Printer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-22-ep102-raspberry-pi-microcontroller-microphone-killswitch-and-a-45-degree-3d-prin) (Hackaday Podcast)

## Citing this page

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