# Back on the road in '26

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2026-03-04
- Length: 59m
- Episode: 717
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-04-back-on-the-road-in-26
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/717-back-on-the-road-in-26/

## Summary

Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics and Dave Jones of EEVblog discuss their upcoming travel to Embedded World and various hardware meetups, highlighting the challenges of organizing community events. They critique a TechCrunch article on solid-state transformers, arguing that traditional AC transformers remain superior for grid infrastructure due to efficiency and reliability. The conversation then shifts to the fragile global supply chain for AI hardware, tracing dependencies from ChatGPT back to ultra-pure quartz from Spruce Pine, North Carolina, and discussing the marketing tactics of Donut Lab regarding their battery technology. Finally, they review modular computing options like the Framework laptop and Flow Z13, while analyzing the latest developments in KiCad 10 and the Paduk microcontroller used by Rode.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-04-back-on-the-road-in-26#t=0) Introduction: Travel plans for Embedded World and hardware meetups
- [8:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-04-back-on-the-road-in-26#t=516) Chris Gammell's 0201 component challenge and Dave Jones's window shopping
- [10:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-04-back-on-the-road-in-26#t=648) Critique of solid-state transformers and grid infrastructure
- [16:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-04-back-on-the-road-in-26#t=976) AI supply chain visualization and Spruce Pine quartz monopoly
- [29:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-04-back-on-the-road-in-26#t=1765) Donut Lab battery testing and certification skepticism
- [43:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-04-back-on-the-road-in-26#t=2610) Modular laptops: Framework, Flow Z13, and Linux distributions
- [56:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-04-back-on-the-road-in-26#t=3363) KiCad 10 release candidate and Rode's use of Paduk microcontrollers
- [58:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-04-back-on-the-road-in-26#t=3515) RP2350 overclocking to 800 MHz

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- Contextual Electronics (company)
- EEVblog (company)
- Embedded World (other)
- Solid State Transformer (other)
- Spruce Pine (other)
- Donut Lab (company)
- VTT (other)
- Framework (product)
- Flow Z13 (product)
- KiCad (tool)
- Paduk (chip)
- Rode (company)
- RP2350 (chip)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep013: Naked Components, Shocking Power Supplies, Eye-Popping Clock, And The Hackaday Prize](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2019-04-05-ep013-naked-components-shocking-power-supplies-eye-popping-clock-and-the-hackada) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [The rise of grid power electronics with Drew Baglino](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-02-19-the-rise-of-grid-power-electronics-with-drew-baglino) (Catalyst)
- [Ep 369: IR, E-Ink, and Avgas](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-05-08-ep-369-ir-e-ink-and-avgas) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep 313: Capacitor Plague, Wireless Power, and Tiny Everything](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-03-21-ep-313-capacitor-plague-wireless-power-and-tiny-everything-b56cece1) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [OnTrack PCB Design Podcast 2025 Year in Review](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-12-30-ontrack-pcb-design-podcast-2025-year-in-review) (OnTrack)

## 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/2026-03-04-back-on-the-road-in-26. 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.