Is embedded systems field really 'HOT' ?
113740
I deal in the embedded field on a daily basis.\n\nHard to say specifically that it is "hot", but I will tell you that there is a shortage of people that are good at it.\n\nYou require knowledge of hardware, how a CPU functions (including interrupts, DMA transfers, and timing considerations), assembly languages, real-time considerations, testing methodology, and require a strong debugging skillset. All of this, plus be a good programmer as well.\n\nSome find it exciting, some boring, it all depends on how you approach your work.\n\nHard to call it a boom really, just a lot of possibilities. Not too much is being outsourced right now, but could change in future.
510615
I would seek a job working for a firm that designs hardware for major OEMs. Servers and data storage are 2 big ones in the US still. Most people dont know it but large corporations like Sun Microsystems, Network Appliance, Fujitsu Siemens, etc. buy their products, or at least the designs, from other companies.
1086018
Integrated and Electrical Engineering
930915
My first suggestion to you would be stay away from the Sempron chip!  This chip has no thermal overload switch, and has been known to catch on fire all by itself!  I would recommend the Athalon, or Turon chip.  Also you should consider getting a minimum of 1 GB of memory, 512 MB is the bare minimum for any program.  I hope this helps, good luck!
378747
It is a single chip that has dual processor cores.  I have it on my laptop and it's great! Software today can't really take advantage of it, but future software will.  Currently the biggest benefit comes while multitasking.
1020201
As regards future usefulness it is hard to beat Computing.\n\nBest of luck !
594383
Since ur core subject is electronics, i suggest step into sensor business. u an develop various kinds of sensors with varied range of applications. i suggested sensors becoz it has got booming market so that u can easily market them.\n\nif u r looking for any other kind of business, transportation, agrbiz, biotech are some other industries where u can venture in. i have business plans for agri biz but sorry dude taht i cant share u my info.\n\nthe abov said business when backed up by a strong business and market plan il lead u to success. the key to sucess as u hosuld be knowing is "Delivering the VALUE and COMMUNICATING it"
213716
http://www.embedded.com/97/feat9712.htm
784213
Everyone here is correct. The Core 2 Duo whips major but t. Dont touch the the other chip as it is hot and inefficient.
483244
hmmm MCA... hope you are talking about master of computer applications not anyother MCA.... it is on pure software track... may be some colleges include some basic hardware courses but not that much in detail... mainly aim to generate software engineers so stress is more on programming and that also on latest technologies... ppl consider it equvivalent to BE....
759198
very bright future next to software
118558
Advanced Micro Devices
32148
I first started programming computers in 1966, and it seems to me that new hardware is continually developed in order to run software quicker.  Unfortunately, as soon as new hardware is developed, more bells and whistles are added to the software, so it is now necessary to develop even more efficient hardware.  And so it goes.  I would like to see an attitude begin of developing more efficient software, rather than continuing to demand faster hardware for junky software that's cluttered with too many unnecessary options.
1022493
At my college (RPI), it seemed to be the people who wanted to design computer hardware, a type of electrical engineering.  Not really sure if that is true outside of our lovely little bubble away from the 'real world'.
57637
I would tend to think that the hardware is more advanced than the software.  Hardware, of course, was around first with simple electrical circuits; however, over time, fabrication processes for CPUs has become more refined, allowing for more components per chip, smaller chip size and thickness, heat reduction, lower power consumption, etc.  Also, newer processors have several cores working in tandem on the same chip, which is the same as having multiple processors in one small package.\n\nAnother important note is that other pieces of hardware which run independently (and can be controlled by software drivers) are keyboards, scanners, monitors, network adapters, etc.\n\nSoftware, however, has been key in designing these new processors and other pieces of hardware, simulating them, designing board layout, etc.  One key point though, software cannot completely simulate an Input/Output device.  While there are design / emulation packages out there (even virtual PC software that allows one to simulate more advanced processors on lower end hardware), I have yet to see software completely replace the following *without* any hardware whatsoever: Keyboard, mouse, scanner, printer, monitor, CD/DVD drive, speakers, wireless data transfer, etc.\n\nI would have to say that hardware is more advanced.
977894
Electronic sensors can be extremely temperature-dependant.\n\nThe reason is that electronics are semiconductors, and these devices work on the principal of electrons migrating from one area to another in the chip.  The warmer the chip, the easier it is for these electrons to move across the "junction boundaries."  At any given temperature, it takes a certain voltage for the electrons to migrate.  Increase the temperature, and more electrons move across the bopundaries for the same voltage, or conversely a lower voltage moves the same number of electrons across a warmer boundary.  Since all electronic sensors use these voltage and current values to represent whatever it is that they are sensing, changes in the performance of the sensor electronics appear as offsets or other errors in the readings.\n\nIn order to avoid these wrong readings, the temperature-sensitive electronic parts of the instrument are encased in what are often called "ovens" where they are heated to a controlled temperature, and the performance of all the electronics is factory calibrated at this temperature.  When the instrument is field-calibrated just prior to use, it performs a couple of readings of known values and compares these to the values received during factory calibration.  The differences in the factory calibration and field calibration results are then used to adjust the instrument's answers to account for long-term drift which occurs as a result of the aging of various critical components.\n\nWhen you use the instrument in the real world, it must be allowed to "stabilize" (come up to a stable temperature) so that the field self-calibration and calibration-verification proceses will function properly and return the real values for long-term-drift compensation.  If this is not allowed to happen, the values which the instrument THINKS are long-term drift will actually be due to temperature variances, and these flawed long-term-drift corrections will cause innacurate readings.  And since they will be constantly changing until the temperature becomes stable, the errors will change from one reading to another.  You can see this for yourself by performing a calibration and then reading a known "blank" sample immediately after the equipment is turned on, and then again 15 minutes later.  There will be some significant differences between the two readings of the same sample performed by the same instrument.\n\n- - - - - - - -  \n\nThere is also a mechanical stabilization needed for many instruments, particualrly those that rely on an optical path.  This is to pevent flexing of the instument's measurement systems which can cause varying alignment and thus introduce errors.  That is why when a complex and sensitive instrument such as a spectrophotmeter or gas chromatograph is first installed, it must be on a solid concrete slab and is allowed to equalize to the lab's temperature and humidity for a couple of days before the mountings or base are re-adjusted and a site calibration performed to ensure all is set up correctly.  You would be amazed by the errors that can be introduced by having one leg of the base raised or lowered by the thickness of a sheet of paper.
672712
start to worry when it gets up to 150 or so degrees fahrenhite.\n\ni think that chip will run around 100 - 120 degrees with a "normal" hsf and cooling setup