Hey Guys!

Videos of the 2009 Western Canadian Robot Games have been posted.

The page might take a bit to load, so be patient with it.

http://www.robotgames.com/2009-robot-games/videos/

Only a couple weeks until the 2009 Western Canadian Robot Games! Get your registration in!!

With the release of the new Arduino MEGA, we have a new version of the IDE.

Download the Windows, Linux or MAC OS X verison.

Release notes:

0015 – 2009.03.26

[core / libraries]
* Adding support for the Arduino Mega (ATmega1280).

[environment]
* Reinstating use of core.a library in the build process, slightly shrinking
compiled sketch sizes. (Thanks to William Westfield.)
* Fixing bug in copy for forum (thanks to eried).

Overview of the new Arduino Mega:

The Arduino Mega is a microcontroller board based on the ATmega1280 (datasheet). It has 54 digital input/output pins (of which 14 can be used as PWM outputs), 16 analog inputs, 4 UARTs (hardware serial ports), a 16 MHz crystal oscillator, a USB connection, a power jack, an ICSP header, and a reset button. It contains everything needed to support the microcontroller; simply connect it to a computer with a USB cable or power it with a AC-to-DC adapter or battery to get started. The Mega is compatible with most shields designed for the Arduino Duemilanove or Diecimila.

via Arduino – HomePage.

2009.03.11 Arduino 0014 for Windows and Mac OS X available from the software page. This is a minor bug fix release.
Arduino Software Release Notes

0014 – 2009.03.07
[core / libraries]
* Fixing bug that prevented multiple outgoing Client connections with the
ethernet library.

[environment]
* Clarifying ATmega168 vs. ATmega328 in the Tools > Boards menu.

[tools]
* Updating the Mac OS X AVR tools to AVR MacPack 20081213. This includes
avr-gcc 4.3.2, which should fix problems with functions called from
within interrupts.

Microchip Technology drops Atmel bid

via Microchip Technology drops Atmel bid – Yahoo! Finance.

Tuesday February 10, 2009, 6:16 pm EST

CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) — Chip maker Microchip Technology Inc. said Tuesday it is no longer interested in buying Atmel Corp., another chip maker, and is withdrawing a slate of directors it had nominated to its board.

Microchip said the global economy, along with the chip industry, has “deteriorated significantly” since it first made an offer of $5 per share in October.

“In light of the economic uncertainty and the lack of visibility that continues to exist with respect to Atmel’s business, Microchip is no longer able to put a value on Atmel,” said Steve Sanghi, president, chief executive and chairman of Microchip, in a statement.

In a statement, Atmel said it remains “confident that we are on the right track to further enhance shareholder value” as it transforms its business to focus on its core microcontroller segment.

via MAKE: Blog: Maker Workshop – Miniature Robots on Make: television.

John Park builds some lively and inexpensive miniature robots. Starting with a simple vibrabot made from a scrub brush, John assembles a solar junkbot and a slightly more complex beetlebot, which has paper clip ‘feelers’ attached to switches that allow it to respond to its environment. All it takes are a few common electronic components and some everyday objects and you can make an entertaining robot all your own.