ESP32-S2 WiFi SoC Sells for $1, ESP32-S2-WROOM & ESP32-S2-WROVER Modules for $2 and Up

ESP32-S2-WROOM & ESP32-S2-WROVER

Espressif Systems ESP32-S2 was announced in May 2019, before the release of the datasheet and first internal development boards a few months later.  Mass production was delayed due to COVID-19, but earlier this month we reported ESP32-S2 mass production had started and the company has a new ESP32-S2-Kaluga-1 multimedia development board in the works. So it was just a question of time before the processor, modules, and boards become available. Unexpected Maker recently got a development kit with ESP32-S2 final silicon, so I thought maybe I could find ESP32-S2 hardware on Aliexpress. I had no luck finding modules or boards at this time, but one seller is currently selling ESP32-S2 for just $1 per piece, but the trick is that you’d have to purchase 2,000. It’s also about the same price on Digikey. As a reminder, ESP32-S2 SoC is based on a single Xtensa LX7 core clocked at 240 MHz, […]

NanoPi R2S Dual GbE IoT Board and Gateway Launched for $22 and Up

NanoPi R2S Dual Gigabit Ethernet SBC

We first covered NanoPi R2S SBC back in mid-January 2020. Specifically designed for headless and IoT application the board features a Rockchip RK3328 processor combined with 1GB RAM, and contrary to most competing platforms on the market such as Orange Pi R1 or NanoPi R1S, R2S comes with two true Gigabit Ethernet ports. At the time, the board was not available for sale, but now FriendlyELEC has started to take orders for just $22.00, and adding a yellow case adds $3 to the total. This is around $5 extra compared to NanoPi R1S gateway which was expected with extra RAM (1GB) and true dual GbE connectivity. But in the age of COVID-19, nothing runs quite as smoothly as it used to and the company expects shipping delays: Because of the epidemic, postal services in a lot of countries get delayed. Customers who need orders urgently need to choose DHL. EU […]

2.5-inch Pico-ITX SBC Offers LVDS, HDMI & DisplayPort Video Interfaces, Dual Gigabit Ethernet

2.5-inch Pico-ITX SBC: pITX-APL v2.0

Today I learned that Pico-ITX boards were also called 2.5-inch boards since they are about the size of a 2.5-inch SATA drive. Kontron pITX-APL V2.0 is one such 2.5-inch Pico-ITX SBC powered by an Intel Atom E39XX or Celeron Apollo Lake processor. The board can drive three independent displays via its 24-bit LVDS interface, HDMI and mini DisplayPort 1.2 output, comes with two Gigabit Ethernet ports and support for 4G LTE connectivity via M.2 slot and SIM card socket. Those features make it suitable for a wide range of applications including industrial client applications, kiosk, infotainment, digital signage, and POS systems. Kontron pITX-APL V2.0 specifications: Apollo Lake SoC variants Intel Atom x7-E3950 quad-core processor @ up to 2.0 GHz with 18EU Intel HD graphics; 12W TDP Intel Atom x5-E3940 quad-core processor @ up to 1.8 GHz with 12EU Intel HD graphics; 9.5W TDP Intel Atom x5-E3930 dual-core processor @ up […]

K1 Smart Lock Box Secures Door Keys with Fingerprint, Mobile App, or Passcode (Crowdfunding)

K1 Smart Lock Box

We’ve previously reported about smart dock look solutions such as Xiaomi Sherlock M1 which allows you to provide access control without keys using your smartphone instead. Security concerns aside, one disadvantage of the Xiaomi smart lock is that it is only compatible with some doors, and can be complicated to install. YEEUU TECH has found a way that works with all doors with K1 smart lock box, a simple rugged box used to store physical keys, and that can be opened with a smartphone app, fingerprints, or a passcode. K1 smart lock box features and specifications: Bluetooth connectivity Permanent or temporary passcode unlock via backlit keypad; up to 100 passwords Permanent or temporary fingerprint unlock (optional); up to 50 fingerprints Remote control and instant share Time window support In-app management, access logs USB – 1x USB Type-C port for emergency power to open the box when batteries are dead Security […]

Thundercomm Announces Qualcomm based Modules for Smart Speakers, LTE IoT, Smart Retail, and 5G Applications

TurboX C865 Snapdragon 865 SoM

Based in California in the US, Thundercomm Technology Co., Ltd. (aka Thundercomm) is a provider of IoT products & technologies for OEM/ODMs, enterprises and developers. The company introduced several Qualcomm based “TurboX Systems-on-Module” for smart speakers, LPWAN IoT devices with NB-IoT and LTE Cat M1 connectivity, smart retail applications, and 5G powered devices. TurboX C404 and C405 SOMs for Smart Speakers and Soundbars Key features and specifications: SoC – Qualcomm Snapdragon C404 / C405 with CPU – Quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 @, 1.4 GHz GPU (C405 Only) – Qualcomm Adreno 306 GPU @ 600 MHz DSP -2x Hexagon QDSP6 v66 – Low Power Audio Subsystem & Audio Compute DSP System Memory & Storage – 1GB LPDDR3 + 8GB eMMC flash in eMCP package; SD card signals Connectivity 2×2 MIMO WiFI 5 802.11 a/b/g/ac + Bluetooth 5.0 + FM via WCN3999 Gigabit Ethernet (RGMII) Display Interfaces (C405 Only) 4-lane MIPI DSI port […]

Newport GW6903 is a Compact Marvell Octeon TX SBC with Gigabit Ethernet, Dual mPCIe, and USB 3.0

Newport GW6903 SBC

Gateworks introduced its Newport SBC family powered by Cavium Octeon TX processors and designed for networking applications in 2017. One of those boards was a compact SBC with one Gigabit Ethernet port, an mPCIe socket, and a USB 2.0 Type-C port. The company has now launched Newport GW6903 SBC with the same 100x35mm form factor but with one Gigabit Ethernet port, two mPCIe sockets, and a faster USB 3.0 Type-A port. Newport GW6903 specifications: SoC – Cavium Marvell Octeon TX CN8120 dual-core Armv8 processor @ 800 MHz or Octeon TX CN8130 quad-core ARMv8 processor @ 1.5 GHz System Memory – 1GB DDR4 SDRAM (Option up to 4GB) Storage – 8GB eMMC flash (Option up to 64GB), serial configuration EEPROM Networking – Gigabit Ethernet Port with Passive PoE Support GNSS – Optional Ublox ZOE-MQ8 GNSS GPS Receiver with PPS support USB – USB 3.0 Type-A host port Expansion 2x Half Card […]

TRITON-TX8M i.MX8M Mini / Nano Modules & Devkits Support Linux, Windows 10 IoT Core, and (Soon) QNX 7.0

Triton-TX8M Development Board

UK-based Direct Insight has recently unveiled TRITON-TX8M system-on-module (SoM) powered by NXP i.MX 8M Mini or Nano processor, coupled with up to 2048MB DDR3L and a 4GB eMMC flash. The tiny (68 x 26 mm) SODIMM module is pin-compatible with the company’s earlier TRITON-TX i.MX6 / i.MX8 module family, and currently support Linux and Windows 10 IoT Core, with a QNX 7.0 BSP in the works. TRITON-TX8M SoM specifications: SoC TRITON-TX8MM – NXP i.MX8M Mini Quad 4x Arm Cortex-A53 processor @ 1.6 GHz with real-time Cortex-M4F core, Vivante GC NanoUltra 3D GPU + GC320 2D GPU, 1080p VPU TRITON-TX8MN – NXP i.MX8M Nano Dual 2x Arm Cortex-A53 processor @ 1.4 GHz with real-time Cortex-M7 core, Vivante GC7000UL GPU with OpenGLES 3.0, OpenCL and Vulkan support System Memory – 512MB, 1GB, or 2GB RAM Storage – 4GB eMMC flash 200-pin SODIMM200 edge connector with Storage – 2x SD Card/SDIO Display – […]

ADLINK Industrial-Pi (I-Pi) SMARC Development Kit Features Rockchip PX30 SoC

ADLink Industrial Pi-SMARC Devkit

ADLINK Technology has just announced the Industrial-Pi (I-Pi) SMARC Development Kit to help engineers quickly design prototypes for industrial applications using peripherals and sensors. The I-Pi SMARC development kit is comprised of a baseboard, LEC-PX30 SMARC-compliant Rockchip PX30 system-on-module, an acrylic case, a 12V/2A power supply, USB cable, and a 32GB MicroSD card. The company promotes the kit as “an industrial-ready substitute for Arduino and Raspberry Pi (RPi) platforms that are commonly used for prototyping but cannot typically be ‘dropped’ into an industrial solution as-is“. LEC-PX30 SMARC System-on-Module Specifications: SoC – Rockchip PX30 Quad-core Arm Cortex-A35 CPU with TrustZone technology, ARMv8 Cryptography Extensions, Mali-G31 GPU System Memory – 1GB or 2GB DDR3L at 1066/1333 MHz Storage – 8, 16, 32 or 64 GB eMMC flash Connectivity – 10/100M Ethernet from SoC, 10/100M Ethernet via LAN9514 USB 2.0 Ethernet controller Video Decoding – H.264 up to 1080p60, H.265/HEVC up to 1080p60, […]