$36 kit programs PIC microcontrollers

Microchip Technology's new PICkit 1 flash starter kit gives engineers and educational institutions an easy-to-use programmer, evaluation kit, and development package for 8- and 14-pin, flash-based PIC12F629, PIC12F675, PIC16F630, and PIC16F676 microcontrollers (Picture). The 3×4.5-in. pc board's evaluation area includes eight LEDs, one potentiometer, one switch, and a sample eight-pin PIC12F675 flash device; the development area features a snap-off prototype board with room for external circuitry. You can program the PICmicro flash microcontroller via a USB-powered programming tool that runs on a desktop computer. In addition to the board, the kit includes the MPLAB IDE, a lightweight C compiler, a CD-ROM user's guide, Microchip's Software and Hardware Tips n' Tricks for 8-Pin Microcontrollers, and a USB-interface cable. Now available, the PICkit 1 flash starter kit sells for $36.

Microchip Technology Inc, 1-480-792-7668, www.microchip.com.