Avnet launches Intel Atom development tool for embedded systems

Avnet EM's Intel D945GCLF Convenience Kit is currently available to customers throughout North America and features an Atom processor.

By Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, News -- Electronic News, 6/17/2008

The Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas business region of Avnet Inc has released its first board level Intel Architecture development tool, featuring the Intel Atom processor, for embedded applications.

The Intel D945GCLF Convenience Kit is currently available to customers throughout North America.

For more on the Intel Atom, see: Intel Atom supply squeezed Intel aims Atom at Internet ‘in your pocket’ Intel’s Atom came with a fight Future Intel Classmate PCs to be based on Atom Managing Intel's Atom design for low power Embedded x86: Intel Atom vs Via Nano

The Intel Atom family was officially branded by Intel in March and entered the electronics supply chain in April.  Intel has since reported a supply squeeze on the Atom, noting higher-than-expected demand for the low-power, small footprint chips targeted at the high-growth MID (mobile Internet device) and UMPC (ultra mobile PC) markets.

“We are excited about the Atom processor family and the opportunity in the embedded marketplace this new development tool from Avnet will help us to realize,” said Eric Thompson, director of North American channel sales and marketing for Intel, in a statement today.

According to Avnet EM, the Intel D945GCLF kit allows users to rapidly write and test software around an Intel embedded architecture platform. Avnet EM is targeting the kit at embedded engineers, system architects, hardware design, and software engineers in the medical, industrial, transportation, kiosk, security, test and measurement, defense, and instrumentation sectors. The Phoenix-based company noted that the kit comes ready to use, equipped with motherboard, memory, storage, operating system, and power supply in a pre-assembled chassis.

“This is a great commercial off-the-shelf solution for customers looking to meet stringent time to market requirements and decrease development costs for their embedded applications,” said Marc Gsand, VP of marketing for Avnet EM Americas, in the statement. “Designers will benefit from the proven Intel technology as well as development support provided by Avnet’s factory trained and certified field application engineers.”

The Intel D945GCLF kit is available now from Avnet for $249.