PRODUCT OVERVIEW The Quark, as an x86 device, has an existing well of software, and historically the vast majority of x86 SoCs are implemented in desktops. (Hint: Set compilers to .586 for Quark x1000.) Intel is eyeing the next wave of technology advances, known as “The Internet of Things” (IoT) or “Industry 4.0”. IoT is a concept in which things (objects, animals, or people) have unique embedded identifiers that automatically communicate with other things (machines, computers, or objects) without direct human intervention, to automatically transfer data for the purpose of self-regulation or for acting in concert on a grand scale. Implementation would result in big data collections and great energy, cost, and time savings with efficiencies gained from every aspect of the interaction of “smart” things. It’s a logical conclusion that Quark demonstrates Intel’s interest in the evolving IoT. Assuming users match to the x86 instruction set, some bleed-over from the desktop domain to the embedded domain (and IoT) is feasible Except that no one really has the Internet of Useful Things worked out yet.
Cost: Galileo vs. Raspberry Pi The Galileo board costs almost twice as much as the Raspberry Pi model B, but there are some hidden costs with RPi, because all that comes in the box is the board. To get RPi running, you need: a USB power supply (at least 700mA at 5V) and an SD card with boot code installed. You may also want a Keyboard, Mouse, HDMI-to-DVI cable (for a monitor), and the informed RPi user will want a powered USB Hub (for parking power-hungry USB devices.) The RPi is not fussy; an old analog TV can be a monitor via the RCA port, but it needs a standard RCA cable. On the other hand, Galileo can be booted and programmed immediately out of the box, since it ships with a USB cable, power supply, and some stand-offs. Galileo boots without the need for external memory like the RPi. Before drawing judgments on the fact that RPi is shipped with no other goodies in the box, it is important to note that Raspberry Pi Foundation is a bonafide, registered nonprofit with a popular product. By 2011, RPi was being mass produced
The Intel Galileo board is certified Arduino and source code is available for download with no software license agreement other than what open source licenses exist on the provided code. Hardware and software source files, including schematics, are provided for download. Intel has good documentation and has seeded the community by giving away several thousand Galileo boards. The Galileo has some differentiating attributes such as PCI Express (PCIe) and a Real Time Clock (RTC), whereas the Raspberry Pi has peripherals well-suited for graphics-intensive applications for HD 1080p streaming video. Galileo is a memory-rich, fairly highperformance 32-bit x86 with traits well-suited to embedded portables or wearable devices: small in size (highly integrated), low power, and fairly low cost with respect to the value that is packed in this SoC. Some major differences: RPi has a GPU. Galileo does not. Galileo has an I2C-controlled I/O expander that runs at 200Hz. I/O that runs through the any of the three “GPIO PWM” blocks on the Galileo schematic is going to be limited to only 200 updates per second. IO13 avoids the limitations of the expander, as well as the UARTs, SPI, I2C, and the ADC. Galileo boots from on-board memory. RPi can only boot from the SD card. Galileo has the first PCIe slot supported by Arduino. Visit: eeweb.com
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