LeafLabs Maple

So I'm a little late to the party on this one (read:  an entire year), but there's another open-source microcontroller available to the discerning DIYer that is compatible with all the Arduino add-ons (called "shields" in the 'biz).

The Maple by LeafLabs (licensed under Creative Commons) is distinct enough from the Arduino platform to deserve its own place in the microcontroller world.  Perhaps the first difference people will notice is that it's much, much, MUCH faster.  Tests by Make:Zine's staff put the update speed of the digital/analog converter, the component responsible for reading sensors and passing information to the processing unit, at 9x that of the Arduino Duemilanove.  This further opens the applications of the Maple to things like live audio editing, real-time GPS processing, and really anything that requires more bandwidth than you might want to squeeze out of your Arduino.

What is Open? This guy's opinion

This blog is really hard to start.  For the most part, people who know what "open" means are already "in the know" regarding trends and movement within the field itself.  Most people who DON'T know what it is really need an "open 101" course before they can get into the spirit and really get their feet wet.  I want to address that latter category of people today.  So, if that describes you, then keep reading.

Starting this off with Arduino

It's tempting to begin with a plug for my business, which is really just a commercialized manifestation of my interest in open hardware, but I think that in the name of promoting an even and balanced approach to free culture, I will start with something I am not personally involved with.

The Arduino  is one of the most versatile little microcontrollers I've seen, and it's entirely open-source!  Check out their Hardware page if you're interested in building your own chip from scratch, although that requires some seriously specialized equipment.   If you'd rather, you can purchase an already-made board with a good amount of I/O at the main website, or at MakerShed, which you can access through the MakeZine link on the left of the blog.