Intel is taking another step into the Internet of Things (IoT) world with the launch of the inexpensive Quark Microcontroller Developer Kit D2000.
At the competitive price of $15, the Quark board is cheaper than the MKR1000 developer board Arduino recently launched. That might give it an edge with customers uninterested in the ARM vs Intel debate, which ARM is currently winning in the IoT market.
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The developer board features a 32MHz low-power core, 32KB of integrated flash, a 6-axis compass/accelerometer, a temperature sensor, a USB port, and an Arduino-Uno compatible shield interface. The Quark board is powerful enough to send information on temperature, light, sound, weather, distance, and other simple data to a central computer.
Intel provides software for programming and debugging the developer board, using an IDE based on Eclipse. Other sample applications are available for developers to test, though the applications were not specified by Intel on its overview page.
Intel trying to win the enthusiast crowd
It has not been easy for Intel to establish its brand in the IoT market. Most developers are using ARM-based boards to build devices and programs, despite Intel’s large investments in the past few months.
That might change with the new Quark developer kit, which offers a lot of power in a small package. The developer board appeals to enthusiasts that want to build a product from scratch or experiment on the board, without having to spend too much money on a project.
Intel might also be looking at businesses incapable of spending millions on an entire IoT network. The developer kit comes at an efficient price, and might be useful for products and sensors that do not require lots of power to send data.
Intel has confirmed that the Quark Microcontroller Developer Kit will be available at Mouser Electronics and Avnet.
