Freescale extends continuum with first microcontroller

Bangalore, May 22, 2006 - Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL, FSL.B) is offering engineers easy entry to its expansive microcontroller portfolio with an ultra-low-end, sub-50-cent 8-bit device small enough to fit in the head of an electric toothbrush.

The first product to be built on the recently announced RS08 core, a simplified version of Freescale's high-performance, low-power HCS08 architecture, the MC9RS08KA family is designed for applications with extreme space and price constraints. It is ideal for traditional electro-mechanical designs and portable applications ranging from motor control to use-and-toss health care products.

This low-power, high-performance microcontroller is ideal for traditional electro-mechanical designs and can efficiently power small appliances such as toys, lighting, exercise equipment, watches, calorimeters, security systems, fan and temperature control, and hundreds of other general-market applications.

"Targeted at the electromechanical or 'mechatronics' market, the tiny KA offers increased design possibilities to India's growing electronics industry," said Sanjeev Keskar, Country Manager - Sales, Freescale Semiconductor India Pvt. Ltd. "This move to the ultra-low-end combined with Freescale's tools and support demonstrates that we are closely aligned to our customer base in India and are providing them the fastest, easiest and most accessible solutions in the market."

The MC9RS08KA family offers a robust support environment and a pin-compatible route into the MC9S08QG when designers need to add new functionality. Shared peripherals and a common set of development tools help make it easy for engineers to leverage their design investment upstream.

"Freescale is positioned to compete aggressively in the ultra-low-end 8-bit market," said Fred Zieber, founder and president of Pathfinder Research. "This product signals to the market Freescale's dedication to offering a breadth of MCU products suited for any and all customer needs.

The 6-pin KA family extends the low end of Freescale's Controller Continuum (See Freescale unveils microcontroller roadmap that blurs traditional bit boundaries, March 13, 2006, http://www.freescale.com/files/pr/controllercontinuum.html).

By providing up to 2K flash and 63B random access memory (RAM). Freescale's KA family offers more functionality and application options than ultra-low-end, 6-pin devices available in the market today. Additionally, the KA family includes reprogrammable flash across voltage ranges and performs up to 10 MHz at 1.8 volts. The product features a voltage regulator that minimizes voltage variation to logic and keeps voltage supply (Vdd) lower, reducing overall power consumption.

The KA family is supported by the same Freescale development tools that allow designers and programmers using other Freescale 8-bit products to work efficiently and economically. CodeWarrior® Development Studio for HC(S)08/RS08 Microcontrollers v5.1 is designed to accelerate application development with a built-in project wizard that helps create working projects in as few as seven clicks.