Hi,

>   Just looked at the Microchip web site about this years seminars. And saw
>   that one of thier seminar specials was "New SIMICE harware simulator: for
 $99"
>   I searched the site for more info on this product but came up empty-handed.
>   So the questions are; -what is it ?
>                         -is it any good ?
>                         - is it worth $99
>
>
>          Randy   >>>rdeane@unixg.ubc.ca<<<

Yesterday I was at the MC Seminar in Cape Town and there was no mention
of such a product or special.  All they had on special was the usual
PicStart+.  They are apparently working on a new ICE called MPLAB-ICE
which is supposed to replace PICMASTER and ICE-PIC.  It will be highly
modular, so you can decide how much you want to pay.  The Trace memory,
for instance, will be simply a module that can be bought seperately.
Their target release is Q2 1998.

One other interesting thing the presenter mentioned, was that the so
called Flash 16F8x is in fact still EEPROM.  The name change to Flash was
simply a marketing thing.  With large memory arrays, Flash is cheaper and
therefore when people hear 'Flash', they think 'cheaper'.  Furthermore,
to counter the release of a family of 'Flash' parts by a certain company
(A***l), MC had to follow suit.  In reality, a Flash cell is smaller than
an EEPROM cell, but the peripheral circuitry to drive these cells is
larger for Flash.  Therefore, for small memory arrays, you would need
more silicon for Flash than for EEPROM - and silicon is money.  This
change also gave them the opportunity to change a few small things - like
a code protection scheme with a bad reputation ( The *official* line here
was : Microchip changed the code protection scheme. )

We got some nice databooks and the 2nd edition of the 1997 CDROM - And
also a very nice lunch!

Niki