Ugh, Tera-Byte microSD cards are readily available and getting cheaper.
Heck, you can carry ten of them in a credit card pouch.
Likely to move to the same price range as hard disks ($20/TB).

That means that a 2+ square inch PCB can hold a 64-bit processor and enough storage for memory mapped files larger than 4GB. Is the 32-bit embedded processor cost vulnerable to 7nm devices as the FABs mature? Will video data move to the IOT edge? Will AI move to the edge?

Even my preference for a 48-bit processor compromise may not be viable in the long run?

Jim Brakefield

On Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 11:39:56 PM UTC-5, JimBrakefield wrote:
> Ugh, Tera-Byte microSD cards are readily available and getting cheaper.
> Heck, you can carry ten of them in a credit card pouch.
> Likely to move to the same price range as hard disks ($20/TB).
>
> That means that a 2+ square inch PCB can hold a 64-bit processor and enough storage for memory mapped files larger than 4GB. Is the 32-bit embedded processor cost vulnerable to 7nm devices as the FABs mature? Will video data move to the IOT edge? Will AI move to the edge?
>
> Even my preference for a 48-bit processor compromise may not be viable in the long run?
<
Bell's Law: There is nothing quite so damaging to the longevity of a computer
architecture than the lack of address bits. <paraphrased>
>
> Jim Brakefield

On Monday, June 7, 2021 at 12:13:08 PM UTC-5, MitchAlsup wrote:
> On Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 11:39:56 PM UTC-5, JimBrakefield wrote:
> > Ugh, Tera-Byte microSD cards are readily available and getting cheaper.
> > Heck, you can carry ten of them in a credit card pouch.
> > Likely to move to the same price range as hard disks ($20/TB).
> >
> > That means that a 2+ square inch PCB can hold a 64-bit processor and enough storage for memory mapped files larger than 4GB. Is the 32-bit embedded processor cost vulnerable to 7nm devices as the FABs mature? Will video data move to the IOT edge? Will AI move to the edge?
> >
> > Even my preference for a 48-bit processor compromise may not be viable in the long run?
> <
> Bell's Law: There is nothing quite so damaging to the longevity of a computer
> architecture than the lack of address bits. <paraphrased>
> >
> > Jim Brakefield

|>Bell's Law: ... <paraphrased>

You (Mitch) previously said you weren't interested in designing anything less than 64 bits.
So the microSD situation provides another argument in that direction.
If you go to the Wikipedia article on Bell's law it's about new classes of computers.
So what I'm muttering about is the 64-bit IOT class of embedded or otherwise computers.

Was taken by surprise by 1TB microSD. For $200 you can have a 64-bit Raspberry Pi with more solid state memory than my laptop.
Leads to the question of 64-bit embedded. Looks like SiFive already has that covered (minimum area, minimum power).

May as well add a short range radio as standard. Complete IOT package for say $10 (or more depending on size of SD).
For someone starting a career in embedded, is the sky is the limit? LoRa might be able to reach satellites?

If one can put 10 microSD in the space of a credit card, one may as well put a wide edge connector on one side and have RAID.
Ugh, many ideas going off in rapid succession.

On Monday, June 7, 2021 at 2:04:29 PM UTC-5, JimBrakefield wrote:
> On Monday, June 7, 2021 at 12:13:08 PM UTC-5, MitchAlsup wrote:
> > On Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 11:39:56 PM UTC-5, JimBrakefield wrote:
> > > Ugh, Tera-Byte microSD cards are readily available and getting cheaper.
> > > Heck, you can carry ten of them in a credit card pouch.
> > > Likely to move to the same price range as hard disks ($20/TB).
> > >
> > > That means that a 2+ square inch PCB can hold a 64-bit processor and enough storage for memory mapped files larger than 4GB. Is the 32-bit embedded processor cost vulnerable to 7nm devices as the FABs mature? Will video data move to the IOT edge? Will AI move to the edge?
> > >
> > > Even my preference for a 48-bit processor compromise may not be viable in the long run?
> > <
> > Bell's Law: There is nothing quite so damaging to the longevity of a computer
> > architecture than the lack of address bits. <paraphrased>
> > >
> > > Jim Brakefield
> |>Bell's Law: ... <paraphrased>
>
> You (Mitch) previously said you weren't interested in designing anything less than 64 bits.
<
yes, I did.
<
> So the microSD situation provides another argument in that direction.
<
yes, it does.
<
> If you go to the Wikipedia article on Bell's law it's about new classes of computers.
> So what I'm muttering about is the 64-bit IOT class of embedded or otherwise computers.
<
It just seems to me that with the feature sizes of modern lithography we will have 64-bit
processors that are cheap enough to put in $12 toasters. A MIPS R2000-like 64-bit RISC
(integer only) processor is smaller than an I/O pad !!!
<
>
> Was taken by surprise by 1TB microSD. For $200 you can have a 64-bit Raspberry Pi with more solid state memory than my laptop.
> Leads to the question of 64-bit embedded. Looks like SiFive already has that covered (minimum area, minimum power).
>
> May as well add a short range radio as standard. Complete IOT package for say $10 (or more depending on size of SD).
> For someone starting a career in embedded, is the sky is the limit? LoRa might be able to reach satellites?
>
> If one can put 10 microSD in the space of a credit card, one may as well put a wide edge connector on one side and have RAID.
> Ugh, many ideas going off in rapid succession.
<
All good reasons that 32-bit is dying and 64-bit is ready to take over.
Additionally, there is little reason to stop half way at 48-bits.