March 21, 2014 – Silicon Labs (NASDAQ: SLAB, Country Manager In-gyu Kim), a global leader in high-performance analog-intensive mixed-signal ICs, announced a new version of the Simplicity Studio™ development environment that simultaneously supports Silicon Labs’ energy-friendly 32-bit EFM32™ Gecko microcontrollers (MCUs) and 8-bit MCUs. The newly released software retains the powerful features of the previous version of Simplicity Studio and supports over 240 ARM®-based EFM32 MCU products, while also expanding support for Silicon Labs’ 8051-based MCU products. The new Simplicity Studio platform also features an Eclipse-based integrated development environment (IDE) that supports both 32-bit and 8-bit embedded designs.

Simplicity Studio is designed to make the development environment easier, faster, and more efficient by providing embedded designers with a single platform that allows them to easily access everything needed to complete a project, from initial planning to the final product. The Simplicity Studio platform can instantly detect connected target MCUs, and the graphics hardware configuration tool features automatic MCU setup, freeing developers from time-consuming tasks such as searching for technical documentation and enabling them to run projects using demos and example code within minutes.

Simplicity Studio enables Silicon Labs' MCU customers to develop on both 8-bit and 32-bit MCUs without having to learn new software tools. This integrated approach saves time and resources for customers requiring both 8-bit and 32-bit MCUs and reduces the learning curve for new projects. By using Simplicity Studio, developers can explore Silicon Labs' entire MCU portfolio, product options, and embedded design solutions. The platform helps developers select the appropriate MCU for their applications and provides integrated links to purchase MCU products and development kits, as well as comprehensive training materials.

Developers can use the Simplicity IDE to develop and debug firmware. The IDE supports the Eclipse plugin, uses the Eclipse Debugger for C/C++, and supports Keil® and GCC (Gnu Compiler Collection) build tools. Silicon Labs also provides the Keil PK51 build tool for free to 8-bit MCU developers. For customers who prefer the Keil μ version or the IAR Embedded Workbench IDE, Simplicity Studio fully supports third-party tools, allowing developers to run their preferred IDE through Simplicity Studio.

Simplicity Studio's additional development tools enable developers to easily develop by configuring MCU pinouts and peripheral layouts and generating C code. These configuration tools automatically resolve pinout conflicts, saving developers significant time and effort.

To help developers optimize 32-bit applications for energy efficiency, Simplicity Studio includes real-time energy profiling and analysis tools to measure power consumption and balance performance and energy efficiency. The energyAware Battery Calculator helps developers predict current consumption and battery life. Developers can select EFM32 MCU energy modes and battery configurations to predict power consumption before writing code. The energyAware Profiler analyzes current consumption in real-time, enabling rapid identification of areas requiring optimization when current is higher than intended.

To help developers quickly and easily find important information and resources for their applications, Simplicity Studio provides a feature that allows access to demos, example software, datasheets, application notes, technical support, and community forums with a single click. Because everything an embedded developer needs can be found in one place, developers can spend less time searching for information and dedicate more time to developing their applications.

Geir Førre, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Microcontroller Products Business Unit at Silicon Labs, said, “Simplicity Studio integrates a full range of advanced software tools into a ‘one-stop-shop platform’ that provides local support for Silicon Labs’ 8-bit and 32-bit MCUs, enabling embedded developers to achieve outstanding productivity. Because embedded system designers can complete projects from initial planning to final completion within a single integrated development ecosystem, the development process could not be simpler.”

Simplicity Studio supports continuous web-based updates, making the process of adding additional support and features very simple when a new platform is released. Because Simplicity Studio is updateable, developers can update software tools without reinstalling the studio.
Developers can use Simplicity Studio for free, and download the Simplicity Studio development platform, including the Simplicity IDE and development tools, from www.silabs.com/simplicity-studio .