Embedded Systems - Introduction to Arm Cortex M Microcontrollers - Valvano_[5E - 2014]

This is the textbook which will be very helpful for those who have signed up for the "UTAustinX: UT.6.02x Embedded Systems - Shape the World" at edx.org. I bought it from Kindle and even though I think everyone should buy a copy of this book (Professor Valvano is a wonderful guy and this is an awesome book), it's probably not possible for everyone to purchase it, given it's relatively high cost and difficulty in purchasing the Kindle version for students in the developing countries. DRM has been stripped and book seems to convert pretty well in Calibre.

Preface
Embedded systems are a ubiquitous component of our everyday lives. We interact with hundreds of tiny computers every day that are embedded into our houses, our cars, our toys, and our work. As our world has become more complex, so have the capabilities of the microcontrollers embedded into our devices. The ARM® Cortex™-M family represents a new class of microcontrollers much more powerful than the devices available ten years ago. The purpose of this book is to present the design methodology to train young engineers to understand the basic building blocks that comprise devices like a cell phone, an MP3 player, a pacemaker, antilock brakes, and an engine controller.
This book is the first in a series of three books that teach the fundamentals of embedded systems as applied to the ARM® Cortex™-M family of microcontrollers. This first book is an introduction to computers and interfacing focusing on assembly language and C programming. The second book Embedded Systems: Real-Time Interfacing to ARM Cortex-M Microcontrollers focuses on hardware/software interfacing and the design of embedded systems. The third book Embedded Systems: Real-Time Operating Systems for ARM Cortex-M Microcontrollers is an advanced book focusing on operating systems, high-speed interfacing, control systems, and robotics. The third volume could also be used for professionals wishing to design or deploy a real-time operating system onto an ARM platform. This first book is an introductory book that could be used at the college level with little or no prerequisites.

Preface to the Fifth Edition
This fifth edition includes the new TM4C1294-based LaunchPad. Most of the code in the book is specific for the TM4C123-based LaunchPad. However, the book website includes corresponding example projects for the LM3S811, LM3S1968, LM4F120, and TM4C1294,which are ARM® Cortex™-M microcontrollers from Texas Instruments. There are now two lost-cost development platforms called Tiva LaunchPad. The EK-TM4C123GXL LaunchPad retails for $12.99, and the EK-TM4C1294XL Connected LaunchPad retails for $19.99. The various LM3S, LM4F and TM4C microcontrollers are quite similar, so this book along with the example code on the web can be used for any of these microcontrollers. Compared to the TM4C123, the new TM4C1294 microcontroller runs faster, has more RAM, has more ROM, includes Ethernet, and has more I/O pins. This fifth edition switches the syntax from C to the industry-standard C99.