A PIC Microcontroller is just one brand of many different types of Microcontrollers available. The PIC is made by Microchip and there are several types in varying sizes and memory capacities. What is a microcontroller? A microcontroller is actually a miniature, stand-alone computer that can be programmed to perform simple or complex functions with a minimum amount of surrounding hardware. This can be a benefit for size, cost, and reliability considerations. Microcontrollers today can be found everywhere! From an electronic thermostat in your home, to a calculator, to a remote control, a telephone, answering machine, even your car radio, and cellphone, microcontrollers are being used. If you became a seasoned microcontoller programmer, and didn't like that auto-station finder routine on your car stereo, you would be able to change its controller with one of your own, with your own programming methods, that would make it find only stereo FM stations -or only local AM stations. Basically the possibilities are endless, and limited by only your imagination... and abilities, of course! I, myself, will admit that for me it has become a profitable venture in many cases. A few of these amazed even me, after seeing how well they worked, and how reliably. I have used them for control of small stepper motors, all the way up to control of large hydrolics. I have interfaced them to transmit to one another by short range radio, and by two wire systems. I have connected several together to perform a much more complex and simultaneous function. They have been connected to drive LED displays, read keyboards, drive frequency control hardware, create and mix audio signals, or just to a speaker to play musical notes. Some History: Back, way back before microcontrollers were in use, or were very very expensive to develop, the circuit of choice used many single purpose chips together to create a circuit that would do the job. For example, lets say you wanted to build a 2 minute programmable egg timer that could be set to any time, within 10 secs, up to 2 minutes. And it could then count down to zero and ring an electronic "bell", thus signalling the eggs are ready. Using pre-microcontroller technology, this would be quite a bit of circuitry. You would definately need a couple of counter chips, a flip-flop chip, a demultiplexer, a few OR gates, AND gates, and some diodes to try to cut parts down. A large board to mount everything on, several batteries to pwer them all, and a big box to put it all in! The only other option would be to have a chip specifically designed to fulfill this task, which would only set you back $15,000 to $35,000 all said and done. Now, thanks to such great advances in micron technology and chip design in general, this can be done all on one generic programmable, do anything chip! The cost for one that could handle the egg timer thingy would be about five dollars at single pricing. I'm Hooked! The cost factor, and the flexability of microcontrollers makes them a great hobby! Also, after completing a working project, that does what you want it to, and FAST! one gets a sense of power, of immortality, (these things have a permanent data retention) and of control. ( -to change what you don't like in already designed 'stuff' ) Not to mention, it's fun! I would recommend PICs to anyone interested in programming microcontrollers, or taking the next step in electronics learning. They can be complicated at first, but the speed and cost are miles ahead of the rest. For the hobbiest/programmer that doesn't want to get to much into the programming end of things, I would suggest the "Basic Stamp". But it is slower and is more costly to develop, and not as versatile. Worth a look though. *Sandrine*