Who's using Cortex M3 devices by ATMEL?

I made some projects using some ATM91SAM7 devices (S256 and now
obsolete A3) and now I need something speedier/bigger to let this
design grow.

The best solution is to go with the ATSAM3 family (I already have an
ATSAM3U EVK), speedier/better core with the same great peripherals I
know.

BUT

Even if Atmel presented the ATSAM3U more than one year ago it still
missing from the distribution channel, and no sign of availability for
the ATSAM3S, only the EVK is available... (take a look at digikey,
farnell and mouser; I don't need a lot of pieces, starting with around
250pcs... never used more than few thousand pieces/year).

So I'm here, stuck with a lovely AT91SAM7S design that I've to re-
design for the next 5-10 years of shelf-life and, sadly, no Atmel
solution...

Is really Atmel so behind ST and NXP? have I to completely redo my
design?

On Dec 22, 12:51=A0am, nibble <studioma...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I made some projects using some ATM91SAM7 devices (S256 and now
> obsolete A3) and now I need something speedier/bigger to let this
> design grow.
>
> The best solution is to go with the ATSAM3 family (I already have an
> ATSAM3U EVK), speedier/better core with the same great peripherals I
> know.
>
> BUT
>
> Even if Atmel presented the ATSAM3U more than one year ago it still
> missing from the distribution channel, and no sign of availability for
> the ATSAM3S, only the EVK is available... (take a look at digikey,
> farnell and mouser; I don't need a lot of pieces, starting with around
> 250pcs... never used more than few thousand pieces/year).
>
> So I'm here, stuck with a lovely AT91SAM7S design that I've to re-
> design for the next 5-10 years of shelf-life and, sadly, no Atmel
> solution...
>
> Is really Atmel so behind ST and NXP? have I to completely redo my
> design?

It doesn't matter how good/bad the parts are.  Atmel is well-known for
dropping parts on the fly.  But once it's proven popular, they will
keep making them.  For ATSAM3, its chicken and egg.  Who want to go
first?