Analog Devices AD5308,
Octal 8-bit D/A converter
Mine: 2 - MAXIM MAX6674
Hmm. So tell me, how does one go about getting free samples of electronics? I've tried to BUY things from Texas Instruments, right now I'm dealing with them regarding items they have charged me for but never shipped, including an order for a couple of launchpads back in July. Suffice to say, TI is not getting my business as we go forward; right now I have my bank involved providing them with the records proving their charges to my credit card. Incompetent, obnoxious, and worse than useless... who knows if their hardware is any good, and more to the point, who cares, after having to deal with that level of BS?
I'm not exactly in the industry, so it's not like I end up at trade shows or things like that.. what are you doing, just contacting the company with a "Hi, can I have one of those, for free, for keepsies?" email?
Usually you must have one university or corporate email to have an aproved account.
My last samples, well 6 ARM cortex m3 micros from ST, before that 3 dsPIC30F4014, before that, things from maxim, before...
I have about 100-150 sample chips eheh ;D
The last time I did any "free samples", it was for some 8-bit ADC chips from National Semiconductor; back then I had to call them up (pre-public internet days); they sent me out a tube of 5 that I never used (I was going to make an audio digitizer for my Amiga 2000, and never got around to it - that's how long ago it was!).
It used to be on some vendors sites (maxim and microchip, especially) you could easily request a sample online, without too much hassle. Since then, things got abused by dorks who used it as a supply point (maybe even reselling them on ebay) without actually purchasing a quantity afterward. Things have been tightened down, since then.
I think its still possible, but you might want to call the places up instead (go old-skool), talk to a real human, explain your need - they may take pity on you. Another route might be to look into chinese suppliers for certain parts and/or components. A friend of mine who was working on my robot project with me a couple of years back scored us a donation of a 200 or so mW green laser pointer from some chinese supplier (this was pre-ban days) we planned to use for a LIDAR system (it still may get used!). You might try that route (I'm still not sure how he pulled it off).
how does one go about getting free samples of electronics?
It's easier if the company has an on-line sample-request form, of course. You can also contact the company's sales force or distributors directly.
Some companies will send samples to pretty much anyone, but most would prefer to send them to legitimate companies or students (read that as having an email/website address in .com or .edu, and not just yahoo/gmail/etc) (WAY too many offerings on eBay of chips in sets of ... exactly the quantity limit for free samples from the website.)
Most companies are very supportive of students, BTW. If you can't get a sample on your own, your teacher might be able to get one pretty easily. That may extend well beyond "cheap chips" to normally-expensive development systems.
It's a myth that free samples are only for big companies; it's essentially part of the marketing budget, and relatively low in cost compared to magazine advertisements or running a web site. If you ARE a big company (of the sort that might sell millions of dollars worth of a chip that goes into one of your products), you'd probably be able to command vastly more expensive assistance...
When I get hardware, it's much more likely to be something on it's way to a recycling lot... a couple of old PC's, or an hour with a screwdriver when I've gotten a call from a buddy to tell me "you can rip out this phone and tech stuff if you get down here like, now.." I'm not exactly a student, more like Mr. Mom keeping hobbies to keep me kinda sane other than watching Oprah. Really- Arduino or Oprah. It's not a tough call.
This is good for building minimal PC's, also great for servos, steppers, and that kind of thing.. as well as AWESOME commercial telecommunications power supplies. I've got a Toshiba rackmount supply with 12 individually breakered 5v 5A lines, six 12v, a pair of inverted for both, as well as 24 and 48v at respectable currents, all flatter power than a battery. At least I know I have a decent power source
Hmmm.... the last free samples I got were from TI, some TLC5940's. Some went to
a buddy and I kept two, one of which will go into an electronic candelabra. The good
thing about getting samples from TI is that I could clearly state that this was for a
hobbyist effort.
analogdevices.com and maxim-ic.com both have online sample ordering. I only ask for 1 or 2 for things I am working on. I tried 3 different 7-segment display drivers before settling on the MAX7221 for my current project.
My last free samples, 2x Maxim DS3231 RTC 
Hint: You can actually get stuff from MAXIM.
You can actually get stuff from MAXIM.
Hmmph. You can actually get SAMPLES from Maxim. That have a somewhat bad reputation for not being able to provide volume quantities in a timely manner (hmm. Rather like Atmel. Only worse.)
(the other thing to watch out for is designing a project around free samples, only to discover that your target market can't support buying the chips at actual list price. I guess that Maxim LED controller is nice, but ... sticker shock!)
Ah... yes, very good points. I agree.
Maxim is not allowing me to request free samples from my yahoo id
Maxim is not allowing me to request free samples from my yahoo id
Indeed.
That's to stop any random person just getting freebies.
You need to have an email at a non-generic domain name.
Then you're more likely to be a business customer who may buy a few thousand in the future.
Mowcius
BUt i dont think companies whixh purchase in thousands need to get free samples they enough money to buy a few :
Maxim 4x DS3234S# RTC
Maxim 4x DS1307+ RTC
Maxim 4x MAX7356EUG+ Multiplexer
For some reason I double-ordered, so rather than 2x I got 4x.
I should complain. ;D
Maxim gives their free samples in very nice packaging.
I registered with my school .edu email and honestly told them I was a student and my annual usage was less than 1000.
One day. Ima work for Maxim. 
BUt i dont think companies whixh purchase in thousands need to get free samples Wink they enough money to buy a few
Well by that logic, none of us would be able to get free samples...
Maxim 4x DS3234S# RTC
What's special about that one then? They do so many RTCs
Mowcius
What's special about that one then? They do so many RTCs
Thats the one sparkfun was selling. Supposedly it is EXTREMELY ACCURATE. And I figured since sparkfun was selling, there would be plenty of libraries and circuit designs out there. I was wrong. Which is why I'm gonna publish one soon.
Well by that logic, none of us would be able to get free samples...
so u'd say they would rip out the fre sample program ?