Editing Freescale DragonBall

[[Image:Motorola DragonBallEZ XC60EZ328PU16V top.jpg|thumb|Motorola DragonBall EZ Microprocessor]]

[[Motorola]]/[[Freescale Semiconductor]]'s '''DragonBall''', or '''MC68328''', is a [[microcontroller]] design based on the famous [[Motorola 68k|68000]] core, but implemented as an all-in-one low-power system for [[handheld computer]] use. It is supported by [[μClinux]]. It was designed by Motorola in [[Hong Kong]] and released in 1995.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=cpu&id=c68328&c=motorola_dragonball_mc68328 | title=Motorola DragonBall MC68328 CISC SoC | access-date=2010-01-27 | publisher=PDAdb.net}}</ref>

The DragonBall's major design win was in numerous [[List of Palm OS devices|devices running the Palm OS platform]]. However, from [[Palm OS]] 5 onwards their use was superseded by [[ARM architecture|ARM]]-based processors from [[Texas Instruments]] and [[Intel]]. 

The processor is capable of speeds of up to 16.58&nbsp;[[MHz]] and can run up to 2.7 MIPS ([[Instructions per second#Million instructions per second|million instructions per second]]), for the base 68328 and '''DragonBall EZ''' (MC68EZ328) model. It was extended to 33&nbsp;MHz, 5.4 MIPS for the '''DragonBall VZ''' (MC68VZ328) model,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=cpu&id=c68328vz&c=motorola_dragonball_vz_mc68vz328 | title=Motorola DragonBall MC68VZ328 CISC SoC | access-date=2012-09-25 | publisher=PDAdb.net}}</ref> and 66&nbsp;MHz, 10.8 MIPS for the '''DragonBall Super VZ''' (MC68SZ328).

It is a 32-bit processor with 32-bit internal and external address bus (24-bit external address bus for EZ and VZ variants) and 32-bit data bus (8/16-bit external data bus).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=cpu&id=c68328ez&c=motorola_dragonball_ez_mc68ez328| title = Motorola DragonBall EZ MC68EZ328 CISC SoC}}</ref> It has many built-in functions, like a color and grayscale display controller, [[PC speaker]] sound, serial port with UART and IRDA support, UART bootstrap, real time clock, is able to directly access DRAM, Flash ROM, mask ROM, and has built-in support for touch screens.

The more recent '''DragonBall MX''' series microcontrollers, later renamed the Freescale [[i.MX]] (MC9328MX/MCIMX) series, are intended for similar application to the earlier DragonBall devices but are based on an [[ARM architecture|ARM]] processor core instead of a 68000 core.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Motorola processors}}

[[Category:68k microprocessors]]
[[Category:Science and technology in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 1995]]
{{microcompu-stub}}
{{HongKong-stub}}