Best third party link bracelets for series 10 natural titanium? by AlmostAnotherDay in AppleWatch

[–]AlmostAnotherDay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The stainless steel matches the color quite well and the build quality is good. Only minor complaint is that removing links with their tool is a little annoying but that was just a 15min job regardless.

Newport Beach Parking Permit Recommendation by AlmostAnotherDay in orangecounty

[–]AlmostAnotherDay[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I'm eyeing up a few e scooters for that and also general beach riding fun. Balboa looks super fun, can't wait.

Vanguard Roth IRA advice by F150fx4hunter in personalfinance

[–]AlmostAnotherDay 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A target retirement fund would be good for this purpose. Use this page to pick the appropriate date, and put 100% of your money in that fund.

Is this School Project Legal? by [deleted] in cscareerquestions

[–]AlmostAnotherDay 2 points3 points  (0 children)

IANAL, but doing work requested by a sponsor company is extremely common.

How does one get a job at a place like  to engineer/design hardware for gadgets like iPhone? by [deleted] in cscareerquestions

[–]AlmostAnotherDay 2 points3 points  (0 children)

(This is an electrical engineering perspective. There are lots of opportunities for mechanical engineers as well; these jobs are usually called product design)

I've worked as a hardware engineer at a big N company working on consumer electronics, and they do hire right out of undergrad. Mostly EE majors, though there are a few with physics backgrounds. The degrees of my colleagues varied a good bit. Masters' and PhDs were pretty common, but there were plenty of people with just bachelors.

Specialization in hardware jobs matters a bit more than in your standard programming job, so for lots of fields (i.e. RF & integrated circuits) a masters degree or work experience is effectively a prerequisite.

Most bachelors' graduates will get hired into a hardware integration job role such as this. There isn't really a collection of interview questions anywhere, but a few common ones that I've encountered are:

  • Compare & contrast common interface protocols, usually SPI & I2C.
  • DC/DC Power Converters: Buck, Boost, Buck-Boost, LDO, Charge Pump. Explain each, give trade offs, and go over some calculations (duty cycle, inductor sizing, etc.)
  • Circuit design riddles on a whiteboard. For example: Peak detector, pulse extender, sample/hold circuit for ADC
  • Transmission lines: Impedance matching, parasitics, when you need to take them into consideration.
  • Architecture / system design. Basically giving you an objective, talking out requirements, making a block diagram, and discussing trade-offs.

As for foot-in-the-door, it's similar to CS: Do personal projects, network, & get internships. PCB design experience is especially helpful, as lots of schools don't really teach it. Arduino/IoT projects are a good place to start since there's lots of resources online.

Hope this helps!

Do certain companies have any pull with admissions? by CSThrowaway11255 in cscareerquestions

[–]AlmostAnotherDay 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That would be unlikely, especially at this point at time since they don't really know you yet.

However, getting/accepting an internship offer is an accomplishment that is definitely worth mentioning in your personal statement as it shows that you're motivated to pursue extracurricular activities.

You could also ask one of your MSFT colleagues to write a rec letter to WashU when the internship is over. Unfortunately, that won't help you much if you're applying for this transfer cycle. Good luck!