I have been avoiding the ESP8266 because of the toolchain - when it was released, it was essentially a complete (buggy) proprietary firmware with the ability to write simple Arduino-like plugins.

The situation is better now, but it still requires several proprietary bits: https://github.com/pfalcon/esp-open-sdk

The cost of the esp8266 is very nice. A comparable solution from TI (the CC3200) is $15. But it's sad to see the hardware needlessly crippled by bad software.

Where can you get the CC3200 for $15 in a module format (or the 3100)? The bare chip you can probably get around that in quantity, but then you need the support hardware and the FCC intentional emitter testing ($15K+).

The ESP8266 seems really interesting, however, until I can order 500-1000 from a reputable vendor in trays / tape and reel I'm too scared to think about using it for a small run product.

I don't believe there are any ESP8266 modules with FCC modular certification yet.

I prototyped a CC3200 module but stopped working on it when it became apparent that the ESP8266 was here to stay. It's a simpler chip with fewer available GPIO pins and less processing power, but it can be packed into a much smaller area than the CC3200 (CC3200s require 3 separate power inductors!).

It's important to note that the ESP8266 may well be more open than the CC3200! Much of the CC3200's functionality is packed into a binary blob from TI, and the chip runs this code on a second core that you don't have any control over.

The CC3200 looks nice, I just wish it was half the price. The Particle / Spark Photon M0 looks promising though:

https://www.particle.io/prototype

$10/12 Broadcom chip + STM32 chip. It's not market yet and I don't like the idea of being tied to a 3rd party platform / API. There doesn't seem to be anything in the >500 units, <5K units space that really makes sense. Near the high end of that I assume you can probably roll the intentional emitter cost into the unit cost though.

They do exist - see https://www.tindie.com/products/EmbeddedDay/esp8266-wifi-mod...

I sell a bunch of these modules on Tindie too! https://www.tindie.com/stores/George/

I only know what I've read. That said, take a look at the FCC certification document for the ESP-12: https://fccid.net/number.php?fcc=2ADUIESP-12&id=253176

Notice that it is certified as a "single modular" device.

The FCC requires that single modular devices be totally self contained: http://www.lsr.com/white-papers/fcc-guidance-on-transmitter-... https://www.fcc.gov/oet/ea/presentations/files/oct09/Modular... [PDF]

The ESP-12 module does not have onboard voltage regulation. Thus, it is not totally self contained and its certification is meaningless.

Regardless of the above discussion, these modules do not have a marked FCC ID, so any certification they do or do not have is meaningless.

Like I said, I only know what I've read. I don't understand how they reached certification without onboard voltage regulation, but they did. I don't know if that means the certification will be voided, but I certainly wouldn't want to be selling a product using these modules right now.

The latest ESP8266 Module was certified with FCC/CE.

There is now also the option to use an Arduino-compatible IDE with the ESP8266:

https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino

Like many, I'm excited about the MIPS Espressif chips. I have had several on my desk since the end of last year along with with various "programmers" from Tindie for flashing bootloaders, firmware, etc.

At less than $4 for an ESP8266 on ebay, the lack of security support is a critical, if not fatal, flaw.

Until it supports crypto, reliable SSL/TLS connections, and ability to securely store Wifi passwords / credentials in flash - it's a liability to use one of these chipsets for WiFi - not a benefit.

The ESP8266 has an Xtensa processor (IP from Cadence, originally Tensilica). As far as I'm aware, all Espressif wifi ICs use this core.

I have not yet heard of any of the ESP8266 modules getting FCC module certification. The page implies it is coming soon, but my understanding is that those that have looked at it before had doubts that it would meet the certification criteria. I wonder if/how they resolved these issues...

Some of them have been certified, check out the raw module and nice breakout version from Adafruit (both FCC certified modules): https://www.adafruit.com/products/2491 and https://www.adafruit.com/products/2471

edit: See also: http://hackaday.com/2014/12/17/esp-gets-fcc-and-ce/

This is incorrect. No currently available module has passed FCC modular certification. The ESP8266EX chips themselves have passed certification, but that's only one part of the process. The 'certification' reached by the ESP-12 module is suspect. Additionally, I've yet to see an ESP8266 module marked with a legitimate FCC ID (which is required for a certified module).