Circling silently beneath the murky waters of the Gulf of Mexico, a solitary fin breaks the surface; then two, then three. Panicked swimmers paddle for the shore, anxious to distance themselves from the threat. Watch out! It’s a Blackfin!

Yankee chipmaker Analog Devices has released a school of Blackfin chips, causing mayhem in parts of Texas. These once-placid waters were TI’s territory. Now that dominance is under threat as a newer and hungrier challenger threatens to take a bite out of the market leader.

Meanwhile, back on dry land, we have three new processor chips to consider. They’re called the Blackfin BF500 family, and they’re brand new today. They’re cheap ($5 to $13 in quantity), they’re fast (300-400 MHz), and they come in three flavors.