Southern Africa
VIA Technologies and Mecer have joined forces to provide an affordable new energy-efficient PC to the southern African educational market. The PC, featuring VIA's 1,5 GHz C7-D desktop processor, is available at an assortment of major retail stores in southern Africa and is compatible with a variety of operating systems, including Microsoft Windows XP Starter Edition.
Vodacom Group has recorded 32,4 million customers across its networks operating in South Africa, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho and Mozambique, reflecting a 7,5% increase in the three months since 31 March, 2007. The growth in customer base is a result of high gross customer connections of 4,4 million for the quarter. The group's non-South African operations comprised 7,8 million customers, or 24,1% of the total customer base.
Overseas
Business
STMicroelectronics will soon shut down two US wafer fabs and an IC assembly site, following its decision to exit the flash memory business by forming a new and independent joint memory venture with Intel. These moves are estimated to involve about 4000 employees worldwide. ST will also wind down operations at its 6-inch wafer fab in Texas, its 8-inch fab in Arizona and its back-end packaging and test facility in Morocco. According to a spokesman, these moves will result in the company no longer manufacturing in the US.
Following major financial losses in its most recent quarter, Micron Technology is planning to cut almost 10% of its 11 000 employee workforce in Idaho. Chairman and CEO Steve Appleton declined to comment on reports about a possible spin-off of the company's CMOS image sensor business, following a reported falling out with a large customer in Nokia.
Despite witnessing pricing pressures that clipped gross margin by one percentage point in the NOR flash business, Intel reported a steep rise in second quarter net income. Profits for the quarter ending 30 June were $1,3 billion or 22 cents per share, 44% higher than the $885 million or 15 cents per share recorded for the same period of 2006. Revenue increased 8%, to $8,68 billion from $8,01 billion in the comparable year-ago quarter.
IBM's second quarter revenue increased 9% year-over-year to $23,8 billion, while per-share earnings rose 19% to $1,55. Net income from continuing operations was $2,3 billion, an increase of 12% over the second quarter of 2006.
Freescale has reported operating and net losses for the second quarter of 2007 of $268 million and $288 million, respectively, based on sales of $1,38 billion, compared to $1,60 billion in the second quarter of 2006, when operating earnings were $251 million and EBITDA was $413 million. The company blamed the results on its wireless business. The Wireless and Mobile Solutions segment reported net sales of $353 million in the second quarter of 2007, compared to $514 million in the second quarter of 2006. Net sales were negatively impacted by lower shipments to the segment's largest customer, Motorola.
AMD reported a net loss of $600 million, or $1,09 a share, for the quarter ended 30 June, 2007, compared with a net loss of $611 million, or $1,11 per share, for the first quarter of the year. The company reported net income of $89 million in the second quarter of 2006 but the latest results included contributions from ATI Technologies, which AMD acquired last year.
Companies
u-blox recently announced that it has successfully gained ISO 9001: 2000 certification, confirming its strong commitment to quality. ISO 9001 is the internationally recognised standard for business quality management, encompassing all of the processes that organisations use to create and control the products and services that they provide. It provides a rigorous framework for instituting and optimising processes that help improve quality, productivity and efficiency by examining all processes of a company.
Infineon Technologies has received the 'Bosch Supplier Award' for the years 2005 and 2006, presented by Robert Bosch. This is the fourth time that Infineon has received the award. With this award, Bosch honours Infineon's outstanding work in the creation and supply of products and services - especially with respect to reliability and quality. The assessment criteria for the award also include communication and cooperation, as well as the supplier's willingness to engage consistently in continuous improvement. Infineon received the award in the category for 'Electronic Components'.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) last year acquired ATI Technologies for $5,5 billion, bringing AMD into the graphics chip business, but the acquisition has gone poorly, according to analysts. Now, amid some integration issues, Dave Orton, former president and chief executive of ATI, has resigned as executive vice president of AMD. Adrian Hartog, senior vice president and general manager, consumer electronics group and Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager, graphics products group will now report directly to the office of the CEO.
In a move that will help NXP to expand its range of ARM-based microcontrollers to 50 products, the company has acquired Sharp Microelectronics' BlueStreak microcontroller product portfolio, which includes ARM7 and ARM9 processor ranges. The portfolio will include 11 ARM processor-based MCUs featuring LCD controllers to support graphical displays, including the NXP LPC2478 and LPC2470 announced earlier this year. Other peripherals available on the MCUs include Ethernet, USB, MMU, CAN and 10-bit ADC.
Wavecom and Sunlink International Holdings recently announced a strategic alliance to develop and support wireless machine-to-machine applications based on Wavecom's OpenAT Software suite and Wireless CPU hardware. The new company, Sunlink Wavecom (90,5%-9,5%, respectively) has been formed with an initial investment of $1 million. It will provide support, maintenance and application design services specifically using Open AT Software Suite and reference designs from Wavecom. Sunlink Wavecom will be incorporated in Hong Kong with its operations located in Shen-Zhen, China, and will initially employ a staff of 20 engineers and technical support specialists.
Cirrus Logic has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Apex Microtechnology, a leading provider of precision high-power analog amplifier products, for $42 million in cash. Founded in 1980 with headquarters in Tucson, Arizona, Apex Microtechnology is a leading innovator of integrated circuits, hybrids and modules used in a wide range of industrial and aerospace applications that require high-power precision analog products, such as PWM and power amplifiers.
Synopsys has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the semiconductor IP assets of Mosaid Technologies. Synopsys plans to integrate such assets, consisting primarily of Mosaid's double datarate (DDR) memory controller and PHY semiconductor IP products, into its DesignWare IP portfolio. The purchase will further increase the breadth of Synopsys' offerings in standards based connectivity IP.
A report from Strategy Analytics has projected 21% market growth for solid-state LED lighting through 2011. The bulk of demand will be generated from niche lighting applications including architectural, task lighting, medical and off-grid lighting applications rather than the residential lighting market, where significant implementation is only expected to occur in 2014 or 2015. The report forecasts that the global lighting market will increase at a compound annual average growth rate of 4% through 2011, with solid-state lighting technologies penetrating no more than 3% of the total market in 2011.
The e-paper display business will surpass $2,0 billion in annual revenues by 2012 and surpass $4 billion in 2014, according to a new report from NanoMarkets. The report predicts that the arrival of high-quality colour e-paper technology, better encapsulation and the ability to print large e-paper displays will create new opportunities in smart shelves, point-of-purchase (POP) displays, cellphone displays and disposable electronics.
A severe shortage of polysilicon used for solar cell production has led to a stampede of US startups trying to enter the market using thin film technology, according to a report recently published by The Information Network. However, private equity money is drying up, according to the report, for reasons such as efficiency limitations and the entrance of the Chinese into the market with low cost product. Currently, the Chinese are advertising sales of completed solar panels for $2,20 per watt, less than the production cost in the US.
Industry
According to a report by The Information Network, the global semiconductor equipment market should swing into positive territory in 2008. This would be welcome, since 2007 is expected to see a 2,3% decline. This decline is a result of inflated spending in 2006 which resulted in chip manufacturers carrying excess equipment into 2007. The semiconductor market is also expected to rebound from 1,9% growth in 2007 to 10,4% growth in 2008. Coupled with a stronger global economy and higher selling prices of memory chips, semiconductor manufacturers are expected to purchase additional equipment to the tune of 22% growth in 2008.
According to a report by Global Industry Analysts, the global fuses and circuit breakers market is likely to grow moderately in the coming years, with mixed growth fortunes in both developed and developing countries. The market is projected to cross $15,5 billion by 2010.
The Canadian city of Toronto is implementing a city-wide initiative to install LED lighting throughout its infrastructure, as part of the 'LED City' initiative which fosters collaboration among municipalities as they deploy energy-efficient lighting to deliver cost savings and environmental benefits. The city already hosts a number of high profile LED installations, including LED streetlights at Exhibition Place, the Harbinger colour-changing installation, and the CN Tower.
The demand for the improved high-definition viewing experience and greater viewing area provided by LCD televisions is driving the growth of the LCD manufacturing equipment market. Additionally, decreased panel prices have made LCD TVs more affordable and this will likely lead to phenomenal growth in the LCD TV market. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan reveals that the world LCD manufacturing equipment market earned revenues of $1,50 billion in 2006 and estimates this to escalate to $2,30 billion in 2013.
Global markets for cellular machine-to-machine (M2M) modules will experience a smooth and solid growth trajectory in coming years, according to a new ABI Research study. The compound annual growth rate during the forecast period between 2006 and 2012 is expected to reach 31%.
The global market for insulated wire and cable is projected to cross $126 billion by the end of 2010, according to a new report by Global Industry Analysts. The most important growth boosting factor for insulated wire and cable in the medium term include increasing construction activity and higher capital investment. Information processing and communications, two of the largest markets, are expected to prop up large-scale growth in the market, while demand for faster data services, and higher investments from telecom service providers are expected to fuel growth in the fibre-optics sector.
Greenpeace gave a relatively positive assessment of the environmental practices of major electronics manufacturers in a report, saying most had taken significant steps in recent months to clean up their products and operations. The group said that 12 of the 14 companies listed in its most recent 'Guide to Green Electronics' scored five or more out of a possible 10 points for their environmental policies, 'signifying an industry-wide improvement' since it began producing the quarterly report in August 2006.
Technology
Source Audio has developed a device called HotHand, which allows musicians to control sound effects with a wave of the hand. Electric guitarists typically control electronic effects with an array of foot pedals, but this new device translates their gestures into the popular wah, phaser, and flanger effects. Musicians can wear the device as a ring, affix it to their head or torso, or allow someone else - such as the band's vocalist - to use it to control effects. A wireless option leaves the wearer free to roam the stage.
In a step that promises a broad range of applications, from e-paper and flexible colour screens for consumer electronics to 'smartcards' and 'heads-up' displays in auto windshields, researchers have created transparent transistors and circuits using nanotechnology. The transistors are made of single 'nanowires,' or tiny cylindrical structures assembled on glass or thin films of flexible plastic. Other researchers had previously created nanowire transistors, but the metal electrodes in the transistors were non-transparent, which made the overall structure opaque.
Qimonda has started sampling of its new 512 Mbit Mobile-RAM, ultra-low power DRAM which can reduce power consumption by up to 80% compared to equivalent density standard DRAMs and mainly serve mobile applications in smart and feature phones, portable GPS devices, digital cameras and MP3 players.
Engineers at Harvard University recently sent a life-size robotic fly on its maiden flight. The robot has a wingspan of just three centimeters and weighs only 60 milligrams, and researchers modelled its movements on those of real flies. While much work still needs to be done, the researchers say that such small flying machines could one day be used as spies, or for detecting harmful chemicals. The project is funded by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Engineers in the United Kingdom have developed a miniature device that harnesses ambient vibrations and converts the energy into electricity, claiming that the energy-scavenging machine is considerably more efficient than similar devices and capable of generating 10 times more power. The device, which measures less than a cubic centimeter, has shown that it can generate 46 microwatts when vibrated at just 52 hertz. This is typical of the kinds of vibrations found at an industrial plant, and it would be enough power to run a device like a temperature or pressure sensor, although the main application focus is the powering of wireless devices.
A new process for printing plastic solar cells is said to boost the power generated by the flexible and cheap form of photovoltaics, with initial prototypes apparently capable of capturing solar energy with an efficiency of 6,5%. This is a new power record for photovoltaics that employ conductive plastics to generate electricity from sunlight; most photovoltaics are made from conventional inorganic semiconductors. The new process stacks multiple polymer layers within a single photovoltaic device to produce a 'tandem' cell. Researchers believe they can achieve significantly higher efficiency in the near future.
Nanotechnologists from the University of California, Riverside have succeeded in controlling the colour of very small particles of iron oxide suspended in water, simply by applying an external magnetic field to the solution. This discovery has the potential to greatly improve the quality and size of electronic display screens and to enable the manufacture of products such as erasable and rewritable electronic paper and ink that can change colour electromagnetically. In their experiments, the researchers found that by changing the strength of the magnetic field they were able to change the colour of the iron oxide solution - similar to adjusting the colour of a television screen image. When the strength of the magnetic field is changed, it alters the arrangement of the spherical iron oxide particles in solution, thereby modifying how light falling on the particles passes through or is deflected by the solution.
The new WorldTracker SMS from TrackingTheWorld, said to be the world's smallest GPS live tracker, is a self-contained complete hardware and software package small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. When placed with packages, vehicles, or personnel, the device provides detailed reports of routes travelled for quality-control and security purposes. It features technology that provides up to five times better position accuracy, to within three metres 95% of the time. The device is also the world's first to use Google Earth.
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