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ELECTRONICSTALK
The Independent Weekly Product Information Guide
for Electronics Design, Development and Manufacturing Engineers
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ISSN 1475-2913 - Free subscription
Last week's delivered circulation: over 30,000
Published every Tuesday from the UK.
Issue 188: 26 October 2004
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19261 product announcements and technical articles
on our web site, all fully searchable at
http://www.electronicstalk.com/ - take a look!
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In this issue:
* Editor's Message
* Our Top Ten new Products Selection
[1] Hollywood chip brings digital TV to cellphones
[2] More options for entry-level PCB design
[3] Connector rationalises backplane design
[4] cPCI enclosure is ideal home for analysis systems
[5] SBCs add FPGA coprocessing to networking hardware
[6] Optical proximity sensor looks for mobile uses
[7] Chipset is all-in Bluetooth hands-free car kit
[8] Light goes back and front for clamshell designs
[9] CMOS antenna switch is a first for dual-band GSM
[10] Bundle provides easy intro to Flash micro
* New Technical Articles and Case Studies
* Other featured product news
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Laurence Marchini, Editor, writes:
A subject that has appeared several times in this column will not, it would appear, go away. And that is the whole business of the ethics of product development.
For example, in all my years in this business I have known many engineers who would never knowingly work on defence projects. The vast majority of them have made their stand in the certain knowledge that it would restrict their career prospects, and I have respected them for maintaining the courage of their convictions.
But by the same token, each one of them has at some stage or other worked on a project that has ended up playing an indirect role in the development of some form of military equipment. This merely serves to illustrate the inexorable conclusion that a designer cannot be held responsible for the misuse of a product that is designed for a completely different application.
I offer this thought to assuage the guilt obviously being felt by the designer (reported elsewhere) of an addon filter for Vodaphone handsets who intended the product to help users take photographs in the dark. Perhaps he would have been horrified if the filter had been adopted by the military as a night sight.
But, worse than that, it appears that under certain conditions the filter will allow the handset user to take pictures through people's clothes! (Which reminds me: the X-ray specs I ordered from an ad in a DC Comic back in 1968 still haven't arrived.)
I hope you find this issue of our weekly newsletter useful. In addition to the new products, news and ideas featured here, there are hundreds more on our website and dozens more being added daily, so do take a look if you can.
Alternatively, the full stories behind all the summaries and headlines in this newsletter can be retrieved by e-mail alone: see details below.
In the meantime, if you have any suggestions as to how we might make the site or the newsletter better, e-mail me directly.
Best wishes
Laurence Marchini, Editor
mailto:ne[-email removed-]nicstalk.com
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THIS WEEK'S INDUSTRY NEWS
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To read more, use the web links. Or get the full stories emailed back to you: just send a blank email to the address shown. It's a free service. Try it! It works!
DIALOG MAINTAINS 30% GROWTH
Dialog Semiconductor has reported sales of Eur 31.6 million for the third quarter of 2004, a sequential increase of 4% over Q2 2004, and a 36% increase compared with Eur 23.2 million for Q3 of 2003.
Dialog Semiconductor, 21 October 2004
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/dal/dal112.html
or send a blank email to mailto:dal1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
PARIS OFFICE SECURES SPANSION'S EUROPEAN FUTURE
Spansion, the Flash memory subsidiary of Advanced Micro Devices and Fujitsu, has established European headquarters in Paris, France, to serve as its centre for worldwide mobile security.
Spansion, 22 October 2004
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ssi/ssi100.html
or send a blank email to mailto:ssi1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
ZARLINK COMES BACK INTO THE BLACK
Zarlink Semiconductor has reported results for the fiscal 2005 second quarter ended 24th September 2004.
Zarlink Semiconductor, 22 October 2004
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/mif/mif186.html
or send a blank email to mailto:mif1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
ST CONTINUES TO IMPROVE PROFITABILITY
STMicroelectronics has reported its financial results for the third quarter and first nine months ended 25th September 2004.
STMicroelectronics, 25 October 2004
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/stm/stm130.html
or send a blank email to mailto:stm1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
SIXTH CONSECUTIVE QUARTER OF GROWTH FOR MIPS
MIPS Technologies has reported financial results for its first fiscal quarter ended 30th September 2004.
MIPS Technologies, 22 October 2004
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/mip/mip250.html
or send a blank email to mailto:mip2[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
CADENCE REPORTS SOLID THIRD QUARTER
Cadence has reported total revenue for the third quarter of 2004 of $302 million compared with $269 million in the same period last year.
Cadence Design Systems, 22 October 2004
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cad/cad248.html
or send a blank email to mailto:cad2[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
DIRECTIVES TO ACCELERATE OBSOLESCENCE PROBLEMS
The WEEE and RoHS Directives will exacerbate the electronics industry's existing component obsolescence problems.
Component Obsolescence Group (COG), 25 October 2004
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cto/cto100.html
or send a blank email to mailto:cto1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
ARTESYN CONTINUES EARNINGS GROWTH
Artesyn Technologies has reported financial results for the third quarter ended 24th September 2004.
Artesyn Technologies, 25 October 2004
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/art/art187.html
or send a blank email to mailto:art1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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OUR TOP TEN NEW PRODUCTS SELECTION
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[1] HOLLYWOOD CHIP BRINGS DIGITAL TV TO CELLPHONES
(Texas Instruments, 22 October 2004)
Texas Instruments has developed the wireless industry's first digital TV on a single chip for cellphones, which will capture broadcast signals and allow cellphone users to watch live broadcasts ranging from their favourite reality TV shows to major sporting events and breaking news. Code-named "Hollywood", the chip will receive live digital TV broadcasts using new television infrastructure that is being developed for cellphones, doing for cellphones what HDTV did for home TVs. "Hollywood" builds on TI's current capabilities in the converging wireless and consumer electronics markets, including high-quality streamed video content on 2.5G and 3G handsets via its OMAP multimedia processors.
Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/tex/704/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tex/tex704.html
or send a blank email to mailto:tex7[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[2] MORE OPTIONS FOR ENTRY-LEVEL PCB DESIGN
(Cadence Design Systems, 25 October 2004)
Orcad PCB Designer and Orcad PCB Designer with PSpice are two new product suites included in the new Orcad 10.3 release, which features additional enhancements to the entire Orcad product line. Offering PCB designers high-performance tools at affordable prices, this latest release to the Orcad product line continues to deliver enhanced productivity and provide easy scalability to the full range of Cadence Allegro PCB offerings.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cad/cad249.html
or send a blank email to mailto:cad2[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[3] CONNECTOR RATIONALISES BACKPLANE DESIGN
(FCI, 26 October 2004)
In launching the second variant of its AirMax VS backplane connector, FCI is helping system design engineers to reduce the number of layers in their high speed backplanes and daughtercards by as much as 50% while improving the electrical performance of interconnections. Unique in its construction, the AirMax VS (Virtual Shield) connector uses an insert moulded leadframe assembly (or IMLA) to carry both differential pair and single ended signals. Each signal path and each IMLA is separated by air, which eliminates the need for interleaving grounding shields.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/fci/fci126.html
or send a blank email to mailto:fci1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[4] CPCI ENCLOSURE IS IDEAL HOME FOR ANALYSIS SYSTEMS
(Advantech (UK), 25 October 2004)
The CP-150 is a robust portable CompactPCI enclosure with 15in touch LCD monitor. With verified rugged and high impact design, the CP-150 provides many flexible and powerful features. Compliant with CompactPCI specification, this all-in-one model is the most pragmatic solution for any mobile application. The CP-150 is the most compact CompactPCI computer on the market accommodating a 15in super TFT LCD screen for a truly satisfying viewing experience.
Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/axv/167/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/axv/axv167.html
or send a blank email to mailto:axv1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[5] SBCS ADD FPGA COPROCESSING TO NETWORKING HARDWARE
(SDC Systems, 20 October 2004)
Shadwell is a new family of Gigabit Ethernet single board computers designed by ADI Engineering, a leading provider of complete communications product solutions and development services for processors based on Intel XScale and IXA technologies. Designed for enterprise network security devices such as TCP/IP offload engines (TOE), firewalls, VPN equipment, IPSec and SSL accelerators, intrusion detection, and cryptography equipment, Shadwell supports line wire speed in both single and dual port versions.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/sdc/sdc102.html
or send a blank email to mailto:sdc1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[6] OPTICAL PROXIMITY SENSOR LOOKS FOR MOBILE USES
(Agilent Technologies, 21 October 2004)
A new miniature, low-cost optical proximity sensor will enable a variety of applications in compact mobile devices. In mobile phones, for example, Agilent's proximity sensor enables an automatic change from loudspeaker to earpiece mode when the phone is placed near the ear. Current phone models require user intervention to switch between loudspeaker and earpiece mode. The new device can also detect the opening and closing of popular clamshell mobile phones and can activate the power-saving mode in notebook computers.
Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/agi/254/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/agi/agi254.html
or send a blank email to mailto:agi2[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[7] CHIPSET IS ALL-IN BLUETOOTH HANDS-FREE CAR KIT
(STMicroelectronics, 20 October 2004)
STMicroelectronics has released a high-performance Bluetooth-based hands-free car-kit reference design. Featuring noise and echo cancelling, ST's Blue HFCK is ready-to-use, extremely easy to install, and suitable both for OEMs and as an after-market solution. As a worldwide standard for the wireless exchange of data between two devices, Bluetooth allows the use of a standard protocol, independent of the cell phone. Requiring a standard 12V supply, the product uses advanced DSP technology, optimised for audio applications, to provide powerful functionality, including echo cancelling, noise suppression and voice activation.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/stm/stm126.html
or send a blank email to mailto:stm1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[8] LIGHT GOES BACK AND FRONT FOR CLAMSHELL DESIGNS
(Omron Corp, 21 October 2004)
Omron Corp has developed the world's first reversible light module for clamshell-type mobile phones. Until today, two backlight modules and two liquid crystal displays were needed for the clamshell-type phone display, but with this development both the main and subdisplays can be created with only one liquid crystal display and one reversible light module. This will lead to technology improvements in handset design by not only reducing the number of parts needed but also reducing the cost, thickness and weight.
Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/oro/115/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/oro/oro115.html
or send a blank email to mailto:oro1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[9] CMOS ANTENNA SWITCH IS A FIRST FOR DUAL-BAND GSM
(Peregrine Semiconductor, 21 October 2004)
The PE4261 is billed as the world's first flip-chip SP4T RF antenna switch for dual-band GSM handset applications. This new landmark device provides antenna switch module (ASM) manufacturers the lowest total height and smallest footprint solution by implementing flip-chip packaging. The use of advanced packaging technology reduces the PCB area by a factor of nine when compared to conventional wire bonding.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/peg/peg101.html
or send a blank email to mailto:peg1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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[10] BUNDLE PROVIDES EASY INTRO TO FLASH MICRO
(Farnell InOne, 26 October 2004)
The world's smallest microcontroller, the PIC10F206 created by Microchip Technology, is now available from Farnell InOne in an exclusive bundle starter kit. These revolutionary 6-pin Flash devices provide ideal solutions for design engineers in many markets not previously served by microcontrollers, such as easy bug fixes for ASIC and printed circuit board designs, replacing standard logic and timing components, or traditional mechanical timers and switches.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/far/far144.html
or send a blank email to mailto:far1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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New Technical Articles and Case Studies
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TRANSCEIVER CHIP ENABLES COMPACT EMBEDDED WIRELESS
(Xemics, 21 October 2004)
Radiotronix has just released its popular Wi.232DTS embedded wireless module in a European version, operating in the unlicensed 868MHz band.
Free brochure on XE1203:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/xem/143/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/xem/xem143.html
or send a blank email to mailto:xem1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
THREE-CHIP SOLUTION ENABLES EDGE ON PC CARDS
(Renesas Technology Europe, 26 October 2004)
A quad-band Edge RF system solution from Renesas Technology is being used by Sierra Wireless in its new Edge wireless wide area network cards, including the AirCard 775.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ren/ren161.html
or send a blank email to mailto:ren1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
EMBEDDED DATABASE AIDS REAL-TIME DATA MANAGEMENT
(Logic Technology, 20 October 2004)
F5 Networks is using McObject's tiny-footprint eXtremeDB in-memory embedded database to provide reliable, real-time data management within its BIG-IP family of Internet traffic optimisation devices.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/lct/lct116.html
or send a blank email to mailto:lct1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
SOFTWARE CUTS BLUETOOTH DEVELOPMENT TIME
(The MathWorks, 26 October 2004)
CSR is using Matlab to develop algorithms for its latest family of Bluetooth products.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/mth/mth133.html
or send a blank email to mailto:mth1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
X-RAY ANALYSIS ENSURES CRITICAL PCB QUALITY
(Contax, 26 October 2004)
International defence and aerospace giant BAE Systems has purchased a Phoenix X-Ray PCBA Analyser to ensure the quality of its PCB production and work towards the IPC7095 standard.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/cnt/cnt121.html
or send a blank email to mailto:cnt1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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Other featured product news
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ULTRAWIDEBAND AMP RUNS UP TO 45GHZ
(Ommic, 20 October 2004)
Ommic has added a new ultrawideband amplifier to its product portfolio.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/omm/omm102.html
or send a blank email to mailto:omm1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
DIGITAL SIGNAL CONTROLLERS AID FUEL ECONOMY
(Texas Instruments, 21 October 2004)
A new range of high performance DSP-based controllers from Texas Instruments has received Q-100 qualification from the Automotive Electronics Council (AEC).
Free brochure on C28x digital signal controllers:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/tex/701/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tex/tex701.html
or send a blank email to mailto:tex7[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
LIN AND CAN TRANSCEIVERS COME WITH PROTECTION
(ON Semiconductor, 21 October 2004)
ON Semiconductor has released its first Local Interconnect Network (LIN) transceivers, Controller Area Network (CAN) transceiver and EMI/ESD protection circuits for LIN/CAN transceivers.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/onw/onw162.html
or send a blank email to mailto:onw1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
FIBRE CHANNEL CONTROLLER SPEEDS ON PCI EXPRESS BUS
(Agilent Technologies, 25 October 2004)
Agilent Technologies has developed the industry's first 4Gbit/s Fibre Channel controller IC to use the new PCI Express system bus.
Free brochure on HPFC-6400A and HPFC-6200A:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/agi/255/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/agi/agi255.html
or send a blank email to mailto:agi2[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
UNITS DELIVER HIGH POWER RF PROTECTION
(Smiths Interconnect - Polyphaser, 26 October 2004)
The new SXL series of surge and lightning protection units deliver high power RF protection across a wide bandwidth enabling the same units to be used for many different applications.
Free brochure on SXL series:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/ply/108/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ply/ply108.html
or send a blank email to mailto:ply1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
COMPACT CPU CORE AIMS FOR COST-SENSITIVE CIRCUITS
(ARM, 20 October 2004)
The ARM Cortex-M3 processor is specifically designed to meet the requirement for high system performance in extremely cost-sensitive embedded applications.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ank/ank179.html
or send a blank email to mailto:ank1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
SOFTWARE KNOCKS OUT BACKGROUND NOISE
(Spirit Corp, 20 October 2004)
A new distortion free noise cancellation solution for portable devices can eliminate up to -10dB of background noise.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/spi/spi127.html
or send a blank email to mailto:spi1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
EMULATORS GAIN CACHE ANALYSIS CAPABILITIES
(Lauterbach, 21 October 2004)
Lauterbach will demonstrate its new method for cache analysis at Electronica 2004, allowing users of the Trace32 PowerTools product line to optimise the cache-hit rate of their applications.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/lau/lau119.html
or send a blank email to mailto:lau1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
A WHITER SHADE OF PALE
(Rittal, 20 October 2004)
From 1st January 2005 Rittal's complete range of enclosures and case systems including accessories, will change to light grey RAL 7035.
Free brochure on Enclosures and case systems:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/rit/182/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/rit/rit182.html
or send a blank email to mailto:rit1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
SURGE PROTECTION AND BATTERY BACKUP COME TOGETHER
(American Power Conversion, 26 October 2004)
The SurgePlus combines a surge protector with battery backup for high-performance computers and electronics.
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/ame/ame117.html
or send a blank email to mailto:ame1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
DRIVER AIDS LINUX-BASED ACQUISITION
(National Instruments, 21 October 2004)
NI-DAQmx Base is an open Linux driver and programming interface for NI E Series multifunction data acquisition devices and NI DIO-96 digital I/O devices.
Free brochure on NI-DAQmx Base:
http://www.electronicstalk.com/rdx/da/naa/171/4
* Read more: http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/naa/naa171.html
or send a blank email to mailto:naa1[-email removed-]lectronicstalk.com
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Have you seen our other newsletters?
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