Serving the Electronic Design Community Since 1956
Apple probes iPhone explosion reports: EU
August 18, 2009 5:44 am | by Reuters | News | CommentsApple Inc is investigating media reports that one or more of the company's iPhones have exploded in Europe, a European Commission spokeswoman said on Tuesday. The spokeswoman for the EU executive, which oversees the safety of consumer products sold in the 27-country bloc, said Apple had
DC/DC Converters Include 8:1 Input Voltage Range
August 18, 2009 5:38 am | Product Releases | CommentsWith an 8:1 input voltage range of 18 V to 135 V, the IQ64 family of half brick dc/dc converters from SynQor purportedly doubles the existing 4:1 input ratio standard. The converters achieve up to 90 percent efficiency at full load. The half-brick format is comprised of nine output voltages, including 1.8 V, 3.3 V, 5 V, 12 V, 15 V, 24 V, 28 V, 40 V, and 48 V.
Telecom operators hurt selling iPhones
August 18, 2009 5:28 am | by Tarmo Virki, European technology correspondent (Reuters) | News | CommentsHeavy subsidies shelled out by telecom operators around the world to lure consumers to buy an Apple iPhone have done nothing to increase profits, and have even dented them in some cases, a research report showed on Monday.
Power Supplies Achieve Efficiencies Greater than 90%
August 18, 2009 5:19 am | Product Releases | CommentsConsuming less than 0.5 W standby power, with typical efficiencies in excess of 90 percent, the Mean Well GS220 series of 220 Watt AC-DC desktop power supplies from PowerGate meets Energy Star, EISA, and CEC Level V compliance. The power supplies consist of 5 single-output models with outputs ranging from 12 Vdc to 48 Vdc.
Group Sets Wireless Power Standards
August 18, 2009 4:25 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Wireless Power Consortium released today the 0.95 technical specification for review by its members and announced the launch of prototype testing at a members' interoperability test to be held on 15-17 September, 2009. The Consortium also announced that it has chosen the logo “Qi” (pronounced “chee”, meaning “energy flow”) to represent the first international wireless power standard which brings new levels of convenience to power charging in consumer electronic devices.
The Tin Foil Hat Brigade Strikes Again
August 17, 2009 12:33 pm | by by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsIn what’s sure to encourage conspiracy nuts worldwide, Britain has released the government's complete file on the "Rendlesham Forest Incident" of December 1980. The 191-page document was released as part of a larger cache of British “UFO files” covering the years 1981-1996. Lacking a concrete explanation, the government had nonetheless determined that the UFO spotted in Rendelsham posed no threat.
Full-range, 100 W PFC Module Integrates EMI Filter
August 17, 2009 10:41 am | Product Releases | CommentsMartek Power introduced an active power factor correction and harmonic attenuation module with 100-W output power, extending the power range offered by the PFC family to 100 W to 1,000 W. The PF100 is a COTS unit for military and aerospace applications and is
Simple Light Load Control Meets the New Energy Efficiency Standards
August 17, 2009 7:36 am | by Kevin Turchin, FAE Manager, ROHM Semiconductor USA | Blogs | CommentsEnergy efficiency standards have typically concentrated on two ends of the spectrum – full load efficiency and standby power. As a result, popular PWM buck regulators available today demonstrate high efficiency at full load (>80%) levels and incorporate standby circuitry to comply with the <1W and lower initiatives. Improved efficiency at all operating points is an important concern in the design of next generation “green” products.
AC Adapters Offer Widespread Compatibility
August 17, 2009 7:30 am | Phihong | Product Releases | CommentsFeaturing interchangeable AC input clips, the PSAA20R adapter series from Phihong purportedly enables widespread compatibility. Available in single 12 V, 24 V, and 48 V outputs, the series allows for the use of a single part number. The adapters feature a maximum no-load power draw of 0.3 W and an average operating efficiency of greater than 81 percent.
Sixteen-bit ADCs Reduce System Space, Component Count
August 17, 2009 6:40 am | Product Releases | CommentsTexas Instruments introduced a family of 16-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) packaged in a leadless QFN measuring 2.0 mm x 1.5 mm x 0.4 mm – 70 percent smaller than the nearest competition, according to the company. The ADS1115 family performs conversions at
China to Appeal WTO Ruling on Book, Movie Imports
August 17, 2009 6:03 am | News | CommentsChina will appeal a World Trade Organization ruling that ordered it to ease restrictions on imports of movies, music and books in a case brought by Washington, a Commerce Ministry spokesman said Monday. "We are actively preparing the documents to appeal," spokesman Yao Jian said at a news conference. Yao gave no details of the grounds for appeal but the government last week denied that it obstructed imports.
DNA Scaffolding Builds Tiny Circuit Boards
August 17, 2009 6:01 am | News | CommentsScientists at IBM Research and the California Institute of Technology announced a scientific advancement that could be a major breakthrough in enabling the semiconductor industry to pack more power and speed into tiny computer chips, while making them more energy efficient and less expensive to manufacture.
Scientists Find Rare Gene Behind Short Sleepers
August 17, 2009 5:59 am | News | CommentsScientists have discovered a gene that helps a mother and daughter stay alert on about six hours sleep a night, two hours less than the rest of their family needs. It's believed to be a very rare mutation, not an excuse for the rest of us who stay up too late. But the finding, published in Friday's edition of the journal Science, offers a new lead to study how sleep affects health.
Swine Flu Inspires new Video Game
August 17, 2009 5:50 am | News | CommentsSince swine flu first emerged in April, it has sparked panic, vaccine production and now, a video game. In an effort to further raise awareness, Dutch researchers have created a game that challenges players to control a new pandemic. "It is actually what is happening now, what is happening in the real world," said Albert Osterhaus, head of virology at the Erasmus Medical Center, who designed "The Great Flu" game with colleagues.
Shipment Growth Reassures Handset Industry
August 17, 2009 5:19 am | News | CommentsThe recent 2Q09 earnings results of the world’s top five handset vendors by volume showed a quarter-on-quarter growth of 12.1% in shipment numbers, led by LG, Samsung and Nokia. With channel inventory reduced to more normal levels, prospects for continued quarterly growth in 2H09 have improved.
