Serving the Electronic Design Community Since 1956
World's first fuel cell aircraft takes off in Germany
July 7, 2009 7:35 pm | Blogs | CommentsThe world's first piloted aircraft capable of taking to the air using only power from fuel cells took off in Germany Tuesday, producing zero carbon dioxide emissions, its makers said. "We have improved the performance capabilities and efficiency of the fuel cell to such an extent that a piloted aircraft is now able to take off using it," said Johann-Dietrich Woerner from the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
Justice Deptartment Eyeing Telecom Probe
July 7, 2009 7:03 am | News | CommentsThe U.S. Justice Department has begun looking at big telecom companies such as AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications to try to determine if they have abused their market power, the Wall Street Journal reported in its online edition on Monday. The journal, which cited people familiar with the matter, said the Antitrust Division's review was in its very early stages and was not yet a formal probe of any specific company.
Illuminated Switch Offers Cap Options
July 7, 2009 6:37 am | Product Releases | CommentsWith a mechanical life of over 500,000 cycles, the TL1220 illuminated tactile switch from E-Switch has multiple illuminated cap options that include graphics.
DC/DC Converters Accept Wide Input
July 7, 2009 6:23 am | Product Releases | CommentsMeasuring 26 mm x 12.5 mm x 9.3 mm, the IM and IT series of 2-W and 3-W DC/DC converters from XP Power provide a 4-to-1 input range with an I/O isolation of 1.5 kV for up to 1 minute, Ideal for mobile, portable, and wireless devices, the converter takes an input from either 9 VDC to 36 VDC or 18 VDC to 75 VDC in versions providing a single or dual output.
Sharp Creates Camera-Based 'Black Box' for Cars
July 7, 2009 5:45 am | Product Releases | CommentsPainstakingly detailed work to reconstruct the circumstances of traffic accidents will soon be a thing of the past, at least in Japan. Sharp has developed a black box for the domestic market that can record up to six hours of travel. The heart of the high-tech travel recorder is a 2-MP CMOS sensor in 1/4 format, combined with a 180° lens in order to record what happens across the entire width of the road.
Micro D Connector Provides HDMI Link
July 7, 2009 5:45 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe 19-pin HDMI Type D (micro) connector from Molex provides a miniaturized solution for delivering high definition video and images from portable devices to flat panel screens while meeting all electrical and mechanical specifications of the HDMI Specification 1.4.
Internet Explorer Slides in Share Against Competitors
July 7, 2009 5:31 am | by Mark Long | News | CommentsMicrosoft's share of the global and North American browser markets continued to fall in June, according to StatCounter. The latest data from the Dublin-based Web metrics firm shows the software giant's Internet Explorer browser lost 9.27 percentage points of global market share during the past 11 months.
Amplifier Consumes Less Power
July 7, 2009 5:09 am | Product Releases | CommentsIdeal for cable and VoIP modems, the MAX3518 is a low-power, DOCSIS 3.0 upstream amplifier by Maxim Integrated Products which consumes 1.25 W when configured for 31dB of gain and + 64 dBm and 25 mW in transmit-disabled mode.
MIcrosoft Sends Out Alert on New Security Hole
July 7, 2009 4:39 am | by JORDAN ROBERTSON | News | CommentsMicrosoft Corp. has taken the rare step of warning about a serious computer security vulnerability it hasn't fixed yet. The vulnerability disclosed Monday affects Internet Explorer users whose computers run the Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 operating software.
US Sets New Stem-Cell Research Rules
July 7, 2009 4:24 am | by LAURAN NEERGAARD | News | CommentsThe government issued final rules Monday expanding taxpayer-funded research using embryonic stem cells, easing scientists' fears that some of the oldest batches might not qualify and promising a master list of all that do.
Next-Gen Incandescent Bulbs Revive Old Debates
July 6, 2009 9:56 pm | by by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsThose writing incandescent’s obituary may want to stay their pen. The NY Times reports on the efforts towards modernizing the “Edison lightbulb.” Leading the pack is Philips’ Halogena Energy Savers, purportedly 30% more efficient than similar incandescent bulbs. The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act sounded the death knell for traditional incandescents. While it doesn’t ban incandescents, it does set wattage limitations and other restrictions
Judge Approves GM Breakup
July 6, 2009 7:29 am | by Emily Chasan and Ajay Kamalakaran | News | CommentsA U.S. judge on Sunday approved General Motors Corp's bankruptcy sale in a move that will allow the company's most profitable assets to exit bankruptcy protection under government ownership. Under the deal, 'New GM' will operate the best parts of the old company, including its Chevrolet and Cadillac brands, with a less expensive workforce, smaller dealer network, and much less debt. The rest of the company will be liquidated.
Converter Delivers Power to 3G Handsets
July 6, 2009 7:19 am | Fairchild Semiconductor | Product Releases | CommentsProvided in a 12-bump, 0.5mm pitch CSP package, the FAN5902 RF power DC/DC converter from Fairchild helps extend talk-time in 3G handsets by adapting the voltage supply level to the RF power sent through the antennae. Operating at 6MHz, the device offers up to 800mA rms current output capability
Rocker Switch is Addressable
July 6, 2009 6:58 am | Product Releases | CommentsOffering the look and feel of a traditional Electro-mechanical control, the N-Series Addressable Switch from Carling Technologies provides an alternative to a CAN/LIN based switch with up to 144 individual switch IDs using a resistive ladder circuit. Different switch IDs are achieved by changing the resistor values tied to individual loads.
Mobile Computer Serves Military Apps
July 6, 2009 6:45 am | Product Releases | CommentsBased on an Intel Core 2 Duo U7500 processor, the PWS-8101M 10.4” XGA TFT LCD mobile computer from Advantech meets military-grade MIL-STD-810F and MIL-STD-461E requirements. Features include 802.11 a/b/g WiFi, built-in Class2 V2.0 +EDR Bluetooth, Windows XP Pro and an optional 3.5G/HSDPA GPRS and SiRF III GPS.
