The Soapbox
Wi-Fi and Femtocells
September 7, 2010 7:47 am | by Rupert Baines, picoChip (www.picochip.com) | Blogs | CommentsAlthough it is tempting to portray technology discussions as “battles” with a winner and loser, more often they will co-exist with technologies serving different needs at different times.
Energy 107 – Solar Cells I
August 23, 2010 4:49 am | by Ken Johnson | Blogs | CommentsThis episode pertains to a different kind of solar energy electric power generator, the Photovoltaic Cell (PV), commonly called ‘solar cells’. But before we embark on that subject, a reference was made in the reader Comments of the last episode (ENERGY 106), about another Solar Thermal Energy system...
Regulations and responsibility
July 20, 2010 7:54 am | by Alix Paultre, Editorial Director, ECN | Articles | CommentsIs the designer responsible for the effects of the device created? Is the manufacturer? What about the salesperson or the marketing department creating the demand? Is the user ultimately responsible? Every tool and technology, no matter how mundane, has effects beyond the intended function.
Energy 106 – Solar Thermal
July 15, 2010 5:04 am | by Ken Johnson | Blogs | CommentsBefore becoming engrossed in the topic of this episode, there were some rather interesting recent occurrences associated with the last episode, “Energy 103 – Wind Turbines II”, which alluded to my theory that tornados which occur in ‘Tornado Alley’ in the Midwestern US...
Technology Disasters Share Long Trail of Hubris
July 13, 2010 5:57 am | by SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer | News | CommentsTechnology isn't as foolproof as it seemed.
ControlPanelGRC Helps Powell Electronics Perform
July 9, 2010 6:42 am | by Mike Ayars, SAP Project Manager, Powell Electronics (www.powell.com) | Blogs | CommentsOverly broad accesses in SAP was a concern for Powell, as a user could either accidentally or intentionally execute potentially harmful transactions outside of their job functions.
Optocouplers and Cigarettes
July 1, 2010 11:40 am | by Don Alfano, Director of Applications, Isolation and Machine Interface Products, Silicon Labs (www.silabs.com) | Blogs | CommentsOptocouplers and cigarettes have a lot in common. Both burn excessive energy during operation and get hot as a result.
Factor-in Femtocell Traffic
June 25, 2010 9:55 am | by Rupert Baines, picoChip (www.picochip.com) | Blogs | CommentsLet's look at the controversy that operators have triggered by including femto traffic into the data plan - i.e. you use up your quote even if using your femto on your broadband.
Energy 105 – Wind Turbines II
June 21, 2010 5:08 am | by Ken Johnson | Blogs | CommentsA couple of statements made about vortices in previous episodes have prompted several comments and queries. Then just recently there was a news story about an airliner incident where it hit an “air pocket” or CAT (Clear Air Turbulence) as it is called.
Fast Times for Femtocells
June 18, 2010 9:37 am | by Rupert Baines, picoChip (www.picochip.com) | Blogs | CommentsThese are busy times for the femtocell industry.There are now 13 operators who have launched service, including 3 out of 3 in Japan and 3 out of 4 in USA.
Device Data Demands Pressure Networks
June 14, 2010 7:17 am | by Rupert Baines, picoChip (www.picochip.com) | Blogs | CommentsLast week AT&T announced some big changes to its pricing and data models to deal with the increasing number of devices demanding data from the network, particularly with the launch of the 3G version of the iPad.
Video Games: A Corrupting Influence or Wholly Misunderstood?
June 10, 2010 6:33 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsAre video games a corrosive, pernicious cancer on society, corrupting our nation’s youth? Or do they represent a nascent, wholly misunderstood medium? Video games have stirred controversy since Pong, but as the medium has matured, the cries for regulation have intensified.
Everything is Going Digital – Including Reference Books
May 3, 2010 7:05 am | by Diana Bittern, director of product management at Knovel (www.knovel.com) | Blogs | CommentsSimply put, static print has seen its hay-day and the general population is hungry for ways to find and absorb information faster, and on-the-go.
Should Apple Cede its “Gatekeeper” Role?
April 27, 2010 7:23 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsYesterday, Wired posted an inflammatory article calling for transparency in Apple’s App store. A reasonable request, but the piece goes further, arguing that Apple is muzzling free speech—or in the author’s hyperbolic language, Apple could “take control of the press.”
Energy 103 - Our Major Source
April 20, 2010 5:06 am | by by Prof. Ken Johnson, Ret. | Blogs | CommentsThere is no doubt the primary source of the Earth’s energy has been and continues to be the Sun (officially called Sol).
FCC's National Broadband Plan - Are the Goals Achievable?
April 16, 2010 6:18 am | by Nancy Maas, Editor-in-Chief, WDD | Blogs | CommentsThe FCC recently unveiled its National Broadband Plan outlining specific recommendations to ensure that every American and business has access to affordable mobile broadband.
Older CFLs Interfere with Cable TV Equipment
April 13, 2010 7:52 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsPhillips Electronics has admitted that early CFL models can interfere with cable TV equipment. When CFLs first turn on, their flickering affects the infra-red sensors on remote control receivers. This causes TVs to randomly turn on and off and switch channels.
The Industry Needs Bus Bars
April 13, 2010 6:52 am | by Ken Brandmier, director of new product development, Custom Electronics | Blogs | CommentsThe fundamental purpose of a bus bar, like a wire or cable, is to connect two or more points of a circuit. However, bus bars offer many other advantages over conventional cables.
Sony removes PS3 Linux support
April 1, 2010 6:59 am | by Andrew Maiman | Blogs | CommentsSo, even if you haven’t heard the latest news regarding Sony and the PlayStation 3 it will come as no surprise that they’re up to their anti-consumer practices once again. According to a blog entry on the official Sony web site, they have released a new firmware version (3.21) todayThis new “update” removes the ‘Other OS’ feature that is present on older PS3s...
On Mobile Broadband and Spectrum Availability
March 16, 2010 5:25 am | Blogs | CommentsI’ve recently read Peter Rysavy’s excellent analysis on the demand for mobile broadband and spectrum availability; the report is very interesting & well worth reading.
Energy 101 - The Basics
March 8, 2010 4:23 am | Blogs | CommentsSince there is a great worldwide debate going on about “energy”, some of the debate participants need to refresh their memories, or in some cases, learn something about the basic ‘Energy Laws’ (EL), associated with it’s utilization and conversion from one form to another.
US Must Do More to Prevent Loss of Clean Energy Manufacturing Jobs
March 5, 2010 4:16 am | by Sam Haswell, Apollo News Service | Blogs | CommentsThe United States must commit to developing a domestic manufacturing sector capable of meeting heightened demand for the parts, systems and components of the growing clean energy economy...
A New Way of Doing Business with China
March 3, 2010 10:20 am | by Joseph Wong, VP, Made-in-China.com | Blogs | CommentsIt wasn’t long ago that sourcing products overseas meant logging endless hours of plane travel, working with numerous in-country middlemen, and hoping with a dose of optimism that the products were of the best quality.
Free Web and Content
February 24, 2010 4:53 am | by Wolf Homma | Blogs | CommentsTheft is theft, and the fact that theft is easy in the digital age does not change this. Quality must be paid for, and that applies to entertainment and news alike. Will web-based news outfits be able to pay for a network of qualified correspondents in all countries of the world, for in-depth reports and thorough research?
The Power of Collective Intelligence
February 19, 2010 3:47 am | by Alisha Mowbray, Senior VP, innovation marketing, element14 | Blogs | CommentsElectronic design engineers are facing greater pressure than ever before to rapidly create new solutions, and manufacturers are continually developing new technologies to help them to do so.
