The company is making its SolarMagic technology available as a chipset that can be integrated into the junction boxes of solar panels. Until now, the power optimizer hardware, first introduced a year ago, was available as an add-on product.

Trina Solar announced its research agreement with the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore to develop an all-back-contact high-efficiency silicon wafer solar cell using Trina solar's monocrystalline wafers.

"ATIC is not in a position to do this in this stage of our capital deployment," said Ibrahim Ajami, CEO of Advanced Technology.

Hynix Semiconductor said on May 31 it would raise its capital expenditure by a third to 3.05 trillion won (US$2.5 billion) this year to take advantage of a strong recovery in the global technology sector.

Toshiba, Hynix, Micron and Elpida all moved up at least one position in the top 20 list, with Elpida jumping six spots.

Steve Ballmer was unconcerned that Apple overtook Microsoft as the world's largest technology firm.

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) is still in talks with Texas Instruments (TI) about taking over the operation of a 200mm fab in Chengdu, China, according to sources.

Greenliant, a new company headed by SST's former management, will use the acquired product lines to form the core of its solid-state storage product portfolio for the embedded system, data center, and mobile Internet markets.

Daimler AG and BYD set up a 50-50-owned new joint venture-Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology-to develop a new green-car brand for the Chinese market.

There are signs Apple's trendy iPhone is making inroads into boardrooms and offices.

The phone is designed to capture both wind and solar energy to maintain a charge anytime, anywhere. However, there are a few hiccups.