The ever-optimistic Kinam Kim of Samsung Electronics noted that some people in industry say the limit of scaling is ~5 nm, to which he said, "I do not agree."

The economic slowdown could last five to 10 years and cost trillions of dollars, a top US economist has warned. He is urging the US government to introduce a second stimulus package of $500bn to boost the economy.

Solar power leaders remain hopeful in what could be a huge upturn in US solar demand, but continue to be careful about the rest of 2009 after being hit hard from the global credit predicament.

Synopsys has announced that its DesignWare DDR3/2 PHY and digital controller IP is the first DDR3 IP that has been fully verified in test silicon at 1600 Mbps, the maximum data-rate of the JEDEC DDR3 specification. DesignWare DDR3/2 PHY and the digital controller IP are available now in advanced process technologies for foundries.

As if the current downturn weren't challenging enough, the semiconductor industry is also headed for increasing challenges from higher design costs and production at smaller geometries, according to Aart de Geus, chairman and CEO of Synopsys.

China said it will introduce a preferential tariff it will pay energy companies that use solar power for their generating capacity, as part of the government's push for greater use of clean technology.

Australia's economy grew in the first quarter of 2009, defying a global slowdown and crunched confidence, and being one of the few developed nations to have side-stepped a technical recession.

Geithner said the two countries had already demonstrated they could co-operate in laying a foundation for economic recovery.

Optimists argue that the government's loose credit and fiscal policies have succeeded in staving off the worst of the economic downturn. However, there are growing concerns about the impact of these policies on the public finances.

The pace of decline in the job market eased again in May, a survey has shown, with permanent placements falling at the slowest rate for ten months.

SanDisk CEO Eli Harari once plotted to dethrone the iPod with a series of "iDon't" ads--a marketing campaign that cast Apple iPod users as fad-driven sheep, and promoted his company's Sansa media players as the smart alternative.

Japan's factory output has jumped at its fastest rate in more than 50 years, but higher unemployment figures have dampened hope of an early recovery.

Pioneering Taiwan industry leader Morris Chang says better focus is needed. "I think that the Chinese side is still intent on building their own integrated supply chain. They are assisting their design companies and their foundries. It's such a shortsighted policy..."

Micron Technology on June 1 announced that it has signed an agreement to sell a majority interest in its imaging solutions business, Aptina Imaging. Micron will retain a 35% minority stake in the independent, privately held company.