General Mobile Corporation (GMobi) announced the purchase of MassiveImpact, a leading performance advertising platform specializing in social media promotion of mobile applications. With this latest acquisition, GMobi now provides app developers with a comprehensive advertising platform, encompassing a variety of web, mobile, and social channels.MassiveImpact reaches over 1 billion users in 190 countries, with blue chip clientele including leading tech, retail and gaming brands Gameloft, Citibank, AIA, Tencent, and Baidu, among others. The acquisition of MassiveImpact will complement existing mobile technology services provided by GMobi such as Firmware-Over-The-Air (FOTA) updates, secure mobile payments, and mobile advertising.The new, all-inclusive mobile ad platform utilizes advanced ad conversion metrics to gain increased user discovery and enhance sales capabilities. For GMobi customers, the MassiveImpact acquisition means greater value via optimized targeting, content delivery, and end user experiences through the company's Real Time Performance (RTP) platform."We're excited to revolutionize how brands connect with consumers. Combined, GMobi and MassiveImpact's technologies will transform mobile advertising experiences." said Paul Wu, founder and CEO of GMobi.MassiveImpact founder and CEO, Sephi Shapira, said that "The acquisition will add our strength and experience with social platforms to GMobi's existing marketing campaigns and put GMobi in a highly competitive position in the mobile advertising industry."About GMobi:General Mobile Corporation (GMobi) is a global provider of mobile Internet services and products, driving revenue in emerging markets for mobile devices Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM's). Founded in 2011, the company currently partners with more than 100 OEMs on projects across 2000 different Android models, reaching over 150 million users worldwide. Headquartered in Taiwan, GMobi has offices in China, India, Russia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States.About MassiveImpact:With operational sites across the globe and reaching more than one billion mobile internet users from 190 countries, MassiveImpact is a leader in performance mobile advertising, backed by strategic investors in the mobile space including SoftBank and SingTel Innov8. The company's flagship pure-CPA (Cost Per Action) model guarantees advertiser return on investment and maximizes traffic monetization.

Leading semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Corporation (TSE: 6857) will showcase two multi-protocol systems for testing advanced storage devices at the chip, module and system level at the Flash Memory Summit on August 9-11 in Santa Clara, Calif. Advantest is an emerald sponsor of this year's 11th annual Summit.In booths #606-608 in Hall B of the Santa Clara Convention Center, Advantest will highlight its new MPT3000HVM system, designed to achieve the lowest cost in high-volume testing of solid-state drives (SSDs). It is the industry's first true multi-protocol SSD test solution and can support multiple form factors as well, making it the most versatile, modular and scalable SSD tester on the market. Downloadable firmware enables the MPT3000HVM to test any major protocol including SAS 12G, SATA 6G and PCIe with NVMe or AHCI. In addition, Stylus software makes the system easy to use and gives it the capability to be used in both engineering and production environments.Advantest's T5851 is capable of performing high-volume testing, as well as reliability and qualification testing, of protocol NAND devices. Based on the T5800 platform that has been adopted by several memory integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) and outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) companies, the flexible T5851 system can be configured for high-volume production and test up to 768 devices in parallel by matching it with an automated component handler such as Advantest's M624x series handler. Like the MPT3000 platform, it provides multi-protocol support in one tool for high-performance universal flash storage (UFS) devices and PCIe BGA SSDs. T5851 units with x512 and x768 parallel-testing configurations are now being shipped to customers.Both the MPT3000HVM and the T5851 system-level test solutions use a tester-per-DUT architecture and proprietary hardware accelerator to deliver the fastest test times in the industry. Additionally, they leverage the same FPGA multi-protocol architecture, minimizing customers' capital investments and deployment risks.Stay up to date on the latest news from Advantest on Twitter @Advantest_ATE.

United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE:UMC;TWSE: 2303) ("UMC"), a leading global semiconductor foundry, today announced that it has verified on silicon its 0.18um Bipolar CMOS DMOS (BCD) process for the most stringent AEC Q100 grade-0 automotive ICs. The process is now ready for mass production, with qualified FDK and IP available for automotive applications such as power management IC (PMIC). The successful qualification enables UMC manufactured chips to be used for high-reliability vehicle applications within high temperature environments, and follows upon the foundry's successful mass production of AEC-Q100 Grade-1 automotive ICs."Semiconductor content in vehicles continues to increase at a rapid pace as auto electronics such as ADAS, infotainment and navigation constantly evolve," said SC Chien, senior vice president and head of corporate marketing at UMC. "More recently, higher expectations for emission reduction & energy efficiency have driven the demand for more advanced power electronics technology and components, which require the most stringent AEC-Q100 Grade-0 manufacturing to meet high temperature, zero-defect requirements. With our 0.18um BCD process, UMC is one of the only foundries compliant with AEC-Q100 Grade 1 & 0 semiconductor production specifications, and we look forward to helping more foundry customers gain entry into the thriving automotive IC market."UMC has a successful history as an automotive IC supplier, being the first foundry to receive ISO 22301 certification for business continuity management. The foundry implements a comprehensive "Automotive Service Package" that incorporates zero-defect manufacturing practices to help customers meet automotive quality requirements. In addition, UMC offers comprehensive Grade-0 IP including standard library, SRAM and OTP/MTP/eFuse that have been silicon verified in automotive IC products. ICs manufactured at UMC have been widely adopted by the world's most well-known carmakers in Japan, Europe, Asia and the United States.About UMCUMC (NYSE: UMC, TWSE: 2303) is a leading global semiconductor foundry that provides advanced IC production for applications spanning every major sector of the electronics industry. UMC's robust foundry solutions enable chip designers to leverage the company's sophisticated technology and manufacturing, which include volume production 28nm gate-last High-K/Metal Gate technology, ultra-low power platform processes specifically engineered for Internet of Things (IoT) applications and the automotive industry's highest-rated AEC-Q100 Grade-0 manufacturing capabilities for production of ICs found in cars. UMC's 10 wafer fabs are strategically located throughout Asia and are able to produce over 500,000 wafers per month. The company employs more than 17,000 people worldwide, with offices in Taiwan, mainland China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the United States. UMC can be found on the web at http://www.umc.com/Note from UMC Concerning Forward-Looking StatementsSome of the statements in the foregoing announcement are forward-looking within the meaning of the U.S. Federal Securities laws, including statements about introduction of new services and technologies, future outsourcing, competition, wafer capacity, business relationships and market conditions. Investors are cautioned that actual events and results could differ materially from these statements as a result of a variety of factors, including conditions in the overall semiconductor market and economy; acceptance and demand for products from UMC; and technological and development risks. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in UMC's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. UMC does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.

Innodisk, the service-driven flash and DRAM module provider, introduces two new series of SSDs featuring Innodisk's exclusive L architecture is for the latest Marvell NAND controller. These SSD's have a prolonged lifespan with exceptional performance and reliability. The SATA 3ME4 and PCIe 3ME series are especially design for industrial application.Exclusive L3 Architecture Firmware to Extend LifespanInnodisk's exclusive L architecture is L architecture multiplied LDPC (Low Density Parity Check). L (Long Life) architecture is a 4K mapping algorithm that reduces WAF and features a real-time wear leveling algorithm to provide high performance and enhance endurance. LDPC, a very powerful ECC technology, is now being used in MLC NAND flash memory to increase reliability, ensuring the L3 architecture's performance and endurance. In addition, Innodisk's exclusive industrial-oriented firmware provides a flexible customization service, making it perfect for a variety of industrial applications.Industrial PCIe Storage SolutionAs PCIe becomes a mainstream interface, more and more industrial PC makers have adopted the PCIe specification for storage devices. Innodisk presents the PCIe series SSDs to fulfill those needs. The PCIe 3ME series supports NVMe and AHCI interface, Gen III and HMB (Host Memory Buffer).SATA 3ME4 and PCIe 3ME Series FeaturesLDPC technology secures SSD reliabilityDRAM-less, high-level data integrityL3 architecture extends lifespanExcellent IOPS boosts system performanceBuilt-in thermal sensor Support S.M.A.R.T, TRIM, NCQ and iData GuardProduct AvailabilityInnodisk's launch of the SATA 3ME4 series offered in multiple form factors includes SATADOM, mSATA, M.2, CFast, SATASlim(MO297) and 2.5" SSD. The PCIe 3ME series is offered in M.2 2242 form factor. Both series support wide temperature and have a wide range of capacities to fulfil different applications. For additional information on these products and our SSD series, please contact your local Innodisk sales representatives or distributors, or visit us at http://www.innodisk.com/.About InnodiskInnodisk (Taiwan: 5289) is a service-driven provider of flash memory and DRAM products for industrial and enterprise applications. With satisfied customers across the embedded, aerospace and defense, cloud storage markets and more, we have set ourselves apart with a commitment to dependable products and unparalleled service. This has resulted in products, including embedded peripherals, designed to supplement existing industrial solutions and high IOPS flash arrays. Expanded business lines are leading our next steps in being a comprehensive solution and service provider in industrial storage industry.Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, Innodisk supports clients globally with engineering support and sales teams in China, Europe, Japan, and the United States. With abundant experience and an unrivaled knowledge of the memory industry, Innodisk develops products with excellent quality, remarkable performance, great cost-efficiency, and the highest reliability. For more information about Innodisk, please visit http://www.innodisk.com/.Innodisk launches next generation industrial-grade SSDs that offer endurance, reliability and high performance

From 25 – 29 October 2016, EuroBLECH 2016 will open its doors in Hanover, Germany. The exhibition will, once again, be the meeting place for sheet metal working professionals from all over the world looking to find enhanced machinery and innovative production solutions. Visitors will be able to discover an extensive variety of products, from conventional systems to high-tech solutions, and gain an insight into the latest technological advancements in sheet metal working. With this year's theme "The New Generation of Sheet Metal Working", EuroBLECH 2016 reflects the trend towards digitalisation and smart manufacturing in modern sheet metal processing. Five months ahead of the show, the organisers, Mack Brooks Exhibitions, announce a further increase in exhibition space of the world's leading trade show for this industry sector.A total of 1,410 exhibitors from 40 countries have already secured their stand space at this year's EuroBLECH, the 24th International Sheet Metal Working Technology Exhibition, covering a net exhibition space of 89,000 square metres across eight halls at the Hanover Exhibition Grounds. This represents an increase in net floor space of 3% compared with the previous exhibition and reflects the fact that exhibiting companies have booked bigger stands to demonstrate an even larger choice of enhanced machinery and cutting-edge solutions. Major exhibitor countries are Germany, Italy, China, Turkey, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain and Austria. EuroBLECH is traditionally renowned as a highly international event. The previous exhibition was more international than ever, with 52% of exhibitors and 37% of visitors coming from outside Germany. A total of 59,618 trade visitors from 105 countries attended the event in 2014.The New Generation of Sheet Metal WorkingToday's production is undergoing major changes. Automated production, machine-to-machine communication, intelligent process chains – smart manufacturing has now become an integral part of sheet metal working. Data exchange along the entire production value chain paves the way for optimised manufacturing processes, improved planning reliability, more flexibility and higher product quality. With product variety increasing and batch sizes decreasing, manufacturing processes in sheet metal working are becoming ever more complex and require highly efficient and flexible solutions. Companies in the industry sector are, therefore, currently facing an environment of change that requires vital decisions for the long-term adaptation of their production processes.With this year's theme "The New Generation of Sheet Metal Working" EuroBLECH reflects the prevailing somewhat revolutionary development in production technology. As the global business barometer and leading industry platform for the sheet metal working industry, EuroBLECH will present a large variety of tailor-made solutions for optimising and modernising production processes. Exhibiting companies will put a comprehensive range of machinery, tools and systems for the entire value chain of sheet metal processing on display. The exhibition profile includes sheet metal, semi-finished and finished products, welding and surface treatment, processing of hybrid structures, tools, quality control, CAD/CAM/CIM systems and R&D.Visitors will be able to see live demonstrations of a large variety of machinery and systems and discuss practical applications with top industry experts. The show targets all sheet metal working specialists at every management level in small and medium-sized companies as well as large enterprises. Visitors include design engineers, production managers, quality managers, buyers, manufacturers, technical directors and experts in associations and R&D.Information for visitorsA visitor brochure in twelve languages is now available from the organisers and can be ordered via the multi-lingual show website www.euroblech.com. The leaflet includes the show profile, a plan of the exhibition halls, practical information about the exhibition as well as useful information on travel and accommodation.The online exhibitor list, available at www.euroblech.com, is regularly updated and provides plenty of information on exhibiting companies. The online newsletter "EuroBLECH Bulletin" offers latest news about the show, its exhibitors and the industry sector. EuroBLECH can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. The official hashtag is #euroblech.EuroBLECH 2016 will be open from Tuesday, 25th October 2016, to Friday, 28th October 2016, from 9.00 – 18.00 and on Saturday, 29 October 2016, from 9.00 – 15.00. The show will take place in halls 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 27 at the Hanover Exhibition Grounds in Germany. www.euroblech.com

AMTC has recognized leading semiconductor equipment supplier Advantest Corporation (TSE: 6857) as their supplier of the year for 2015, marking the second consecutive year Advantest has received this honor. AMTC's survey, which is conducted on an annual basis, evaluates the performance of their main suppliers across a number of categories including commercial, compliance and partnership aspects. Advantest achieved this award by complementing AMTC's production environment tools with optimized measurement solutions and delivering industry-leading uptime via a strong customer-oriented team.AMTC develops and manufactures advanced masks to enable advanced semiconductor production processes. Advantest supplies AMTC with MASK MVM-SEM (3D CD-SEM) metrology equipment used to confirm that the critical dimensions of the masks produced comply with specifications. Working closely together, both companies align roadmaps and develop solutions to expand the coverage and productivity of existing tools, in step with high customer expectations."Advantest provides us with the necessary tools and support that enable us to continually improve our quality and productivity," said Mr. Thomas Schmidt, general manager of AMTC."Our team works hard at all levels to meet AMTC's requirements. This high rating and recognition validates our commitment to them. We continually strive to deliver solutions and services that exceed their expectations," said Josef Schraetzenstaller, managing director and CEO of Advantest Europe GmbH.About AMTCThe Advanced Mask Technology Center GmbH & Co. KG (AMTC) is an equally owned joint venture of GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Toppan Photomasks, Inc. AMTC is a world-leading center for the development and production of advanced photolithographic masks. More information is available at www.amtc-dresden.com.About AdvantestA world-class technology company, Advantest is a leading producer of automatic test equipment (ATE) for the semiconductor industry and a premier manufacturer of measuring instruments used in the design and production of electronic instruments and systems. Its leading-edge systems and products are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the world. The company also focuses on R&D for emerging markets that benefit from advancements in nanotech and terahertz technologies, and has introduced multi-vision metrology scanning electron microscopes essential to photomask manufacturing, as well as a groundbreaking 3D imaging and analysis tool. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest established its first subsidiary in 1982, in the USA, and now has subsidiaries worldwide. More information is available at www.advantest.com.

CAYIN Technology today announced the launch of its newest digital signage appliance and software in mid July. The new and improved SMP-NEO2 will come in a combo with SMP-2100, a durable and compact fanless player with high performance, while corresponding applications including servers and management software will rollout progressively.SMP-NEO2, the latest version of the bundled software, maintains the intuitive design from the first generation SMP-NEO. By trimming down processes that are redundant, the software is now leaner and lighter. This gives the designed hardware a much better performance that is not only stable, but faster in response to commands. With the added feature of online registration, SMP-NEO2 also provides an anti-theft environment to protect data and the software itself from being bootlegged.Alongside SMP-NEO2, comes SMP-2100, a solid metal build player perfect for a range of applications. The SMP-2100 comes with 2 HDMI outputs to ensure output quality, whereas the solid-state drive makes it a suitable choice for it to withstand rough handling. SMP-2100 will be the first model to adapt to the SMP-NEO2 software, which will be implemented to all future SMP-NEO models, including the 4K UHD model that is currently under development.To accommodate the new SMP-NEO2, content management server (CMS) Version 10 will also be released later in July, as its dedicated management enhancement software, SuperMonitor5, becomes available. The server software shares many characteristics as SMP-NEO2, including leaner processing, better performance, and a more secured environment. Though CMS V.9.0 supports SMP-NEO2, to receive full-function access when managing and grouping SMP-NEO2 players, users are encouraged to select CMS V.10.0.To learn more about the Versatile Digital Signage Player, SMP-2100, please go to CAYIN's website @ http://www.cayintech.com/digital_signage_products/digital_signage_player_SMP-2100.htmlAbout CAYIN TechnologyCAYIN Technology is a 12-year professional digital signage solution and software developer from Taiwan. By offering a complete portfolio of appliance-based digital signage solutions, CAYIN dedicates itself to being a reliable partner to clients worldwide and has successfully set up various applications globally. In order to best facilitate the deployment of its products, the company also provides tailored services to satisfy the ever-growing market demand for almost limitless applications.CAYIN Technology to launch software upgrade for its managing UI, SMP-NEO2, along with new product lines including players, servers, and complementing products

Leading semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Corporation (TSE: 6857) has introduced its Wave Scale™ generation of channel cards for the V93000 platform, which delivers unprecedented levels of parallelism and throughput in testing radio-frequency (RF) and mixed-signal ICs for wireless communications. Designed for highly parallel multi-site and in-site parallel testing, the new V93000 Wave Scale RF and V93000 Wave Scale MX cards substantially reduce the cost of test and time to market for today's RF semiconductors while creating a path for testing future 5G devices. The new cards target the RF and wireless communication market segments by providing highly efficient test solutions for the semiconductors that drive LTE, LTE-Advanced and LTE-A Pro smart phones as well as LTE-M, WLAN, GPS, ZigBee, Bluetooth and IoT applications. The new cards can handle today's market requirements and also projected technology changes for 5G networks. V93000 Wave Scale cards are architecturally advanced compared to current market offerings. Traditional RF test solutions have been using multi-site testing for RF devices, such as quad- or octal-site testing, but they test one RF standard per site at a time. Wave Scale RF and corresponding Wave Scale MX cards can simultaneously test multiple standards or multiple paths within each RF device, achieving in-site parallelism and high multi-site efficiency to significantly reduce the cost of test for these complex RF devices. The Wave Scale RF card has four independent RF subsystems per board with individual stimulus and measurement frequencies to allow testing of LTE, GPS, Bluetooth and WLAN devices at the same time. Each subsystem has eight individual ports, which simultaneously fan out the RF signal, and up to four independent measurement instruments. This enables each RF subsystem to be used for up to eight sites for running both RX (receiver) and TX (transmitter) tests simultaneously, delivering as many as 32 sites per card. The Wave Scale RF can support up to 6 GHz with each of its 32 RF ports per card. Along with its 200-MHz bandwidth and various other features including internal loopback and embedded calibration, this ensures a wide application range extending toward future 5G semiconductor devices. Optimized for analog IQ baseband applications and testing of high-speed DACs and ADCs, the Wave Scale MX high-speed card has 32 fully independent instruments per board and an additional parametric measurement unit (PMU) at each pogo for highly accurate DC measurements. Its 16-bit AC source and measurement functions provide optimized performance for dedicated baseband communication standards. With its 300-MHz bandwidth, this card can handle the latest advanced modulation standards including out-of-channel measurements on aggregated baseband channels. A flexible I/O matrix reduces loadboard complexity and boosts multi-site testing capabilities, providing full functionality at every pogo. No dedicated calibration equipment is needed, with only IQ calibration requiring a separate board. Both new V93000 cards, Wave Scale RF and Wave Scale MX, feature a hardware sequencer that controls the parallel, independent operation of all instruments. "Wave Scale allows our customers to keep pace with faster technology changes on upcoming generations of semiconductors," said Hans-Juergen Wagner, senior vice president of the SoC Product Group at Advantest Corporation. "Using Wave Scale, current and next-generation devices can be tested more efficiently and cost effectively, leading to faster time to market." The first Wave Scale cards have been installed at a fabless semiconductor company in China, where they are being used to test current LTE Category 6 devices and develop test protocols for LTE-Advanced Category 10 and Category 16 communication ICs and beyond. Advantest is now taking orders for Wave Scale RF and Wave Scale MX cards. Volume shipments to customers are expected to begin in the third quarter of this calendar year. About Advantest Corporation A world-class technology company, Advantest is the leading producer of automatic test equipment (ATE) for the semiconductor industry and a premier manufacturer of measuring instruments used in the design and production of electronic instruments and systems. Its leading-edge systems and products are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the world. The company also focuses on R&D for emerging markets that benefit from advancements in nanotech and terahertz technologies, and has introduced multi-vision metrology scanning electron microscopes essential to photomask manufacturing, as well as a groundbreaking 3D imaging and analysis tools. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest established its first subsidiary in 1982, in the USA, and now has subsidiaries worldwide. More information is available at www.advantest.com.

With rising global competition, shortened product life cycles and increasing demand for small-quantity mixed-model production, businesses around the world are endeavoring to accelerate Industry 4.0 development and the top priority is to upgrade traditional robots and machines with intelligent systems. Computer-on-modules (COM) that are at the heart of robot or machine controllers provide the quickest shortcut to an intelligence upgrade.Industry 4.0 is the dominant trend that has spurred the popularity of intelligent automation and smart factories based on intelligent machines (IM) and intelligent robots (IR). The critical challenge for manufacturers is turning legacy non-intelligent machines and robotic arms into IM and IR that enable computing, measurement, motion control and machine vision to enable customization of products and flexible mass production on the factory floor.Traditionally, leading machine and robot manufacturers used to develop their own controller boards. However, with new generations of CPUs being launched at accelerated speeds and machine equipment needing to incorporate the latest functions to meet Industry 4.0 demands, manufacturers have had to frequently change their controller board designs. Time delays required for designs to pass certifications also result in increased time-to-market. To circumvent these problems, manufacturers are starting to evaluate the use of embedded COMs as the computing core of customized carrier boards for their control boards. Machine equipment can therefore be upgraded with a simple replacement of the COM with the latest CPU and no need to redesign the entire control board, significantly accelerating the product development cycle.COM improves development efficiency but also introduces challengesThe COM design model combining the core module and carrier board has the advantage of boosted flexibility but there are still challenges to overcome. First of all, a COM is not a complete single board computer but is the system's core and controls peripheral applications through connections and specialized functionality on the carrier board. In the case of equipment malfunction, the added complexity may make it more difficult to identify the source of the problem from the carrier board, COM or peripheral cards. Therefore, without help of a professional team, locating the root cause can be time consuming.In addition, manufacturers with ambitions to develop IM or IR solutions tend to engage in projects that are diverse and often involve complex requirements such as firmware changes and BIOS customizations. Support for multiple operating systems including Windows, Linux and RTOS is also required so specific development kits are needed to ensure smooth development of both the carrier board and software. However, as many suppliers are outsourcing a large part of their development work to third-party vendors and have no plan to train their own software engineers, they lack the ability to solve problems independently and promptly provide the necessary technical support.ADLINK technical team provides on-site support for troubleshootingA leading international robotic arm manufacturer faced the challenges described above during its transition from internally designed controller boards to the adoption of the COM concept. ADLINK's COM Starter Kits complete with reference designs were able to eliminate most of the customer's problems.When customers encounter difficulties during development, ADLINK's technical team responds quickly and effectively to assist in addressing system integration issues, whether or not they are directly related to the COM. When necessary, our highly trained staff will visit the customer's on-site location to find the root cause of the problem. ADLINK is always ready to provide professional support to customers during the entire development process.With regards to R&D, ADLINK has made a significant investment in the establishment of a signal measurement laboratory. All computer input and output signal waveforms can be measured to ensure the COM design and manufacturing comply with the strictest standards. Moreover, complete design for manufacturing (DFM) verification principles are also introduced in the product design stage. All efforts are aimed at guaranteeing the utmost in product compatibility and reliability. ADLINK is also a step ahead of the competition in launching products with a wide operating temperature range to meet a variety of challenging customer requirements.ADLINK provides complete solution with one-stop design and manufacturingWith the exception of printed circuit boards, ADLINK develops its COM products independently from scratch, from design to manufacturing, and therefore has the ability to meet a wide range of customer requirements, including firmware changes and BIOS customizations. Comprehensive support is provided for Windows, Linux, VxWorks and QNX operating systems, drivers and board support packages (BSP). Also available reference carrier boards and a wide range of interface conversion kits to speed up the development process for customers.ADLINK is among the world's five Premier Members of Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance so it has the advantage being able to deliver early sampling, leading competitors by over two months. ADLINK is also able to launch new COM products that keep up with every new generation of Intel processor, allowing customers to integrate the latest technologies into their control systems.In summary, the rapid rise of the Industry 4.0 trend is driving a booming market demand for intelligent machines and intelligent robots. Manufacturers of IM or IR solutions are joining efforts with the ADLINK COM team to accelerate the introduction of a wide range of intelligent automation applications, bringing the smart Industry 4.0 initiative closer to reality.The COM design model combining the core module and carrier board has the advantage of boosted flexibility

The driving forces of cloud technology, big data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT) have sparked a new wave of innovations for the retail industry. For retailers, the transformation to Retail 4.0 requires the integration of omni-channel retailing and online-to-offline (O2O) commerce. One of the key technologies to unlocking this transformation is digital signage.In the past, digital signage only provided one-way information delivery. With the advancement in image processing and IoT sensor technologies, digital signage today now provides smart, interactive technologies to engage customers in new exciting ways. The rise of more smarter, connected digital signage is bringing unprecedented opportunities for the retail market, helping retailers to become early adopters of Retail 4.0.Looking back at the retail evolution, the earliest form of retailing was open shelf stores, which then evolved into modern self-service supermarkets that marked the beginning of retail chains like Walmart and Tesco and the transition from Retail 1.0 to Retail 2.0. In Retail 3.0, the retail industry was introduced to e-commerce and gave rise to big online retailers like Amazon and eBay. Now in Retail 4.0, the retail industry has taken a path to O2O commerce, where physical retailers provide offline customers with interactive online shopping experiences, reshaping the value of brick-and-mortar stores.Jenny Shern, Assistant Vice President of NEXCOM's Interactive Signage Platform Business Unit (ISP BU), believes that interactive digital signage will become the catalyst to the Retail 4.0 transformation. Communicating information with vivid visual aids, digital signage is the most ideal point of interest to deliver sales-oriented content. Furthermore, with the integration of interactive technology and improved image processing, digital signage can display tailored messages to a specific customer, and simultaneously engage the customer with virtual interactions to increase product interest and dwell time. This will enhance the shopping experience, allowing customers to learn more about the product, increase purchase intent, and ultimately improve sales.Digital Signage: The Heart of Building Smart Retail SolutionsShern further points out that digital signage can integrate add-on software to create smart retail solutions that respond to the three major trends in Retail 4.0: omni-channel commerce, smart retail system and big data analytics.For omni-channel commerce, connected O2O kiosks can help physical retailers to integrate multiple online channels to provide real-time tailored advertising, product searching and checkout services, reinvigorating customer interactions and shopping experiences. O2O kiosks can also integrate augmented reality (AR) technology and serve as a virtual product assistant to provide more in-depth information. Additionally, O2O kiosks can offer in-store digital services such as product label scanning, automatic checkout and customer call support to reduce wait times and improve service levels. When not in use, O2O kiosks can also display promotions or entertainment content.For smart retail systems, in-store digital signage with image processing and tracking technology can visually see, sense or even hear the presence of nearby customers, and display dynamic content based on demographics. Take NEXCOM's smart retail solution for instance, which consists of the NDiS B535 digital signage player and exclusive in-house software PowerDigiS. The bundled solution integrates technologies such as high resolution camera, facial recognition, radio-frequency identification (RFID), electronic shelf label (ESL) and beacon notifications. It also integrates Microsoft Azure cloud service platform for data analysis of viewer demographics such as age, gender and other attributes to display content tailored to the interest of a target audience group.Boosting In-store Traffic with Big Data AnalyticsShern states that there is an increasingly fierce competition between businesses in the retail industry. Retailers are relentlessly finding ways to optimize retail management efficiencies and customer shopping experiences to increase in-store traffic and sales while reducing operating costs. By utilizing retail analytics, retailers can analyze customer buying behavior, effectiveness of product placements, in-store traffic patterns and other parameters, allowing retailers to revise strategies and adjust resources accordingly to improve operations. To provide the image processing performance required for such analytics, NEXCOM's high-performance digital signage player NDiS B426 features discrete NVIDIA graphics which can simultaneously analyze video streams of four IP cameras.Nelson Chang, Product Division Manager of NEXCOM's ISP BU, further adds that for retail analytics software, NEXCOM has collaborated closely with various regional partners to study and survey the needs and preferences of different markets to accurately provide the user interface and analytics algorithms relevant to each different sector. Customizations to fulfill special requirements are also available upon request.Facing Retail 4.0, brick-and-mortar retailers must have omni-channel and O2O strategies. Digital signage can help retailers with the implementation.