At a press event held in New York, Acer has unveiled its latest mobile products including the Aspire R7, a 15.6-inch notebook; Aspire P3 ultrabook; Iconia A1 7.9-inch tablet; and updated Aspire V5 series notebooks and new Aspire V7 ultrabooks.The Aspire R7 features a Full HD 1920 by 1080 touch panel with a repositioned keyboard and an Ezel hinge that moves the display forward and into different positions.With four modes of operation, the R7 can be used as a traditional notebook, a desktop pad, a display, or switched into Ezel mode, allowing the screen to float over the keyboard at various angles.The Aspire R7 features a 15.6-inch touchscreen display, an Intel Core i5 processor, up to 12GB of memory, up to 1TB hard drive, or up to 256GB SSD and a full-size backlit keyboard. It also includes a volume control button, HDMI port, SD card reader, audio jacks, three USB ports, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a converter port supporting VGA, Ethernet and USB.The Aspire R7 will start shipping in June.Weighing 3.06lb and measuring 0.77-inch, the Aspire P3 delivers performance and long battery life in a highly portable form factor with an 11.6-inch IPS HD display, Intel Core i3 or Core i5 processor, built-in Acer Crystal Eye HD webcam, 5-megapixel back camera and 60GB or 120GB SSD for data storage, according to Acer.The Acer Aspire P3 comes with an optional stylus that fits in the case for users who want the convenience of pen-based input. It also comes with a full-sized USB 3.0 port so users can connect a mouse, printer, and other accessories. The Aspire P3 will start shipping in May.Acer also unveiled the Iconia A1, featuring a quad-core 1.2GHz processor from MediaTek, LED-backlit display with IPS technology and 170-degree viewing angle. The Iconia A1 also supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 as well as a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a front-facing camera with enhanced microphone. The micro USB 2.0 and microHDMI port enable quick transfer or sharing of customer's photos, music, videos and other digital content. The Iconia A1 is available in either 8GB or 16GB versions and has an option to add an additional 32GB storage via microSD memory card. The Iconia A1 will start shipping in June.Based on lifestyle and performance needs, users can choose models from the company's V series product lines with specifications including 15.6-inch, 14-inch or 11.6-inch displays. All models are available with a choice of touch or non-touch panel. Models are also available with next-generation AMD dual-core or quad-core processors, or the latest Intel CPUs. Select configurations also include Nvidia GeForce GT700M series or AMD Radeon HD8750 discrete graphics.The new V7 series ultrabooks include a variety of the latest Intel processors, solid state drives, Acer Theft Shield, the new Acer converter port and WiDi, Intel's Wireless Display technology. The Aspire V Series will start shipping in May.Acer Aspire R7 notebookPhoto: CompanyAcer Aspire P3 ultrabookPhoto: CompanyAcer Iconia A1 tabletPhoto: CompanyAcer Aspire V series notebookPhoto: Company

Leading international graphics card maker MSI has always been a key player in the competitive graphics card market. Thanks to its strong R&D capabilities and outstanding product performance, MSI's products have always received high acclaim by the media and consumers throughout the world. On the heels of having just announced the release of the HD 7790 graphics card, MSI recently launched the Radeon HD 7990 (MKT Name: R7990-6GD5), the most powerful graphics card on the planet. In addition to utilizing two of the latest 28 nm 7900 series GPUs based on the GCN architecture, the new card also comes equipped with 6GB of high-speed memory.The card's extreme specifications are guaranteed to meet the needs of extreme gamers and power users everywhere! MSI's popular Afterburner utility also fully supports the new HD 7990 with GPU Overvoltage. Apart from adjusting the core frequency and voltage as well as monitoring the graphics card's voltage, temperature, and memory utilization, Afterburner can also be used with MSI's powerful Kombustor benchmarking utility to easily test overclocking stability. AMD's exclusive Eyefinity 2.0 technology supports multiple display outputs to offer players a more immersive gaming experience. Support for the latest DirectX 11.1 next-generation rendering standard means the new graphics card delivers both ultimate performance and a wide range of powerful functions.Dual 28 nm HD 7900 GPUs for extreme performanceAMD's 28 nm process offers the dual advantages of high performance and low power consumption, delivering total performance that far exceeds previous products. The MSI HD 7990 is equipped with two 28 nm HD 7900 GPUs for unbelievable performance. In addition, the MSI HD 7990's massive 6GB of memory allows high-resolution graphics to be rendered more smoothly and large numbers of rendering tasks to be handled with ease, satisfying the needs of both gamers and professional workers alike.Exclusive MSI Afterburner: Overclocking with GPU frequency and voltage adjustmentsMSI's Afterburner overclocking utility has always been popular with the media, gamers and overclockers. Complete graphics card support and continuous updates makes Afterburner the ultimate graphics software option that competitors cannot outdo. Afterburner enables the card's core frequency and voltage to be adjusted and offers advanced fan speed controls, monitoring of various values, and multiple configuration settings. Right now, gamers can use the popular Predator video capture software to record in-game movies to share with friends and post them on Youtube. Also, the powerful and totally free Kombustor graphics card benchmarking utility allows for quick stability tests that clearly show the performance of the graphics card.AMD Eyefinity 2.0 multiple display technologyThe MSI HD 7990 supports AMD's exclusive Eyefinity 2.0 multiple display output technology. With four mini DisplayPort 1.2 output ports, a single card can be connected to up to five displays simultaneously with full support for 4K ultra-high definition video. A wider view not only improves productivity for professionals, but also provides gamers with even better, more immersive visuals during gaming. DisplayPort 1.2 also supports 3D video output and 7.1 channel lossless TrueHD and DTS-HD sound. The MSI HD 7990 offers full support for DirectX 11.1 and OpenGL 4.2 next-gen rendering standards so gamers can experience the most impressive and realistic gaming effects to date.Improved durability with solid state capacitorsThe MSI HD 7990 graphics card utilizes solid-state capacitors to ensure that the Tantalum core remains highly stable even after extended use under high load conditions. With a 10-year lifespan, users can rest easy knowing that their MSI card won't cause crashes or delays from overheating, and will instead continue to deliver the best computing experience possible for many years to come.For more information about MSI Radeon HD 7990, please visit: http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7990-6GD5.htmlMSI Radeon HD 7990

Global shipments of smartphones, tablets and notebooks are expected to top 1.3 billion units in 2013, with smartphones and tablets accounting for more than 85% of total shipments and the ratio of notebooks continuing to scale down, according to Digitimes Research. However, price competition in the smartphone and tablet sectors will become increasingly fierce as the focuses of the two segments are trending toward production of models for mass market instead of the high-end sector.Since the global industry ecosystem has changed profoundly due to the overlapping functionalities and market boundaries of mobile devices, Taiwan-based ODMs should also pay close attention to the competition triggered by the rise of China-based white-box makers, particularly by their efforts to build up their brand names, said Joanne Chien, senior analyst and director at Digitimes Research.Traditionally, tablets and notebooks are categorized into the mobile computing market, but tablets and e-book readers are categorized as mobile reading devices. Furthermore, tablets, notebooks and smartphones are all included in the mobile connected device sector, noted Chien, adding that the three categories of products have continued to maintain sustainable growth in today's ICT industry.For the global mobile connected device market in 2013, shipments of smartphones are expected to reach 882 million units of total shipments for the segment, while shipments of tablets will exceed 250 million units and notebook shipments are likely to decline 5-10% to less than 190 million units, Chien estimated.Prior to the rise of the tablet in 2009, it is worthy to note that notebooks and smartphones accounted for 48% and 52%, respectively, of the global mobile connected device market.Although it is generally perceived that the growth of notebooks has reached its peak - making notebooks mature products, the rise of the Android OS may reignite the notebook industry, Chien commented.Chien believes that there is room for further development of Android-based smartphones and tablets, although Android smartphones and tablets are likely to account for 70% and 60% of global shipments of smartphones and tablets, respectively, in 2013.Taking the shipments of iPads and iPhones for example, the shipment ratio of the two product lines stood at 30:70 in 2011, and the ratio changed to 33:67 in 2012. However, the shipment ratio of Android tablets and smartphones is estimated to reach 19:81 in 2013, indicating that Android tablets have potential for further development, Chien added.However, dominating the smartphone and tablet markets seems still not enough for Google since the Internet search engine giant has not yet taken over the helm of the PC computing segment. While Google Chrome has become a popular search engine, the operations of Chrome still lack flexibility as the search engine is mostly set on operation systems run by rival companies. Additionally, Google is also facing increasing competition in its core business, as Microsoft and Apple have also stepped up efforts to develop their own search engines and other Internet related services.Given that Google's core business is centered on back-end cloud computing basic infrastructure and applications, the company is believed to be planning to have a strong presence in the notebook industry as application-centric notebooks are expected to contribute more in terms of revenues and profits for Google compared to tablets and smartphones, Chien said.Google has adopted two tactics to penetrate into the computing industry - firstly, with the launch of Chromebook, said Chien. "Since the launch of Chromebook in 2010, Google has stepped up its efforts, and various Chromebook iterations have begun to proliferate in 2013."Although Android has yet to enter the notebook market officially, a number of design-in projects have begun since 2012, said Chien. "However, some situations have changed since Google announced plans to integrate its Chrome and Android teams, and it is believed that Google has delayed plans for the development of Android notebooks. But Google definitely will bring out alternative projects," she added.Google has also shifted away from the low-price approach it adopted initially to promote the Chromebook. It rolled out a touch-enabled Chromebook with a price of US$1,449 in February 2013 targeting the high-end segment. The launch of US$1,299-1,449 models indicates that Google is expanding its notebook portfolios with different sizes and prices.Currently, Google is cooperating with Hewlett-Packard (HP), Samsung Electronics, Lenovo and Acer for the production of Chromebooks. Among those hardware partners, HP has already launched a 14-inch model and is likely to roll out another 13-inch model priced at less than US$350 in the second half of 2013.Samsung focuses on the production of 12-inch Chromebooks currently, and is expected to launch models in the 13- to 14-inch segments in the second half of 2013.The low-price tactics adopted by Google previously has nevertheless accelerated the downward adjustment of the price of mobile devices. With the exception of notebooks, prices of other mobile devices have been declining at a rate faster than traditional PC systems. Taking smartphones for example, the maturing of the supply chain in white-box industry, the rise of emerging markets combined with the fact that smartphones have accounted for over 50% of the total handset market, have made smartphones a mass-market device. Consequently, prices of iPhones are also facing downward pressure.Price cutting in the tablet sector will become more apparent in 2013 due to factors including a continued drop of price setting at Apple, Microsoft and Amazon, the availability of US$99 models from some brands, the increasing popularity of 7- to 8-inch models, and the maturing of white-box products.Meanwhile, the failure of Microsoft Windows 8 to stir up replenishment demand for notebooks has also driven notebook prices downward, Chien said, adding that prices of touch-enabled Windows 8-based ultrabooks are also too high to attract consumers. However, a low-priced touch-enabled model launched by Asustek Computer in the fourth quarter of 2012 has been well received by the market. Other vendors are expected to follow suit in 2013.Notebook vendors will also see the replacement effect of tablets for notebooks further expand if the prices of tablets continue to drift lower. Additionally, a possible price cut for models below 12-inch by Microsoft will also add more price pressure on notebook brands.According to a survey conducted by Digitimes Research, the BOM (bill of materials) of the lowest-priced smartphones stood at US$30 in the first quarter of 2013, with the BOM likely to drop at a rate of US$5 quarter on quarter during the rest of the year. "The price of smartphones has dropped to the lowest possible levels in the white-box market, but the price war will continue in 2013 due to the ever-changing ecosystem," Chien stated.On the other hand, the entrance of newcomers into the processor market for tablets is also expected to trigger price-cutting competition in the tablet sector in 2013. For example, MediaTek has begun shipping application processors for tablets to Lenovo and Acer and may also add other branded vendors such as Amazon and HP into its client list soon. The adoption of application processors from suppliers such as MediaTek by branded and white-box tablet vendors will heat up competition.In the smartphone sector, the impact of the fledging smartphone industry in China on the global market will continue to expand. The ratio of smartphones shipped by China makers to total global smartphone shipments will rise to 35% in 2013 from 32% in 2012, while the entire smartphone industry is expected to grow 27.8% for the year.Among the top-10 brand vendors, Sony Mobile Communications, LG Electronics, Huawei and Lenovo boast the highest growth potential, followed by ZTE, Samsung, Apple and HTC, while Nokia or BlackBerry might be expelled from the top-10 ranking group in 2013, leaving the position to China-based Coolpad. The inclusion of Coolpad as one of the top-10 vendors will further enhance the influence of China-based smartphone makers, Chien stressed.Competition among Apple, Google and Microsoft will also intensify in 2013 as each of them will try to take market share from the others' territories, but the three platform operators will also stress solidification of their core businesses and play less prominent roles in the integration of software and hardware products.The entrance of Amazon, Google and Microsoft into the tablet market has resulted in profound changes in the sector, as all three vendors have been following the steps of Apple to operate by offering hardware with a platform service. While Google takes a great portion of its revenues from search advertising, Apple has completed the integration of hardware and software through iTunes, and Microsoft is pushing sales of its Surface tablets optimizing its strong OS and software products such as Office.However, the four platform vendors – Apple, Google, Microsoft and Amazon – have revamped their strategies since 2012 and are therefore leaving more space for hardware vendors to develop, Chien said.The four platform vendors are expected to head in different development directions in 2013, while shifting their efforts to focus on maintaining the competiveness of their core businesses and profit sources as well – a move which is expected to ramp up competition among the four main platform vendors, Chien concluded.Note: Data include white-box productsSource: Digitimes Research, March 2013Source: Digitimes Research, March 2013Note: Data include white-box productsSource: Digitimes Research, March 2013Digitimes Research senior analyst & director Joanne Chien

Leading motherboard, graphics card and computer peripherals maker MSI has expanded its Gaming catalogue with its first Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. Built on the popular Cherry MX Red linear switches, the MSI GK-601 provides superb feedback and sensitive key responsiveness. In order to deliver the highest quality standards in keyboards, each key on the MSI GK-601 is created with precision laser etching for extra resistance to wear and uses 18K gold plating to increase the stability while N-key rollover makes sure that every key-press registers. A rare yellow LED backlights the each individual key even after 50 Million key presses (per key) making them excellent for use at during day and night. With a massive 128KB of memory, 50 different macros can be stored to help you out in any gaming situation and high speed USB ports and Audio and Microphone jacks making this THE keyboard every gamer needs. Otherwise, MSI also releases Classic series Keyboard with Cherry MX Red linear switches and ergonomic design which brings the best experience for office or general users. Professional software, macro configuration and advanced key press technology A gamer's response time is faster than average and a pro-gamers hand-eye coordination exceeds that that of fighter pilots, but not everyone is blessed with concert pianists' key-press speed. That's why the MSI GK-601 comes with dedicated software that records 50 macros that allow you to perform in-game tasks at lightning speed, perform monotonous tasks with the press of a button or have pre-defined taunts ready to show your opponents why you've just beat them! The GK-601 comes with 128KB of internal memory for macros and hot-keys. This is twice the amount of memory of other brand's high-end gaming keyboards and stored macros can easily be exchanged between different systems Smart hotkeys and premium wiring All keys and connectors are 18K gold plated and use military-grade close-woven wiring. This drastically increases the durability and lifetime of the keys and ensures there is no signal corruption thus improving latencies leading to faster controls. A very important detail, the Windows button can be disabled to prevent in-game interruptions due to accidental key presses. This prevents tons of frustration or difficult system hacks to disable this Windows function. The use of high-end USB N-key Rollover technology ensures immunity to key ghosting and blocking. Finally, a set of Multimedia hotkeys allow for quick volume adjustments and playback control. Independent LED backlighting and laser etched key caps The MSI GK-601 uses a relatively rare backlight technique consisting of yellow LED with four levels of brightness. This helps gamers see every key in the dark and make their moves with ease. The breathing lights function adds a layer of mystery and tension. Precision laser etching and rigorous testing ensures that every key cap can withstand the relentless pounding of gamers without becoming worn or faded. e-Sports ergonomics The MSI GK-601 is laid out with the world standard 104-key layout. The ergonomic and rugged key press structure prevents player discomfort even after extended use. The MSI GK-601 also features highlighted WASD keys, two high-speed USB ports, audio out and microphone jacks and anti-skid feet. The high quality, convenience and expandability is your final destination in the quest for the best possible gaming keyboard! MSI CK series MSI GK-601 mechanical gaming keyboard

The semiconductor industry, particularly the wafer foundry segment, is one of the most competitive industries in Taiwan. However, the global optoelectronics industry has also been growing at a fast pace since the beginning of the 21st century, which is likely to be named the era of optoelectronics industry, according to National Taiwan University Professor Ching-Fuh Lin.Global revenues of the optoelectronics industry totaled US$400 billion in 2011, of which Taiwan accounted for US$65 billion or 17%; Taiwan's contribution to the segment is rather significant given Taiwan's population accounts for only 0.35% of the global population.The rise of solar energy, growing demand for energy-saving lighting devices and ever-improving display technology together have contributed to the sustainable growth of the optoelectronics industry. Taiwan happens to boast a considerable degree of advantages in the solar energy, lighting and display industries, which will enable Taiwan makers to continue playing an important role in further integrating the electronics and optoelectronics industries in the future.High prices were the main reason for the slow popularity of solar energy previously. Solar module pricing stood at as high as US$76/W in 1977, Lin said, citing data from The Economist. However, quotes for solar PV modules have dropped to US$0.74/W on average recently. The availability of cadmium telluride thin film solar cells and the rise of solar module makers in China have contributed to the steep fall of solar module prices. However, there is still room for further reductions in solar energy prices. The total system cost of solar power stood at US$8/W in 2004 and has descended gradually to US$3-4 or even lower recently. Solar energy providers aim to bring down the system cost to US$2/W. Eventually, solar energy will be able to compete effectively with fossil-fuel power if the system cost of solar power can be reduced to US$1/W, Lin commented.Taiwan has been channeling its resources to the development of electronics and semiconductor industries, but has yet to commit significant investments to the energy industry, which is larger than the semiconductor industry in terms of market scale.Taiwan-based oil company Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and electricity supplier Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) posted revenues of US$31.1 billion and US$15.5 billion, respectively, in 2011, compared to the US$14 billion recorded by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) during the same period. Powered by a workforce of 84,000, Exxon Mobil generated revenues of US$486.4 billion in 2011, during which Intel posted revenues of US$54 billion with its workforce totaling about 100,000.Global production value of flat display products reached US$173 billion in 2012, with TFT-LCD panels accounting for over 93% of the total value. Within the industry, the production of OLED devices has been growing at a CAGR of over 23% during a period that covers 2009 when the global economy was hit hard by a financial crisis. In light of opportunities for a number of display products, including e-paper, 3D displays and portable display devices, the global display industry is set for robust growth in the future.While a number of makers have begun developing curtain- or wallpaper-type flexible roll-to-roll displays, production costs and reliability of the products still remain a major concern of the industry. Having control of key technologies and components such as light-emitting devices and transparent transistors will be essential to lowering the production costs and reliability of flexible display devices.In the field of solid-state lighting, Taiwan makers have the highest potential utilizing related LED technologies they have. According to Morgan Stanley, demand for LED lighting products will grow by a CAGR of 31% during the period from 2007-2020. But the local LED industry still needs to tackle some issues.While a LED bulb with an efficacy rate of 20% is able to deliver a brightness of 900lm/W at 15W, it is estimated that only 3W of the power is utilized to deliver the brightness and the remaining 12W is used for heat dissipation.However, if the efficacy can be ramped up to 80%, the bulb will just need to consume 0.75W for heat dissipation. As a result, a reduction in thermal design can help bring down the cost, while saving more energy.Taiwan's LED industry is also facing challenges in terms of production equipment and patents, as a bulk of production equipment needs to be imported, and it stands in an unfavorable position in the cross-licensing trade-offs.Issues concerning the availability, prices and related patents of fluorescent powder, a major material for the production of LED devices, are also unfavorable to Taiwan makers. Local manufacturers should develop new fluorescent technologies without the use of rare earth as well as new crystal growing equipment to enhance their competitiveness in the LED lighting segment.National Taiwan University Professor Ching-Fuh Lin

The launch of the iPhone in 2007, which has since kicked off the robust development of mobile devices and telecommunications applications, combined with the roll-out of the iPad in 2010, which delivered a brand new user experience through application service platforms, have triggered a new wave of cloud-based services, according to Quen-Zong Wu, managing director of data communication business group at Chunghwa Telecom (CHT).The profound and distinctive achievements recorded in the mobile communications industry over the past 5-6 years offer an opportunity for the industry to review the course of technology evolution, as well as figure out the direction for future development.However, observing the technological developments of recent years, either through PC systems, TVs, telephones or communication networks, there is an emerging trend calling for the convergence and integration of related technologies and devices.From the vertical point of view, the traditional communication networks include public telephone systems, mobile networks, and Internet and cable TV networks. Along with the evolution of technology the boundaries between these segments have become blurred recently, but all these segments are now moving consistently toward the same direction: the road of convergence.All communication networks today have been focusing on implementation of service platforms for data access, transmission and related applications that matter most to consumers, and therefore blurring the boundaries of market segments.Additionally, an increase in bandwidth has also ushered in an array of new applications and breakthroughs in the industry's ecosystem, encouraging content providers, hardware makers and application service vendors to step into the converged device market.The advancement of hardware devices will enable the delivery of convenient services to users, enabling them to gain access to necessary data, including transportation services, e-government facilities, news, and medical information and traveling, while utilizing as few as one or two converged devices.Since mobile phones, PCs and TVs are all digitalized, mobilized and even personalized, the next step for the industry is to make hardware devices more intelligent; future devices should be able to detect the need of user, and such functionalities can be accomplished through the use of sensors.The showcase of large-size, high definition screens and the integration of mobile devices with household appliances at CES 2013 trade fair demonstrated the ongoing converging trends towards making devices more intelligent.A survey conducted earlier by Google on the use of media by more than 1,600 respondents shows that 90% of consumers prefer to gain access to needed information through screen-based devices, while the remaining 10% still use non-screen-based media such as newspaper, magazines, radio broadcasting. That is to say non-screen-based devices will become less and less attractive.Two ongoing application modes are expected to bring new challenges to application services providers. The first is how to enable users to connect their mobile user experiences gained on notebooks, tablets or handsets with their experience at home on a PC or TV in a seamless manner. The application service providers would also be required to develop applications to enable users to play on multiple screens simultaneously.While developing application software for multi-screen environments, the storage, processing and connected capabilities for front-end computing should also be taken into account as more data loads have to be shifted to the cloud amid a rising use of application software.For example, CHT assisted in the production of the Hollywood movie Life of Pi, with its Cloud for Animation and Visual Effects (CAVE) center, a joint cooperation it set up with special effect producer R&H. Through CAVE, R&H's animation experts in Vancouver, Los Angles, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kuala Lumpur were able to share the same platform to conduct back-end production and computing projects for the movie.Quen-Zong Wu, managing director of data communication business group at Chunghwa Telecom

The advantages of NOR flash for embedded applications are well known. It is fast, and it allows software to run and modify its contents highly reliably because it functions in a random access mode, in contrast to the block mode of NAND flash.Building on these advantages, Spansion has now developed embedded Charge Trap (eCT) technology, an embedded NOR Flash memory based on MirrorBit Charge Trap technology, but modified and optimized for integration with logic. The technology is designed to provide fast access, low power, and a cost-effective solution for system-on-chip (SoC) products that require monolithically integrated Flash memory and high-performance logic.The techniques we utilize for programming and erasing the eCT cell are fundamentally the same as with our MirrorBit NOR Flash technology. The charge-retaining memory stores electric charge in a thin nitride based dielectric (Fig. 1). Spansion's MirrorBit operates at 2 bits per cell, to provide very efficient memory for high-density products, while our eCT technology relies on a single bit per cell. However, the eCT architecture offers advantages in read speed and power consumption. Overall, eCT technology offers a broad temperature range, fast access times (<10ns), and low power. As a memory solution for SoC products, it is highly scalable and optimized for ease of integration with high-performance logic.The floating-gate traditionThe traditional approach has been to store freely moving electrons in a floating-gate (Fig. 1), but this has a major disadvantage - it is prone to electron leakage. Charge Trap Technology, on the other hand, uses a non-conductive nitride storage layer to trap electrons in place. Charge Trap technology is simpler, more planar and thus easier to manufacture and integrate with logic. What we might call its enhanced "manufacturability" results in a more reliable product, one that is also higher in performance.Targeted applicationsThe applications of Spansion eCT technology are quite broad and diverse. The technology can be easily ported to different process technologies and used with a wide array microcontrollers or system-on-chip designs for a host of end products that serve automotive, consumer and industrial applications.Importantly, eCT technology has a key role to play in extending the roadmap of Spansion's Programmable System Solutions (PSS), which combine Flash memory with configurable logic to enhance processing performance for applications that are memory, processing and MIPS intensive.The first product in this new PSS portfolio was the Spansion Acoustic Coprocessor, which we announced back in June 2012. The Spansion Acoustic Coprocessor comprises custom-designed logic and high-speed memory to accelerate and optimize voice-enabled human machine interfaces, while offloading the acoustic processing workload from a conventional CPU.Logic and Flash: A balancing actCrucially, what eCT offers is a compelling solution to the problems the industry is now encountering as it attempts to scale embedded memory with logic. Many of today's MCUs and SoCs integrate some non-volatile memory; however, suppliers are not able to scale the memory cells and their performance in a way that keeps pace with advancements in logic design.Leveraging its long history in non-volatile memory and the more than 10 years it has spent in developing Charge Trap Technology for discrete Flash memory, Spansion is responding to the scaling dilemma by enabling embedded Charge Trap technology for embedded MCUs and SoCs. Spansion is leading the industry in restoring the balance between logic and Flash.(Article Source: Saied Tehrani, CTO, Spansion Inc.)Figure 1. Spansion's embedded Charge Trap (eCT) NOR technology traps electrons in the insulated layer, allowing more compact storage cells.

H.C. Starck recently announced that it has been chosen by ARC Energy to supply hot zones and furnace components fabricated from high performance technology metals for ARC Energy's CHES furnaces."ARC Energy is pleased to announce H.C. Starck has passed our rigorous qualification process for supplying furnace components," said Dr. Rick Schwerdtfeger, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer for ARC Energy. "Authorizing H.C. Starck gives CHES furnace customers more choices, yet assures the same quality and performance to meet the original furnace specifications.""We are delighted to enter into this agreement with ARC Energy and become their authorized hot zone vendor. ARC Energy's unique on-axis process delivers tremendous advantages for large size substrates, but also requires precision and highest quality of critical system components such as hot zones. With our fully operational capabilities in Taicang, China, we are in a unique position to service the CHES platforms installed in Asia and allow the end users to benefit from our manufacturing excellence and global capabilities," said Dmitry Shashkov, Member of H.C. Starck's Executive Board and Head of the Business Unit Fabricated Products.Further enhancing H.C. Starck's secure material supply chain in China is the joint venture with Jiangxi Rare Metals Tungsten Group Holding Co. Ltd. (JXTC). Once operational, the facility will provide higher quality tungsten products to H.C. Starck's vertically integrated supply chain, a distinct advantage to serve the fast growing markets in Asia.Molybdenum and tungsten fabricated hot zones for high temperature furnace applicationsAbout H.C. StarckThe H.C. Starck Group is a leading global supplier of technology metals and advanced ceramics, and serves growing industries such as the electronics, chemicals, automotive, medical technology, aerospace, energy technology, and environmental technology industries, as well as mechanical engineering companies and tool manufacturers, from its own 12 manufacturing facilities located in Europe, Americas, and Asia. As of December 31, 2012, the company had 2,926 employees in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, China, Japan, and Thailand. For more information about H.C. Starck, visit http://www.hcstarck.com/.About ARC EnergyHeadquartered in Nashua, N.H., the Advanced Renewable Energy Company, LLC (ARC Energy) was founded in 2007 to commercialize cutting-edge technologies for LED and other clean energy markets. For additional information about ARC Energy, please visit http://www.arc-energy.com/.

STMicroelectronics, the largest semiconductor company in Europe, has been promoting the integration of multi-axis sensor technology to enable innovative MEMS applications for the growing number of multi-platform mobile devices, according to Chiung Lee, senior technical marketing engineer of analog, MEMS and sensors at ST.ST currently boasts a total of 12 wafer foundries and 48,000 employees globally, including 11,000 R&D personnel. The company posted revenues of US$2.16 billion for the fourth quarter of 2012 and a total of US$8.49 billion for the year.ST focuses on five major target segments: MEMS sensors, smart power supplies, automotive products, microcontroller units, and digital consumer and application processors.ST has pioneered the through-silicon via (TSV) technology for the production of smaller MEMS chips, with accumulated shipments reaching 5.5 billion units, including three billion motion/proximity MEMS sensors and 2.5 billion inkjet heads for temperature-controlled inkjet printers.ST applies to a dual-sourcing approach to allocate its production lines, including the establishment of 6- and 8-inch MEMS foundry houses in Agrate, Italy and Singapore, the set-ups of advanced front-end IC assembly plants in Rousset and Crolles in France, and the installation of packaging lines in Kirkop in Malta and in Calamba in the Philippines. The strategy aims to assure a daily production capacity of four million MEMS chips worldwide.ST is the first MEMS semiconductor supplier to have its revenues surpass the US$1 billion mark, taking the top rank in consumer electronics products and handset segments, according to data compiled by Yole and HIS iSuppli. The company currently accounts for a 51% share of accelerometers used in the smartphone sector and takes up a 78% share of the gyroscope market. The company has also managed to ramp up sales of motion and MEMS sensors from US$30 million in 2006 to US$650 million in 2011 and further to US$770 million in 2012.ST's gyroscopes have been widely adopted in the smartphone and tablet sectors since 2010, and the company has also extended its offerings to include 9-axis sensor devices, dual-core gyroscopes, 3-axis accelerometers, 3-axis gyroscopes as well as magnetometers and pressure sensors.The first wave of commercialization of MEMS sensors began with the launch of Nintendo 3DS gaming consoles, with notebooks, DSCs, smartphones and tablets following soon after. Looking at share by operating system, ST's sensor solutions account for 75% of sensor applications in the iOS-based smartphone and tablet sector, 31.4% in the Android OS segment and 54.4% for the Windows platform.ST's introduction of its iNEMO-architecture solutions integrating a 3-axis gyroscope, a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis magnetometer has been further extended to sensing applications to include image stabilization, remote-control, augmented reality, sports activities, navigation and location based service (LBS).The third wave of MEMS product adoption will come at the time when MEMS micro-sensors begin to find their way into watches, refrigerators, beds, toys, clothes, among others.ST offers different types of MEMS sensors for entry-level, midrange and high-end smartphones, separately. For example, the 3-axis LIS3DE, LIS3DH and LIS3SDH are for entry-level models and the LSM303DLHC and LSM303D plus iNEMO-based compass software are for midrange to high-end models, while 9-axis integrated sensors, or 9-axis iNEMO-M1 modules and iNEMO SiP chips are ideal for flagship models.ST also supplies L3GD20H+LSM303D and LSM330+LIS3MDL integrated sensor chips for optimized performance. The company has also begun volume production of its 6-axis LSM330DLC sensor chips, which integrated a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope.Summing up, Lee revealed that ST is currently offering more than 60 sensor products and has shipped over 2.5 billion market-proven MEMS sensor devices. Backed up by over 600 related MEMS patents, ST has also been cooperating with software developers to further enrich MEMS applications.Chiung Lee, senior technical marketing engineer of analog, MEMS and sensors at ST

Intel, being a high-tech company with the spirit of innovation deeply engrained in every employee and with numerous innovative platforms and technologies, has been cooperating with ecosystem partners in Taiwan to deliver new technical know-how into end-market devices.Moreover, this cross-industry cooperation has led to numerous innovative ideas being incorporated into the development of new products, enhancing the structure of Taiwan's industries even further, according to Grace Wang, field application & support team director at Intel APAC.Intel's product architecture covers all cloud-based and terminal applications, with its cloud-related applications already being applied in an array of equipment, such as servers, storage systems, switches and network equipment.For terminal applications, Intel began to promote the concept of its ultrabook platform in 2011, using its Sandy Bridge processors and rolling out five concept ultrabook models at that time. By 2012, the notebook industry started producing ultrabooks built around third-generation Intel Core (Ivy Bridge) processors, resulting in the roll-out of more than 140 ultrabook models in volume shipments, while pushing the product into the mainstream price segment. Since then, notebook brands have also begun to adopt multi touch solutions for ultrabook devices and have launched over 40 touch-enabled models based on Microsoft Windows 8, said Wang.However, the notebook industry will once again be redefined when Intel soon unveils its fourth-generation Core (Haswell) family processors, Wang asserted.The impact of ultrabook devices on the notebook industry includes reducing the average thickness of notebooks from 35mm to below 25mm and cutting the TDP (thermal design power) to 17W for Ivy Bridge-based models compared to 30W for previous mainstream models. Additionally, ultrabooks have also ushered in new industrial designs, new applications, touch functionality, transformable chassis designs, thin form factor disc drives, and other new materials. Furthermore, Intel also unveiled its third-generation Core CPUs with only 7W TDP, which will enable OEM/ODM makers to roll out more lighter, thinner ultrabooks with longer battery life.Intel's fourth-generation Core processors will deliver advanced protection technology including Intel anti-theft technology (Intel AT) and Intel identity protection technology (Inter IPT), and come with quick response capabilities enabling interactive movements between touch and voice controls, fast boot and data updates. The new Core processors will also provide better mobility, with extended battery life to enable operations under all-weather conditions for more than nine hours and will support Intel wireless display (WiDi) technology that will allow users to quickly stream content and apps from devices to big displays, Wang highlighted.In light of the increasing popularity of natural intuitive computing applications, somatosensory, gesture control and face recognition technologies will soon be integrated into notebooks, with the prospects that interactive human sensory computing applications are also likely to be incorporated into notebooks.Wang also discussed the company's progress with the Intel Atom processor Z2760 (Clover Trail) launched in October 2012 for tablets. Intel has been shipping to OEM/ODM partners for the production of tablets, including models that will run on Windows 8.While the Atom Z2760 is based on a dual-core design with a clock speed of 1.8GHz and a battery life of up to 10 hours, Intel's next-generation Atom processor (Bay Trail) will come with a quad-core design made with a 22nn process and will deliver up to double the performance of the current generation Atom processors, Wang revealed. Intel is now cooperating with ODMs, including Wistron, Compal Electronics, Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS), Quanta Computer, Pegatron Technology, aiming to roll out Bay Trail-based tablets for year-end seasonal demand in 2013.Since the launch of the first smartphones with Intel mobile application processor inside in January 2012, Intel has been awarded 10 smartphone design wins, with products shipping in 20 countries through OEM/ODM partners and telecom operators, including Acer, Lenovo, ZTE, Motorola Mobility, Lava Mobile, Megafon, Saraficom and Orange.Intel's 1.2GHz Atom Z2420 (Lesington) smartphone platform, which support Hyper-Threading technology and enables optimization of Android OS, fast web browsing and HD video, has also found its way into a number of smartphones, including Acer's Liquid C1, Lava's Xolo X-500, Safaricon's Yolo, and Etisalat's E-20.The new Intel Atom processor Z2580 (Clover Trail+) for smartphones, which delivers up to double the CPU performance and triple the graphics capability compared to previous generation Medfield processors, is also helping to usher in an array of new devices, such as the Atom Z2580-based IdeaPhone K900 smartphone showcased by Lenovo at CES 2013.Intel's next generation smartphone products will come with a 22nm process and tri-gate transistor architecture for the delivery of the upmost performance and brand new user experiences, Wang concluded.Grace Wang, field application & support team director at Intel APAC