Phoenix Technologies Ltd., the global leader in UEFI firmware technology, products and tools, announced its participation in the annual premier event for the embedded community, Embedded World, at the Nuremberg Conference Center in Nuremberg, Germany, from February 26 to 28, 2013. Authorized Phoenix distributors, Eltan and Ircona, will showcase the newly released Phoenix flagship UEFI BIOS product, Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0.Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 features a universal build system with native EDK II support and EDK 1117 backward compatibility. It is the first UEFI BIOS on the market with cross-device, cross-codebase and cross-platform support.Powered by the latest UEFI specification and advanced embedded features, Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 speeds up the innovative design of intelligent systems by offering a scalable and reusable BIOS core that works with both x86 and ARM architectures, as well as Windows and Linux based systems.UEFI BIOS driving the next generation of embedded applicationsThe longevity and diversity of embedded systems make them even more challenging for BIOS engineers as the transition from legacy to UEFI progresses over a longer period of time. While some embedded systems still run legacy BIOS, the UEFI specification is already in the process of migrating to EDK II, the second generation UEFI build system. The co-existence of different BIOS architectures and codebases, under different specifications and written in difference languages, demands significant development and maintenance resources from embedded system developers. "The UEFI specification provides a platform for innovation with its modularity and functionality to support a new generation of connected embedded systems focusing on intelligence, connectivity, security, and manageability," said Kelly Wu, VP of Worldwide Embedded Sales and Marketing at Phoenix Technologies.Touch and security features enhancing product differentiation of embedded systemsEven before Windows 8, touch-enabled devices were widely used in the embedded market in such diverse applications as HMI for factory automation, ruggedized handheld devices for logistics, to POS and interactive signage for retail. With the advent of Windows 8, touch functionality is in high demand for almost every market segment.Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 is tailored for touch-enabled devices with a fully touch-optimized feature set that includes a Windows 8 style GUI BIOS Setup, Programmable Touch Hot Zones, and BitLocker Unlock by Virtual Keyboard.With regards to security on connected embedded devices, Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 has compelling security firmware features, such as Sure Boot, Safe Recovery BIOS2, and Non-volatile Capsule."The improved embedded features of Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 with its highly acclaimed clean code tree and fully modularized design makes it an ideal choice for embedded system developers seeking product differentiation right at the firmware level," said Terry Chen, Phoenix VP of Development Engineering.Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 at Embedded World 2013Phoenix Technologies' authorized distributors, Eltan (http://www.eltan.com/) and Ircona (http://www.ircona.com/), will demonstrate the latest UEFI technologies powered by Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 at Embedded World 2013.Eltan (Booth number: 1-232)Eltan BV has superior BIOS engineering experience, including hundreds of embedded system projects based on Phoenix products. At Embedded World 2013, Eltan will demonstrate Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 and its new graphical user interface for BIOS setup and boot menu together with customer projects on the Intel Atom, Ivy Bridge and AMD Comal and Kabini platforms. A comprehensive, high quality set of hardware and software development tools will also be demonstrated by engineers.Ircona (Booth number: 1-239)Ircona, the leader in server, storage, super-computing and embedded systems design, provides system development and BIOS engineering services based on Phoenix solutions. Ircona has developed hundreds of BIOS solutions solving complex problems like fastest boot on Atom for in-car entertainment to scalable storage based on Ivy Bridge / Haswell. Ircona will exhibit the latest UEFI technologies for embedded applications powered by Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 at Embedded World 2013.

Huangpu River is the biggest and most important river in Shanghai. To avoid disaster, flood prevention walls were built along the riverbanks.The height of most channel gates is preset and they are designed to lower when water levels rise, but if the gates cannot be lowered quickly enough there could be serious water leakage which not only affects flood control but could also fail to block tidal intrusion leading to even more serious flooding. Because of this, real-time monitoring of the flood prevention walls and the status of the tidal gates is of the upmost importance.Having said that, the Huangpu River is 113 km in length with more than 1500 flood prevention walls and tidal gates. Even with the injection of huge resources in manpower and time, efficient monitoring cannot be fully implemented. So in 2005, Shanghai authority planned the construction of an automated river flood management system using Advantech's Human Machine Interface and image control WebAccess software to monitor the status of the river's flood walls and tidal gatesAutomated Monitoring Systems Reduce Water Costs and Time ManagementSenior engineer of Gao Cheng Shanghai GC Technology, Duan Shi-Min pointed out that the purpose of building an automatic flood control system for the Huangpu River is to monitor real-time water level changes of the river and the main river estuaries. The status of the tide gates and the coastal flood prevention walls along the riverbanks trigger automatic warning alerts of rising water levels or of damaged flood prevention walls. The system performs several other functions such as external communication and information exchange, database and data recording, day-to-day management, operation reports, and system maintenance notices.Management organization is divided into a subcontrol station and a control center located in the center of Shanghai to collect and compile information from the various monitoring points. Under this, 5 to 6 subcontrol stations link with the WebAccess back office software in the control center, and setup is based on each administrative region's monitoring information andrequirements.Mr. Duan Shi-Min further described the system, "First, sensors on the scene are responsible for collecting information such as water levels, gate level altitude, climate, distribution, rainfall, and auxiliary control equipment.Information is then transmitted to the back-end WebAccess management platform through the Internet. Managers in the control center can notify site engineers to assess and decide whether to open or close the gates according to the received monitoring data. Usually, monitoring inquiries will be done once a day to confirm whether the data is within normal ranges. But during flood season, the frequency of the monitoring will be more intensive such as 1 to 2 times a day because of the increased risk. Using Advantech's WebAccess human-machine interface and image control software, the automatic monitoring of the Huangpu river flood prevention system is achieved with the important benefit of higher reliability and lower labor costs to Shanghai GC Technology. In the past, people in each sub-control station had to collect onsite information. Now, all that can be centralized to the control center and the information from various sub-control stations can be aggregated and utilized. Field engineers will be on hand and be responsible for any problems should they arise.Advantech WebAccess Remote Internet MonitoringThis WebAccess water conservation project is not only limited to the Huangpu River. Duan Shi-Ming mentioned that WebAccess was implemented in a project to connect Taihu lake and Tai Po river basin segments of the Huangpu river as early as 2001 to automatically monitor the realtime status of the 26 flood prevention wall tide gates along the Tai Po river coast. Management was divided into remote monitoring and control centers. Because of the project's successful results, the scope of the project was expanded to the Huangpu river basin in 2009.At the beginning, different manufacturers of manmachine interface products and image control softwares were compared during the planning stage and Advantech WebAccess was ultimately chosen. Duan Shi-Min said that this was mainly down to the following features:1. Flexible control management conf igurat ion: Administrators can set the permission for the users of Master Control Center or Sub-Control Station to view the SCADA interface which demanded.2. With the web interface, information can be remotely monitored and viewed: Some SCADA sof tware was developed with C/S framework, and it only can be viewed in the local areas, but with WebAccess all monitoring information can be viewed from anywhere. This greatly enhances management flexibility.3. Friendly interface design: monitoring information displayed by the GUI was very clear and easy to understand and it allowed us to master it quickly.Furthermore, Advantech is a company with a great reputation and has a high degree of brand awareness in mainland China, and their trustworthiness was also one of the factors we considered. In addition to Webaccess, the industrial host and conversion modules used in this automatic monitoring system are made by Advantech.This means there will be less integration issues since the hardware and software are supplied by the same manufacturer.In addition to their hardware products, Advantech provided a considerable amount of support during the entire project. Their engineers provided excellent technical assistance in a timely fashion.Since Shanghai has to manage more than 1,000 km of river embankments and ancillary facilities, the burden of flood control is enormous regardless of the manpower and time management. Through automation, real-time monitoring and control of thousands of flood gates and tide gates along the Huangpu River can be safely managed and all information can be uploaded to Advantech WebAcess management platform to allow managers to take instant and appropriate action. The "Mother River" is now well looked after in its old age.

Samsung Electronics has launched its 8-inch tablet, the Galaxy Note 8.0 with functions including multi-window options to split the portable 8-inch screen and allow access to a number of live applications.The device features a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, a 2GB memory and an 8-inch 1280 by 800 display with an option to choose from either 16GB or 32GB storage space.The Galaxy Note 8.0 adopts the latest Android operating system with a 5-megapixel rear-end camera and another 1.3-megapixel one for the front end. Meanwhile, the machine also comes with Samsung's S Pen for touchscreen input. Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet specifications Item Detail Network HSPA+ 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100 Processor 1.6GHz A9 quad-core processor Display 8-inch WXGA (1280 by 800, 189ppi) TFT OS Android 4.1.2 (Jellybean) Camera Main(Rear): 5-megapixel Sub(Front): 1.3-megapixel Video Codec: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV, DivX (1080p Full HD video @ 30fps) Audio Codec: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, AC3, FLAC3.5mm Ear Jack, Stereo Speaker GPS A-GPS and Glonass (3G version) Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 & 5GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, AllShareCast, BT4.0, USB2.0 Memory 2GB (RAM), 16/32GB storage microSD support (up to 64GB) Dimension (mm) & weight (g) 210.8 by 135.9 338 (3G Version) Battery Standard battery, Li-ion 4,600mAh Source: Company, compiled by Digitimes, February 2013Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tabletPhoto: Company

GKB, a leading security solutions provider, recently announced its new solution, Sparkle Series cameras, offering 700 TV lines clear image. Equipped with SONY Super HAD CCD II, Sparkle Series cameras bring clear, crispy resolution/image, and beautiful color purity. Ultra high 700 TV lines represent high S/N ratio and high color reproduction, and deliver excellent night time image especially.Features-Real 700 TV lines high horizontal resolutions: Ultra high 700 TV lines resolution provides accurate color and clear picture quality for surveillance.-DWDR (Digital Wide Dynamic Range): DWDR improves the contrast between low and high lighting areas, and presents a clear image even under very strong contrast environment.-Low Lux: With minimal amount of light, GKB's cameras could still pick up the details. Greatly decreases the security risk by hiding in dark environment to escape detection.-Dynamic Noise Reduction (2D-NR): Embedded with 2DNR technology, produces extremely clear picture quality even under low-light condition for 24/7 surveillance.-BLC (Backlight Compensation): BLC helps the camera cut off strong light to capture distinct picture.GKB Sparkle Series cameras family:GKB 2717 Analog CemeraGKB 3817 Analog CemeraGKB 4217 Analog CemeraGKB 8617 Analog CemeraGKB 1317 Analog CemeraGKB 6017 Analog CemeraFind more information on this and other GKB products by visiting http://www.gkbsecurity.com/GKB 1317 700TVL Sparkle IR Dome camera

Metaio today announces an agreement with ST-Ericsson, a leader in wireless platforms and semiconductors. Under the terms of the agreement, ST-Ericsson will integrate Metaio's Augmented Reality hardware IP, the so-called "AREngine," into the next generation of ST-Ericsson mobile platforms resulting in the first application processor accelerating Augmented Reality performance on mobile devices. Metaio's cutting-edge technology inserts nearly any 3-D and virtual content into the real world by recognizing images, objects and entire environments. In a mobile future that clearly requires smart devices to be 'always on' and connected, the Metaio AREngine drastically reduces power consumption making all day AR experiences possible. This first-of-its-kind collaboration will improve nearly all aspects of an Augmented Reality experience, yielding performance increases in speed, precision and power consumption, with up to 60 times faster initialization, more than an AR app running on existing platforms - the highest to date in the mobile industry. Both Metaio and ST-Ericsson strongly believe that working together will accelerate the adoption of Augmented Reality as a consumer technology. "The AREngine will do for Augmented Reality what the GPU did years ago for the gaming industry," said Metaio CTO Peter Meier. "This is a great leap in the AR space, and we strongly believe that the AR Engine working with ST-Ericsson platforms will help realize the Augmented City - the idea of a completely connected environment powered by Augmented Reality and made possible with next-gen, optimized mobile platforms." "Working together, this will be the first ever integration of dedicated AR hardware IP on silicon," said BjörnEkelund, head of Ecosystem Research and Innovation for ST-Ericsson. "By continuing our relationship with Metaio, this agreement will provide a competitive advantage to both companies and our customers in the smartphone and AR space, where people are looking for differentiating factors when making their purchase decisions. AR will no longer be limited to simple 2-D images - with Metaio's AREngine, the future possibilities are endless." Visitors to the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona will be treated to live demonstrations of Metaio's technology and the benefits of Augmented Reality hardware integration. For more information, please visit http://www.metaio.com/mwc ST-Ericsson integrates Metaio's AREngine into their next generation of mobile platforms.

Acer will showcase its family of smartphones at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2013 in Barcelona, targeting first-time smartphone users and customers with need of feature-rich multimedia and communication experiences.Acer will display three new smartphones at the show - the Liquid E1, Z2 and C1. The Liquid E1 features a 4.5-inch qHD display, a dual-core processor, support for optional dual SIM cards and the latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system to allow the smartphone to handle multimedia and communication at the same time. The smartphone's Float Caller notification function also ensures that users will not be interrupted by incoming calls, which usually take over the whole screen while using apps or watching videos. The Float Caller will pop up a mini window to notify users to take calls or reply with quick messages.The Liquid E1 also features a dual-speaker system and DTS Sound for audio and a zero shutter delay camera to capture images and snaps fast-action sequences with 4-, 8- and 16-burst shooting.The Liquid Z2 adopts the Android Jellybean OS, which is ideal for first-time users, the vendor said. The OS learns users' habits and has a very intuitive interface with large icons. It is easy to operate and with the support of AcerCloud, users can snap pictures and share instantly on their other devices.The Z2 features an optional 3- or 5-megapixel camera, which can be launched in just a second and offered panoramic and multi-angle modes as well as continuous shooting function with up to 99 shots. The smartphone adopts SRS Sound for audio output and offers optional dual SIM card support for added convenience.The Liquid C1 features an Intel Atom processor for responsive touch control and quick-loading webpages. The machine has a 4.3-inch qHD display and a 400MHz graphics engine.The three new smartphones all support AcerCloud, a file sharing and media management solution which allows users to retrieve, enjoy and share their multimedia and data files using a variety of computing devices. AcerCloud simplifies management of digital assets across digital devices, regardless of platform, and is free on new Acer products.The Acer Liquid E1, Z2, C1 will be available starting the first quarter of 2013.Acer Liquid E1 smartphonePhoto: CompanyAcer Liquid Z2 smartphonePhoto: Company

TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc., a leading RF solutions supplier and technology innovator, today announced two new high-performance Multi-band, Multi-mode Power Amplifiers (MMPAs) that extend browsing time while simplifying complex RF design for today's increasingly sophisticated wireless devices. The highly integrated MMPAs support more frequency bands in 20% less board space than discrete architectures, and have already captured design wins in leading next-generation 3G / 4G smartphones."Customers have told us they will be migrating to our new MMPAs because these modules deliver longer battery life and extended operating time," explained Shane Smith, Vice President of Global Marketing for Mobile Devices. "The versatile design of TriQuint's new MMPAs also allows manufacturers to use a common platform to release new products at a faster pace, while controlling design and manufacturing costs."Product DetailsAligned with a leading chipset supplier's reference design, the TRIUMF TQM7M9050 supports five of the world's most popular 3G / 4G bands in addition to quad-band GSM/EDGE. The high-efficiency 3G/4G power amplifier (PA) outperforms its closest competitors, achieving nearly 46%* PAE. Its new cousin, the TRIUMF TQP9058, is almost identical, except that it features a different approach to controlling output power for the 2G PA that is compatible with reference designs from several other major chipset manufacturers. "We've expanded our product portfolio to align with multiple chipset vendors. In doing so, we've broadened our ability to serve several key customers," said Smith.Both MMPAs feature a two-gain-state WCDMA PA with low and high power modes to maximize talk time over the entire range of operating conditions. Each is fully matched with a coupler and band distribution switches, ideal for today's small data-enabled phones. At 5x7mm, the highly integrated modules provide an ultra-small form factor to shrink overall product footprints while reducing external component count, minimizing assembly costs, speeding time to market and enabling industry-leading performance.TriQuint's new modules build on the company's existing MMPA products, which are found in some of the world's most sought-after smartphones. The TQM7M9023 also is included on a leading chipset supplier's reference design. Another TriQuint MMPA, the TQM7M9053, offers higher efficiency at a lower cost. The company nearly tripled its MMPA shipments during the past year.The TRIUMF MMPA TQM7M9050 and TQP9058 are currently sampling into many new wireless devices. Visit TriQuint in Booth 6E-84 at the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Feb. 25-28 for more information about the company's MMPA solutions. To locate one of TriQuint's distributors, resellers or field sales representatives, please visit http://www.triquint.com/sales.*Note: Based on internal company estimatesTriQuint's TRIUMF TQM7M9050 MMPA achieves best-in-class power added efficiency (PAE) across several popular bands. This means the amplifier consumes less power, delivering longer battery life and extended operating time for today's mobile devices. Source: TriQuint lab results

Chilisin Electronics Corp. and Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. have entered into a worldwide, non-exclusive licensing agreement that grants Chilisin patent coverage of high-current, molded power chokes / inductors, including the right to manufacture, have manufactured, use, sell, offer for sale, distribute, import and export such products.Chilisin's high-current and molded power chokes / inductors include its MHCC-, MHCI-, and MHCD-Series power inductors. These products are ideal for high-current and low-profile power-line applications frequently used in notebooks, ultrabooks, tablets, smartphones, graphic cards, servers, etc. Chilisin is a reputable provider of these components in the Greater China area and other markets.Chilisin is one of the largest inductor manufacturers in the Greater China region. Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. is one of the world's largest manufacturers of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components. Chilisin-made inductors are used in virtually all types of electronic devices and equipment, in the industrial, computing, automotive, consumer, telecommunications, military, aerospace, power supplies, and medical markets. More information can be found at http://www.chilisin.com.tw/.

TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc., a leading RF solutions supplier and technology innovator, is enabling next-gen 802.11ac Wi-Fi and a superior wireless user experience with the introduction of three new high-performance WLAN front-end modules and two advanced Wi-Fi / 4G coexistence filters.The company has captured smartphone design wins with its two 5 GHz 802.11ac Wi-Fi RF modules, as well as its new 2.4 GHz product. Thanks to advances in output power technology, all three TriConnect Wi-Fi modules provide extended operating ranges when compared with earlier products. For Wi-Fi users, that means the freedom of wireless connectivity across longer distances.Rounding out the company's expanding WLAN product line are two new specialty 4G / Wi-Fi coexistence filters. These specialty filters serve as electronic traffic guards to keep signals in the crowded 2.4GHz spectrum isolated from one another. They leverage TriQuint's advanced bulk acoustic wave (BAW) technology to address some of the industry's toughest filtering challenges."TriQuint is the only RF supplier that is currently delivering all three WLAN device components - the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz front-end modules as well as multiple variants of coexistence filters - to provide a superior consumer experience," explained Shane Smith, Vice President of Global Marketing for Mobile Devices at TriQuint. "We're enabling 802.11ac Gigabit speeds and solving Wi-Fi / LTE coexistence problems simultaneously, for smartphones, tablets and other wireless devices."Ubiquitous Wi-Fi evolves to the next levelAs demand for Wi-Fi proliferates, consumers have developed an ever-growing appetite for faster mobile data rates to support video streaming and other multimedia applications. With data rates up to 1.3 gigabits per second, the new IEEE 802.11ac standard will deliver transfer rates three to four times faster than current-generation 802.11n Wi-Fi."TriQuint introduced the industry's first 802.11ac-ready module for mobile devices last year," Smith said. The award-winning dual-band product was selected by a major manufacturer for its next-generation smartphone and was included on a reference design by a leading chipset supplier. Smith added, "Our 802.11ac technology expertise also expands our future market opportunity for infotainment applications such as in-home video distribution."In addition to power amplifier modules that enable faster speeds, demand is surging for high-performance Wi-Fi / LTE coexistence filters. Today's high-end smartphones house a growing number of cellular and Wi-Fi bands to support 2G / 3G / 4G voice and data services, as well as global roaming. At the same time, the global spectrum crunch is leading governments around the world to squeeze new 4G bands next to pre-existing Wi-Fi spectrum, often with minimal guard bands. Advanced filter technology is needed to mitigate the resulting interference issues.All products are sampling now, and scheduled for production in the second quarter. Visit TriQuint in Booth 6E-84 at the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Feb. 25-28 for more information about the company's Wi-Fi connectivity products. To locate one of TriQuint's distributors, resellers or field sales representatives, please visit http://www.triquint.com/sales.TriQuint product details

Imagination Technologies Group plc (LSE: IMG, "Imagination") has completed the acquisition of the operating business and certain patent properties of MIPS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MIPS, "MIPS") as well as license rights to all of the remaining patent properties.MIPS is a leading provider of CPU (central processing unit) architectures and IP cores.The cash consideration of US$100 million was paid on completion, financed from Imagination's existing cash resources and a new acquisition facility. At the MIPS Stockholder Meeting held on 6 February 2013, MIPS stockholders voted by the requisite majority on all proposals to enable the acquisition to complete.Imagination has now commenced implementation of its detailed integration programme. Further details on this will be provided in the Interim Management Statement in March.Hossein Yassaie, Group Chief Executive, Imagination, said: "We are delighted to have completed this acquisition, which has been welcomed by both companies' customers and the electronics industry at large, and also to welcome our MIPS colleagues to the Imagination family. The combination of MIPS' capabilities with our existing Meta CPU technologies will accelerate our growth in the substantial CPU IP market across many segments."ImaginationImagination - a global leader in multimedia and communication technologies - creates and licenses market-leading processor solutions for graphics, video, display, embedded processing, multi-standard communications and connectivity, and cross-platform V.VoIP & VoLTE. These silicon and software intellectual property solutions for systems-on-chip (SoC) are complemented by an extensive portfolio of software drivers, developer tools and extensive market and technology-focused ecosystems. Target markets include mobile phone, handheld multimedia devices, connected home consumer, tablets/mobile computing, in-car electronics, telecoms, health, smart energy and connected sensors and controllers. Imagination's licensees include many of the world's leading semiconductor, network operator and electronics OEM/ODM companies. Corporate headquarters are located in the United Kingdom, with sales and R&D offices worldwide. See: http://www.imgtec.com/