Electronic Design UPDATE: March 8, 2006

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Electronic Design UPDATE e-Newsletter
Electronic Design Magazine
Electronic Design ==> www.electronicdesign.com
March 8, 2006
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http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F3F:484C79 

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Today's Table Of Contents:
1. Editor's View
  *Wal-Mart Takes Role In RoHS Compliance
2. Focus On ASICs
  *Improved Infrastructure Simplifies ARM7-Based Embedded Design
3. News From The Editors
  *Metal Composite Helps Flip Chips Beat The Heat
  *Turn A Profit With Excess Inventory
  *Capacitive Tactile Sensors Send Digital Feedback
4. Magazine Highlights: March 2, 2006
  *Cover Feature: Engineering Feature -- Digital Versus Analog Power 
   Control: A Fight To The... Draw?
  *Technology Report -- Power-Management ICs Fuel Smarter 
   Battery-Based Designs
  *Leapfrog: First Look -- Vector-Processing MCU Skimps On Power

Electronic Design UPDATE edited by Lisa Maliniak, eMedia Editor
mailto:[email protected]
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1. Editor's View -- Exclusive to Electronic Design UPDATE
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Wal-Mart Takes Role In RoHS Compliance

By Ron Schneiderman, Contributing Editor

You know you're behind the curve when Wal-Mart says it's on top of 
the European Union's Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) 
program and you're not. With less than four months to go before the 
July 1, 2006 deadline for RoHS compliance, Wal-Mart has partnered 
with Toshiba America Information Systems to develop what it calls 
the first RoHS-compliant laptops available in U.S. retail 
channels...

Read the full article at 
http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F40:484C79

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http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=216D7:484C79

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*******************Live on ElectronicDesign.com*****************

QuickLogic Pop Quiz 

Test your knowledge with QuickLogic's short FPGA pop quiz. You'll be 
eligible to win an iPod Nano no matter what your score, so don't 
forget to enter your contact details and hit submit!

http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22425:484C79

***

National Semiconductor/Electronic Design Video Quiz

Bob Pease and Howard Johnson challenge you to take the National 
Semiconductor/Electronic Design video pop quiz. They'll test your 
electronic engineering skills and knowledge with five quick, but not 
easy, questions. Get the questions right and you'll be duly praised. 
Get the questions wrong and you'll feel the wrath. Think you're up 
for the challenge? Click here to see how you measure up!

http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F41:484C79

***

Free Webcast: Low-Cost FPGAs Deliver Design Encryption, DDR, and DSP 
for $0.50 per 1000 LUTs
Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at 2:00 pm ET

Lattice Semiconductor's low-cost 90-nm FPGA family delivers high-end 
FPGA features for about $0.50 per 1000 LUTs in volume. The 
LatticeECP2 chips have built-in nonvolatile encryption security, a 
flexible and easy-to-use double-data-rate (DDR) memory interface, 
400-Mbit/s DDR1/2 memories, and DSP blocks. Join us and learn how to 
design with these new devices. One lucky participant will receive a 
free ispLever development tool and LatticeECP2 evaluation board. 
Register now!

http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F42:484C79

***

Free Web Seminar: Troubleshooting Common Circuit Problems Using 
Digital Oscilloscopes
Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 2:00 pm ET

Due to overwhelming demand, Electronic Design is rebroadcasting this 
event LIVE!

Join us to learn about the techniques available in modern digital 
oscilloscopes for troubleshooting circuit problems. This seminar 
will focus on practical, real-world examples showing how to 
troubleshoot common failure modes of circuits and components. 
Register today!

http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F43:484C79

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2. Focus On ASICs
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***Improved Infrastructure Simplifies ARM7-Based Embedded Design
An improved design infrastructure simplifies the creation of 
mixed-signal embedded systems using Actel's M7AFS ARM7-enabled 
version of the company's Fusion programmable system chip. 
Infrastructure improvements include the CoreAI (analog interface) IP 
core, as well as optimized versions of the company's CoreConsole IP 
deployment platform (IDP) and Libero integrated design environment 
(IDE). The CoreAI IP block enables the CoreMP7 soft ARM7 processor 
core to interface with the analog resources on the M7 Fusion devices 
through the advanced peripheral bus. CoreConsole 1.1 IDP simplifies 
the assembly of IP cores within M7AFS designs. In addition, the 
Libero 7.1 IDE Gold supports implementation of designs up to 1 
million system gates. CoreAI will be available for free in April. 
The CoreConsole 1.1 IDP and Libero 7.1 IDE, also free, will be 
available in April for download via Actel's Web site. A Platinum 
edition of Libero 7.1 IDE costs $2495. Samples of the M7AFS600 will 
be available in April, while the M7AFS1500 begins sampling in the 
second half of 2006.
     Actel Corp. ==> http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F44:484C79

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3. News -- From The Editors
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***Metal Composite Helps Flip Chips Beat The Heat
The aluminum-silicon-carbide (AlSiC) metal matrix composite from CPS 
Corp. produces reliable low-cost lids, or heat spreaders, for the 
flip-chip IC packaging and optoelectronics market. Unlike 
traditional packaging materials, AlSiC's isotropic coefficient of 
thermal expansion (CTE) can be adjusted for specific applications by 
modifying the Al-metal/SiC-particulate ratio. This CTE matching 
capability eliminates the need for thermal interface stacking, 
increasing reliability in the field. AlSiC also exhibits a high 
thermal conductivity that results in very efficient thermal 
dissipation. Coupled with its CTE matching, AlSiC's high thermal 
conductivity prevents the bowing and flexing of packaging and 
substrate material that can lead to failure. The company's net-shape 
fabrication process both produces the composite material and 
fabricates the product geometry. AlSiC's unrestricted geometry 
enables the inclusion of complex features, such as capacitor or 
resistor pockets, in the flip-chip lids.
     CPS Corp. ==> http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F45:484C79

***Turn A Profit With Excess Inventory
Surplus inventories of components can stem from inaccurate 
forecasting, changes in business direction, product aging, or 
environmental directives. These inevitable surpluses needn't be a 
financial drain, and they may even yield a profit through the help 
of recycling firm BCD Electro. The company offers custom programs 
tailored to connect buyers with inventories of electronic and 
computer components. For example, BCD recently teamed with a large 
telecom company under a consignment arrangement in which the telecom 
OEM would receive a split on sales. BCD Electro increased its sales 
of excess inventory by 100 percent over the following 12 months. The 
same OEM also used BCD to dispose of environmentally sensitive 
electronics: The material was decommissioned, non-proprietary parts 
were resold, and the balance was refined into raw material feedstock 
for reuse. BCD's 80,000-square-ft secure warehouse can house 
inventories of any size. Contact the company for more information on 
its custom programs.
     BCD Electro ==> http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F46:484C79

***Capacitive Tactile Sensors Send Digital Feedback
The newest capacitance-based DigiTacts sensors differ from earlier 
versions by providing direct digital outputs (3.3 or 5 V) rather 
than raw analog voltage levels. Measuring less than half a 
millimeter thick, the devices provide pressure readings from 0 to 
140 kPa (0 to 20 psi) in 0.7-kPa (0.1 psi) increments. An evaluation 
kit consists of a sensor, an interface board with a USB connection 
and an LCD readout, PC software, and technical support. The sensors 
have I2C serial interfaces and are available with either solder pads 
or a standard connector for 1-mm ribbon cable. They can be 
configured as 10- or 25-mm squares or as a 10-mm diameter circular 
pad. Evaluation kits cost $995, a pair of matched sensors costs 
$895, and a set of any five sensors costs $1795.
     Pressure Profile Systems ==> http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F47:484C79

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http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F8C:484C79

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4. Magazine Highlights
**********************
In case you missed them, here are some of the high points of our 
most recent issue.

March 2, 2006: One Powerful Issue

* Cover Feature: Engineering Feature -- Digital Versus Analog Power 
Control: A Fight To The... Draw?
They're different, but by borrowing some digital approaches to 
design simplification, analog can play nicely with digital in many 
vendors' portfolios.
http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F49:484C79

* Technology Report -- Power-Management ICs Fuel Smarter 
Battery-Based Designs
The mounting avalanche of sleek battery-powered applications 
requires innovative power-management schemes.
http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F4A:484C79

* Leapfrog: First Look -- Vector-Processing MCU Skimps On Power
The ARM9-based LTC3180 combines 208-MHz, 228-MIPS performance with 
fine-tuned power control.
http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F4B:484C79

For the complete Table of Contents, go to Electronic Design ==>
http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F4C:484C79

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Design Briefs Wanted!

Send us your ideas for design. We'll pay you $100 for every Design 
Brief that we publish. You can submit your ideas to: 
mailto:[email protected].

For submission guidelines, go to 
http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F8D:484C79

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EiED Online -- Five Tiny SBC Modules

Embedded in Electronic Design (EiED) Online is your source for 
technical insight and hands-on reviews. Read Technology Editor Bill 
Wong's latest EiED Online column, "Five Tiny SBC Modules." Bill 
takes a look at offerings from Systronix, NetBurner, Silicon Labs, 
Gumstix, and Kontron. These development kits include small, low-cost 
modules that can be incorporated into products or used to develop 
applications for small custom platforms.  

http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=22F4E:484C79

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TAKE A POLL!

As Internet traffic increases, speeds decrease, causing bothersome 
delays. Telecom companies have proposed a fee-based system to deal 
with the problem. Should Internet users be charged for sending 
e-mail?

-- Yes, charges may reduce overuse that clogs the system
-- Users should have the option to pay for faster service
-- There should be an e-mail limit at which charges begin
-- No, it should stay a free method of information exchange

Vote at Electronic Design ==> http://news.electronicdesign.com/t?ctl=15410:484C79

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CONTACTS: Electronic Design UPDATE e-NEWSLETTER
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Editorial: Mark David, Editor-in-Chief
mailto:[email protected]

Advertising/Sponsorship Opportunities: Bill Baumann, Publisher:
mailto:[email protected]
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