Open-Silicon Licenses Broad Range of arm technology

ARM and Open-Silicon have signed a comprehensive multi-year licensing agreement for a broad portfolio of ARM technology. This includes ARM Cortex processors and associated ARM Processor Optimization Packs (POPs), ARM Mali Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and ARM system IP. The latter includes ARM CoreLink interconnect and CoreSight debug and trace technology. The agreement enables Open-Silicon to offer customers a “one-stop-shop” where access to the latest ARM technology is complemented by the provision of SoC design, hardening, prototyping, software development and manufacturing services. Open-Silicon will use ARM technology to provide complete design and development services for low-power chip solutions focusing on the networking, telecommunications, storage and computing markets.

The combination of Open-Silicon's SoC development capabilities and design experience with ARM technology will enable customers to benefit from a faster time-to-market and result in a more optimal solution. Open-Silicon's architects can assist customers with architectural development using performance vs. workload analysis, factoring in throughput and latency criteria to optimize peripheral IP selection. In addition, system security requirements for the protection of high-value data can be met through the careful application of ARM TrustZone technology. Finally, Open-Silicon's FPGA-based prototyping environments help software teams to engage early, accelerating system development and reducing program risk.

To optimize silicon implementation, Open-Silicon can access ARM Processor Optimization Packs (POPs) for Cortex processors, allowing customers to achieve leading performance implementations in a matter of weeks. Open-Silicon will further enhance customers' results with its patented CoreMAX technology. When combined with Open-Silicon's low-power solutions, including PowerMAX and VariMAX back biasing, CoreMAX allows customers to achieve market-differentiating performance and power efficiency.

VIA Honored with 7 First Ever "Taiwan Green Classics Awards"

VIA received awards for seven of its products, including the VIA Quadcore processor, VIA dual core processors (the VIA Nano X2 and the VIA Eden X2), the VIA VX900 MSP, the VIA VX11 MSP, the VIA ARTiGO A1100 compact system, the VIA EPIA-P720 Pico-ITX mainboard and the VIA ART-5450 in-vehicle system. The awards were rewarded based on criteria broken into four categories, including Products and Services Green Value, Green Supply Chain Management, Innovative Technology and Green Marketing, and Corporate Social Responsibility.

"VIA is honored to receive these awards recognizing VIA's commitment to Green business initiatives," said Epan Wu, head of the VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. "VIA has been a long-time industry leader in the development of low-power environmentally friendly products and is dedicated to further building on this leadership in the future."

Android Market Reaches Half a Million Successful Submissions
The competition between Apple and Android apps continues to heat up. The actual total number of applications published in the Android Market leapt to over 500,000 in September 2011. In the meantime, the Apple App Store stands at just over 600,000 successful submissions: just 20% more. But over 37% of the applications published were later removed from the Android Market for various reasons, whereas the Apple App Store has removed just 24% of published apps in comparison, as of the end of September.
Although Apple regularly cleans up its store from inappropriate or outdated content, its active application share still exceeds that of Android. It is likely that the more rigid application submission requirements prevent developers from publishing multiple trial or low quality applications whereas publishers in the Android Market place a lot of market testing, trials, demo and malware content. Over 78% of the apps removed from the Android Market were free, which could mean that publishers put more effort into the applications they place with the pay-per-download business model, thus ensuring that it is kept longer in store.
Android developers appear to be more productive than Apple’s. The average publisher on Android has placed more than 6 applications in the Market since launch, compared to just over 4 apps on average that have been published by iOS developers. Over the past few months, the Android Market has been maintaining an exponential growth, but is still lagging behind the app store market leader, Apple. In Q3 of 2011, the number of active mobile applications in the Android Market stood at 319,161 compared to 459,589 in Apple App store.

Grant to Allow Development of Techniques to Use GPS Indoors, Underwater and in Space

ZigBee Alliance Completes ZigBee Building Automation Standard

The ZigBee Alliance has announced it has completed development and ratified the ZigBee Building Automation standard. ZigBee Building Automation is a global standard for interoperable products enabling the secure and reliable monitoring and control of commercial building systems. It is the only BACnet approved wireless mesh network standard for commercial buildings. Products using ZigBee Building Automation give building owners and operators control of more building types, previously unreachable rooms or sensitive areas, thanks to its low-power wireless operation. Existing wired BACnet building automation systems can now be expanded with greater ease and reduced operational cost. The standard was developed by numerous Alliance members, with major assistance coming from Convergence Wireless, Johnson Controls, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Ingersoll-Rand and Ubilogix.

With ZigBee Building Automation, building owners, operators and tenants can create more efficient buildings and benefit from increased energy savings. They can also ensure the lowest lifecycle costs with this green and easy-to-install robust wireless network. ZigBee Building Automation wireless products can contribute toward satisfying credits in the Sustainable Sites, Energy and Atmosphere and Indoor Environmental Quality categories of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building certification program. The Alliance expects members to create ZigBee Building Automation products that will become ZigBee Certified.

Global Revenues for Mobile Location Platforms Expected to Grow To €300 Million in 2016
According to a new market report from the telecom research firm Berg Insight, the global market for location-based services (LBS) platforms and middleware will see steady growth in the coming years, with demand primarily driven by emergency call and lawful intercept mandates. Annual revenues for mobile location platforms, including A-GPS servers and middleware platforms, are projected to grow from about €150 million in 2010 to €300 million in 2016. Ericsson remains the leading vendor in terms of number of contracts for location platforms, ahead of Nokia Siemens Networks and TeleCommunication Systems.

Governments and telecom regulators in many parts of the world are introducing stricter emergency call and lawful intercept mandates that require network operators to invest in location platforms. These mandates typically entail accurate location of any handset deployed and therefore require installation of network-based location technologies. Network-based location technologies also have superior indoor coverage and reliability. Commercial LBS are not likely to have a similar impact on the market for location platforms. Today consumer LBS can rely on alternative location sources including GPS in the handsets, Wi-Fi location and third-party Cell-ID databases.

 

According to “The World Market for Linear Motion Products -2010 Edition” these established markets for linear motion components have fluctuated considerably in recent years. To gain access to stable and high growth revenues, manufacturers of ball screw and linear guide products are seeking out new markets. They are increasingly developing products suitable for the industry sectors that will enjoy stable growth, such as those that produce equipment for pharmaceutical production, agriculture, and food and drink processing. Government-backed infrastructure projects, such as in power generation and distribution and mass transportation, will provide stable revenues, even during recession.