Products
ARLINGTON, VA –More than a fourth of consumers own MP3 player equipment for their vehicles, according to research from the Consumer Electronics Association. While 97% own an AM/FM radio, the study shows digital audio alternatives have gained a significant foothold in the automotive electronics market.
"The switch from analog to digital that is taking place in the home is also taking place in the automobile," said CEA director of research Joe Bates. "Consumers enjoy the portability, flexibility and personalization that digital provides. We've seen this in factory shipment data, as well as in this new consumer survey."
MP3 players, cell phones, mobile and portable video navigation and factory-installed autosound equipment contributed to the $6 billion (27%) growth of mobile technologies in 2005. CEA estimates that $27B of mobile electronics products was shipped in 2005 and more than $30B will be shipped in 2006.
Some of the most popular devices currently used in the car include AM/FM radio and CD players (single and multi disk, 75 and 60% respectively). Other popular mobile products include keyless entry (55%), alarm systems (48%), component speakers (34%) and DVD players (32%). Most of these products are still powered by the car battery.
Future interest levels for products continue to be among the traditional products, but car safety and convenience products also rank higher amongst consumers. 56% of consumers expressed interest in owning an alarm system, nearly 10% more than those who currently own them. Almost half of consumers expressed interest in a navigation system and in-vehicle safety devices compared to the 25% who currently own them.
"The switch from analog to digital that is taking place in the home is also taking place in the automobile," said CEA director of research Joe Bates. "Consumers enjoy the portability, flexibility and personalization that digital provides. We've seen this in factory shipment data, as well as in this new consumer survey."
MP3 players, cell phones, mobile and portable video navigation and factory-installed autosound equipment contributed to the $6 billion (27%) growth of mobile technologies in 2005. CEA estimates that $27B of mobile electronics products was shipped in 2005 and more than $30B will be shipped in 2006.
Some of the most popular devices currently used in the car include AM/FM radio and CD players (single and multi disk, 75 and 60% respectively). Other popular mobile products include keyless entry (55%), alarm systems (48%), component speakers (34%) and DVD players (32%). Most of these products are still powered by the car battery.
Future interest levels for products continue to be among the traditional products, but car safety and convenience products also rank higher amongst consumers. 56% of consumers expressed interest in owning an alarm system, nearly 10% more than those who currently own them. Almost half of consumers expressed interest in a navigation system and in-vehicle safety devices compared to the 25% who currently own them.
ARLINGTON, VA – The Consumer Electronics Association's president and CEO Gary Shapiro sent a letter to members of Congress urging the support of H.R. 2048, the Motor Vehicle Owners Right to Repair Act. The bill was introduced in 2005 by House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) and Representatives Edolphus Towns (D-NY) and Darrell Issa (R-CA). The bill would protect consumers' rights to upgrade and repair their automobiles where they want and with the products of their choice.
"Americans should have the right to choose which new technologies are used in their vehicle, as well as the right to choose who installs these products," said Shapiro. "As vehicles continue to become more electronically complex, automobile manufacturers have begun implementing specific proprietary access codes to allow access to the advanced computer mainframe. This effectively has caused many consumers and independent installers to be locked out of their own vehicle when it comes to the installation of new mobile electronics products such as video screens, navigation devices and audio systems.
"H.R. 2048 would put independent dealers and manufacturers on the same playing field as car companies and their franchised dealer network. This bill does not require car manufacturer's proprietary information to be shared," continued Shapiro. "We believe this bill would promote greater consumer choice, lower prices and ensure a competitive landscape for mobile electronics installers and manufacturers. I urge other members of Congress to join the 102 Congressional sponsors of this Act."
Shapiro's letter to members of Congress is available here: ce.org/shared_files/recent_actions/217Barton%20HR2048.pdf
"Americans should have the right to choose which new technologies are used in their vehicle, as well as the right to choose who installs these products," said Shapiro. "As vehicles continue to become more electronically complex, automobile manufacturers have begun implementing specific proprietary access codes to allow access to the advanced computer mainframe. This effectively has caused many consumers and independent installers to be locked out of their own vehicle when it comes to the installation of new mobile electronics products such as video screens, navigation devices and audio systems.
"H.R. 2048 would put independent dealers and manufacturers on the same playing field as car companies and their franchised dealer network. This bill does not require car manufacturer's proprietary information to be shared," continued Shapiro. "We believe this bill would promote greater consumer choice, lower prices and ensure a competitive landscape for mobile electronics installers and manufacturers. I urge other members of Congress to join the 102 Congressional sponsors of this Act."
Shapiro's letter to members of Congress is available here: ce.org/shared_files/recent_actions/217Barton%20HR2048.pdf
SAN JOSE – Worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $19.6 billion in April, up 8.1% from April 2005’s sales of $18.1 billion, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported today. SIA reported a nominal decline of 0.4% from March, when total sales were $19.7 billon.
“More intense competition led to a sequential decline of 6.1% in sales of microprocessors, offsetting modest growth in the rest of the microchip market,” said SIA president George Scalise.
“More intense competition led to a sequential decline of 6.1% in sales of microprocessors, offsetting modest growth in the rest of the microchip market,” said SIA president George Scalise.
SANTA CLARA, CA -- Sun Microsystems will lay off 11 to 13% of its workforce and shut down some of its North American campuses as it seeks to regain profitability.
The server OEM said it would lay off between four and five thousand employees and sever its Newark campus and Sunnyvale, CA, leases. The moves are expected to save as much as $590 million in annual operating expenses.
The server OEM said it would lay off between four and five thousand employees and sever its Newark campus and Sunnyvale, CA, leases. The moves are expected to save as much as $590 million in annual operating expenses.
JACKSON, MI -- EMS services
provider Sparton Corp. has completed its acquisition of Astro
Instrumentation for approximately $26.15 million, the company said today.
Privately owned Astro had audited sales for the year ended Dec. 31 of $33 million.
Additional
consideration may be paid to the sellers over the four years following
the closing based on a percentage of earnings before interest and
taxes.
Astro designs, manufactures and sells a variety of specialized medical laboratory test equipment. It operates a 40,000 sq. ft. facility in Strongsville, OH, and has a 20,000 sq. ft. addition under construction.
Sparton's intent is to operate the business as a wholly-owned subsidiary at its present location and with the current operating management and staff.
Munich – SUSS MicroTec successfully completed initial reliability testing with IBM for 300 mm Pb-free C4NP solder bumped wafers. SUSS is currently building a high-volume manufacturing C4NP tool set for IBM in preparation for production use.
C4NP, a wafer-bumping technology developed by IBM, stands for Controlled Collapse Chip Connection - New Process. It is an alternative to the electroplating process. Bulk solder is injection-molded into glass molds and subsequently transferred from mold to wafer in a single step.
In the reliability testing, 300 mm wafers were bumped with SnCu and SnAg solders using a 200 micron pitch with 1.3 million bumps per wafer test vehicle. Chips measuring 14.7 mm² were joined to organic buildup chip carriers and subjected to the following tests:
JEDEC moisture level 3 preconditioning
Shock and vibration
Deep thermal cycling (-55 to + 125°C)
HAST and THB moisture stressing
High temperature storage
Electromigration
Wettability
Construction analysis
Alpha emissions
C4NP, a wafer-bumping technology developed by IBM, stands for Controlled Collapse Chip Connection - New Process. It is an alternative to the electroplating process. Bulk solder is injection-molded into glass molds and subsequently transferred from mold to wafer in a single step.
In the reliability testing, 300 mm wafers were bumped with SnCu and SnAg solders using a 200 micron pitch with 1.3 million bumps per wafer test vehicle. Chips measuring 14.7 mm² were joined to organic buildup chip carriers and subjected to the following tests:
JEDEC moisture level 3 preconditioning
Shock and vibration
Deep thermal cycling (-55 to + 125°C)
HAST and THB moisture stressing
High temperature storage
Electromigration
Wettability
Construction analysis
Alpha emissions
No failures were attributed to the C4NP process.
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