MANASSAS, VA – Zestron has released its 10-part 2014 Cleaning Webinar Series schedule. The core curriculum consists of free webinars beginning with Why Clean PCBs on Jan. 23.

SHENZHEN -- Nam Tai Electronics announced that a US class action lawsuit filed against the company and two of its executives by several shareholders has been voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiffs, with prejudice. No payment or consideration of any kind was made by any of the defendants in connection with the dismissal.

STAMFORD, CT -- Global shipments of devices (PCs, tablets, ultramobiles and mobile phones) are projected to reach 2.5 billion units in 2014, a 7.6% increase from 2013, according to Gartner. By operating system, Android is on pace to surpass one billion users across all devices in 2014. By 2017, over 75% of Android's volumes will come from emerging markets.

STAMFORD, CT -- Worldwide IT spending is expected to grow 3.1% to $3.8 trillion in 2014, up from 0.4% in 2013. Demand for devices and data center systems will grow 4.3% and 2.6% respectively, both well over 2013 spending, research firm Gartner said.

SUWANEE, GA -- Hisense plans to open an assembly plant in the US, the flat panel TV maker announced at the Consumer Electronics Show this week.

SANTA CLARA, CA – Agilent Technologies today announced that its electronics measurement business unit would be known as Keysight Technologies when it is spun off in November.

NOGALES, MEXICO – Electronics manufacturer PKC Group is closing its factory here and transfering production to an existing facility in Torreon, Mexico.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – IPC’s hand soldering competition will occur at National Electronics Week 2014 here in April.

HONG KONG -- Global tablet shipments will reach 289 million units in 2014, up from about 240 million last year, new research predicts.

WASHINGTON — Worldwide sales of semiconductors rose 6.8% year-over-year to $27.24 billion in November, the ninth straight month of higher sales. The revenues are based on a three-month moving average.

HOUSTON — STI Electronics has opened an IPC-approved training center here, the company's second in the US. The new center will conduct hands-on classes in basic soldering, J-STD-001 certification, rework and repair, and other IPC quality assurance programs such as IPC-A-610 and IPC/WHMA-A-620.

SHANGHAI -- It looks like businesses in China will ring in the new year with at least one carryover from 2013: wage inflation. Worker pay is expected to see double-digit growth in 2014, continuing a decade-long streak that has begun to hamper China's rate of growth and lead some companies to relocate projects to other countries.