EL SEGUNDO, CA – Rapid price reductions are boosting sales of large-sized LCD TVs, says iSuppli, which increased its forecast for shipments in 2007.

TAIPEI – Asustek Computer Inc. forecast an 80% rise in shipments of its branded laptops this year, the company said in March. In January the company had forecast a 58% increase in laptop shipments.

Last year, Asustek, which is also the world’s largest motherboard maker, sold 2.7 million units. Asustek also makes computers for Apple, Dell, and Sony Corp.

“Orders right now are pretty good, so we are confident of hitting this target,” Asustek Asia Pacific sales president Benson Lin said at a March press conference.

DURHAM, NH – Sales of wave soldering equipment hit $235 million worldwide last year, according to a new study by ITM Marketing (itmconsulting.org). (Disclosure: ITM founder Phil Zarrow is a regular Circuits Assembly columnist.)

The 75-page study, Worldwide Wave Soldering Market Study, is a comprehensive analysis of the equipment market from the supplier and end-user perspectives. It covers price to performance benchmarks, supplier perception ratings and supplier and user interviews.

In a press release, ITM Marketing managing director Bob Klenke said, “This study helps to identify the principle characteristics of wave solder machines and how the respective suppliers differ in terms of key specifications, features and capabilities.”

EL SEGUNDO, CA – Shipments of portable media player and MP3s will grow to 268.6 million units in 2011, a CAGR of 5.5% from this year, says research firm iSuppli Corp.
 
“The future of PMP/MP3 players is bright due to continued hardware cost reductions, the rapid growth of online video and audio content and new offerings that will make it easier for users to access and download such online media,” said senior analyst Chris Crotty.
 
iSuppli believes PMPs will retain their technological edge over media-capable handsets, including media-capable cellphones like Apple’s new iPhone.