Southern Africa
Spescom has been awarded a multimillion rand contract to provide a complete equipment and software solution to enable Spoornet to record and centrally monitor the verbal train-movement authorisations between regional control centres and train drivers countrywide. Spescom said it adapted its DataVoice technology for use with radio, rather than the more conventional telecom systems. In collaboration with the University of Stellenbosch and Transtel, the company was able to integrate a variety of radio transmission technologies into a single system that channels all the communications through local hubs, simultaneously storing the messages for later reference. The system also archives all messages, thus providing important knowledge resources when projects to upgrade operations are being planned.
DireqLearn SA has announced the first Gauteng deployment of DireqOpenLab at a school in Alexandra. DireqOpenLab is a thin-client, diskless computer centre solution, based on Linux Terminal Server technology. Participating in the Gauteng Online (GOL) initiative as a partner in the Sahara consortium, DireqLearn SA said that this follows eight months of development and preparation of a technically stable educational solution that can be deployed in a cost effective manner to schools throughout Africa. The system allows for the use of varied computer technologies, ranging from 'obsolete' to the 'state-of-the-art P4', in a diskless workstation solution. The DireqOpenLab on display at Pholosho Primary School uses an Athlon processor in workstations supplied by Sahara Systems. The workstations are totally diskless and boot off a network card, thus preventing the problems that could be associated with electro-mechanical devices. The KDE desktop used by Linux is being translated into Xhosa, Zulu, Afrikaans and Venda, the project being completed by Translate.org.za, a division of the Zuza Software Foundation.
Intel is the main sponsor of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), a premier event for students to demonstrate their abilities in technology. Only recently has South Africa been able to send students to the ISEF event which is held every May at Louisville University, in Kentucky, USA. Intel's involvement in supporting education and technology for local communities is a core commitment by the company, as Parthy Chetty, Education Manager at Intel SA, explains: "Intel's support of the local 'EXPO for Young Scientists', which is the South African affiliate of Intel ISEF, is part of a plan to bring technology within the reach of all schools in South Africa and to foster entrepreneurship among the youth to produce the scientists, engineers and inventions of tomorrow." Bradley Matthews of Northcliff High, and Bertus Esterhuysen of Potchefstroom Higher Technical School, have been selected as the delegates to go to the 2002 event.
Webb Industries has reached agreement with Telegärtner of Stuttgart, whereby Webb will market the Telegärtner range of connectors and terminals, interconnection systems, cables and assemblies. According to Webb Industries, the Telegärtner range complements its existing Eupen cables and accessories which are specifically designed for the needs of modern radio communications systems. The company believes that the new franchise adds synergy to its existing product range and permits it to offer one of the widest ranges of telecoms equipment.
Cosmetics company Lancôme SA is launching a new smart card based loyalty programme for its customers. The My Lancôme electronic relationship programme will use smartcards and terminals provided by local manufacturer Integrated Card Technology (ICT), an associate company of NamITech.
Systematic Designs has opened a new branch in Pretoria: Box 7589, Centurion, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0046; Tel 021 555 3866, Fax 021 552 9299.
World Amateur Radio Day was celebrated on 18 April. This day marks the anniversary of the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union in Paris on that date in 1925. The IARU is the worldwide federation of national Amateur Radio organisations representing radio amateurs in 153 countries, and is a Sector Member of the ITU. In South Africa the national society for radio amateurs is the South African Radio League (SARL) which is a founder member of the IARU. Through its national Hamnet organisation, the SARL coordinates disaster communication, and has a proud record of supporting communities when other communication channels break down. Amateur Radio also supports many sporting events such as the Comrades Marathon and Roof of Africa with communications. A special software and radio communication solution has also been developed to assist the Comrades organisers to track participants who drop out during the race. Radio amateurs were also in contact with Mark Shuttleworth on the International Space Station during his trip. See www.sarl.org.za and www.iaru-r1.org.
Overseas
Business
Infineon Technologies has reported a 34% sequential jump in revenues to +1,39 bn in the company's second fiscal quarter, ended 31 March, from +1,03 bn in the Q1. This was mostly due to increased DRAM prices and improvements in other chip businesses said the chip-maker. Net loss posted was +108m, compared to a +331m loss in the prior quarter. Infineon said the outlook remains somewhat uncertain for the next six months, but it sees increasing signs of improvement. The Memory Products Group saw revenues surge 105% sequentially. In other business units, revenues in its Wireline Communications Group grew 16% sequentially, while sales in its Wireless Solutions Group were up 1% on a sequential basis. Infineon's Security & Chip Card ICs Group revenues increased 10% over the prior fiscal quarter, while the Automotive & Industrial Group saw revenues increase 9% sequentially.
Actel has reported a 3% sequential increase in revenues to $33,1m in the first quarter, from $32,1m in Q4 of 2001. Actel's sales were 27% lower than $45m in the first quarter last year, it said. Net income posted was $395 000, including one-time charges and other items, compared to a net loss of $2,5m in the prior quarter.
RF Micro Devices revenues for the fiscal 2002 fourth quarter ended 31 March, 2002, were approximately $100,4m and were essentially flat, compared sequentially to revenues of $100,6m for the prior quarter. Quarterly revenues increased approximately 82,5%, compared to revenues for the corresponding quarter of fiscal 2001. The company said that revenues exceeded the company's prior estimate in January because components shipped to the handset and WLAN markets exceeded original customer forecasts. Gross profit margin improved to 40,8% from 38,7% in the prior quarter, it said.
Intersil reported sales of $134,1m for its first quarter ended 29 March, an increase of 10% sequentially and 5% compared to the like period in 2001. The company recorded a net income of $13,8m, for the quarter, compared to $35m a year ago. Intersil said that as a result of increasing demand for its products, it now expects second quarter revenue to increase between 6% to 8% sequentially and approximately 20% over the same quarter of 2001. For total calendar year 2002, it expects revenue growth in excess of 20% versus 2001.
Nokia's financial results for the first quarter of 2002 showed that net sales decreased 12% to $6,3 bn compared to $7,1 bn in the first quarter of 2001. Nokia also said that it now expects worldwide handset unit sales to total 420 million this year compared to its previous forecast of 440 million.
Silicon Storage Technology has reported a 5,4% sequential increase in revenues to $74,6m in Q1, compared to $70,8m in Q4 of 2001. Net income was $1,6m compared to a net loss of $9,1m in Q4. SST said it anticipates revenues to be flat to 5% higher in the second quarter from Q1.
Companies
Micron Technology has announced a nonbinding agreement to purchase the memory business of Hynix Semiconductor for 108,6 million shares of stock. Micron said it has also agreed to invest $200m in Hynix in return for a 15% equity stake in the Korean company's non-memory chip business. As part of the transaction, Korean lenders will provide $1,5 bn of long-term debt financing for use by Micron in its Korea-based operations. This preliminary purchase agreement is subject to approvals.
Power device supplier IXYS has announced an agreement to acquire Clare, a supplier of high-voltage ICs, solid-state relays, mixed-signal ASICs and drivers for organic LEDs, in a deal worth around $55m. The addition of Clare products to IXYS's portfolio of devices would create a larger supplier of discrete components and ICs for a broader range of customers worldwide, said the companies.
Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector has announced a strategic alliance with Telcordia Technologies to offer premium-quality, next-generation communications and connectivity solutions for packet voice, data and telephony. This agreement leverages Motorola's recently announced 56800E hybrid DSP/MCU processor architecture and Telcordia's DeviceWare software and its engineering, integration and testing services. This will enable a new level of design integration with a potential for yielding reduced product development time, costs, and time-to-market, according to the companies.
Cadence Design Systems intends to acquire IC design and verification software supplier, Simplex Solutions in a stock transaction worth around $300m. The deal is intended to strengthen Cadence's design portfolio for 0,13 mm and below IC process technologies. Simplex will provide Cadence with a range of design automation technologies for 3-D parasitic extraction and full-chip power-grid planning, electromigration and signal integrity solutions.
Silicon foundry start-up Semiconductor Manufacturing International (SMIC) of China has signed a letter of intent with the IMEC research group in Belgium to co-develop advanced semiconductor process technologies. SMIC will join IMEC's Industrial Affiliation Programs (IIAPs) for silicon process technologies.
Innoveda and manufacturing software solutions provider, DownStream Technologies have announced a strategic agreement for ongoing development, marketing and distribution of its computer-aided-manufacturing (CAM) product line. Innoveda says the move is part of its decision to shift its technology focus to specific, mission-critical areas of the design flow, including high-speed PCB design. Under terms of the agreement, DownStream Technologies has acquired rights to the source code for the CAM350 and FabFactory software products from Innoveda, and will assume the future development of these two products for the marketplace. Innoveda retains the source code for the CAM350 and FabFactory products, and will continue to integrate relevant functions of CAM350 and FabFactory into its PowerPCB and BlazeRouter products, for upfront product planning.
Micron Technology has purchased Toshiba's commodity DRAM access memory business in Virginia, in a cash and stock deal valued at $45m.
Contemporary Controls (CC) has tapped into the European market with the formation of Contemporary Controls GmbH (CCG) in Eisleben, Germany. Ownership of CCG is split 50/50 by Contemporary Control Systems and Heyfra Electronics GmbH (HEG), an electronics contract manufacturer. The company's mission is to market and distribute industrial networking products to German-speaking countries in Europe.
Industry
The PC semiconductor revenue decline that began in late 2000 will end in 2002. Although recovery will begin to show in the second half of 2002, the path will be bumpy. This is according to IDC's latest report that forecasts revenues in the total worldwide PC semiconductor market will rise from $36,3 bn in 2001 to $37,6 bn in 2002 - a modest rise of about 3,4%. The desktop PC semiconductor part of the market will rise from $28,1 bn to $29,1 bn, or by approximately 3,9%. Mobile PC semiconductor revenue will rise by approximately 1,6%, from $8,3 bn to $8,4 bn. In terms of semiconductor components, worldwide x86 desktop and mobile PC microprocessor revenue will set the tone of the year with modest growth of 3,8%, ending at $23,4 bn. PC DRAM revenues, disastrous in 2001, will grow by 15,9% to $5,7 bn. One very notable area of growth will be in the revenues of core logic chipsets that integrate graphics controllers, growing by almost 36%, to nearly $2,4 bn, according to the report.
In-Stat/MDR says that with dial-up access remaining the primary Internet access technology in homes through the year 2006, service providers who have delayed support for V.92 may have to change their current course of action. The high-tech market research firm reports that as a significant portion of consumers continue to use dial-up to access the Internet, they will move to V.92 for a more broadband like experience. V.92 enables dial-up users the abilty to take a phone call while on the Internet, faster Internet connections, and greater bandwith for uploading.
Aldec, a mixed-language simulation and advanced design tools specialist vendor for FPGA and ASIC devices, has filed a lawsuit against Xilinx to replace thousands of copyrighted Aldec software packages that it claims were shipped by Xilinx without the protection required by a joint OEM Agreement in 1996 between the two companies. Based on that OEM Agreement, Xilinx was distributing for six years Aldec's copyrighted software as part of its Foundation Series software used for designing Xilinx FPGA devices. Aldec says it believes that over 20 000 customers are using Aldec software worldwide, and that their designs created one of the major markets for Xilinx devices.
Instant messaging (IM) and unified messaging (UM) applications for service providers are expected to drive the worldwide messaging applications market from $1,1 bn in 2001 to $4,2 bn in 2006, according to IDC. The analyst group says that messaging vendors who focus on making their products more reliable in heterogeneous back-office environments, and prepare for longer sales and deployment cycles, will be most successful throughout this forecast period. Other key success fastors will be innovative add-ons such as mobility and management additions, and integration with noncollaborative applications, said IDC.
Technology
Philips Semiconductors has announced that it has become the first IC maker to offer contact and contactless smartcard controllers with Level 3 approval in Visa International's GlobalPlatform program, which supports multiple applications on a single chip card. The company's Mifare Prox is a dual-interface technology for dual use of smartcards. This can lower the overall cost and make them more convenient for users says Philips. For example, a single card could be used as a secured payment card - such as a credit or debit card - while also serving other applications, including electronic ticketing, customer loyalty programs, and identification.
Siliconix has introduced a new series of 'Little Foot' power MOSFETs housed in tiny 6-lead SC-89 packages. The new series is claimed to feature the industry's smallest level-shifted load switch. The Little Foot devices have a height of 0,6 mm and a footprint of 2,56 mm2. Compared to an SC-70 package, height is 45% thinner and footprint 45% smaller. The single p-channel Si1039X and Si1037X offer on-resistance ratings of 165 mOhm and 195 mOhm, respectively, at a 4,5 V gate drive and can handle up to 0,95 A of current.
Intel has provided the first public demonstrations of its code-named 'Banias' microprocessor line and desktop MPUs equipped with its new multi-tasking technology during Microsoft's Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC). Intel also showed a mainstream desktop processor that uses the chip-maker's 'Hyper-Threading Technology'. These technologies are said to be 'key' to driving the convergence of computing and communications in industry.
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