Compiled by Kevin Smith
Ashvattha Making Big Claims for Startup
Startup Ashvattha Semiconductor Inc. claims it is en route to cracking one of the telecommunications industry's toughest nuts. The company says it has found a way to handle the problems standing in the way of combining multiple RF front ends on a chip, a technology that some observers say could slash component counts in cell phones and pave the way for new wireless services. The Jacksonville-based company plans to unveil a dual-band GSM chip, equipped with global-positioning satellite and Bluetooth transmitter and receiver, based on a low-power silicon germanium BiCMOS process technology. Follow-on products are to include a CDMA/GPS RF IC and, possibly, a wideband-CDMA RF device as well,
both packing Bluetooth functionality. Early test runs indicate that the company should be able to introduce the first chip by the third quarter, managers said. Ashvattha found 95 percent of test cells on its first wafer were functional, and the company is in the process of characterizing its second batch of test chips.
Intel Hoping to Tap into City Networking
Intel Corp. plans to use its year-old acquisition of Giga A/S to gain some leverage in metropolitan networking, where the company is touting forward error correction as a means to extend the reach of lower-cost metro equipment. Outlining the plans at the recent Intel Developer Forum, Tony Stelliga, general manager of Intel's Telecommunications Components Division, said the company's new products could make it possible to build reliable metro networks with cheaper equipment and lower-grade fiber-optic cabling. Intel unveiled forward error correction (FEC) chips at the Supercomm show last June. At the Intel Developer Forum (IDF), the company announced related chips, including two digital wrappers and a set of physical-layer devices tailored for the increased data rates of FEC transmissions.
Canal+ Teaming up with Sun
In an effort to drive Java deeper into a global interactive TV market, Canal+ Technologies, a subsidiary of Canal+, is partnering with Sun Microsystems Inc. Canal+ Technologies is licensing Sun's PersonalJava platform. Sun, in turn, is investing an undisclosed amount in the French operation. Under the agreement, Canal+ Technologies, a provider of digital and interactive TV middleware, will license Sun's PersonalJava platform for integration with Canal's MediaHighway middleware solution. Canal+ will also port its
cable head-end infrastructure products to Sun's Solaris operating environment. Canal+ Technologies is no stranger to Java. More than two years ago it became the first company to develop, embed and demonstrate a clean-room implementation of Java Virtual Machine (JVM) on its own platform.
8th Annual Business Intelligence Conference Scheduled for Florida
Develop a world-class business intelligence function by sharpening your skills and expanding your arsenal of sources and analytical tools. Network with BI professionals as well as research and business development executives to find out how the business intelligence function can and should influence corporate strategy. Frost & Sullivan has developed a conference to help you find your way: Eighth Annual Business Intelligence Conference & Exhibition http://www.frost.com/conferences/CIB is scheduled for April 23-26, 2001 at the Wyndham Miami Beach Resort Miami, Florida.
Discounts Offered for Roam Conference
With less than 5 weeks to go till Roam, the exclusive meeting place for the wireless industry, there's not much time to register and take advantage of the early discount and specially priced hotel rooms. Respond by Friday, March 9, 2001 and save $399 on admission Don't miss this opportunity to attend Roam. The meeting will cut through the hype and deliver the industry experts and the right contacts to help you get a first mover advantage and forecast your wireless initiatives. No serious player in wireless can afford to miss this.
Microsoft to Host 1394 Trade Association
The 1394 Trade Association today announced that it will hold its annual 1394 Developers' Conference at Microsoft headquarters July 31 through Aug. 2. The conference will feature a broad range of presentations about the recently introduced wireless 1394 initiatives, new automotive applications, 1394.1 bridging design and other topics. There will be also be design presentations focused on the new 1394b specification, which defines bandwidths of 800 Megabits/second with scalability to 3.2 Gigabit/second, along with longer cable lengths and backward compatibility with all versions of the 1394 standard. It is being designed to provide information to engineers who want a basic understating of the technologies and the enabling scenarios to those interested in optimizing hardware design and software drivers to marketing and
compliance and interoperability.
Product Sight Offers Suite for Businesses
Product Sight Corporation today announced the immediate availability of Procurement Spec Manager Release 3.0, a Web-based software application for contract-manufacturing sourcing and procurement with collaborative product content. This new product is designed for automotive, aerospace, industrial machinery, medical equipment, and high technology infrastructure businesses that need to share detailed engineering specifications with contract-manufacturing or build-to-order suppliers. Procurement Spec Manager improves how buyers and suppliers interact with the specifications they need to deliver quality, on-time results. These applications integrate collection and communication of specification content such as
drawings, bills of materials, and reference specifications with sourcing and procurement activities. They also enable a new level of supply chain adaptability to changing product specifications.