Texas Instruments Sitara AM335x ARM Cortex-A8 Microprocessors
Texas Instruments introduced their Sitara AM335x ARM Cortex-A8 microprocessors. The TI AM335x ARM Cortex-A8 microprocessor offers low power consumption, prolongs battery life, reduces heat emissions, and enables portable, pocket-sized, fanless applications. Pricing for the AM335x ARM Cortex-A8 microprocessors start at $4.99 (in 100,000 unit quantities). Application-specific reference designs based on the AM335x ARM Cortex-A8 microprocessors will be available later this year and into 2012.
In-Stat Research: The Worldwide Emergence of Low-Cost Android Smartphones
In-Stat expects unit shipments for low-cost Android smartphones to reach almost 340 million worldwide in 2015. According to In-Stat, low-cost Android handset segment will cause some fragmentation in the Android platform. Low-cost Android smartphones will most likely be released with Android 2.2 or 2.3 because these versions offer a good blend of features with modest memory and processor usage. The Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) release requires more memory and processor demands, which makes the new version less attractive for low-cost Android devices.
ARM Reveals Details of 64-bit ARMv8 Architecture
The new ARMv8 architecture will feature a 64-bit instruction set. The ARMv8 architecture will expand the reach of ARM processor-based solutions into consumer and enterprise applications where extended virtual addressing and 64-bit data processing are required. The ARMv8 architecture specifications describing all aspects of the ARMv8 architecture are available now to partners under license. ARM will disclose processors based on ARMv8 during 2012, with consumer and enterprise prototype systems expected in 2014.
First-Pass Silicon Success: Synopsys DesignWare 96 dB Hi-Fi Audio IP
Synopsys’ DesignWare 96 dB Hi-Fi Audio IP has achieved first-pass silicon success in 65-nanometer (nm) and 55-nm process technologies for multiple foundries. The silicon-proven audio IP is ideal for consumer electronic system-on-chip (SoC) applications such as portable media players, smart phones, CD/DVD/ Blu-Ray Disc players/recorders, digital TV and digital cameras. The Synopsys DesignWare 96 dB Hi-Fi Audio IP in 65-nm and 55-nm processes is available now for multiple foundries.
Microchip SST39VF80XC and SST39VF160XC Multi-Purpose Flash Plus Devices
Microchip Technology introduced their 8 Mbit SST39VF80XC and 16 Mbit SST39VF160XC Multi-Purpose Flash Plus (MPF+) devices. The SST39VF80XC is priced at $0.68 each (10,000-unit quantities) in a 6 mm x 8 mm 48-pin BGA package. The chip is also available in 4 mm x 6 mm 48-pin WFBGA and 12 mm x 20 mm 48-pin TSOP packages. Pricing for the SST39VF160XC starts at $0.98 each (10,000-unit quantities) in a 6 mm x 8 mm 48-pin BGA package. The device is also available in 4 mm x 6 mm 48-pin WFBGA and 12 mm x 20 mm 48-pin TSOP packages.
Texas Instruments bq25504 Power Management IC for Energy Harvesting
Texas Instruments announced their bq25504 power management integrated circuit for energy harvesting. The boost charger for nano (ultra low) power energy harvesting features circuitry to protect the energy storage element from over voltage and under voltage conditions and to kick-start the system when the battery is deeply discharged. The TI bq25504 IC manages the microwatts to milliwatts of power generated from a number of sources and stores the extracted energy in various storage elements. The Texas Instruments bq25504 boost converter is available now in a 3-mm x 3-mm VQFN package. It is priced at $2.10 in quantities of 1,000.
Microchannel Heat Sink: Fabrication and Liquid Cooling System for High Heat Flux Integrated Circuits
Microchannel Heat Sink: Fabrication and Liquid Cooling System for High Heat Flux Integrated Circuits is a book written by Shahi Riaz (Laird Technologies) and Dr. Dereje Agonafer (University of Texas at Arlington). The book illustrates the analytical, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental studies of microchannel heat sink (MHS). It describes the fabrication process of MHS on a silicon wafer, and demonstrates a liquid closed-loop system using MHS, pump, filter and heat exchanger. The 120-page book is available now on Amazon.
Fresco Microchip FM2150 Analog Silicon Tuner
Fresco Microchip launched their FM2150 analog silicon tuner. The Fresco FM2150 is optimized for worldwide analog television. The silicon tuner eliminates redundant functionality found in many silicon tuners and television system-on-chips (SOCs). The chip supports PAL, NTSC, and SECAM analog standards. It is available in an ultra-small 4mm x 4mm QFN package. The Fresco FM2150 analog silicon tuner is ideal for televisions, personal video recorders, PC-TV, tablets, and other consumer video products.
Conexant CX25828 8-Channel Video/Audio Decoder
Conexant Systems introduced the CX25828 eight-channel video/audio decoder. The system-on-chip features eight high quality NTSC/PAL video decoders, nine audio ADCs and one audio DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter). The Conexant CX25828 SoC is sampling now. Volume production is scheduled for this quarter. Prices start at $5 in 1000 quantities. The CX25828 video/audio decoder is ideal for high-capacity DVR video surveillance applications that capture and record multiple video streams simultaneously.
Digilent Cerebot MC7 Development Kit for Academia and Hobbyists
Microchip Technology and Digilent introduced a development kit for the Cerebot MC7 motor control board. The Digilent Cerebot MC7 Development Kit includes a demonstration board with four half-bridge circuits, eight RC servo motor connectors, support for Digilent Pmod peripheral modules, and an integrated programming/debugging circuit that is compatible with the free MPLAB IDE. The Cerebot MC7 Development Kit is available now for $119. It is ideal for academic and hobbyist embedded motor control applications.
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