Blogs
How a New ISO/IEC Standard Will Drive Demand for Building/Home Automation
April 17, 2012 8:29 am | by Laurent Giai-Miniet, CEO of EnOcean | CommentsThe success of new technologies that reduce energy consumption in buildings and homes has led to a burgeoning of wireless solutions aimed at simplifying how building automation solutions are installed. Among the building automation solutions available, some wireless devices stand out because they are powered by limitless sources of energy that are omnipresent in buildings.
How Mobile Carriers Can Leverage Mobile Advertising Platforms to Increase Revenue
April 16, 2012 7:04 am | by Eddie Callaghan, Mobile Advertising Development Manager, Jinny Software | CommentsWith the increased demand of mobile video, mobile music, data, and the convergence of these services with social media platforms, the mobile phone market is growing rapidly. But the move toward these services leaves mobile carriers struggling with falling ARPU and the potential of being relegated to bit-pipe providers.
Carriers: Get Serious About Providing a Fair Value
April 13, 2012 5:47 am | by Ted Middleton, VP Product Management at EdgeCast Networks | CommentsAT&T recently jolted its customer base by announcing price hikes on their smartphone and tablet data plans. The good news – customers under contract can keep their current pricing packages. The bad news – new customers will pay 33 percent more. AT&T’s tiered pricing model has spurred similar offerings from other carriers and it’s only a matter of time before other carriers raise their prices to offset data carrying costs and accommodate a growing smartphone customer base.
Improvement Needed for Controversial Full-Body Scanners
April 12, 2012 12:49 pm | by Ron M. Seidel, Editorial Intern | CommentsRecent developments have put into question the true capabilities and benefits of full-body scanners, the controversial devices that use what the Transportation Security Administration calls “advanced imaging technology.” One wonders if officials in Washington, having adamantly defended the scanners for years, might just be too stubborn to concede the equipment’s ineffectiveness.
Change in Your Pocket
April 5, 2012 11:57 am | by Janine E. Mooney, Editor | CommentsFor retailers – tablets equal gold. After entering the e-commerce space in the last years, and with the help of user-friendly mobile apps, retailers are pleased – and profitable. But this isn’t the only wireless technology that they’re (almost) smiling about. Mobile payments are developing in their favor, thanks to near field communication.
WiGig is Coming
April 5, 2012 5:08 am | CommentsBy Ali Sadri, President and Chairman of the WiGig Alliance, www.wirelessgigabitalliance.org The widespread availability and use of digital multimedia content has created a need for faster wireless connectivity that current commercial standards cannot support. This has driven demand for a single standard that can support advanced applications such as wireless display and docking.
Cadmium Replacement Coating for Military/Aerospace Connectors
April 4, 2012 12:55 pm | by Ed Sullivan | CommentsEN-PTFE composite coating exhibits equivalent, or better, properties than cadmium and nickel-cadmium With the last remaining loopholes closing rapidly, the opportunity for connector manufacturers to find an optimum cadmium replacement is here. Even those that produce or distribute aerospace and military-grade connectors are under mounting pressure to meet the tightening requirements of the European RoHS directives, which are pushing towards elimination of cadmium altogether.
New Rumors of Smaller Apple Tablet Continue to Surface
April 4, 2012 12:30 pm | by Ron M. Seidel, Editorial Intern | CommentsTech industry writers and bloggers have been predicting a smaller-form tablet from Apple for over a year and a half—long before Tim Cook and company announced the latest full-sized, 9.7-inch “new iPad” early last month. As expected, in the weeks since the announcement rumor sites have continued to churn out hearsay articles detailing new specifications of this hypothetical, unconfirmed device.
Does the Battery Fuel Gauge Lie?
April 4, 2012 4:31 am | by Isidor Buchmann, CEO & founder of Cadex Electronics | CommentsWhy the Battery State-of-charge cannot be measured accurately Measuring stored energy in an electrochemical device, such as a battery, is complex and state-of-charge (SoC) readings on a fuel gauge provide only a rough estimate. Users often compare battery SoC with the fuel gauge of a vehicle. Calculating fluid in a tank is simple because a liquid is a tangible entity; battery state-of-charge is not.
The Dramatic Growth in the Sensor Market is Being Led by Magnetically Actuated Reed and Hall Sensors
April 3, 2012 7:45 am | by John Beigel | CommentsIntroduction With the advent of new and improved technologies, sensors are expanding dramatically and are finding new requirements across many market segments – telecom, instrumentation, security, medical, automotive, home appliance, marine, consumer products, and general purpose. Each of these market segments has unique qualities and requirements, which has further fueled the rapid growth of sensors.
Tech Exchange - Testing Today's Devices
March 29, 2012 12:12 pm | CommentsWhat do you consider the most critical service you provide to your customers to meet their testing project needs? Dr. Tom Kite, VP of Engineering at Audio Precision : At Audio Precision we pride ourselves upon delivering the most trustworthy and well-integrated test solutions in a package that is intuitive and easy to use.
Implementing a Direct RF Transmitter for Wireless Communications
March 29, 2012 7:36 am | by Ajay Kuckreja, Principal Member of Technical Staff, Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. | CommentsIntroduction Wireless radio transmitters have evolved over the years from real IF (intermediate frequency) transmitters, to complex IF transmitters, to zero-IF transmitters. However, there are still limitations associated with these commonly used architectures. A newer approach, a direct RF radio transmitter, can overcome the limitations of traditional transmitters.
Automating Industrial Equipment Controls with M2M Communications Platforms and Services
March 28, 2012 10:29 am | by Brian Anderson, vice president of marketing, Solutions and Services at Sierra Wireless | CommentsTraditional control systems used to monitor and automate industrial field equipment provide very specific functions. These systems generally control local equipment functions, like process control, and allow one-way data communication of data from the industrial product to a business application typically used by a few individuals working within a single department.
Are You Getting The Performance You Deserve From Your Building Door Controls?
March 27, 2012 1:03 pm | CommentsControls to open doors in your facility may include: • tactile “paddle” switches (with the symbol of a wheelchair or the word “EXIT”) that people hit or punch • identification card readers combined with tactile switches • tactile keypads • card readers or key pads paired with fingerprint or retinal scanners What problems have you experienced with tactile components of these controls? The fact is tactile switches and key pads with moving, mechanical parts are prone to failure under moderate to heavy use or abuse – busy, impatient people simply damage or destroy them.
Full-HD Voice: Redefining the Communications Experience
March 27, 2012 10:38 am | by HP Baumeister, Director, Mobile and Communications Markets, Fraunhofer USA Digital Media Technologies | CommentsToday, we have grown accustomed to consuming HD content in most aspects of our lives. From TV’s, PC’s, tablets, video games, home theatres with multichannel sound, and even mobile phones, we expect and get high-fidelity content. The only “white spot” in the HD realm is the humble telephone call, which is still largely tied to the limitations of technologies from the last century.
