Touch user interfaces have made significant advances in the consumer electronics market particularly for mobile phones and notebook computers, opening the door for adoption in other applications including white goods, computer peripherals, medical equipment, and instrumentation. Synaptics made its debut in the home appliance market earlier this year with the launch of the Samsung Hauzen ZERO air conditioner.
The standout products on day three of the SID 2010 conference is Universal Display's new PHOLED display architecture with a unique four-color, sub-pixel design, which promises to drive commercial development of all-phosphorescent active-matrix OLEDs and Sony's tiny rollable OLED display that can wrap around a pencil.
Smaller distributors were the only ones to post sales gains in 2009. Interestingly, two of the five distributors that posted growth last year -- Interstate Connecting Components and Sherburn Electronics -- derive 100 percent of their sales from interconnect products. Both of them also target the military/aerospace industry. Here are the top 10 sales leaders by ICs, passives/electromechanical devices, interconnects and computer products as well as sales growth.
Welcome to Electronics Advocate
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the launch of Electronics Advocate where we will deliver the latest information about business, distribution, supply chain, design and manufacturing trends. Electronics Advocate is all about providing you — the EOEM purchaser and designer — with information you need to select the best suppliers, distributors, and EMS companies as well as the best and latest technologies for your products. And to run your business more effectively, give you the latest information about business and design software.
Here at Electronics Advocate we plan to focus on return on investments (ROI) ranging from new business initiatives to supply partnerships. We will also closely watch emerging trends and markets, particularly those related to renewable energy, smart meters and the smart grid.
Although a new study from New Energy Finance shows that the financial crisis and recession have negatively impacted the clean tech sector in 2009, the good news is that investments in clean energy companies in the second quarter have rallied with more than $2 billion of completed secondary issues for companies such as Vestas, SunPower, Q-Cells, Evergreen Solar and Suntech Power. Hopefully, this trend will continue into the second half of 2009 and beyond.
Thanks to the U.S. stimulus bill, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Department of Energy (DOE) is making huge investments in technologies that will contribute to “green” jobs, a green economy and a “green” environment. As part of the DOE’s $38.7 billion budget, the government agency will support the expansion of clean, renewable energy sources, develop electric and hybrid vehicle technologies, and support the Obama administration’s goal to develop a secure and smart grid. We’ll also let you know about the latest global environmental legislation to minimize potential supply-chain risks.
In the days ahead, watch for stories that cover supply-chain management risks, emerging renewable energy markets and designing for low power. Please take a look at the site and let me know what you think.
Some of you may already know me from my days at EE Times, Green SupplyLine and eeProductCenter where I covered everything from distribution and supply issues to renewable energy markets and global environmental legislation. So I hope you’ll join me daily at Electronics Advocate.
Got a specific topic you’re interested in hearing about in the future. Let me know. You can reach me via e-mail: editor@electronicsadvocate.com or gmroos@aol.com. Want to talk, call me at 207-989-2368.
Best regards,
Gina Roos
Chief editor
Electronics Advocate
NXP offers a low-power IC aimed at MPPT applications using PV cells or fuel cells. 
C&K Components offers a series of low-cost, miniature slide switches. The OS Series of RoHS-compliant switches feature a new high-temperature option for lead-free soldering.