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.
Microchip to buy Silicon Storage Technology
Chandler, Ariz. — Microchip Technology Inc. is acquiring Silicon Storage Technology, Inc. (SST), giving the company access to SST’s SuperFlash technology and extensive patent portfolio. The transaction will be completed early in the second quarter of 2010.
Microchip, a manufacturer of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire SST, a manufacturer of memory and non-memory ICs, for $2.85 per share in cash. The acquisition has been approved by the Boards of Directors of each company and is subject to approval by SST’s stockholders and other customary closing conditions.
SST announced prior to the merger agreement with Microchip that it had terminated its previously announced merger agreement with Technology Resources Holdings.
“This acquisition enables Microchip to gain earlier access to SST’s advanced technologies, as well as the ability to customize technology variants that can give us an advantage over competing technologies,” said Steve Sanghi, president and CEO, at Microchip, in a statement.
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.