Boards & Modules

Tablet computing is one of the fastest growing categories of consumer electronics, led by the Apple iPad. This buzz is leading many businesses to explore new uses for tablet computers, and some devices are finding their way into evaluation trials on forklifts and other vehicle applications in the distribution center. This white paper compares ruggedized enterprise tablets to purpose-built vehicle mount computers, and addresses mounting, survivability, power, compatibility, and cost considerations between the two product categories.

This issue of Custom Systems Magazine will discuss the recent influx of opportunities for custom system builders to enter the tablet PC market as serious competitors. Prior to the emergence of the iPad, it was difficult for system builders to get involved in the PC market, due to expensive parts and several different distribution outlets. But these days, tablet components are cheaper and easier to come by. There are more technology options to choose from, and manufacturers can purchase all their components from one distributor, allowing custom system builders and boutique PC makers to build customized tablets and still enjoy a margin to make it worth their while.

The supply chain meltdown begins due to the impact of Japan's travesty, but spending and growth is still reportedly on the rise in 2011 for integrated graphics chips. Inside this Custom Systems eZine, a market-research report forecasts that the market segment for integrated graphics chips will grow by 9 percent in 2011, shipping inside more than 63 million units globally, from 369 percent of the overall processor market last year. And while the PC market may not be the high growth opportunity it used to be, there's still plenty of business to be done around computer peripherals and custom systems. CRN's Need To Know list this month looks at a wide variety of vendors that build all of the necessary parts that compose today's computers, from the graphics cards and memory to the hard drives and chassis.

Maximizing the benefits of virtualization with Intel's new CPUs and chipsets.

The focus of this paper is a combined electrical, thermal and optical characterization of power LED assemblies. Thermal management play important role in case of power LEDs, necessitating both physical measurements and simulation.

Today's technological innovation demands high performance coupled with low environmental impact. These dual requirements are driving components of the semiconductor industry which informs many global businesses and consumer lives.

"As the number of enhancements to various Hardware Description Languages (HDLs) has increased over the past year, so too has the complexity of determining which language is best for a particular design. Many designers and organizations are contemplating whether they should switch from one HDL to another. This paper compares the technical characteristics of three, general-purpose HDLs.

This paper looks at the issues, materials and current processes being researched to create this integrated Opto-Electronic Circuit Board by European, Japanese and North American organizations.

Join us at ESC Boston, September 21-24 at the Hynes Convention Center, in Boston, MA. Expo registration is FREE, and advanced registration pricing is still available for conference packages.

A powerful signal integrity analysis tool must be flexibility, easy to use and integrated into an existing EDA framework and design flow. In addition, it is important for the tool to be accurate enough. This report reviews a validation study for the Mentor Graphics HyperLynx 8.0 PI tool to establish confidence in using it for power integrity analysis.

For advanced signaling over high-loss channels, designs today are using equalization and several new measurement methods to evaluate the performance of the link. Both simulation and measurement tools support equalization and the new measurement methods, but correlation of results throughout the design flow is unclear. In this paper a high performance equalizing serial data link is measured and the performance is compared to that predicted by simulation. Then, the differences between simulation and measurements are discussed as well as methods to correlate the two.

High Density Interconnect (HDI) is being used more often to meet the growing need for more complex designs in smaller form factors. Beyond some of the more obvious electrical effects of using smaller vias, there is also an impact to the power integrity of a board using HDI. This includes different effects of mounted inductances of decoupling capacitors, changes in plane performance due to reduction in perforation from chip pinouts, and the inherent plane-capacitance changes from using dielectrics of various thicknesses. This paper will examine and quantify these effects, using numerous design examples, including a large conventional through-hole design board that was reduced using HDI.

The success of any consumer electronic device depends to a large extent on the appeal of the user interface (UI) and how easy the device is to use. Studies show that good cosmetic design can encourage users to explore the full range of features and often engenders the perception that a product is easier to use. So if the benefits of a great looking, easy-to-use UI are so clear, why are so many products still falling short of customer expectations? The solution lies in taking a fresh new approach a consumer electronic device UI plays. By identifying common UI functionality and implementing it in a reusable and customizable way, we can make it far easier for embedded engineers to deliver visually engaging and easy-to-use consumer electronic products.

Moving to C++ presents opportunities for higher programmer productivity. The requirements of embedded systems, however, demand that the adoption of C++ be carefully measured for the performance impact of run-time costs present in C++, but not in C. This talk suggests strategies for developers who are starting their acquaintance with C++.

While most coating systems address "piece parts", our linear system maximizes polymer yields, maintains consistent quality, increasing output, thereby driving down piece part costs.

Learn how to balance the positive and negative effects of memory utilization in virtual infrastructures to better handle system workload and priority--while improving server utilization

Offshoring Is a Cost Effective Solution to Your IT Needs

Paper provides background on Intel Atom processor for embedded market, the next-generation Atom Pineview CPUs, and platform-level solutions.

The Mitel Freedom architecture provides organizations with a single stream, software-based

How the SUMIT interconnect standard is designed to meet the evolving needs of embedded systems.

New technologies emerge every day, but not all of them pay off, and adopting them too early might be risky for your organization.

Defining EU Directive - RoHS, WEEE Pb-Free, a basic tutorial of requirements, materials, and questions to ask EMS providers and contract manufacturers about Pb-free qualifications and costs

Ultra High Speed Internet, TV and local/long distance phone services combined into 1 superior service.