| Cabinet panel nod for IT investment regions |
Source:The Hindu Business Line, April 3 2008 |
| http://www.thehindubusinessline.com |
In a bid to fuel the growth of electronics hardware manufacturing in the country, the
Government on Thursday approved a policy to create information technology investment
regions (ITIRs). These regions are specifically-notified zones that would include IT/BPOs,
electronics hardware manufacturing units, public utilities, residential area, social
infrastructure and administrative units. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Chip industry confronts 'software gap' between multicore, programming |
| Source:Rick Merritt, EETimes, April 3 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
Through new research, standards and tools, the industry is just starting to address what's being
called a software gap between a rising tide of multicore processors and a lack of parallel
programming tools and techniques to make use of them. The gap came into stark focus in the
embedded world at the Multicore Expo here this week, where chip makers Freescale, Intel and
MIPS and a handful of silicon startups sketched out directions for their multicore products.
Others warned that the industry has its work cut out for it delivering the software that will
harness the next-generation chips. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Actual data shows February global chip market up 3.9% |
| Source:Peter Clarke, EETimes, April 3 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.eu |
|
The global market for semiconductors was $18.73 billion in February, according to data from
World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS), up 3.9 percent on February 2007 but down from
$19. 15 billion recorded for January 2008 (see March 5 story). However, this did represent a
turnaround because the January market showed a decline of 0.7 percent compared with
January 2007. |
| back
to top |
| |
| EDA sales jump in Q4 |
| Source:EETimes, April 3 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com/ |
The EDA Consortium Market Statistics Service said that the electronic design automation (EDA)
industry revenue for the fourth quarter of 2007 grew 6.7 percent to $1.603 billion, versus
$1.502 billion in the like period a year ago. The four-quarter average growth rate, which
compares the most recent four quarters to the same four quarters in the prior year, was 9.1
percent, according to the group. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Wind River opens R&D center in Israel |
|
Source:Amir Ben-Artzi, EETimes, April 4 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.eu/ |
Embedded operating system provider Wind River Systems Inc. (Alameda, Calif.) has opened a
research and development center in Ra'anana, Israel. The center has 6 employees and is
intended to expand to around 20 software developers by April 2009, according to Yuval Tsuk,
Middle East regional director at Wind River. "The staff in Israel will focus on developing device
management solutions, which are a big money generator for Wind River. The company preffered Israel over other locations because of the local talent in areas such as software
testing," he said. |
| back
to top |
| |
| IC-equipment rankings show changes |
| Source:Mark LaPedus, EETimes, April 4 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
|
The fab-tool rankings experienced a minor change in 2007, according to Gartner Inc. Among the
top 5 vendors, there was no change in the rankings. U.S.-based Applied Materials Inc. remained
the world's largest semiconductor-equipment vendor, but the company lost share as it
underperformed the market in 2007, according to Gartner. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Manufacturers & govt join hands to establish chip fab |
| Source: K.C. Krishnadas, EE Times, April 7 2008 |
| http://www.eetindia.co.in |
|
Electronics and chipmakers in India are looking to work with the government to pull together
proposals for establishing a chip fab, an LCD plant and solar manufacturing facilities. The
Indian government has so far received seven investment proposals worth over Rs.63,165.42
crore ($16 billion). The proposals come in response to an incentive package for semiconductor
and electronics manufacturing announced last year. Thursday's (April 3) announcement makes
it clear that the biggest IC manufacturing plan announced so far, SemIndia, has yet to submit a
proposal. |
| back
to top |
| |
| India server market factory revenue touches US$ 727 million |
| Source: The Hindu Business Line, April 7 2008 |
| http://www.ibef.org |
|
The India server market factory revenue rose 24 per cent in 2007 to touch $727 million, while
shipments grew 19 per cent to 1,35,615 units during the same period, according to IDC. The IDC
Asia Pacific Quarterly Enterprise Server Tracker finds that the overall India server market has
witnessed a healthy growth as customers continued to refresh and expand their IT
infrastructure. |
| back
to top |
| |
| LDK inks solar wafer deal with India's Moser Baer |
| Source: EETimes, April 8 2008 |
| http://www.eetasia.com |
|
LDK Solar Co. Ltd has signed a ten-year contract to supply multicrystalline solar wafers to
India-based Moser Baer Photo Voltaic Ltd (MBPV), a subsidiary of Moser Baer India Ltd. Under
the terms of the agreement, LDK will deliver 640MW of multicrystalline solar wafers to MBPV
over a ten-year period commencing in mid-2008 through 2017. MBPV will make a suitable
advance payment reflecting the contract value to LDK |
| back
to top |
| |
| Intel Capital boosts Chinese venture fund |
| Source: John Walko, EETimes, April 8 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.eu |
|
Intel Corp.'s venture-capital arm is planning to invest a further $500 million in China over the
next three to five years on companies focusing on wireless broadband, communications, media
technology and clean technology. The company says this focus will complement its corporate
initiatives and help expand technology market segments in China. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Johnson to head Qualcomm India, Americas biz |
| Source: CIOL, April 8 2008 |
| http://www.ciol.com |
|
Qualcomm Incorporated has appointed Peggy Johnson as its executive vice president of India
and the Americas. Kanwalinder Singh, president of Qualcomm India and South Asia and senior
vice president of Qualcomm, will continue to lead the company’s operations in India and the
South Asian countries and report to Johnson. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Indian R&D is the world's new flavour |
| Source: The Financial Express, April 10 2008 |
| http://www.ibef.org |
|
Over the past few years, India has steadily emerged as a major research and development
(R&D) centre for the world’s leading telecom and IT players, thus shedding the image of just a
low-cost destination for outsourcing back-office jobs. Increasingly, despite various constraints
like the shortage of high-skilled work force, with relative inexperience in the field of high-end
research and poor infrastructure overall, India is witnessing a surge in good quality R&D work. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Semiconductor doom & gloom too early, says Future Horizons |
| Source: Fabtech, April 9 2008 |
| http://www.fabtech.org |
|
Malcolm Penn at Future Horizons believes it is too early to ‘write off’ 2008 as a bad year for
the semiconductor industry as overall company balance sheets are strong and industry
fundamentals have not changed for the worse. Penn wants the industry to push aside worries
about economic recession as demand for ICs remains strong. Indeed, Penn believes that if we
do not see ASPs rise much in 2008, they most certainly will in 2009, raising sales and profits. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Global semiconductor industry: India to buck the trend |
| Source: Neenu Abraham,The Economic Times, April 9 2008 |
| http://economictimes.indiatimes.com |
|
A sharp drop in US consumer spending, driven by high energy prices and the subprime turmoil,
has started hitting the global semiconductor industry. However, the scene in the Indian
semiconductor industry is slightly different. AMD India vice-president and MD Alok Ohrie says,
“Chip growth is dependent on consumer demand. In India, with a reduction in income-tax for
the salaried classes, we will see a surge in the uptake of consumer electronics like PCs backed
by increased spending power of consumers.” |
| back
to top |
| |
| Survey: weak dollar set to drive 15,000 technology-based job cuts in Israel |
| Source: Amir Ben-Artzi, EETimes, April 9 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.eu |
|
If the dollar exchange rate against the New Israeli Shekel (NIS) remains at current levels,
around 4,500 technology-based jobs will be cut in 2008, alongside 11,000 additional jobs for
those indirectly employed by the technology industry in Israel, according to a survey conducted
by Israeli Association of Electronics and Software Industries. Israeli businesses are being driven
to consider moving part or all of their activities outside Israel, the association said. |
| back
to top |
| |
| GSA ranks chip vendors, sees fabless sales up 7% in 2007 |
| Source: Peter Clarke, EETimes, April 10 2008 |
| http://www.eetimes.com |
|
The revenues made by fabless chip companies in 2007 totaled $53 billion, a 7 percent increase
from 2006, according to the Global Semiconductor Alliance, formerly known as the Fabless
Semiconductor Association. Fabless chip companies were responsible for 19.8 percent — and
IDMs for 80.1 percent — of the total semiconductor revenue in 2007 which was $267.5 billion,
the GSA (San Jose, Calif.) said. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Qualcomm launches wireless data services in Vietnam |
| Source: EETimes, April 11 2008 |
| http://www.eetasia.com |
|
Qualcomm Inc. has partnered with Vietnamese operator S-Fone to launch BREW services on SFone's
CDMA network. The introduction of BREW services will enable S-Fone subscribers to shop
for and download a wide variety of value-added services. Examples of content available
through BREW include music, ringtones, information, sports updates, games and financial
applications. Qualcomm also will provide S-Fone with a hosted data service, which will enable
S-Fone to bring these services to their customers quickly. |
| back
to top |
| |
| Intel aids tech education in Arab region |
| Source: Nicolas Mokhoff, EE Times, April 11 2008 |
| http://www.eetasia.com |
|
Craig Barrett, Intel Corp. chairman, marked his fourth visit to the United Arab Emirates by
unveiling new education initiatives in the Arab world through the use of technology. On the
education front, Intel will be working with local governments and Ministries of Education
through the recently formed Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to train more than 2
million Arab teachers by 2011. |
| back
to top |
| |
| SEMI acquires World Fab Watch database |
| Source: Peter Clarke, EE Times Europe, April 11 2008 |
| http://www.eetasia.com |
|
The industry group Semiconductor Equipment Materials International (SEMI) has said it has
acquired the World Fab Watch database and the 300mm Fab report from Strategic Marketing
Associates. The acquisition includes ownership of the SMA Website. SEMI and SMA have
collaborated for 13 years on the joint marketing and sales of World Fab Watch, and in the past
year collaboration has extended to a strategic partnership to jointly share in fab research
activities. Christian Gregor Dieseldorff, formerly of SMA, joined SEMI one year ago as senior
analyst and director of market research and he will lead fab research activities at SEMI. |
| back
to top |
| |
