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Tech Smorgasbord Archives - 21 |
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4-16-2009
3-19-2009
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I Read Through the List (source: NY
Daily News) |
 By now we have all heard of infamous financier Bernard
Madoff and his multibillion dollar scam that left a few thousand people broke. When the list of victims was releases the other day, I searched
through it for electronics industry notables. The only one I found was Keystone Electronics
Corporation Employee Profit Sharing Trust (page 74). It does not say how much they lost. So, if you order parts from the good people at Keystone
Electronics, be especially nice to them; they are living with the results of bad decisions by those they entrusted with their well-being.
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2-19-2009
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The "Monty Hall Paradox" (source: Applet)
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 Most of us have taken at least one statistics course. The calculated results of
most exercises usually jibed with expected result. The famous "Monty Hall Paradox" involving whether the contestant should switch doors after
the first opened door is shown to contain a goat. Should the player stick with his original door, or change to the remaining unopened door in
order to improve his chances of winning? PhDs have argued philosophy vs. mathematics over the situation. Here is an online applet that demonstrates
the possibly surprising best choice. I say based on evolving conditions, the best answer is 50/50. You? |
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4-23-2009
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Foreign vs. Domestic Patent Awards (source: USPTO)
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 I read an article recently about the distribution of patents to
U.S. and foreign inventors. No numbers were presented from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), so I used their data to create this
chart. Note the fairly constant track in number of awards beginning around 1978, and the significant dip occurred in 2005. Do you know the reason
for either? |
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3-26-2009
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What Will Be "The Next Big Thing?" (source:
Electronic Design) |
 This chart shows the cycles that the electronics industry
has experienced from 1970 through now. Mainframes, PCs, cellphones, and consumer apps defined the peaks. We are now in the right-most nadir.
The extrapolated curve predicts "the next big thing" waiting somewhere. Some say it will be alternative energy technologies. Others say medicine.
Your Opinion |
2-26-2009
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Worldwide RFID Deployment Map (source: RFID Journal)
|
 This interactive map displays RFID deployments
in different parts of the world. The goal is to show how widespread RFID adoption has become, and to help you find information regarding deployments
relevant to your own RFID applications. You can add deployments not currently on the map by filling out the form on
RFID Journal's webpage. |
4-30-2009
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Negative Refraction the Key to Cloaking (source: Scientific American) |
 The stuff of science fiction gets farther from fiction
and closer to fact every day. Such is the case with advances in cloaking technology. A mere 4-5 years ago cloaking required special cameras
and props - more like magical illusions. Now, structures are being developed with negative refractive indices that can cause microwaves and
visible light to wrap around objects as if they were not there. The scale is small now, but then the Chinese's first
rockets were finger-size and
Kilby's first IC had a single transistor, resistor, and capacitor.
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4-2-2009
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Which Display is Greener: CRT or LCD/Plasma? (source:
LA Times) |
A lot of people believe that switching from their old energy hog CRTs to a nice new high-definition flat-screen TVs and computer monitors
is the neo-responsible thing to do. Not so according to results of a study by the CEC.
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Type |
Watts* |
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CRT |
101 |
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LCD |
144 |
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Plasma |
361 |
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Projection |
245 |
* Average size TVNews stories have appeared recently where governments are seeking to
ban large plasmas. |
3-5-2009
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Does One Twitter or Does One Tweet? (source: Inc.com) |
 There seems to be some misunderstanding of the proper verb for describing what one is doing when using
the Twitter.com website. Do you twitter, tweet, or something else? Inc. magazine went to the source to find out. According to co-founder
Biz Stone, "Ultimately, whatever gets used more will probably win
out, but my personal thought is the Twittering is the verb that refers to the act of creating a tweet, which is the noun. However, you may catch
me tweeting one day, so don't hold me to that." |
5-7-2009
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Best Engineering Colleges by Salary Potential (source:
PayScale.com) |
 It is no secret that the school from which you hearken can make
a difference in opportunities that avail themselves to you. It is akin to owning an academy ring as an officer in the armed services. Experience
eventually overrides pedigree if you are outstanding in your field, but let's face it, having an advantage from the start can really make the
upward climb easier. PayScale.com has collected the data. #1 for fresh-out: CIT; #1 for mid-career: MIT. |
4-9-2009
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2009-2010 Outlook (source: Prismark Partners, LLC) |
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Prismark, for which I have much respect, has issued a "2009/2010 Short-Term Outlook" report summarizing their prediction for the electronics
systems and components markets. Basically: * Overall electronic systems market to decline at least 12% in
2009 (largest ever), modest growth in 2010 * The last electronics recession occurred in
2001-2002 * Semi industry declined 2.8% in 2008, 23% expected for 2009, recovery in late 2010 * 2009 IC
volumes to drop to 2005 levels * PCB industry declines by 16% in 2009, recovery to 2008 levels
by 2012 Please contact Prismark for detailed charts and tables. |
3-12-2009 |
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"
...czar of all
things analog, 
Now, Design News confirms
it. If Bob is most famous for his seemingly unlimited knowledge of analog circuits, he is
second-most famous for his disdain
for computers and simulations. He sketches circuits in his head, 
then transfers them to napkins and envelopes... and they work. Bob's monthly articles
will continue. 
