Renesas Mobile, a specialist in SoC mainly for mobile devices and car navigation systems, has begun operation on 1 December.

As panel makers expand, they are increasingly using Gen 8 fabs for LCD TV panel production. According to the latest Quarterly Large-Area Production Strategy Report, 41% of LCD TV panels were produced on Gen 8 lines in Q3’10, a leap from 35% in Q2’10. The share is expected to grow to 42% based on panel makers’ plans. Meanwhile, 6% of notebook PC panels were made on Gen 6 lines in Q3’10, and will increase to 9%.

SolarWinds has established its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Brisbane.

ABB and Baldor Electric Company have agreed that ABB will acquire Baldor in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately US$4.2 billion, including $1.1 billion of net debt.

The nanoelectronics research centre imec and Peira, a Belgium-based manufacturer of pharmaceutical and chemical research instruments, have jointly developed a slice-tilting instrument for in-vitro research on brain tissue. The new tool enables long-term studying of brain cultures through electronic stimulation and read-out, essential in getting insight into the functioning of the brain.

Manufacturers of transparent conductors have good reason to view the emerging OLED industry as a viable business opportunity, according to a new report from industry firm NanoMarkets.

Renesas Electronics will open a branch in Bangalore, India, in January 2011 with the aim of expanding the company’s overseas semiconductor business, particularly in emerging markets.

Laird Technologies has acquired Cattron Group International.

Smart technologies will eventually reduce doctors’ visits and hospital admissions among Australia’s ageing population, according to the academic behind a new bioelectronics degree at the University of Sydney.

Shipments of TFT LCDs for portable navigation devices and motor vehicle monitors (used in car navigation and in-console monitors) increased in the second half of 2009 and the first half of 2010.

Digicom has changed its name to Arrayware. The company decided on the change to complement its tagline 'Specialists in Field Programmable Gate Array firmware and design'.

Digi-Key Corporation has signed a worldwide agreement with Energy Micro to distribute its ultra-low-power EFM32 Gecko microcontroller products.

RF Micro Devices has been awarded a US$1.5 million R&D contract by the US Office of Naval Research to include the development of materials, device fabrication and high-power circuits, using gallium nitride (GaN) microelectronics.

RS Components will distribute Crydom products in Asia and will become Crydom’s first strategic partner in the Asia-Pacific.

A new equation developed, in part, by researchers at the University of Michigan could help to enable a wider adoption of organic semiconductors.