{complink 4751|Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.} is one of the more vertically integrated companies in the consumer electronics marketplace, but the Korean company still managed to run into supply problems with a key component used for its latest smartphone, the Galaxy S III. News reports indicate Samsung failed to anticipate the roaring demand it has now…
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Last year there was considerable concern about tablets “cannibalizing” the PC market due to their popularity. We certainly have seen device convergence come to the fore with some tablet OEMs morphing devices into new “phablets,” further integration of smartphones and tablets, and the present swell of Ultrabooks, all of which support continued growth in the…
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In spite of the industry's best efforts, counterfeit parts still enter the supply chain. In Part 1 of this article, we examined some of the options available to buyers. In Part 2, we discuss steps you can take to avoid counterfeits. First, purchasing agents need to be smart about the companies they purchase from and…
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The US Senate Armed Services Committee recently released a report detailing the extent of counterfeit electronic parts present in the Department of Defense (DOD) supply chain. It is worse than we thought. The committee confirmed that counterfeit parts are making their way into critical defense systems, leaving these systems and our service people vulnerable. The…
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Microsoft will initially build 300,000 Surface ARM-powered Windows RT and Ivy-powered Windows 8 Pro tablets, ramping up to between 3 million and 4 million units within the 2013 fiscal year, sources tell analysts. {complink 3426|Microsoft Corp.} will end its fiscal year June 30, and the company plans to announce fourth-quarter and full-year results July 19.…
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For those of you who have been following these REACH Best-Practices articles, I have been doing my best to be as comprehensive as possible in the overviews. Recently, I met with the staff of GreenSoft Technology and was treated to a demonstration of its services and software product, GreenData Manager. GreenSoft specializes in environmental compliance…
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{complink 3847|Nokia Corp.} is facing yet another hurdle in its efforts to regain its mojo in the mobile communications market. The Finnish handset maker aligned itself late last year with {complink 3426|Microsoft Corp.} by adopting Microsoft's Windows operating system for its smartphones. When Microsoft launches its latest version, Windows Phone 8, in the fall, the…
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Despite extensive vetting of suppliers by manufacturers and the best efforts of both certified independents and franchised distributors, the reality is that counterfeit parts can and do make their way into the electronic component supply chain and, ultimately, into products. Yes, franchised distributors have this issue, too, due to cross-contamination, dabbling in the open market,…
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A low-cost, high-performance tech product is about to hit the market and will be available only through limited distribution. Sound familiar? When the Raspberry Pi hit the market, its two distributors were immediately overwhelmed with orders. A comparable product launch is shaping up, and {complink 12809|element14} is ready. {complink 2134|Freescale Semiconductor Inc.}, at its annual…
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UK-based Gremlin Electronics (named changed for confidentiality) is one of Europe's leading electronics companies. The company has implemented a software solution on top of its ERP system to increase its product availability for shipment while reducing costs such as stock and storage, airfreight, late penalties, and inevitable depreciation and scrapping. In Part 1 of this…
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