Counterfeits threaten not just supply chains but human lives too and this fact should be a concern to everyone in the electronics industry as I noted in a recent blog from which I took the title of this newsletter (See: There's Death in Those Counterfeits). Editors and contributors will continue to address this topic in articles and blogs because it is critical to the industry and the larger economy, not to mention people impacted. (Also see: Military, Aviation Markets More Vulnerable to Counterfeiting).

Since the last EPS News+Plus newsletter went out we have continued to cover developments that are important to electronics component procurement experts, the supply chain, financial experts, senior management and other industry professionals. A financial analysis article by London-based Colin Barnden of Semicast Research caught the eyes of EPS executive editor Gina Roos and we quickly got permission from the financial analyst to publish it on our site. Barnden gracefully agreed and the article should be a compelling read for anyone trying to understand the dynamics of the competition between intellectual property (IP) company ARM Holding and Intel Corp., the world's biggest semiconductor vendor by revenue. It's doubtful anyone can accurately predict how the war between the two competing ideas championed by these two companies will play out but as the skirmishes moves on to the "Internet of Things" Barnden provides some valuable insights into what the industry can expect. (See: Intel vs. ARM War Moves to 'Internet of Things').

On the distribution front, we continue to watch the jostling for stronger market positions by the big companies and their smaller rivals. Being small doesn't mean you can rumble with the big guys as Jameco Electronics has shown in a report filed by managing editor Barbara Jorgensen, a long-term watcher of the market. Jameco, according to Barbara, is determined not to be left behind in the industry and has crafted a niche in the market that it is trying to address with specialized offerings. (See: Jameco: a Different Approach to Distribution).

You'll find something to pique your interest in this issue of EPS NewsPlus and if you don't please let us know how we can do a better job of providing the tools and resources you need to do your job better. Drop me a line at bolaji.ojo@epsnewsonline.com.

Speaking of serving the industry, I would like to enlist your assistance with a survey EPS has launched as part of our efforts to gain a better understanding of the electronics purchasing and procurement community. If you buy or specify components for a manufacturer, we would like to hear from you. The survey won't take more than 15 minutes and we will provide an executive summary of the reports to respondents in addition to entering them into a drawing to win one of two mini iPads.

Simply click on the following link to get started: http://survey.beacontech.com/2328/cgi-bin/ciwweb.pl?studyname=2328&p=3