If there is one worthwhile criticism about the Nokia Lumia 1520 for AT&T, it is that the carrier opted to strip the device of its otherwise native wireless charging ability, in favor of selling an accessory that supported wireless charging using a standard different (PMA aka Power Matters Alliance) from what Nokia supports (Qi).The battle for supremacy in wireless charging is far from over however. Qi is well established, but PMA is gaining acceptance and has some heavy hitting sponsors now backing its play, notably the aforementioned AT&T as well as Proctor & Gamble and Duracell (Powermat).For Nokia owners though, it is frustrating because back in 2012 when they picked up an AT&T branded Nokia Lumia 920 and bought a Nokia Wireless Charging Plate to take advantage of the device’s wireless charging abilities, if they chose to upgrade to the Lumia 1520, they were out of luck, even if they bought an optional charging back from AT&T due to conflicting … [Read more...] about Have an AT&T Nokia Lumia 1520 and still wish it had Qi-standard wireless charging? There is a way
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Asus Chromebook Flip C302 review: standard issue
Using the Asus Chromebook Flip C302, you can almost see how Chrome OS devices are going to stop being education machines or backup couch computers and become something different for a lot of people. Just computers (or, well, maybe just tablets). It's a "premium" Chromebook, which these days basically means it's well-built, has a fast processor, and costs around $500. That puts it in the same class as the Samsung Chromebook Plus and forthcoming Samsung Chromebook Pro. The C302 is all of those things, but to me it's a sign that both Google and its manufacturing partners are stretching to redefine how you typically think about a Chromebook. Google, for its part, is working feverishly to make the Android app on Chrome OS viable (they're not ready yet). Asus, for its part, produced the excellent machine I'm reviewing right now. It's rare to use a Chrome OS laptop that genuinely feels fast, well-built, and worth more than the $300 asking price that most Chromebooks cost. But if all those … [Read more...] about Asus Chromebook Flip C302 review: standard issue
LG’s stunning ‘Wallpaper’ OLED sets the standard by which all TVs should be judged
In case you missed it, LG’s W7 series “wallpaper” OLED TV was the toast of CES 2017, and for good reason. For many, it represents the ultimate in TV design. At just 2.57mm thin – about the thickness of three quarters stacked together – it looks more like a window on the wall than any TV you’ve seen before. And at about 16.5 pounds, the display panel is light enough to hang like a piece of art, held fast by a set of magnets. In terms of cool-factor, no other TV can touch it. Except, of course, its upcoming follow-up, the LG W8 OLED. Keeping all the same design cues, right down to the included soundbar, the W8 improves on the W7 in a number of ways. LG’s new a9 (pronounced Alpha 9) chip not only offers a speedier experience with webOS 3.5, but offers enhanced picture quality with reduction in color banding and a host of other improvements. The W8 also features Google Assistant and LG’s new ThinQ platform, which work together to offer up a … [Read more...] about LG’s stunning ‘Wallpaper’ OLED sets the standard by which all TVs should be judged
ON Semiconductor joins CharIN Ecosystems in development of electric mobility standards
ON Semiconductor (Nasdaq: ON) has joined the global Charging Interface Initiative e.V. (CharIN) ecosystem with the goals of promoting standards for charging systems in electric vehicles (EV), creating requirements for the evolution of EV charging systems and developing a certification system for manufacturers to implement charging systems into their products.ON Semiconductor has all the core technologies for vehicle electrification, particularly the company’s extensive automotive qualified power management portfolio including: IGBTs, high voltage gate drivers, super junction rectifiers, high voltage MOSFETs, high voltage DC-DC converters, as well as Wide Band Gap (WBG) devices in Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) for next generation solutions. Beyond silicon development, investments in advanced packaging include: high power modules, single/dual sided cooled and dual sided direct cooled packages. With sensing, communication and analog solutions, ON Semiconductor has … [Read more...] about ON Semiconductor joins CharIN Ecosystems in development of electric mobility standards
Nine SEMI Standards committee members recognized at SEMICON Japan for outstanding contributions
By Junko Collins, Director of Standards, SEMI JapanSEMI Standards are the very heartbeat of manufacturing efficiency, underpinning the state-of-the-art technologies and products showcased by over 750 exhibitors at SEMICON Japan last December. Through its Standards committees, SEMI is a key enabler of innovation, higher manufacturing efficiency and lower manufacturing costs for the global electronics industry.At SEMICON Japan, 22 SEMI Standards meetings were held by committees including:Japan Regional Standards Committee (JRSC)Gases CommitteeFacilities CommitteeLiquid Chemical CommitteePhysical Interface & Carriers CommitteeSilicon Wafers CommitteeTraceability CommitteeInformation & Control CommitteeEnvironmental, Health & Safety CommitteeAt the SEMI Standards Friendship Party during SEMICON Japan, JRSC recognized the following nine committee members for outstanding contributions to the development of SEMI Standards.SEMI Japan Standards Award honors enduring commitments and … [Read more...] about Nine SEMI Standards committee members recognized at SEMICON Japan for outstanding contributions