Using a novel technology that adds multiple innovations to a very high-performance crystalline silicon solar cell platform, a consortium led by the University of Delaware has achieved a record-breaking combined solar cell efficiency of 42.8 percent from sunlight at standard terrestrial conditions.

On July 19, Verizon Wireless struck a licensing pact with Broadcom, the victor in a patent-infringement suit against Qualcomm that has led to an import ban on all new phone models containing Qualcomm's next-generation wireless chips. Under the deal, Verizon Wireless agreed to pay Broadcom a US$6-per-device licensing fee, subject to certain caps, to bypass the ban and continue importing new phones. The arrangement is unprecedented. No wireless chipmaker has ever charged a service provider for royalties on phones containing its components.

"...LDK expects that following installation of this equipment, the Company will have polysilicon production capacity of up to 6,000 metric tons in 2008 and 15,000 metric tons in 2009..."

"...Intel threw down the gauntlet at a panel of automated test equipment (ATE) executives, stating that ATE vendors need to become more proactive in working with chip and EDA vendors...Seth urged ATE vendors to monitor chip development and roll out next-generation test equipment when future chips are ready for production..."

"Our inventory is extremely low, and orders from our customers have far exceeded our supply... ASP declined 46% QoQ in the second quarter but predicted prices would rise in 2H07..."

"...ATmega48P/88P/168P/328P devices have 4, 8, 16 and 32 Kbytes of flash memory, respectively. These devices consume as little as 340 uA in active mode at 1.8V running from the internal RC oscillator at 1 MHz, 650 nA in power-save mode with real time counter running, and 100 nA in power-down mode. picoPower AVRs are pin-, performance-, and code-compatible with existing AVR microcontrollers..."

"...Researchers at New Jersey Institute of Technology have developed an inexpensive solar cell that can be painted or printed onto flexible plastic sheets...home users might eventually be able to print their own solar cells with inexpensive inkjet printers... Unlike traditional solar cells, which are made from purified silicon, these cells are made from organic compounds..."

Sanyo Electric has restarted chip production at a factory that automatically stopped when a powerful earthquake hit on Monday. Operations at the plant, which makes semiconductor chips for various consumer electronics devices, resumed on Tuesday, Sanyo said.