Cover Story
Anyone Can Become a Manufacturer: User Generated Device Opens New Era
Center Spread
Making Something With Your Own Hands Is the Ultimate in Entertainment
Part 1: New Tide
User-Guided Development Brings Major Changes to Mass-Production Businesses
The concept of UGD (user generated device), in which users enjoy developing their own devices with their friends, is coming to the forefront of the electronics industry. The outsourcing of development and manufacturing work as well as the opening of core technologies is helping this trend along. Only those companies that have cast off the mass-production paradigm will be able to latch onto the new tide of user participation.
Part 2: Learning from Outside
Building an Open System is Key; Utilizing Outsiders to Achieve One Product/One Specification
UGD is likely to begin blossoming in hobby-driven areas where users are highly motivated to build things on their own. For this to happen, it will be essential to build an environment that is open at every stage of the business process, including planning, development, and manufacturing. The manufacturer-centric business model of production is about to change.
Feature
Electronics Companies Rush into Health Management Market
Report from Mobile World Congress 2009
Many electronics companies are rushing into the health management market. Some are taking an “open” approach and others, a “closed” one. But the common thread that all the electronics companies trying to get into new application fields share is the same expectation regarding the market.
Invited Paper
Gather Under the DC Flag! It’s No Longer Just a Dream
As the global economic situation worsens, a sense of stagnation is beginning to permeate the electronics industry.To break out of this state of affairs, companies will need a clear future vision and an environment that allows engineers to work together as a tight-knit group. Thus, Sharp has developed a concept called “DC Eco House.”The company is aiming to create houses with a smaller carbon footprint by combining LCD displays with solar cells, LEDs, etc.
NE Academy
Intensive Analog Seminar: Session 1: Linear Regulator with First New Basic Design in 30 Years
Linear regulators (three-terminal regulators) are fairly standard power supply ICs that are familiar to device developers.In 2007, Linear Technology Corporation began shipping its LT3080 based on a completely new design. How does this product deliver the benefits of a low-voltage output of 1V or less and a large current through parallel connection, and how did the company create this circuit? We explain the new direction in linear regulators through the circuit configuration, operation and use, development history, and the inventor’s own words.
Embedding Tutorial: Software Development Model: Session 1, Period II
Choosing the Right One from a Wide Variety of Development Models to Ensure Smooth Transition from Requirement Definition to Testing
News Ranking
Documentary
How Innovations Happen: Development of Sanyo Electric’s “Xacti” (Part 1)
200-Billion-Yen Business Spawned by Flip-Book Animation
Sanyo Electric's digital camera business, started from scratch 15 years ago, grew to 214 billion yen by FY2007. While 90% of the company's revenue comes from OEM products, Xacti has been playing the leading role among Sanyo Electric's own brands of digital cameras. Its development history was marked by various types of both fortuities and failures.
Keyword
WirelessHD
Wirelessly Transmitting Non-Compressed 1080p Images
NE Interview
Sony Corporation, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer: “Engineers are still the main players; only the stories have changed.”
Howard Stringer, Sony Corporation’s head, is rarely in one place for long, always traveling through Japan, the U.S., Europe, and other parts of the world. Mr. Stringer, once a journalist, joined Sony 11 years ago. He has been the company's Chairman and CEO for more than 3 years and in April of 2009 will also become President of Sony Corporation. We asked Mr. Stringer what his thoughts are in the face of the current, unprecedented recession and in which direction he plans to lead Sony?
Nintendo Co., Ltd., President Satoru Iwata: Once the Structure Based on “Reward” was Changed, New Possibilities Began to Appear
Nintendo's Nintendo DS and Wii have clearly transformed the conventional concept of video games, developed new user populations, and succeeded in establishing a place for itself in many people’s lifestyles. We asked Mr. Iwata how the company was able to conceive such unique software and innovative user interfaces.
