Technical News
HP name change
Hewlett Packard Co.
announced the name of its new, diversified technology company — Agilent Technologies.
Agilent (the product of Hewlett Packard’s plan to strategically realign itself into two fully independent companies) consists of Hewlett Packard’s former measurement and components businesses and is now a provider of test and measurement solutions and communication components. Agilent is being formed from the Automated Test group, the Communications Solutions group, the Electronic Products and Solutions
group, the Chemical Analysis group, the Healthcare Solutions group, and the Semiconductor Products group.
Agilent Technologies,
http://www.hp.com
.
Microsoft acquisition
Microsoft Corp. announced it has acquired STNC Ltd., a communication software company focused on the digital cellular telephone industry. STNC will become a fully integrated extension of Microsoft’s productivity appliances division. STNC’s
technology will be integrated into future digital cellular products to enable customers to read e-mail messages, view their calendars and contact information, and access corporate information and the
Internet. Microsoft Corp.,
http://www.microsoft.com
.
Joint home networking
New technology proposed by Lucent Technologies Microelectronics Group and Epigram, Inc. is now the basis for the Home Phoneline
Networking Alliance’s (HomePNA) 2.0 standard for 10-Mbps home networking technology.
The HomePNA is a consortium of more than ninety companies from the PC, consumer electronics, and network equipment manufacturing industries.
HomePNA,
http://www.homepna.org
.
Free source code
Ziatech Corp. announced the release of its multiprocessing source code drivers for the Linux OS. The CompactNET source
code is free of charge and available for download from the Internet. The technology provides network communication between multiple CPUs over a single CompactPCI (CPCI) backplane, allowing system designers to integrate multiple CPCI CPU boards, using standard network protocols.
Ziatech is hosting a new Web site dedicated to open sourcing its multiprocessing technology — www.compactnet.com. The site provides information on and allows the downloading of the CompactNET source code.
Ziatech
Corp.,
805.782.4500.
Methode electronics acquisition
Methode Electronics, Inc. announced its acquisition of Polycore Technologies, Inc., a developer of communication transceivers. The new Methode business unit has been named Methode Communication Modules (MCM).
MCM’s product family includes a series of RJ-45 format transceivers for multimode glass optical fiber (GOF) networking applications. The optical transceivers are based on the small form factor LC fiber optic
connector, and are available in both single- and quad-port configurations. Developed by Bell Laboratories, the duplex LC is an approved connector in TIA-568, ISO 11801, and ATM specifications for 155 and 622 Mbps and is the specified interface for IEEE 1394b.
Methode Communication Modules,
407.253.0445.
Development alliance for Bluetooth
Mitel Semiconductor announced its plan to develop a Bluetooth IC solution in alliance with Philsar Electronics, Inc. The Bluetooth solution will
consist of radio ICs and software, and will be paired with Philsar’s radio signal processor technology. The companies intend to release the solution in early 2000.
Mitel Semiconductor,
613.592.2122.
Merger completed
RadiSys Corp. announced the completion of its stock-for-stock merger with Texas Micro. Under the terms of the merger, Texas Micro stockholders will receive one RadiSys share for every 4.96 Texas Micro shares. As a result of the merger, RadiSys’ fully
diluted shares outstanding will increase to approximately 11.5 million shares.
The Texas Micro business is now the RadiSys communication products division, based in Houston, Texas.
RadiSys Corp.,
503.615.RSYS.
ADSL modem shipments up 59%
According to a recent report released by Cahners In-Stat Group, worldwide ADSL modem shipments grew 59% in the second quarter of 1999. This growth is indicative of broadening service roll-outs in the US and internationally. By the end of
1999, modem shipments are expected to top one million.
While overall cable modem growth slowed, Cablelabs/DOCSIS-based cable modems increased to 19% of cable modems shipped in the second quarter of 1999. This trend is expected to continue as standards-based cable modems become available from market leaders Motorola and Nortel Networks in the second half of 1999.
Cahners In-Stat Group,
617.558.2144.
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