NEW YORK -- Investors may want to be cautions when approaching shares of Sanmina-SCI, said Cowen and Company analysts Louis R. Miscioscia told Forbes. Apparently the company has had some suspicious timing of its stock options awards.
 

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LPKF recently released the bench-top ProtoFlow Oven for Pb-free reflow soldering. The new design has been influenced by the stringent process requirements of Pb-free technology, and by the prior oven model, the ZelFlow R04.
 
Maximum process temperature is 320°C/608°F; it incorporates four internal temperature sensors and a multiprocessor controller board, which ensure even heat distribution over PCBs up to 9 x 12”. Has several software zones between preheating and final reflow to process most reflow profiles, as well as prototyping, technology research and even pre-production testing.
 
An optional four additional sensors can also be freely mounted on the PCB by the operator, enabling on-board temperature to be recorded and displayed in real time on a PC through a standard USB connection. Reflow process can be observed through a large window.
 
Has pre-programmed process profiles, which can be easily selected using four navigation keys.  Custom profiles may also be created on your PC and uploaded to the oven. Includes an LCD display and intuitive software interface.  Process parameters can be exchanged with a PC, managed and archived. Microsoft Excel can be used monitor and document progress parameters for complete quality management documents.
 
LPKF Laser & Electronics, lpkfusa.com
 

SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- The Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) market, with a quickly expanding array of uses, is on a roll, according to a report from In-Stat. The value of worldwide FPGA shipments will increase from $1.9 billion in 2005 to $2.75 billion by 2010, the high-tech market research firm said. Much of this revenue will come from low-volume shipments.
 
"In large part, low-volume use of this product relates directly to price, which directly correlates to complexity, and prices can run from less that $100 per unit to several thousand dollars per unit," said Jerry Worchel, senior analyst. "End-use applications will determine the viability of using FPGAs for the long haul."
 
In-Stat predicts that the largest two end-use segments will be communications and industrial, whose combined market share will increase from 73.8% in 2005 to 76.8% by 2010.
 

Phoenix, AZ – A hydrogen-based economy? Laptops and cell phones powered by lightweight, inexpensive rechargeable fuel cells? Automobiles that run on methane and emit virtually no pollutants into the atmosphere? All this is possible - and coming sooner than you may think – according to a report on fuel cells just published by Energy Business Reports, an energy industry think tank.
 
Over the next decade, fuel cell demand will likely increase due to high petroleum prices and continued environmental concerns, says EBR. The global commercial fuel cell market is expected to reach $2.5 billion by 2009. Electric power generation is emerging as a large-scale commercial market for fuel cells and is expected to represent more than half of all demand in 2008. Aerospace and motor vehicle applications may lag somewhat in the near term, but are projected to grow rapidly between 2008 and 2013. The portable electronics market is expected to report the strongest advances over the next decade.
 
The electrical capacity of batteries has not kept pace with the increasing power consumption requirements of electronic devices. These limitations have generated enormous interest in alternative power sources, and the fuel cell is the most promising candidate.
 
When micro fuel cells are commercialized, they may provide improvements in energy storage and allow electronic devices to incorporate new features and lengthen their operating times. Users will also be able to "reload" in a few seconds by replacing the fuel cartridge.
 
Various environmental and economic factors continue to drive the need to develop fuel cells, including the cost and availability of oil, energy security, climate change and environmental quality. For more information on the report, visit EngergyBusinessReports.com.