FRAMINGHAM, MA – Worldwide PC shipments totaled 73.4 million units in the first quarter, a decline of 4.4% year-over-year, according to IDC. Although still in decline and with continuing weakness in consumer and emerging market segments, the preliminary results are slightly better than a projected decline of 5.3%.

FRAMINGHAM, MA – The worldwide wearable computing market is finally expanding beyond early adopter status to more functional and stylish lifestyle accessories that are making their way onto the pages of GQ and Shape as well as Computerworld and Wired. Wearables took a huge step forward over the past year and shipment volumes will exceed 19 million units in 2014, more than tripling last year's sales, says new research from IDC.

DALLAS, TX – Contemporary Research has acquired its longtime electronics supplier JS Techtronics Assembly, forming CR Assembly, a contract electronics assembly division. Terms were not disclosed.

LAS VEGAS – Six longtime IPC volunteers were presented with IPC President’s Awards at IPC Apex Expo. Award recipients were Daniel Gamota, Jabil Circuit; E. Eddie Hofer, Rockwell Collins; Gerard O’Brien, Solderability Testing & Solutions; Richard Rumas, Honeywell Canada; Tony Senese, Panasonic Electric Works, and Donald Walsh, Uyemura.

BRIDGEWATER, MA -- Chase Corp. reported fiscal second quarter sales rose 5.8% from last year to $51.2 million. For the quarter ended Feb. 28, net income was up 7.1% to $4.52 million, boosted by higher demand for conformal coatings.

LONDON -- The man portable military electronics market will reach $3.1 billion in 2014, a new research report says. Visiongain says significant investment in the sector in recent decades has led to a boom, particularly due to US and allied forces in operations in the Middle East and Central Asia.

SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA -- Intel yesterday announced plans to cut 1,500 jobs from its assembly and test operation here as part of a planned migration of manufacturing to Asia. The cuts affect more than 50% of the semiconductor manufacturer's workforce here.

OYSTER BAY, NY -- Sales of collision warning and mitigation systems will reach $29.5 billion by the end of 2020, with the majority of the market value being accounted for by vehicles sold in the Asia-Pacific region, ABI Research forecasts.

TORONTO – Firan Technology Group reported first-quarter sales ended Feb.  28 of nearly $14 million, up 7.5% year-over-year.

LAS VEGAS – Six long-time IPC volunteers were presented with IPC President’s Awards at IPC Apex Expo.

BOXBOROUGH, MA – Metcal will hold a pair of workshops on reworking printed circuit board assemblies in the Boston and New York suburbs next month.

CHANDLER, AZ – Isola Group has launched a technology licensing program to mitigate conductive anodic filamentation (CAF) problems in the fabrication of printed circuit boards.