EGHAM, UK -- Worldwide sales of smartphones to end users totaled 968 million units in 2013, an increase of 42.3% from 2012, according to Gartner. Sales of smartphones accounted for 53.6% of overall mobile phone sales in 2013, and exceeded annual sales of feature phones for the first time.

PUNIA, MANIEMA, DRC -- A 9.5 kg bag of cassiterite, dug from the ground by a local miner here Saturday and tagged by a government representative, made the Punia mine the latest in a growing number of sites indoctrinated in the iTSCi conflict-free mineral traceability and due diligence program.

MULINO, OR -- Sunstone Circuits today launched a new corporate website aimed at easing the path from printed circuit board design to fabrication. The new site integrates design and ordering tools, and easier navigation, the company said.

CAMBRIDGE, UK -- XJTAG will conduct a series of workshops on introductory and advanced JTAG techniques next month. The events will take place March 11-12 during The National Electronics Week exhibition at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg.

ORLANDO, FL -- API Technologies reported EMS revenue of $10.8 million in the fourth-quarter, flat year-over-year and down 17.3% sequentially as a major electronic warfare system program was pushed out.

NATICK, MA -- Cognex set new records for revenue and net income in 2013, buoyed by a 16% uptick in sales in its fourth quarter. December period sales reached $95.7 million, while net income was up 26% to $20.4 million.

NEENAH, WI -- Plexus's charitable foundation has provided $50,000 to the Tesla Engineering Charter School. The grant was provided to update the Appleton East High School's Manufacturing Lab with a new state-of-the-art CNC milling machine.

TAIPEI -- A Foxconn subsidiary will establish a joint venture with leading Chinese gaming software developer to market education-use tablets. The new entity, which pairs the EMS/ODM with Foxteq Holdings and NetDragon Websoft will design and build the tablets, which are aimed at schools in China.

LUND, SWEDEN -- Note AB reported fourth-quarter net income swung to a profit of SEK 7.7 million, up from a loss of 7.8 million last year. Revenue for the period rose 6.2% year-over-year to SEK 255.3 million.

BILLINGSTAD, NORWAY -- Kitron today reported a fourth-quarter loss despite higher revenue due to product mix, restructuring costs and margin pressure. The EMS company said revenues rose 3% year-over-year to NOK 476.3 million ($78.1 million) for the December period.

RICHARDSON AND AUSTIN, TX – Metcal will host its next two rework workshops in Texas.

LONDON -- ITRI Innovation will sponsor a series of webinars on current issues ranging from electronics reliability to solder evaluation this spring, the association announced today.