AUSTIN, TX — Some 25% of LCD TVs shipped in the first quarter were made by external OEMs/EMS, up 1% sequentially.

STAMFORD, CT -- Gartner Group today issued a lower outlook for worldwide IT spending this year. The firm now predicts a 6% drop in 2009, to $3.2 billion. Hardware sales will drop 16.3, the researchers said, citing reluctance on the part of corporate and consumer buyers.

In March, the firm guided for a overall drop on 3.8%, including software and services.

A recovery should come in 2010, Gartner said. The firm forecasts 2.3% growth overall next year, with hardware sales flat.

LONDON -- Electronics distributor Premier Farnell is accepting scholarship applications from students worldwide who are registered in a full-time electrical and electronics engineering course in the 2009 entry year.

SAN JOSE -- Call it EMS Harmony. EMS consulting group Charlie Barnhart & Associates has launched an online program said to enable OEMs to identify appropriate electronics manufacturing services partners.