Stock includes Flash programmers for Texas Instruments MCUs;product allows Flash programming in production

Mouser Electronics, Inc., today announced it has signed a distribution agreement with Elprotronic Inc., a full custom design, prototype, and consulting service with an emphasis on programmable MCUs from Texas Instruments.

Mouser is stocking Elprotronic’s FlashPro2000, FlashPro430, FlashPro-CC, GangPro430, and GangPro-CC. The Flash programmers allow programming of Texas Instruments’ MSP430, C2000 and CCxx (Chipcon) MCUs using powerful GUI software. By utilizing the Multi-FPA API-DLL, up to 16 programmers can be controlled from one PC via USB ports using external application software, a very useful feature in the production process.

“Elprotronic is delighted to be part of the Mouser portfolio of products,” said Gregory Czajkowski, owner and President of Elprotronic Inc. “Elprotronic’s focus has always been to support our customers design community by producing the most specialized Flash programmers. Mouser, with its leadership position in supporting design engineers and buyers with its world class catalogue distribution infrastructure, provides an effective sales channel to tap into this crucial engineering base.”

Mike Scott, Mouser Vice President of Active Products, agrees, “Mouser’s focus on the design engineer, and the desire to become their preferred provider, continues with the addition of the Elprotronic line. Elprotronic has produced these unique, very flexible Flash programmers in support of one of our key semiconductor partners.”

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Family features high pin-count Capacitive Touch Sense, mixed-signal functions

Mouser Electronics, Inc., today announced it is stocking the C8051F70x Microcontroller family from Silicon Labs, a global leader in high-performance, analog-intensive, mixed-signal ICs.

Mouser stock includes the C8051F70x MCU family with Capacitive Touch Sense, the C8051F700DK Development Kit, and the KEYBOARDEK Keyboard Evaluation Kit.

The Silicon Labs’ C8051F70x family of high-performance MCUs features the patent-pending capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC), enabling customers to easily replace traditional mechanical switches with capacitive touch sense capability in any product requiring a high I/O count and high-performance analog peripherals. The new touch sense capability is accurate, responsive, and reliable allowing a more sophisticated human interface due to the inherent robust noise immunity. The C8051F70x features up to 54 general purpose I/O, Flash, EEPROM and RAM memory, and a 25 MIPS 8051 MPU CPU and can interface with up to 32 capacitive touch channels. For more information about Silicon Labs C8051F70x, visit http://www.mouser.com/C8051F70xmcus.

“Silicon Labs’ C8051F70x MCU family, along with the development and evaluation kits, offer unique features that provide additional flexibility and reduce both board space and system cost. Design engineers, faced with pressure to provide a higher end product with better reliability, will appreciate the built-in functionality and ease of use offered by the C8051F70x,” says Mike Scott, Mouser Vice President of Active Products.

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Arrow Advantage will deliver benefits of global distribution to purchasers and engineers at UK start-ups and developing companies

Arrow Electronics is to launch a new channel dedicated to serving the needs of purchasers and design engineers in start-up organisations, companies in early stages of development and other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The new ‘Arrow Advantage’ channel will deliver all of the benefits associated with a global, broadline distributor to the design houses and OEMs that are responsible for the majority of today’s innovative product designs in the UK.

Through Arrow Advantage purchasers and engineers in SME companies will be able to access over 240,000 on-board and off-board components and platform-level technologies from the 168 franchised suppliers on Arrow’s comprehensive linecard. This linecard covers semiconductors, passives, electromechanical components, connectors, cable and wire solutions, power supplies, industrial computing products, wireless modules, displays and embedded operating systems.

Arrow Advantage is set to provide purchasers with a variety of flexible benefits including low volume ordering at competitive prices and ex-stock, forward and scheduled order options. The Arrow Advantage team will also be able to offer managed stock services and discounted contract pricing terms. Engineers will benefit from the ability to quickly obtain samples and engineering quantities and to request support from the Arrow UK technical and engineering teams.

Mark Shearer, the sales director for Arrow Advantage states: “The electronics landscape in the UK is made up of a large number of geographically spread small-to-medium sized design houses and OEMs. Arrow Advantage provides a unique channel in the market for these innovative SME organisations by providing, at a local level, all of the products and the services that purchasers and engineers need as they move from research and development through pre-production and on into final product manufacture.”

He adds: “Our Arrow Advantage team offer customers the best of both worlds – professional and friendly local representatives backed up by a broad inventory, added value commercial and engineering services and economies of scale that only a truly global distributor can offer.”

Arrow’s new channel will be supported by the launch of a dedicated Arrow Advantage catalogue designed to simplify the identification, selection and ordering of on-board and off-board components and platform-level products. The Arrow Advantage team will also be pro-actively contacting customers in the coming months.

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Farnell and Omron launch exclusive one-touch web referral programme

Farnell, the leading multi-channel, high service distributor supporting millions of engineers and purchasing professionals across Europe, has entered into an exclusive web referral programme with Omron Electronic Components Europe. The programme will see customers, having made their product selection on the Omron website, be directed via one click to Farnell’s industry-leading site to purchase their products.

The exclusive pan-European arrangement gives customers access to fast and easy ordering of over 1000 Omron switch and relay products currently stocked by Farnell. All products are supported by the company’s service guarantee of next day delivery across Europe with no minimum order sizes or hidden shipping charges.

Omron chose Farnell for the implementation of the web referral programme due to Farnell’s ability to demonstrate a multi channel sales approach and continued customer growth. The programme follows on from the signing of a new distribution agreement between the two companies and the presentation of a special Distributor Award to Farnell by Omron at Electronica 2008 in Munich.

Commenting on the launch of the web referral programme, Claire Doyle, European Director of Supplier Management, Farnell, said: “This is an important initiative for Farnell and Omron that truly differentiates us from our competition and adds strength to our customer proposition. By being directed to the Farnell website with just one-click, time pressured design engineers can quickly order the products they have viewed and selected on the Omron site. Our relationship with Omron goes from strength-to-strength with a new agreement in place, constant development of our already strong profile with exciting new technologies and now an exclusive pan-European web referral programme.”

Alex Grout, European Distribution Manager, Omron Components said: “This new engagement with Farnell enhances the whole experience of visiting omroncomponents.com. Specifiers of our switching and sensing products can be confident that not only the latest relays, switches, connectors and sensors will be available online from Omron, but the site provides the functionality to acquire samples directly via our site, backed up by the service levels that customers have come to expect from Farnell.”

Through its multi-channel approach, Farnell provides its customers with a fast, efficient and easy-to-use source for over 480,000 products, plus new functionality to search over 352,000 technical datasheets. Further customer value is added through a range of online services such as real-time stock availability, the company’s innovative i-Buy eProcurement solution, plus global legislation advice and live technical chat.

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High-performance optic solutions to be supplied

Arrow Electronics has extended its LED lighting range in an agreement with optic specialist Fraen. The contract will enable Arrow to increase its range of lighting solutions in the UK and Northern Europe.

Fraen’s leading-edge optical components have all been specifically engineered and designed for individual LEDs with features such as: high-efficiency TIR and reflector solutions; software-optimized aspheric profile; multiple beam angles; optimized lens holders; and a complete range of lenses and reflectors.

These optical components enable Arrow customers to benefit from an assortment of innovative solutions. Benefits include new flat-top geometry which allows for a wider range of beam-shaping options and new reflectors which use faceted-structure technology providing excellent colour mixing and uniformity. Custom options are also available, and Fraen’s lighting solutions can be used in many application markets including commercial, transportation, flashlights, signage and backlighting.

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Stock includes Bluetooth, GPS, and WiFi Modules

Mouser Electronics, Inc., today announced it has signed a distribution agreement with Wi2Wi, Inc., a specialty developer and manufacturer of highly integrated wireless sub-systems for mobile applications.

Mouser’s Wi2Wi stock includes the W2SW0001 WiFi802.11b/g SIP, the W2CBW003 WiFi/Bluetooth 802.11b/g/BT SiP, the W2SG0006 and WS2G0004 global positioning modules, and the W2CBWG01 WiFi/BT/GPS mini-card, as well as development kits. Mike Scott, Mouser Vice President of Active Products, states, “The addition of Wi2Wi to our linecard provides Mouser with multifunction wireless sub-systems for mobile applications. By using System-in-Package (SiP) technology, Wi2Wi allows design engineers to integrate complete radio modules that are the size of a typical IC package.”

“Wi2Wi is pleased and excited to work with Mouser Electronics as we expand our channel to include a key catalog and on-line distributor. Mouser’s focus on the design engineer makes them ideally suited to help accelerate the adoption of our technology into a variety of new applications and customers,” said Reza Ahy, CEO of Wi2Wi, Inc. Known for its broad-based product line, unsurpassed customer service, and streamlined warehouse operations, Mouser continuously offers customers the most innovative products and latest technologies for their new design projects.

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Digi-Key Corporation and Bosch Sensortec Announce Global Distribution Deal

Electronic components distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry’s broadest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, and Bosch Sensortec, announced today that the companies have entered into a global agreement for the distribution of Bosch Sensortec‘s acceleration and pressure sensors as well as its award-winning BMP085 barometric pressure sensor.

In stock and ready for immediate delivery from Digi-Key, Bosch Sensortec’s triaxial acceleration sensor family is specifically designed for low-power applications to enhance functionality in mobile phones and consumer electronic devices. The interrupt feature of the sensors offers an additional special advantage for mobile applications such as a battery-saving mode or free-fall detection.

Also in stock and available in different housings, Bosch Sensortec’s monolithically integrated pressure sensors provide outstanding accuracy, and their high robustness makes the sensors ideal for applications such as GPS navigation enhancement, in- and outdoor navigation, leisure, sports and health monitoring, weather forecast, vertical velocity indication, and fan power control. The winner of several prestigious awards, the BMP085 is a high precision, ultra low-power barometric pressure sensor for use in advanced mobile applications.

In December 2008, Bosch and Bosch Sensortec were awarded the distinguished German Future Prize 2008 (Deutscher Zukunftspreis) for technology and innovation by German Federal President Horst Koehler. Bosch received the award in recognition of its leadership in developing industrial mass production processes for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) as well as the groundbreaking technologies it has developed for the miniaturization of these sensors, leading to new applications in consumer electronics.

Bosch Sensortec products stocked by Digi-Key are available through its global websites and will be featured in upcoming print and online catalogs.

“We are very pleased to add Bosch Sensortec to our register of trusted supplier partners and offer the advantages of its products to the hundreds of thousands of design engineers who rely on Digi-Key for the quick delivery of the electronic components they need,” said Jeff Shafer, Digi-Key vice president, interconnect, passive and electromechanical product. “

Frank Melzer, CEO of Bosch Sensortec, pointed out, “Our customers expect worldwide availability and support for our products. We are convinced that Digi-Key is a strong partner for broadening our sales channels.”

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Premier Farnell to announce much anticipated winners of Live EDGE – Electronic Design for the Global Environment – during virtual Communications Technology Conference on 2 April

Premier Farnell plc, the leading multi-channel, high service distributor and its companies (Farnell, Newark, Premier Electronics, Farnell-Newark CPC, and MCM), will announce the winners for Live EDGE – Electronic Design for the Global Environment – during a special Communications Technology Conference, where attendees can learn and chat about the newest communication technologies at the virtual booths of 29 world-wide component manufacturers. The online event takes place on Thursday, 2 April 2009 in the specially developed Live EDGE EcoSphere, from 2:30 p.m. GMT in London, 9:30 a.m. in New York and 9:30 p.m. in Hong Kong. Live EDGE participants, members of the press, design engineers, students and electronic hobbyists are invited to register for this event.

The Live EDGE winner(s) will be announced by Premier Farnell CEO Harriet Green at 2:45 p.m. GMT, with a Q&A session to follow. The Live Edge challenge required entrants to submit designs utilizing electronic components in an innovative way, to make a positive impact on the environment. This year, the top three countries to register for the event were India with 25%, the U.S.A. with 17% and China with 8% of registrants.

The winning design will be awarded a unique prize package including a $25,000 USD cash prize, and support services valued at an additional $25,000 USD from experts in the fields of design consultancy, marketing, legal and commerce to drive the design towards production. In addition, each runner-up will be presented $5,000 USD for their designs.

The virtual Communications Technology Conference will showcase the newest communication technologies from 29 leading component manufacturers, including National Semiconductor, Vishay Intertechnology and Ohmite Manufacturing, who are global supplier sponsors of Live EDGE challenge. Featured technologies and discussions will include Bluetooth, WiFi and other protocols. Attendees will have the opportunity to chat live with manufacturer representatives and network with fellow electronic engineers, engineering students and hobbyists. Technical information will also be available for download.

“We are excited by the leadership opportunity the Live EDGE challenge has afforded Premier Farnell, and feel the online environment of the Ecosphere, which allows us to offer a learning and networking environment for design engineers, is a fitting way to host the awards ceremony,” said Harriet Green, Chief Executive Officer of Premier Farnell plc. “Last year’s competition was a huge success and the winning design will soon be launched into production, with an opportunity to significantly impact the environment. We are looking forward to see what exciting, new innovations this year’s winners will bring to the market”.

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New filter terminal pins from Aerco

Available in the UK from Aerco is a new filter version of the popular thread-mounted, feed-through PCB terminals from Wearnes Cambion that will find many applications in professional electronic equipment including signal and passenger information systems in the rail industry.

Supplied in Pi or T formats, these new filter terminals are offered with a wide choice of capacitance values, tolerances and EMC suppression to extremely tight tolerances and will prove ideal for use in telecommunications, military, automotive and the oil and gas, computing and food industries.

RoHS compliant and with a working voltage of 500V DC, the filters are supplied with a mounting hardware kit consisting of an unassembled lock washer and hex nut.

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Prices reduced by up to 50% across the electronics range

RS Components has reduced the prices of over 45,000 electronic components. With reduction levels as high as 50% on some products, particular focus has been placed on prices for higher volumes typically used in prototyping and small batch production.

The new price reduction programme is the latest in a series of initiatives from RS to provide customers with improved prices for design and production. From introducing Production Packaging for small batch production customers, through to flexible pricing services offered for larger orders, RS has consistently increased the level of pricing support offered to customers in the last 12 months.

Commenting on the price reductions, Chris Page, General Manager for Electronics said: “RS is committed to supporting electronics design and production engineers. We are providing our customers with consistently low prices, giving them great value for money. Combined with our market-leading service levels, with all products available direct from stock, customers save time and money in sourcing from RS. In these difficult economic times this is great news for every buyer and engineer, and we urge them to go online and find out more.”

Examples of the savings to be made on electronics components from RS include the FM series of electrolytic capacitors, with average reductions of over 22%, FFC connectors used for high density interconnection and PCBs, where prices have fallen by an average of 15%, and low drop out (LDO) positive and negative voltage regulators, with average reductions of over 10%.

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