Eamex Adopts Artificial Muscle in Cellular Phone Camera Module
NEC Develops Audio Chip Supporting Long Playback Time
Willcom to Roll Out PHS Handset with Fingerprint Recognition Function
Organic EL Panel in Sanyo's New HDTV Camcorder
KDDI Introduces 3G Handset with Anticrime Features
Dainippon Printing Develops PCB with Built-in Capacitors and Resistors
Casio to Set up EWLP Consortium
Mouse and VoIP in One
HyunWon Adopts 8GB 1-inch HDD in Portable Multimedia Player

Eamex of Japan announced that the company has developed an auto focus lens driver unit for cellular phone camera modules. The auto focus lens driver unit adopted a polymer actuator (artificial muscle).

Camera equipped cellular phones and digital cameras with auto focus usually have a stepping motor and voice coil motor in the mechanism to move the lens. The new driver unit uses a polymer actuator (artificial muscle) instead of a motor. The simple driver structure makes it is easier to be made into a small and compact device, according to Eamex. The driver unit measures 7 mm x 7 mm, which is about 1/4 the size of commercially available motor driven units. Eamex hopes to collaborate with a device manufacturer for further development of the device into an actual product. Eamex's English language website has information on the new camera module: http://www.eamex.co.jp/index_e.html [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

NEC Electronics of Japan developed a dedicated audio chip, the µPD99910, which is capable of supporting long hours of audio playback. Samples are available at a price of 1500 yen ($13.04 @ yen 115/$US 1).

The µPD99910 is a companion chip integrating a 32bit RISC CPU for audio playback and DSP. The device is targeted for use in cellular phones. It will be connected to the main application processor which handles image processing and other tasks. Its dimension is 6 mm x 6 mm.

The audio replay function of a cellular phone runs on the main application processor. The high performance processor, which also processes images, requires high power consumption. The new µPD99910 specializes in music playback although it will be used as an attachment to the main application processor. By separating the audio replay chip, the phone will be able to save power by not running the main processor while enjoying music. NEC Electronics says that with the same charge, it can support playback of 50 hours, which is over 10 times greater than currently available systems.

Volume production is slated for April 2006. NEC Electronics plans to produce 400,000 units a month. If adoption progresses as smoothly as NEC expects, there will be handsets integrating the chip as early as summer 2006. An image of the µPD99910 is available at: http://review.japan.zdnet.com/news/c20094326.html [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

Willcom of Japan is going to debut the WX310J, the first PHS handset with fingerprint recognition on January 18, 2006. Japan Radio Co., Ltd. developed the WX310J for corporate users. The handset incorporates NetFrontVer.3.3 and supports a full browser. In addition to Internet sites made for personal computers, the phone's screen can display Word, Excel, PowerPoint files as well as PDF files. The handset can synchronize data with Outlook. The WX310J is capable of accessing corporate networks to manage and update various files. Images of the WX310J are available at: http://www.willcom-inc.com/ja/lineup/wx/310j/ [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

Sanyo Electric of Japan is going to roll out a camcorder capable of recording HDTV video in February 2006. The DMX-HD1 has a 2.2-inch 210,000-color OEL (Organic Electroluminescent) panel. Sanyo Electric sources the panel from SK Display, an OEL joint venture of Sanyo Electric and Eastman Kodak. According to Sanyo Electric, the organic EL adopted in the new camcorder supports 20,000-hour life, reported Japanese tech media site, Techon on January 13, 2006.

In order to improve the life of the display, the company reduced power consumption dramatically by preparing a white sub pixel in addition to white, green and blue. The newly adopted OEL panel has a response speed 5,000 times faster than an LCD panel, says Sanyo. The OEL panel achieved a color reproduction range and viewing angle superior to those of existing LCD panels. [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

KDDI (au), Japan's second largest wireless service operator, announced on January 12, 2006 that the company would debut the Junior Cellular Phone, the A5520SA CDMA 2000 1x, in late February 2006. Anticrime features include a buzzer button that generates a 98dB sound and transmission of the user's location using GPS. au's rival NTT DoCoMo is also planning to debut a similar handset. With a long press of the light key, the handset's light will light up for 30 seconds drawing attention. With the increasing crimes rate involving youngsters in Japan, the demand for assuring children's safety has become a high priority these days. [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

Dainippon Printing of Japan announced that the company has developed a PCB with built-in passive components such as capacitors and resistors and would start commercial production in April 2006. The company adopted a build-up substrate manufacturing technology and incorporates passive components when laminating the insulation layer and wiring layer. The technology enables miniaturization of PCBs. Dainippon plans to manufacture 20 million substrates (equivalent to substrates integrating one passive component) and aims to generate 1 billion yen ($8.70 million @ yen 115/$US 1) in sales during the first year.

Although the miniaturization trend for cellular phones, notebook computers and digital cameras is accelerating, it is often difficult to make a substrate small as component count increases when the functions of those devices multiply. By integrating passive components such as capacitors and resistors in the PCB, higher density packaging will be possible. Dainippon Printing will guarantee the location, design of wiring and operation testing of built-in passive components for its clients. [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

Casio of Japan is going to set up the EWLP Consortium in April 2006. EWLP stands for Embedded Wafer Level Package which is a high density mounting technology that embeds WLP in the system substrate. Casio and CMK jointly developed the EWLP technology. The consortium will try to establish design, verification and reliability evaluation of the technology and standardize specifications and draw a technology roadmap. Casio will showcase a EWLP prototype, a terrestrial digital broadcasting tuner module co-developed with CMK, at Semiconductor Packaging Technology Show, January 18-20, 2006 in Tokyo. By setting up a consortium, Casio plans to promote EWLP technology to the world as a technology born in Japan. [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

A Taiwanese PC peripheral manufacturer, Sysgration, shared a mockup of a mouse which functions as a VoIP phone with South Korean web-based tech media, Aving. Sysgration, which was founded in 1977, OEM-supplies keyboards and mice to many global companies. In preparation for foraying into VoIP operation, Sysgration began development of this unique product. The company plans to prepare a working sample of the product at the end of January 2006. Images are available at: http://aving.net/newproduct/default.asp?mode=read&c_code=01_01_01_03&c_num=10698&gotopage=1&BT_ExRef=0

By coincidence, Sony of Japan announced the Mouse Talk, VN-CX1, a USB optical mouse and VoIP phone in one. The Mouse Talk can be used as a clamshell style phone with Skype, a P2P-based IP phone software application. When the handset is half-open, it can be used as a hands free terminal (it supports an echo cancellation function). It is going to be available in Japan on February 18, 2006 for an estimated retail price of around 8,000 yen ($69.57 @ yen 115/$US 1). The handset measures 45.5 mm x 89.2 mm x 23.9 mm and weighs 67g. See images at: http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2006/0106/sony5.htm [M. Robertson, Portelligent]

HyunWon of South Korea adopted Seagate Technology's 8GByte 1.0-inch HDD ST1 series in its mobiBLU DHH-200 portable multimedia player. Seagate's 8GByte 1.0-inch HDD is the largest capacity 1-inch HDD on the market. The mobiBLU DHH-200 is capable of processing and storing massive volume of music and images.

The ST1 is compliant with RunOn technology and the G Force protection function and has improved reliability and durability during use. Seagate ships the ST1 series drive to over 30 OEM manufacturers throughout the world. Seagate's ST1 series HDD family includes 2.5GByte, 3GByte, 4GByte, 5GByte and 6GByte drives which have been adopted in portable music players of top manufacturers. An image and specification of the mobiBLU DHH-200 are available at: http://www.1gadgets.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=360 [M. Robertson, Portelligent]