STMicroelectronics Opens Way for Environmentally Responsible Battery Chargers by Enhancing Internal Protection for Handsets

• Author: USB World
• Filed under: USB News, USB gadgets
• Date: Jan 31,2009

ESDA8V-1MX2 with 30% higher surge protection in 55% smaller outline protects handsets against performance uncertainties of proposed universal chargers

Supporting objectives to reduce the number of battery chargers discarded with portable devices such as cellphone handsets, GPS receivers, and personal media players, STMicroelectronics, a world leader in power ICs, has introduced improved smaller-dimension circuit-protection devices to enable safer use of universal chargers.

With 1 billion cellphone handsets, or more, expected to be shipped in 2010, initiatives such as the Chinese government’s requirement for mobile devices to provide a USB port for charging may reduce the environmental burden of many millions of battery chargers. Dedicated chargers typically become useless when the accompanying portable devices reach end of life.

At best they may be sent for recycling, but most often they may be disposed of incorrectly or simply kept in a drawer performing no useful function. In any case, demand for a new charger with every new portable device effectively increases the environmental impact of the global consumer-electronics industry.

Pressure to use universal chargers aims to reduce this burden, but designers of portable devices must improve internal protection against the risks presented by chargers of unknown quality.

ST’s new ESDA8V2-1MX2 absorbs mains-borne surges containing up to 500 Watts peak pulse energy, a level of protection which is 30% higher than the current most popular surge protector. At the same time, the ESDA8V2-1MX2 has 55% smaller footprint, measuring just 1.0 x 1.45mm, thereby realizing space savings for designers to implement extra functions or to further miniaturize the end product.

The protection device also has a thinner profile of 0.55mm, compared to 0.7mm or 1.0mm for typical alternative devices. Another benefit is a 50% reduction in leakage current, which reduces drain on the battery for improved performance and longer recharge intervals.

The ESDA8V2-1MX2 is available immediately in sample quantities or for full production, priced at $0.11 for 10,000 pieces.

Source: STMicroelectronics

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Save Your Memories: Digitize Your VHS Tapes Before it’s Too Late!

• Author: USB World
• Filed under: USB News, USB gadgets
• Date: Jan 30,2009

The “Rescue Your Videotapes!” package available from MAGIX helps save and store your VHS treasures. “At the moment, recorders and cassettes are still available and usable. However, consumers should use this time to rescue their favourite movies from these VHS cassettes”, advises Jurgen Jaron, chief executive of MAGIX AG. Save your precious recordings from VHS cassettes and other tape formats with MAGIX Rescue Your Videotapes, containing MAGIX Movies on DVD 7 and the practical USB video converter. With the new video rescue package from MAGIX you can back up your VHS and all other tape formats onto your PC or directly to DVD with just a few clicks. Even add animated menus. Searching and sorting is easier too. The complete package is available in retail stores for GBP59.99 inc.

Conservation vs. quality loss

As the years go by, the image quality of your videocassettes will decrease. Due to magnetic influences during storage, the colours are washed out and the contours become blurry. In addition, the coating disintegrates as a result of playback and smudges off slowly, even if the whole tape hasn’t “died” in a crumpled mess long before. For these reasons, it is highly advisable to preserve your tapes via digitization using suitable hardware and software like “Rescue Your Videotapes!” from MAGIX.

When a video is present in digital form, it can always be burned again and saved to various media storage devices like hard disks or online platforms. Thanks to DVD menus and removed advertising, your cinematic treasures or home videos on VHS can now be enjoyed in more comfort than ever before.