1.1-A single-cell Li-Ion battery charger with integrated 50-mA regulator offers 2.3-A production test support, high-voltage protection

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) introduced the industry’s smallest 1.1-A Li-Ion linear battery charger with integrated 50-mA low-dropout regulator to support mobile phones and other handheld electronics. The new bq25040 comes in a small 2 mm x 3 mm package, and can regulate voltage within one-percent accuracy from a USB port or AC adapter. The device’s integrated LDO allows a mobile application to power up instantly from an external power source, even with an empty or absent battery. For details and samples see: www.ti.com/bq25040-pr.

The bq25040 also saves manufacturing time and cost by eliminating the need for battery setup during production test phase. The charger’s single-input interface selects the appropriate charge current and places the device into production test mode.

Key features and benefits

  • 30-V input with overvoltage protection enables safe charging with unregulated or aftermarket adapters
  • Up to 1.1-A charge rate
  • Integrated 50-mA LDO supplies power to external circuits, such as a USB transceiver
  • Production test mode regulates 4.2-V output without battery connection, and supplies up to 2.3 A
  • Selectable 100-mA or 500-mA USB current limit complies with USB standards
  • Input voltage dynamic power management provides protection against poor USB sources

Availability and pricing

The bq25040 is available now in a 10-pin, QFN package and is priced at $1.20 in quantities of 1,000. Other USB chargers include the bq24150 ultra-small switch-mode charger with integrated FETs, and the bq24072 with dynamic power path management. Samples and evaluation modules of the bq25040 are available at http://power.ti.com/.

Follow TI on Twitter: www.twitter.com/txinstruments

Source: Texas Instruments Incorporated


Celestron VistaPix 8×22 Binoculars

See, aim, store! Celestron’s VistaPix Binoculars with built-in digital camera are truly memory-making.

  • High-quality integrated 8×22 binocular and state-of-the-art digital camera in one, easy-to use, compact unit
  • Binoculars feature 8x roof prism magnification
  • Large focus area enhances clarity
  • Digital camera offers 0.3 megapixel resolution
  • Continuous-shoot feature allows for sequential photography
  • See and store images on PC or laptop
  • Downloaded images can be zoomed, cropped and manipulated
  • Rubber coated for comfortable, secure handling
  • Great for sporting events, family gatherings, bird watching and much more
  • VistaPix Photo Manager software, USB cable and carrying case included

Celestron VistaPix 8x22 Binoculars

Like what you see? Glimpses are no longer fleeting with these digital binoculars. Set your sights, focus the binoculars, then press the button: your image is automatically stored in the digital camera’s internal memory. You’ll find endless uses for this two-in-one helpmate.

Price: $69.95 Buy here: Celestron VistaPix 8×22 Binoculars


Hammacher Schlemmer Introduces The Video Camera Pen

Continuing its 161-year history of offering the Best, the Only, and the Unexpected, Hammacher Schlemmer introduces The Video Camera Pen, a ball-point pen that captures video and audio from up to 50 feet away.

“Hammacher Schlemmer has provided customers with truly unique, innovative products since 1848,” explained Hammacher Schlemmer’s General Manager, Fred Berns.

“We introduced The First Pop-Up Toaster in 1930 and The Telephone Valet–now known as the answering machine–in 1968, and The Video Camera Pen is the latest example of our dedication to finding products that are truly one of a kind,” said Mr. Berns.

Faithful to every outward detail of a traditional writing implement, The Video Camera Pen clips inconspicuously to a breast pocket and records images and sound using a color camera lens above the pocket clip and a microphone on the barrel that are discreet enough to go unnoticed.

The Video Camera Pen records up to 2 1/2 hours of 352 x 288 resolution video that can be stored in the pen’s integrated 4 GB memory as an AVI file. The pen’s built-in USB 2.0 port allows you to transfer videos to a computer for playback or additional storage.

“The Video Camera Pen is not only designed for recording video; it is a fully-functioning ball-point pen with a refillable ink reservoir,” said Mr. Berns.

The Video Camera Pen’s rechargeable lithium battery provides up to two hours of power before requiring a recharge using the included AC adapter.

Source: Hammacher Schlemmer


Trend Micro Internet Security Delivers Smart Protection for Netbooks

  • Author: USB World
  • Filed under: USB News
  • Date: Apr 10,2009

Netbook sales climbing, but security is still lacking; security leader Trend Micro provides Internet security on USB drives for easy netbook installation

Trend Micro, Incorporated , a global leader in Internet content security, today announced that Trend Micro Internet Security is now being delivered on USB drives for netbooks in North America.

“Netbooks are cheaper and more portable than laptops so it’s no surprise the market is becoming one of the fastest expanding PC market categories. With the netbook market expanding greatly, our partners and customers in North America have asked for a security solution tailored for netbooks,” said Carol Carpenter, vice president of global marketing for Trend Micro consumer business unit. “Now users can install Trend Micro Internet Security on their netbooks and confidently surf online, knowing they are well protected.”

Trend Micro Internet Security is delivered on a USB drive that is easy-to-use for netbooks and laptops. Trend Micro Internet Security is quick-to-install with or without autorun enabled. With autorun enabled, users just insert the USB drive into the designated slot and the security software will automatically install. If autorun is not launched, users can launch the software in four quick steps.

Trend Micro Internet Security provides smart, up-to-date protection for netbooks, laptops and PCs against present and future threats without slowing down the system. The product is powered by the Trend Micro(TM) Smart Protection Network, a cloud-client security infrastructure that correlates Web and email threat data by using reputation technologies that compare threats against in-the-cloud threat databases. It keeps consumers’ data and personal information more secure from online threats by offering significantly lighter memory load, faster installation, and more effective protection.

Pricing & Availability for North America

Trend Micro Internet Security on USB is available now in select retail stores. The subscription price of $39.95 protects a single netbook or PC for one year. Trend Micro continues to offer Trend Micro Internet Security on CDs at $49.95 to protect up to 3 users per household per year.

Source: Trend Micro Incorporated


Futronic Launches FS90 USB2.0 Mini Fingerprint Scanner

Futronic Technology Company Limited, a global provider of fingerprint recognition software and hardware products, announces the commercial release of FS90 USB2.0 Mini Fingerprint Scanner.

FS90 uses a specially designed optic system to deliver high quality image in a very small form factor. Its size is 57(L) x 29(W) x 27(H) mm and just slightly larger than one half of Futronic FS80 USB2.0 Fingerprint Scanner but can capture a fingerprint image that has same quality as that of FS80. This size makes FS90 a perfect device for mobile application. Together with 0.3 meter USB cable, it is more convenient to be carried around by notebook PC users and work with PDA or mobile phone. FS90 can be used together with all Futronic standard software products, FinLogon Personal Edition (PE), FinLogon Enterprise Edition (EE), SDK and FAS.

With a 15x22mm finger scanning window and 300×440 pixel image resolutions, FS90 can capture an un-distorted fingerprint image into PC in 0.1 second. The illumination for finger scanning is automatically adjusted according to fingerprint’s characteristics to optimize the quality of the captured image. The finger scanning window is a 13mm thick crown glass prism which is much more reliable and robust than semiconductor fingerprint sensor.

FS90 module is available for customers who want to integrate FS90 into their own products. It is same as FS90 but even smaller because it does not have plastic shell and USB cable. Its size is 43(L) x 24(W) x 25(H) mm and can be easily embedded into any target system.

FS90 and its module are ready to work on popular operating systems as well as handheld devices. Futronic provides Application Programming Interface (API) to capture fingerprint image on Windows XP and Vista, Windows CE 5.0/6.0, Linux with kernel 2.4 or higher and MAC OS. After fingerprint image is captured, it can be processed, transferred, stored and matched with pre-stored data by any backend software that makes project implementation very flexible.

Source: Futronic Technology Company Limited





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