#Power Electronics Market Share

[marketwire]

The Digital Power Electronics Market size is estimated to reach US$42.8 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.1% from 2022 to 2027. The emphasis on renewable energy in power generation, the rising acceptance of automation and industry 4.0 is fueling the growth of the Digital Power Electronics Industry. Additionally, the growing demand for consumer electronics and electric vehicles is also propelling the demand for digital power electronics, thereby expanding the market size. Different substrate materials such as Gallium Nitride, Silicon Carbide, Silicon and Sapphire are being used in making digital power IP cores and microcontrollers which effectively increase the functionality of integrated circuits, thereby making digital power electronics components more lucrative

[semiconductorsandelectronics]

The power electronics market is projected to grow from USD 46.2 billion in 2023 to USD 61.0 billion by 2028; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2023 to 2028. Power electronics involves using solid-state electronics to efficiently convert and control electric power from one form to another. 

[data-bridge]

GaN Power Device Market to reach USD XX million by 2028 | Market analyzed by Size, Trends, Analysis, Future Scope, and Demand Forecast

Industry Analysis

GaN Power Device market is expected to witness market growth at a rate of 49.95% in the forecast period of 2021 to 2028. Data Bridge Market Research report on GaN power device market provides analysis and insights regarding the various factors expected to be prevalent throughout the forecast period while providing their impacts on the market’s growth.  

Additionally, the credible GaN Power Device Market report helps the manufacturer in finding out the effectiveness of the existing channels of distribution, advertising programs, or media, selling methods and the best way of distributing the goods to the eventual consumers. Taking up such market research report is all the time beneficial for any company whether it is a small scale or large scale, for marketing of products or services. It makes effortless for Semiconductors and Electronics industry to visualize what is already available in the market, what market anticipates, the competitive environment, and what should be done to surpass the competitor.

Get a Free Sample of The Report: https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-gan-power-device-market

Market Insights and Scope    

Gallium nitride (GaN) transistors have progressed as an improved performance alternative of silicon-based transistors, due to their capacity of constructing more dense devices for an assumed resistance value and breakdown voltage in comparison to the silicon devices.

Major factors that are expected to boost the growth of the GaN power device market in the forecast period are the vast revenue generation from the customer electronics and automotive verticals and the wide bandgap property of GaN material supporting innovation. 

The GaN Power Device Market report encompasses various segments linked to Semiconductors and Electronics industry and market with comprehensive research and analysis. These comprise industry outlook with respect to critical success factors (CSFs), industry dynamics that mainly covers drivers and restraints, market segmentation & value chain analysis, key opportunities, application and technology outlook, regional or geographical insight, country-level analysis, key company profiles, competitive landscape, and company market share analysis. All the data, figures and information are backed up by well recognized analysis tools which include SWOT analysis and Porter’s Five Forces analysis. So, take business to the peak level of growth with the all-inclusive Data Bridge Market research report.

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Industry Segmentation and Size

On the basis of device type, the GaN power device market is segmented into power device, RF power device, GaN power modules, GaN power discrete devices, GaN power ICs. Power device is further sub segmented into discrete power device and integrated power device. RF power device is further sub segmented into discrete RF power device and integrated RF power device. On the basis of voltage range, the GaN power device market is segmented into <200 volt, 200–600 volt, >600 volt),

On the basis of application, the GaN power device market is segmented into power drives, supply and inverter, radio frequency. Power drives is further sub segmented into EV drives, industrial drives and light detection and ranging. Supply and inverter is further sub segmented into switch-mode power supply, inverter, wireless charging and EV charging.

On the basis of vertical, the GaN power device market is segmented into telecommunications, industrial, automotive, renewable, consumer and enterprise, military, defense and aerospace, medical.

On the basis of technology, the GaN power device market is segmented into 4h-SIC MOSFET, HEMT, others.

On the basis of wafer material, the GaN power device market is segmented into GaN SiC, GaN Si.

On the basis of wafer size, the GaN power device market is segmented into less than 150mm, 150mm-500mm, more than 500 mm.

Market Country Level Analysis

The countries covered in the GaN power device market report is the

U.S., Canada and Mexico in North America, Brazil, Argentina and Rest of South America as part of South America, Germany, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe in Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC)  in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of Middle East and Africa (MEA).  

A reliable GaN Power Device Market marketing report proves to be the finest and excellent market research report as it is formulated with the following critical factors. These consist of primary research, benchmarking studies, secondary research, company profiles, competitive intelligence & reporting, syndicated research, data collection, data processing and analysis, survey design, and survey programming. The report performs market study and analysis to provide market data by considering new product development from beginning to launch. The Semiconductors and Electronics business report also provides evaluations based on the market type, organization size, availability on-premises, end-users’ organization type, and the availability in areas such as North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa.

Industry Share Analysis

The major players covered in the GaN power device market report is

Cree, Inc., Infineon Technologies AG, Qorvo, Inc., MACOM, Microsemi, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Efficient Power Conversion Corporation., GaN Systems, Navitas Semiconductor., Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Exagan., VisIC Technologies, Integra Technologies, Inc., Transphorm Inc., GaNpower, Analog Devices, Inc., Panasonic Corporation, Texas Instruments Incorporated., Ampleon, Northrop Grumman, Dialog Semiconductor, among other domestic and global players. Market share data is available for global, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America separately.

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Contact: Data Bridge Market Research Tel: +1-888-387-2818   Email: Sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com

[solarpunkbusiness]

Musana Carts: Solar-powered business in Uganda opts for open source IP over patenting

Taking its name from a Ugandan word for ‘sunshine’, the Musana cart uses an in-built solar panel to power an eco-friendly stove and a small refrigerator. By removing the need for charcoal burning, the Musana cart produces far less smoke than other food vendor carts, ensuring a cleaner and safer experience for both workers and customers. Other innovations include light bulbs, to allow the vendor to work at night, and phone chargers, so that they can offer mobile money services.

The decision not to patent the Musana cart could have been seen by Nataliey and the team as a setback, but it instead encouraged them to return to their original vision and mission of social innovation: making the livelihoods of Africa’s street food vendors cleaner, safer and more sustainable.

They realized that the more people who had access to their cart designs, the better, and that patenting their invention could restrict access. On this basis, they decided to open source their IP so that vendors across Africa were free to improve their lives through their innovation. When IP is open source, it means that other people and groups can freely use, modify and share it.

After several years of selling to vendors, Musana Carts is already having a positive impact in Kampala. The solar-powered food carts have proved to be cleaner, more hygienic and more sustainable than traditional charcoal-fueled food carts. The Musana cart’s in-built lighting allows vendors to work at night if they choose, giving them an opportunity to earn more. Musana carts can be purchased in installments, making them more accessible to poor workers. The company has also teamed up with Kampala Capital City Authority to ensure that Musana carts are legally recognized, freeing vendors from the risks and uncertainties of working in the informal economy.

Although she sees the value in patent protection in more economically developed countries, where the legal framework is in place to ensure that an individual can be remunerated for the use of their innovation or invention, she knows first-hand that this is much harder to establish in African markets. Consequently, Nataliey encourages female inventors not only to monetize their innovations in their markets, but to share them outside of their capacity as well.

Equally importantly for Nataliey, however, is the philosophy behind open source IP. When there are so many challenges facing the world, she argues, no one individual or organization can satisfy every market need. She feels that there’s room for many to thrive. Furthermore, Nataliey believes that open sourcing can incentivize further innovation by allowing people to build on each other’s inventions. It’s the concept of cooperation, codependence and community at the heart of the African philosophy of ubuntu: ‘I am, because you are.’ Nataliey’s hope is that her company’s use of open source IP will help make this concept a reality for street food vendors across Africa.

A case study on open source innovation from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

[iamthekaijuking]

Gigabash character overview: Woolley

It’s pretty common for media to have at least one adorable and marketable character, and Passion Republic Games have one for Gigabash. Being one of the four initial kaiju developed, Woolley was made to be cute and likable. He even had a promotional plush of his S-class form sold in the lead up to the game’s release!

Woolley is a slightly more defensive character with some quick movement options, a counterattack move, and two attacks that are impossible to block and require good timing to stop. He’s got a high skill ceiling and pulling off extensive combos can be tricky. But like with every character in Gigabash’s roster, he’s deadly in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing.

Design

PRG took awhile to get a good design to settle on with Woolley, as they wanted him to be cute and likable all around and have a simple silhouette that was easily recognizable. Like Gorogong and Pipijuras, he went through multiple design revisions.

While there’s no direct statement on if any particular kaiju inspired Woolley’s design, he does bear a passing resemblance to another popular Tsuburaya icon: Booska.

Lore

Woolley is just one member of a species of kaiju known as the Yetis, peaceful kaiju who live in herds where they sleep and play all day and subsist entirely on Giga Energy. The reports on his character file actually give us insight into the evolution of his species, and how kaiju might evolve in the world of Gigabash.

Yetis are descendants of a small mammal with thick fur that migrated to the Himalayas sometime in the Pleistocene Epoch. Here they also used local hot springs to help stay warm, but these hot springs were connected to underground veins of Giga Energy. As they were gradually exposed to the substance, they slowly became larger and larger over subsequent generations and came to rely less and less on food for energy. In only a few million years they became 120 ton titans. They remained there until near modern day, and for the local humans it was common practice to go and collect shed Yeti fur to be used in the creation of coats.

At some point though, these Giga Energy veins ran dry, and this forced them to search for a new home. At least some of them migrated to a remote place in Siberia surrounded by mountains that has been dubbed the Yeti Sanctuary, and is rich with hot springs and Giga Energy. It even has an entrance to the hollow earth! The same one Pipijuras uses in his story mode too.

Woolley’s story mode revolves around him getting lost and trying to get home. One day he sees planes flying overhead and follows them out of curiosity, but gets lost in the process.

In his effort to go home he actually goes the opposite direction of where he came and gets increasingly distracted on his adventure, ping ponging across the world and interrupting the events of Pipijuras and Gorogong’s story modes.

It’s during this story mode we learn about a somewhat important location and information about the Yetis, another kaiju we’ll eventually get to, and kaiju as a whole in the world of Gigabash.

The area, which is one of the maps, is the Power Station, a section of Area 51 which seeks to figure out how to properly harness Giga Energy. As you’re aware, humanity has been trying to harness Giga Energy, but they’re having difficulties. Like with almost all of humanity’s power sources, in order to get electricity out of it you need to figure out a way to get it to turn a turbine that can spin a magnet around some electrical wires. This gets electrons flowing and thus generates electricity, and this is the basic principle of creating usable electricity. Apparently it’s hard to get Giga Energy to do this safely, although what part of the process is difficult to do with Giga Energy is never said. Only Otama Tec has figured out how to get this to work with the creation of their Gigatron Reactor, and they’re not keen to share their discoveries for reasons we’ll get to in the next overview. So the Global Titan Defense Initiative, being the dickwads they are, did a little corporate espionage and stole the blueprints of an earlier more theoretical version of the Gigatron Reactor and created the Power Station to test it out and improve it. It uses Giga Crystals (again, we’ll get to it) as the main source of Giga Energy, but kaiju can apparently be used as well since in his story mode Woolley gets captured and chained up to meet this fate. However, the Power Station is riddled with issues in no small part due to the sheer power of Giga Energy. It’s so dangerous that the GTDI makes any employees working there unsubscribe from their life insurance because of course they would do that.

As Woolley travels around the world, he meets entirely new herds of Yetis on his travels in every major location he stops at. These Yetis all have different colorations than Woolley and his herd, and are described as subspecies. It’s pretty likely that when the Yetis migrated from the Himalayas, the population split up in their search for sources of Giga Energy, and these different populations diverged from each other. They aren’t entirely isolated though as a few are aware of each other’s existence and point Woolley in each other’s direction, and it seems that Yetis as a whole have a shared language.

This brings us to something that’s never really explicitly stated but is shown to us and is obvious in hindsight; the kaiju in the world of Gigabash are sapient. The game is a party fighting game so obviously they would have to be smart in universe in order to have battle strategies and know how to use city infrastructure as tools and weapons as the player demands, but it’s one of those things where you realize it and go “Oh, yeah that makes a lot of sense… why didn’t I realize it until now?”. The Yetis in particular have even learned how to use fire, although they use burning vehicles as fuel instead of dry wood.

This shot also shows that Yetis can go bald. Like and reblog this post to slap the elder yeti’s bald head.

Woolley’s story concludes with him staying focused and retracting his steps (which gives us a lot of fun pictures) and eventually finding his way home.

There is of course one last fight, but it turns out that the other Yetis he met decided to follow him, and end up helping in defending his home. Afterwards they end up integrating with the Siberian herd quite well! Even though Woolley spent his story trying to get back to his family, it’s sweet to know that his efforts gave him an even bigger one.

All in all, Woolley is a great character and is a fun and adorable addition to Gigabash’s roster, and his story mode is sweet.

Also I don’t really know where else to put this but lore tidbit: in the Gigabash universe it’s implied the Soviet Union fell but Russia is still a communist country unlike the capitalist IRL Russia. They’re a dictatorship like IRL Russia though.

[dailyanarchistposts]

J.4.7 What about the communications revolution?

Another important factor working in favour of anarchists is the existence of a sophisticated global communications network and a high degree of education and literacy among the populations of the core industrialised nations. Together these two developments make possible nearly instantaneous sharing and public dissemination of information by members of various progressive and radical movements all over the globe — a phenomenon that tends to reduce the effectiveness of repression by central authorities. The electronic-media and personal-computer revolutions also make it more difficult for elitist groups to maintain their previous monopolies of knowledge. Copy-left software and text, user-generated and shared content, file-sharing, all show that information, and its users, reaches its full potential when it is free. In short, the advent of the Information Age is potentially extremely subversive.

The very existence of the Internet provides anarchists with a powerful argument that decentralised structures can function effectively in a highly complex world. For the net has no centralised headquarters and is not subject to regulation by any centralised regulatory agency, yet it still manages to function effectively. Moreover, the net is also an effective way of anarchists and other radicals to communicate their ideas to others, share knowledge, work on common projects and co-ordinate activities and social struggle. By using the Internet, radicals can make their ideas accessible to people who otherwise would not come across anarchist ideas. In addition, and far more important than anarchists putting their ideas across, the fact is that the net allows everyone with access to express themselves freely, to communicate with others and get access (by visiting webpages and joining mailing lists and newsgroups) and give access (by creating webpages and joining in with on-line arguments) to new ideas and viewpoints. This is very anarchistic as it allows people to express themselves and start to consider new ideas, ideas which may change how they think and act.

Obviously we are aware that the vast majority of people in the world do not have access to telephones, never mind computers, but computer access is increasing in many countries, making it available, via work, libraries, schools, universities, and so on to more and more working class people.

Of course there is no denying that the implications of improved communications and information technology are ambiguous, implying Big Brother as well the ability of progressive and radical movements to organise. However, the point is only that the information revolution in combination with the other social developments could (but will not necessarily) contribute to a social paradigm shift. Obviously such a shift will not happen automatically. Indeed, it will not happen at all unless there is strong resistance to governmental and corporate attempts to limit public access to information, technology (e.g. encryption programs), censor peoples’ communications and use of electronic media and track them on-line.

This use of the Internet and computers to spread the anarchist message is ironic. The rapid improvement in price-performance ratios of computers, software, and other technology today is often used to validate the faith in free market capitalism but that requires a monumental failure of historical memory as not just the Internet but also the computer represents a spectacular success of public investment. As late as the 1970s and early 1980s, according to Kenneth Flamm’s Creating the Computer, the federal government was paying for 40 percent of all computer-related research and 60 to 75 percent of basic research. Even such modern-seeming gadgets as video terminals, the light pen, the drawing tablet, and the mouse evolved from Pentagon-sponsored research in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Even software was not without state influence, with databases having their root in US Air Force and Atomic Energy Commission projects, artificial intelligence in military contracts back in the 1950s and airline reservation systems in 1950s air-defence systems. More than half of IBM’s Research and Development budget came from government contracts in the 1950s and 1960s.

The motivation was national security, but the result has been the creation of comparative advantage in information technology for the United States that private firms have happily exploited and extended. When the returns were uncertain and difficult to capture, private firms were unwilling to invest, and government played the decisive role. And not for want of trying, for key players in the military first tried to convince businesses and investment bankers that a new and potentially profitable business opportunity was presenting itself, but they did not succeed and it was only when the market expanded and the returns were more definite that the government receded. While the risks and development costs were socialised, the gains were privatised. All of which make claims that the market would have done it anyway highly unlikely.

Looking beyond state aid to the computer industry we discover a “do-it-yourself” (and so self-managed) culture which was essential to its development. The first personal computer, for example, was invented by amateurs who wanted their own cheap machines. The existence of a “gift” economy among these amateurs and hobbyists was a necessary precondition for the development of PCs. Without this free sharing of information and knowledge, the development of computers would have been hindered and so socialistic relations between developers and within the working environment created the necessary conditions for the computer revolution. If this community had been marked by commercial relations, the chances are the necessary breakthroughs and knowledge would have remained monopolised by a few companies or individuals, so hindering the industry as a whole.

Encouragingly, this socialistic “gift economy” is still at the heart of computer/software development and the Internet. For example, the Free Software Foundation has developed the General Public Licence (GPL). GPL, also know as

“copyleft”, uses copyright to ensure that software remains free. Copyleft ensures that a piece of software is made available to everyone to use and modify as they desire. The only restriction is that any used or modified copyleft material must remain under copyleft, ensuring that others have the same rights as you did when you used the original code. It creates a commons which anyone may add to, but no one may subtract from. Placing software under GPL means that every contributor is assured that she, and all other uses, will be able to run, modify and redistribute the code indefinitely. Unlike commercial software, copyleft code ensures an increasing knowledge base from which individuals can draw from and, equally as important, contribute to. In this way everyone benefits as code can be improved by everyone, unlike commercial code.

Many will think that this essentially anarchistic system would be a failure. In fact, code developed in this way is far more reliable and sturdy than commercial software. Linux, for example, is a far superior operating system than DOS precisely because it draws on the collective experience, skill and knowledge of thousands of developers. Apache, the most popular web-server, is another freeware product and is acknowledged as the best available. The same can be said of other key web-technologies (most obviously PHP) and projects (Wikipedia springs to mind, although that project while based on co-operative and free activity is owned by a few people who have ultimate control). While non-anarchists may be surprised, anarchists are not. Mutual aid and co-operation are beneficial in the evolution of life, why not in the evolution of software? For anarchists, this “gift economy” at the heart of the communications revolution is an important development. It shows both the superiority of common development as well as the walls built against innovation and decent products by property systems. We hope that such an economy will spread increasingly into the “real” world.

Another example of co-operation being aided by new technologies is Netwar. This refers to the use of the Internet by autonomous groups and social movements to co-ordinate action to influence and change society and fight government or business policy. This use of the Internet has steadily grown over the years, with a Rand corporation researcher, David Ronfeldt, arguing that this has become an important and powerful force (Rand is, and has been since its creation in 1948, a private appendage of the military industrial complex). In other words, activism and activists’ power and influence has been fuelled by the advent of the information revolution. Through computer and communication networks, especially via the Internet, grassroots campaigns have flourished, and the most importantly, government elites have taken notice.

Ronfeldt specialises in issues of national security, especially in the areas of Latin American and the impact of new informational technologies. Ronfeldt and another colleague coined the term

“netwar” in a Rand document entitled “Cyberwar is Coming!”. Ronfeldt’s work became a source of discussion on the Internet in mid-March 1995 when Pacific News Service correspondent Joel Simon wrote an article about Ronfeldt’s opinions on the influence of netwars on the political situation in Mexico after the Zapatista uprising. According to Simon, Ronfeldt holds that the work of social activists on the Internet has had a large influence — helping to co-ordinate the large demonstrations in Mexico City in support of the Zapatistas and the proliferation of EZLN communiqués across the world via computer networks. These actions, Ronfeldt argues, have allowed a network of groups that oppose the Mexican Government to muster an international response, often within hours of actions by it. In effect, this has forced the Mexican government to maintain the facade of negotiations with the EZLN and has on many occasions, actually stopped the army from just going in to Chiapas and brutally massacring the Zapatistas.

Given that Ronfeldt was an employee of the Rand Corporation his comments indicate that the U.S. government and its military and intelligence wings are very interested in what the Left is doing on the Internet. Given that they would not be interested in this if it were not effective, we can say that this use of the “Information Super-Highway” is a positive example of the use of technology in ways un-planned of by those who initially developed it (let us not forget that the Internet was originally funded by the U.S. government and military). While the internet is being hyped as the next big marketplace, it is being subverted by activists — an example of anarchistic trends within society worrying the powers that be.

A good example of this powerful tool is the incredible speed and range at which information travels the Internet about events concerning Mexico and the Zapatistas. When Alexander Cockburn wrote an article exposing a Chase Manhattan Bank memo about Chiapas and the Zapatistas in Counterpunch, only a small number of people read it because it is only a newsletter with a limited readership. The memo, written by Riordan Roett, argued that “the [Mexican] government will need to eliminate the Zapatistas to demonstrate their effective control of the national territory and of security policy”. In other words, if the Mexican government wants investment from Chase, it would have to crush the Zapatistas. This information was relatively ineffective when just confined to print but when it was uploaded to the Internet, it suddenly reached a very large number of people. These people in turn co-ordinated protests against the U.S and Mexican governments and especially Chase Manhattan. Chase was eventually forced to attempt to distance itself from the Roett memo that it commissioned. Since then net-activism has grown.

Ronfeldt’s research and opinion should be flattering for the Left. He is basically arguing that the efforts of activists on computers not only has been very effective (or at least has that potential), but more importantly, argues that the only way to counter this work is to follow the lead of social activists. Activists should understand the important implications of Ronfeldt’s work: government elites are not only watching these actions (big surprise) but are also attempting to work against them. Thus Netwars and copyleft are good examples of anarchistic trends within society, using communications technology as a means of co-ordinating activity across the world in a libertarian fashion for libertarian goals.

[thetechempire]

How Apple Relies on Samsung for iPhone Production

Apple and Samsung are two big rivals in the technology industry, and are often portrayed as rivals in the smartphone market. Behind the scenes, however, Apple relies on Samsung for key components used in its flagship product, the iPhone. This relationship may seem odd, but it illustrates the complex nature of global supply chains in the technology sector. In this blog we will examine how Apple trusts Samsung and why this relationship is so important to the creation of the iPhone.

1. The OLED Displays: Samsung’s Technological Edge

One of the most critical components in modern iPhones is the OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display. These displays are known for their vibrant colors, deep blacks, and energy efficiency, significantly enhancing the user experience compared to older LCD technology. Samsung Display, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, is the world’s leading manufacturer of OLED screens.

When Apple transitioned to OLED screens with the iPhone X in 2017, it turned to Samsung due to the company’s unparalleled expertise and production capacity in OLED technology. While Apple has since diversified its suppliers, with LG Display and others entering the fray, Samsung remains the largest provider of OLED screens for iPhones. Samsung’s dominance in this sector gives Apple little choice but to collaborate with its competitor.

2. Chips and Semiconductors: More Than Just Displays

Apple designs its own A-series chips, but the actual production of these chips relies on external manufacturing. While companies like TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) handle most of Apple’s chip production, Samsung has also played a role in this arena. Samsung is one of the few companies with the technological prowess and manufacturing capabilities to produce advanced semiconductor components.

In previous iPhone generations, Samsung produced the A-series chips that powered these devices. Although TSMC has since become Apple’s primary chip manufacturer, Samsung’s semiconductor division remains a key player in the global chip market, offering Apple an alternative supplier when needed.

3. Memory and Storage: Another Piece of the Puzzle

In addition to displays and semiconductors, Samsung provides memory components such as DRAM (Dynamic Random-Access Memory) and NAND flash storage for the iPhone. These memory components are essential for the smooth operation and storage capacity of iPhones. With its dominance in the memory market, Samsung is one of Apple’s main suppliers, providing the high-quality memory needed to meet the iPhone’s performance standards.

Apple has worked to reduce its reliance on Samsung for memory, but the reality is that Samsung’s market share in the memory and storage sectors is so substantial that avoiding them entirely is nearly impossible. Furthermore, Samsung’s advanced manufacturing techniques ensure that its memory components meet the rigorous standards required for the iPhone.

4. Why Apple Sticks with Samsung Despite the Rivalry

Given their rivalry in the smartphone market, one might wonder why Apple doesn’t completely break away from Samsung. The answer lies in the intricate balance between quality, capacity, and supply chain stability.

Quality: Samsung’s components, particularly OLED displays and memory, are some of the best in the industry. Apple has always prioritized quality in its products, and Samsung’s technological capabilities align with Apple’s high standards.

Capacity: Samsung has the production capacity to meet Apple’s enormous demand. With millions of iPhones sold each year, Apple needs suppliers that can manufacture components at scale without compromising quality. Samsung’s factories are among the few capable of handling such volume.

Supply Chain Risk: Diversifying suppliers is a strategy Apple uses to reduce risk. However, removing Samsung from the supply chain entirely would expose Apple to greater risk if another supplier fails to meet production needs or quality standards. By maintaining Samsung as a key supplier, Apple can ensure a more stable and reliable supply chain.

5. Apple’s Efforts to Reduce Dependency

While Apple remains dependent on Samsung in several areas, the company has made moves to reduce this reliance over the years. For instance, Apple has invested in alternative display suppliers such as LG Display and BOE Technology, as well as expanded its collaboration with TSMC for chip production. Additionally, Apple has explored developing its own in-house components, such as its rumored efforts to create proprietary display technology.

Despite these efforts, it’s unlikely that Apple will be able to completely eliminate Samsung from its supply chain in the near future. Samsung’s technological leadership in key areas, especially OLED displays and memory, ensures that Apple will continue to rely on its competitor for critical components.

Conclusion: A Symbiotic Rivalry

The relationship between Apple and Samsung is a fascinating example of how competition and collaboration can coexist in the tech industry. While they are fierce competitors in the smartphone market, Apple depends on Samsung’s advanced manufacturing capabilities to produce the iPhone, one of the most iconic devices in the world. This interdependence shows that even the most successful companies cannot operate in isolation, and collaboration between rivals is often necessary to bring cutting-edge products to market.

For Apple, the challenge lies in maintaining this balance — relying on Samsung for essential components while exploring new avenues to reduce dependency. For now, however, Samsung remains a crucial partner in the making of the iPhone, demonstrating how complex and interconnected the global tech supply chain has become.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

After Ohio rail disaster, Buttigieg is silent on restoring the safety standards Trump repealed

When a freight train carrying toxic chemicals derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, bursting into flame and sending up clouds of poisonous vinyl chloride smoke and gas, our immediate concerns were for the people in harm’s way and the train crew:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/04/us/train-derailment-fire-palestine-ohio.html

If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/11/dinah-wont-you-blow/#ecp

But those immediate concerns were soon joined by a broader set of worries: that the entire rail industry presented a systematic danger, and the Ohio derailment was a symptom of a much deeper pathology that endangered anyone who lives near one of the rail corridors that crisscross America.

The rail industry is the poster child for corporate power, and rail barons were among the first targets of Gilded Age trustbusters who saw the rail monopolies as a threat to the prosperity and wellbeing of Americans, as well as the integrity of the American political system itself.

40 years of neoliberal “consumer welfare” antitrust — starting with Reagan and continuing through every administration since — has seen the American rail sector achieve levels of concentration that meet and exceed the corrupt, untenable degree of the late 19th century.

Like the original rail barons, the current crop (including the self-styled cuddly billionaire Warren Buffett), have gutted rail investment, skirted on safety, maimed and abused their workforce, smashed their unions, and placed the entire US supply chain in a state of brittle precarity:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/04/up-your-nose/#rail-barons

Like all monopolists, the rail industry has been able to capture its regulators, trampling evidence-based policy and replacing it with rules that benefit shareholders at the expense of the public, labor, and customers.

https://doctorow.medium.com/regulatory-capture-59b2013e2526

This regulatory capture is an inevitable consequence of market concentration. When an industry is composed of dozens of small- and medium-sized firms, they are unable to converge on a single story about which rules regulators should favor them with: some of those companies will want things the others don’t, and each will vie to produce evidence disconfirming the others’ claims.

But when an industry dwindles to a handful of cozy giants whose C-suites are stuffed with company-hopping executives who’ve done time at every major company in the sector, they converge on a single fairy tale about the best way to regulate their industry, and convert their regulators’ truth-seeking exercises into rigged auctions that they handily win:

https://locusmag.com/2022/03/cory-doctorow-vertically-challenged/

That’s what happened during the Trump years, when rail lobbyists secured the repeal of a long-overdue, hard-won safety regulation that would have required rail companies to replace the Civil-War-era brakes on their rolling stock with modern electronically controlled pneumatic brakes (ECPs):

https://jacobin.com/2023/02/rail-companies-safety-rules-ohio-derailment-brake-sytems-regulations

The repeal cost millions in lobbying dollars, but it was worth it. Shortly after the ECP rule was scrapped, Norfolk Southern handed millions in bonuses to its execs and did billions in stock buybacks, while laying offf thousands of workers:

https://www.fool.com/investing/2018/10/25/norfolk-southern-implements-massive-buyback-progra.aspx

Elections, we’re told, have consequences. After Biden won the 2020 presidential election, he made a string of excellent appointments — people like FTC chair Lina Khan, who hit the ground running with detailed plans for making sweeping, consequential changes that would blunt corporate power, reverse-Trump era abuses, and correct the dysfunctions that created a political base for Trump:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/08/party-its-1979-og-antitrust-back-baby

But other Biden appointees arrive in office with much less ambition. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has spent his tenure as King Log, failing to take action on spiraling airline cancellations, confining his major enforcement action to fining foreign airlines while ignoring the out-of-control abuses of America’s domestic carriers, except for the also-ran airline Frontier, which accounts for less than 2% of domestic travel:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/16/for-petes-sake/#unfair-and-deceptive

There are striking similarities between the structural defects in the airlines and the rail companies: both are highly concentrated sectors who have laid off senior staff, attacked unions, and blown billions in public money on stock buybacks and executive bonuses, even as their service degraded.

Both industries have been sharply criticized by experts and industry veterans, who’ve called for specific regulation. In the case of the airlines, SWA pilots and flight attendants had sounded the alarm about antiquated scheduling systems; for the rail companies, it’s experts like Grady Cothen, formerly a top safety expert at the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), who told Congress that without action on braking systems, “[there] will be more derailments, more releases of hazardous materials, more communities impacted”:

https://www.congress.gov/event/117th-congress/house-event/LC69424/text?s=1&r=9

Despite these warnings, and despite the near-misses and smaller disasters that led up to the 100-foot-tall fireball over Ohio, Buttigieg’s DOT has not moved to reinstate the Obama-era brake safety rule, deferring to the monopoly rail owners self-serving claim that there is no need for such a move:

https://jacobin.com/2023/02/department-of-transportation-train-brake-regulation-ohio-derailment/

Indeed, the FRA is currently considering a rule that would further weaken braking rules, reducing obligations to inspect, test and certify braking systems:

https://www.regulations.gov/document/FRA-2019-0072-0005

The rail labor unions — the best source of independent expertise on the daily operation of the freight system — say that this would be a disaster: “Following through with a final rule would only deliver yet another financial windfall to rail carriers by eliminating inspections, testing and repairs, and deferring routine maintenance”:

https://www.goiam.org/news/territories/tcu-union/carmen-division-tcu/rail-labor-files-joint-comments-on-fras-nprm-2/

Serving as Transportation Secretary to the President of the United States of America makes you one of the most powerful people in the history of the human race. The Secretary’s powers, while not unlimited, are extensive. The American people need a DoT that works for them, not one that weakens safety rules:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/10/the-courage-to-govern/#whos-in-charge

Image: Gage Skidmore (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pete_Buttigieg_January_2020.jpg

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

James St John (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/27110172823/

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

This week (Feb 13–17), I’ll be in Australia, touring my book Chokepoint Capitalism with my co-author, Rebecca Giblin. We’re doing a remote event for NZ tomorrow (Feb 13). Next are Melbourne (Feb 14), Sydney (Feb 15) and Canberra (Feb 16/17). More tickets just released for Sydney!

[Image ID: A locomotive steaming away from a nuclear explosion. The face of the logo has been replaced with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg's, in the style of Thomas the Tank Engine.]

[federalistpixels]

Owned Press equals Owned Reality

Reality has more in common with clay than stone, it's more like a poem than a definition. Reality is no truer than what is printed in our newspapers, transmitting across our devices, and even misinterpreted through our own ignorance. Individuals, entities, and even ideas can change how we as a people interpret the world.

The free press was tasked with maintaining a unified version of reality based on truth. Through this lens, western society was able to centralize their societal beliefs, views, and nationalism. The Fairness Doctrine (1949-1994) required that opposing views be provided on all topics of public interest and any individual or group attacked by a report was provided opportunity to respond on the same program.

Congress attempted to codify this FCC regulation twice, but both Regan and George H Bush threatened to veto it. In 2009 the Obama admin came out against reviving it as well stating, "I believe as President Reagan did, that the electronic press—and you're included in that—the press that uses air and electrons, should be and must be as free from government control as the press that uses paper and ink, Period." In 2009, the GOP controlled senate attempted to pass legislature that would prohibit the reintroduction of the Fairness Doctrine, it did not pass the House.

Keep in mind, the corporate control was never a problem for any of these administrations. Need I remind the reader, that there are ways to hold the government accountable, but there is little to no citizen control over corporations. These admins placed our news in the hands of entities completely unaccountable to the people. Entities whose sole reason for existing is to make money.

Political reasonings on both sides of the aisle for abandoning the Fairness Doctrine are Orwellian in nature, that somehow providing a regulation or law that requires opposing viewpoints will polarize the media or provide control over their reporting. This is of course, a fascist dog whistle. Fascism requires maintaining only one point of view, normalizing no longer hearing opposing viewpoints is the first step towards that end.

A Free Press is only a threat to those who wish to limit the people or hide the truth. There is nothing lost from free reporting unless you are ab individual or organization that wishes to hide their actions from others. To this end, the Free Press is one of the first things to be lost in societal collapse. The people can't learn of the collapse if those tasked with reporting on it are owned by those very people bringing about the collapse.

In late 1994 the Fairness Doctrine was struck down, in 1996 Fox News began broadcasting. It's politically biased and often angry reporting quickly found its target audience. Rather than report reality, Fox News reported what its audience wanted to watch and hear. The news had become subjective - at least on the right side of the aisle.

The first battle for America's democracy was lost as news stations were purchased by corporations that were not in search of objective truth or societal knowledge but ratings, ad revenue, and market share. With the 4th estate in shambles, with multiple versions of every event being reported, all seeped in audience-favored bias, societal reality splintered.

Politicians no longer need to be justified or hold the moral high ground; they just need to have a media mouthpiece say they are right and just. But, with all things in the USA, nothing is free, and so the politicians find themselves returning the favor of favorable reporting with favorable legislature. This tit-for-tat cycle has been going on for over 20 years. But a system under constant abuse will fall apart, we are witnessing the unraveling of societal reality every day.

This manipulation of reporting, this control over our perceived reality, has broken almost every pillar of democracy the United States Representative Republic had to offer. When those in search of power couldn't break the system because of the people, they broke the people's ability to recognize the damage being done and shattered their chances to organize against these domestic and external threats to society.

[promodubiz]

The Evolution of Digital Marketing Solutions: Strategies for Success

In today's fast-paced digital world, businesses must adopt effective digital marketing solutions to remain competitive and relevant. As consumer behavior shifts increasingly online, traditional marketing methods alone no longer suffice. Digital marketing offers a vast array of tools and strategies that enable businesses to reach their target audience more efficiently and effectively. This article explores the evolution of digital marketing solutions and outlines key strategies for success.

Understanding Digital Marketing Solutions

Digital marketing Solutions encompasses all marketing efforts that use an electronic device or the internet. Businesses leverage digital channels such as search engines, social media, email, and websites to connect with current and prospective customers. Key components of digital marketing include:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): This involves optimizing a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), thereby increasing organic (non-paid) traffic. SEO strategies include keyword research, content creation, and technical website improvements.

Content Marketing: This focuses on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and engage a clearly defined audience. Blogs, videos, infographics, and ebooks are common content marketing tools.

Social Media Marketing: Utilizing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter to promote products and services, engage with customers, and build brand awareness. Social media marketing can be organic or paid (social media ads).

Email Marketing: Sending targeted emails to a group of subscribers to promote products, share news, or nurture relationships. Email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective digital marketing strategies.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: This is a model where advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. Google Ads is a popular PPC platform that helps drive traffic to websites through paid search engine results.

Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with other businesses or influencers who promote your products in exchange for a commission on sales generated through their referral.

Influencer Marketing: Collaborating with influencers who have a large following to promote your brand. This strategy leverages the influencer's credibility and reach to connect with potential customers.

The Evolution of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing has evolved significantly over the past two decades. Early internet marketing efforts were largely experimental, focusing on basic website creation and banner ads. As technology advanced and the internet became more accessible, digital marketing strategies grew more sophisticated.

The rise of search engines in the late 1990s and early 2000s led to the development of SEO, a cornerstone of modern digital marketing. Around the same time, email marketing began to gain traction as businesses realized the potential of direct communication with customers.

Social media platforms emerged in the mid-2000s, revolutionizing how businesses engage with their audience. Initially used primarily for personal connections, social media quickly became a powerful marketing tool. The introduction of social media advertising further expanded the possibilities for targeted marketing.

Content marketing gained prominence in the 2010s as businesses recognized the value of providing informative and engaging content to attract and retain customers. This era also saw the rise of influencer marketing, driven by the growing popularity of social media influencers.

Today, digital marketing Solutions continues to evolve with advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and data analytics. These technologies enable more personalized and data-driven marketing strategies, improving efficiency and effectiveness.

Key Strategies for Success

To succeed in digital marketing, businesses must adopt a strategic approach that combines various digital marketing solutions. Here are key strategies for success:

Define Clear Objectives: Establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Clear objectives guide your digital marketing efforts and help measure success.

Understand Your Audience: Conduct thorough market research to understand your target audience's needs, preferences, and behaviors. Create detailed buyer personas to guide your marketing strategies.

Create High-Quality Content: Invest in creating valuable and engaging content that addresses your audience's pain points and interests. Quality content builds trust and authority in your industry.

Leverage Data Analytics: Use analytics tools to track and analyze your marketing performance. Data insights help refine strategies, optimize campaigns, and improve ROI.

Embrace Omnichannel Marketing: Ensure a consistent and seamless experience across all digital channels. An omnichannel approach enhances customer engagement and retention.

Stay Updated with Trends: Digital marketing is dynamic and constantly evolving. Stay informed about the latest trends, technologies, and best practices to stay ahead of the competition.

Test and Optimize: Continuously test different strategies and tactics to identify what works best. Optimization is an ongoing process that enhances the effectiveness of your digital marketing efforts.

Conclusion

Digital marketing solutions have transformed how businesses connect with their audience, offering unparalleled opportunities for growth and success. By understanding the evolution of digital marketing and adopting key strategies, businesses can harness the power of digital channels to achieve their marketing goals. In an ever-changing digital landscape, staying adaptable, informed, and customer-focused is the key to thriving in the digital age.

[marketwire]

Digital Power Electronics Market - Forecast(2023 - 2028)

[phuket-solicitors]

Mergers & Acquisitions in Thailand

Thailand's M&A landscape has evolved significantly in recent years, driven by economic growth, government policies, and the increasing attractiveness of the Thai market to foreign investors. While the country has a robust legal and regulatory framework for M&A, unique challenges and opportunities exist.  

The Thai M&A Landscape

Thailand offers a compelling investment climate with a large domestic market, strategic geographic location, and a growing middle class. Key sectors attracting M&A activity include:

Consumer Goods: Strong domestic consumption and a rising middle class have fueled interest in the food and beverage, retail, and consumer electronics sectors.

Energy: Thailand's focus on renewable energy and energy security has driven M&A in the oil and gas, power generation, and alternative energy sectors.

Infrastructure: Government initiatives to improve infrastructure have created opportunities in transportation, logistics, and utilities.

Technology: The growing digital economy has led to increased M&A activity in e-commerce, fintech, and digital media.

Common Deal Structures

While mergers were introduced in Thailand in 2023, acquisitions remain the predominant deal structure. Common acquisition methods include:  

Share Acquisitions: Purchasing shares from existing shareholders.

Asset Acquisitions: Acquiring specific assets of a target company.

Joint Ventures: Creating a new entity with shared ownership and control.

Regulatory Framework

Thailand's legal and regulatory environment for M&A is relatively mature, with key laws governing the process, including:

Thai Civil and Commercial Code: Provides the legal framework for corporate transactions.

Securities and Exchange Act: Regulates public companies and takeover bids.

Foreign Business Act: Governs foreign investment and ownership restrictions.

Competition Act: Addresses antitrust concerns.

While the legal framework is generally supportive of M&A, navigating the complexities of Thai law requires careful consideration and expert advice.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite its attractiveness, the Thai M&A landscape presents unique challenges:

Corporate Governance: While improving, corporate governance standards in Thailand can vary, impacting deal execution and post-merger integration.

Due Diligence: Conducting thorough due diligence is essential due to potential complexities in business structures, ownership, and financial reporting.

Regulatory Approvals: Obtaining necessary approvals from government agencies can be time-consuming and complex.

Talent Acquisition and Retention: Post-merger integration often requires addressing talent management challenges, including cultural differences and skill gaps.

On the other hand, Thailand offers significant opportunities for M&A:

Growth Potential: The expanding middle class and government initiatives create a favorable environment for business growth.

ASEAN Hub: Thailand's strategic location makes it a gateway to the ASEAN market.

Government Support: Government policies encouraging foreign investment can facilitate M&A deals.

Emerging Trends

Several trends are shaping the future of M&A in Thailand:

Digital Transformation: Increasing focus on digital technologies and e-commerce is driving M&A activity.

Sustainability: Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors are gaining importance in dealmaking.

Cross-Border Deals: Thailand's strategic location is attracting more cross-border investments.

Conclusion

Thailand's M&A landscape is dynamic and offers both challenges and opportunities. Successful dealmaking requires a deep understanding of the local market, regulatory environment, and cultural nuances. By carefully navigating these complexities, businesses can capitalize on the growth potential of the Thai market.

[ahaura]

(Dec. 9) via Electronic Intifada by Eman Alhaj Ali

Article title:

The wanton destruction of mosques and churches

Article text:

Since 7 October, Israel has attacked a series of historical and cultural marvels in the besieged Gaza Strop.

The targeting of our heritage indicates that Israel is intent on erasing it.

This week, the Great Mosque in Gaza City was subjected to an Israeli airstrike.

Also known as the al-Omari mosque, it is 1,400 years old.

It was a place of serenity. Now a large part of it is destroyed.

Once a hub for prayers and enlightenment, Its grandeur was woven into the fabric of our region.

One of the largest mosques in Palestine, it housed a library of documents and rare books within its walls. It was a vital repository of knowledge.

If you listen carefully outside it, you could hear tales of ancient wisdom being whispered on the breeze.

Nestled in the Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City, the mosque shared an embrace with the historic Souq al-Qaysariyya, Arabic for “Caesar’s market.”

One day earlier, Israel attacked the Othman Bin Qashqar mosque in the al-Zaytoun area of Gaza City, claiming lives and wreaking havoc on nearby homes.

Dating back to the thirteenth century, the Othman Bin Qashqar mosque was not merely a place of worship. It was a testament to Gaza’s rich history.

This horrific war has also seen the Sayid al-Hashim mosque damaged by Israel. It is believed to hold the tomb of Hashim bin Abd Manaf, the Prophet Mohammed’s great-grandfather.

Christian places of worship have not been spared, either.

The Church of Saint Porphyrius dates back to 425 and was later renovated in 1856. It, too, has been attacked by Israel over the past two months.

Numerous museums and cultural centers have been bombed in various parts of Gaza.

When these structures are damaged or destroyed, so is a piece of human history.

The cultural vandalism witnessed in Gaza underscores the urgency of safeguarding heritage. When will the world’s powerful governments and institutions stand against the obliteration of irreplaceable treasures?

[arkenforge]

What does OGL v1.1 mean for VTTs?

Hey folks! You’ve probably heard that a draft of the OGL v1.1 from WotC has been leaked. We’ve heard what this means for publishers thanks to folks like The Rules Lawyer and Linda Codega. We haven’t heard much about the VTT side of things. As a VTT developer, we’ll be weighing in on this issue from the digital TTRPG side of things. We’ll be explaining how this is a clear attempt for WotC to consolidate power in the digital TTRPG space at the expense of independent (and some large) publishers.

If you aren’t sure what the OGL is, we’ll let Wikipedia do the work on this one.

Before we dive into how this will affect the VTT space, we need to look at the context for the OGL v1.1 release.

D&D Beyond

D&D Beyond is by far the most popular tool for character management in D&D5e. It contains a fully searchable and filterable repository of all game rules, classes, races, spells, etc. It also does character management, encounter building and dice rolls, and hosts a digital copy of all official 5e adventures. Essentially, if you’re using any official content from Wizards of the Coast, you can find it on D&D Beyond.

Last year D&D Beyond was purchased by Wizards of the Coast for $146.3 million. At the time of purchase they had amassed almost 10 million users (now ~13 million based on a recent investor call). We learnt recently that WotC is using D&D Beyond as the cornerstone of their new digital D&D offering. All of the content and automation that is needed to play 5e can be managed through D&D Beyond except for one key element – interactive maps. That’s where the recent announcement of Wizards’ new VTT, OneD&D, comes into the picture.

But why male models VTTs?

For those that haven’t heard of the term before, VTTs are virtual tabletops. They allow people to run their games digitally, either online or in person. VTTs tend to provide tools and/or automation to make running your games smoother and more immersive. They are also very useful for those who have party members in multiple locations.

VTT use is at its highest point ever. After two years of global isolation, players flocked to online VTTs such as Roll20, Foundry, Fantasy Grounds, and Owlbear Rodeo. This led to millions of players who typically play around the table to experience digital tabletop tools for the first time, and by far the most popular game they were playing was D&D.

Playing D&D online

Right now 5e is played everywhere, and could make up as much as half of all TTRPG games played globally based on information from last year’s Orr report. This is a huge market, and right now it’s spread over every VTT out there. Wouldn’t it be great for Wizards of the Coast if everyone was playing on a platform that they fully owned and controlled? GMs could buy all their content from WotC directly, without needing to revenue share with those other VTTs. The famously under-monetised players could customise and personalise their characters with purchaseable cosmetics or character sheets that are provided by WotC directly, not by independent artists.

Wizards of the Coast certainly seems to think that this is a great idea. Enter OneD&D.

OneD&D is a new VTT being built by Wizards, slated for a 2024 release. Early footage from the announcement trailer shows it as a highly detailed 3D platform that provides all the standard VTT features. However, with everyone already using all the other VTT platforms competition would be quite fierce. That is, unless they had a way to shut out others from the market.

We think that’s one of the primary purposes of OGL v1.1 – to deliberately remove the competition for digital D&D tools, leaving WotC with the monopoly on all future D&D content through D&D Beyond and OneD&D.

Consolidating Power – OGL v1.1

The primary thing we need to worry about in the VTT space is covered by the following excerpts. We’ve bolded the important bits:

From the recent OGL post on DnDBeyond: “those materials are only ever permitted as printed media or static electronic files (like epubs and PDFs)”, and

This section from Linda’s Gizmodo article: “[The updated license] only allows for creation of roleplaying games and supplements in printed media and static electronic file formats. It does not allow for anything else, including but not limited to things like … virtual tabletops or VTT campaigns … You may engage in these activities only to the extent allowed under the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy or separately agreed between You and Us.”

The mostly overlooked takeaway from OGL v1.1 is that it only covers static electronic files. That is, content that can not be altered in any way, and content that is in transferrable file form. No websites. Even if you’re putting up a single static web page, if it’s got text from a 5e book it’s illegal.

Creating a form fillable PDF? Not allowed. Building your own 5e character manager? Illegal. A 5e compendium? Do not pass go, do not collect $200 (ironically also a reference to a Hasbro product). Nothing that is both digital and interactive can be published without a special ‘custom agreement’ with WotC.

The forbidden content

Here’s a few examples of things that are both digital and interactive that OGL v1.1 forbids:

A fully searchable and filterable repository of any 5e content. If you can show or hide content based on a set of filters, it’s not static

Character management

Encounter building

I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty close to all the things that D&D Beyond does! What else could you consider digital and interactive I wonder?

Interactive maps

Automation of 5e rules and combat

That’s sounding quite a bit like the features a VTT might provide! How awfully convenient that WotC is releasing one in 2024!

“But VTTs already have agreements, so OGL v1.1 won’t affect them”

This is an argument that WotC has already made, and no doubt will continue making until the release of OneD&D. This is specifically what they’ve said:

“The top VTT platforms already have custom agreements with Wizards to do what they do.” (source). This is a handwaving a lot of issues.

Firstly, note here that the top VTT platforms are specifically Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds. FoundryVTT, who at this point we would very much consider a top VTT, does not have a custom agreement with WotC. Arkenforge (who we consider a pretty great VTT) does not have an agreement with WotC. The vast majority of VTTs don’t have an agreement with WotC.

As Foundry founder and developer Atropos himself said recently: “We’ve been actively monitoring this situation and we’re going to be proactively working on a path forward that will cover our use case and allow us to support One D&D. We are not, however, in a position to do so already under the terms of today’s post. There is work to do“.

This isn’t a surprise

We alluded to this in our previous article about the D&D Beyond purchase: “The bigger implication here though is the continuation of ‘unofficial’ D&D Beyond support. …there are a large number of tools out there that are currently skirting an incredibly grey area of licensing. Neither D&D Beyond or WotC have approved these tools…. Knowing WotC, it’s incredibly likely that as the release of the VTT draws near, the creators of these tools will start receiving Cease and Desist letters and takedown notices”. It’s why we’ve deliberately shied away for putting anything even remotely close to 5e into our software. We’d love to have functionality that allows us to pull D&D Beyond data, but it’s a dangerous area.

There’s a very long list of VTTs that have appeared in the last few years that primarily serve 5e content. Too many to list here. All of these VTTs are risking cease and desists under OGL v1.1. Tools that pull content from Beyond, or even tools that allow for easy browsing of the 5e ruleset are also illegal under OGL v1.1.

Independent releases on VTTs

The other elephant in the room with Wizards’ statement is that this agreement is with VTT platforms that release their own versions of 5e books. VTTs are also an excellent marketplace for independent creators. They can publish their content for people to play directly without needing to worry about printing and distribution. Many Patreons also offer VTT content for their higher tier patrons.

Content that independent creators create and sell on these platforms is not part of the VTT agreement. Most likely the OGL v1.1 will prevent them from creating interactive digital versions of their products to sell on VTT marketplaces. This is going to force anyone wanting to create online D&D content to OneD&D, who will more than likely provide plentiful tools to publish your content through their own platform.

The ability for WotC to revoke any license with only 30 days’ warning can put a strain on those VTTs with marketplaces. We could very well have a message from Wizards that we need to remove a certain product at once. Not only does this put stress on our the people managing our marketplace, it can also annoy users who could see any D&D-related purchased content vanish from their libraries with no warning.

OGL v1.1 overreach

As you read above, we expected the heavy-handed crackdown on 5e content.  It’s only natural that WotC would try to reduce competition and move as many players as possible to their own platform. What we didn’t expect however, were the changes to OGL publishing.

Wizards is trying very hard to have OGL 1.1 be the only publishable license available. They’re already trying to claim that the existing OGL is now unauthorized, which would prevent anyone from publishing under it.

If you think this will only affect D&D, here’s just some of the popular Publishers and TTRPGs that are published under the previous OGL.

Paizo – Pathfinder, Starfinder

Evil Hat Productions – Fate, The Dresden Files RPG

Pinnacle Entertainment – Pathfinder for Savage Worlds

Green Ronin Publishing – Mutants and Masterminds

This leads to one big question for publishers and VTTs alike. Can these publishers publish VTT versions of their systems and adventures? The new OGL says no.

A digital graveyard

Under the new licensing, Mutants and Masterminds can’t decide to put their content on any VTT without consulting WotC first. We likely can’t get official Pathfinder or Starfinder content on our own Arkenforge store because those new products may violate OGL v1.1’s ‘no interactive digital content’ terms. Despite a publisher already having a deep library of content, converting an existing adventure module for a VTT can easily be classified as a ‘new product’ that OGL v1.1 covers. No third parties could create digital content for these systems either. Many people will likely try to continue releasing content for open VTTs such as Foundry under the Fan Content Policy, but that’s treading into an incredibly grey area and will most likely be forbidden.

If this interpretation is correct (and all signs so far point to WotC trying to push this as the correct interpretation) then there’s a lot more than D&D that will be affected by this change in the digital space. Several independent creators will be unable to keep up releases with new VTTs unless Wizards allows them to. This simple change in the OGL gives Wizards of the Coast complete control of the digital future of several popular roleplaying games. We sincerely hope that this isn’t the interpretation that they end up going with.

Conclusion

Wizards of the Coast strongly believes that online, digital tools are the future of tabletop roleplaying. They’ve structured OGL v1.1 to try and monopolise this space for all future D&D content. Both large and independent publishers can only release digital content on Wizards’ terms. These terms will likely come with either OneD&D exclusivity requirements or some level of royalties. They can also choose to shut people out of the digital market entirely. OGL v1.1 gives WotC the ability to stop Paizo releasing any future Starfinder content on any VTT. There’s a couple of other tricks that they have up their sleeve that we unfortunately can’t discuss for legal reasons.

OGL v1.1 in its current form will undoubtedly be disastrous for the future of independent creators for 5e content. Wizards is unhappy with the lack of control they’ve had over independent creators in the past, and they’re now tightening their grip too hard. We can only hope that enough people speak out to make these Wizards break concentration.

[jcmarchi]

US launches $1.6B bid to outpace Asia in packaging tech

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/us-launches-1-6b-bid-to-outpace-asia-in-packaging-tech/

US launches $1.6B bid to outpace Asia in packaging tech

.pp-multiple-authors-boxes-wrapper display:none; img width:100%;

The US is betting big on the future of semiconductor technology, launching a $1.6 billion competition to revolutionise chip packaging and challenge Asia’s longstanding dominance in the field. On July 9, 2024, the US Department of Commerce unveiled its ambitious plan to turbocharge domestic advanced packaging capabilities, a critical yet often overlooked aspect of semiconductor manufacturing. 

This move, part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s CHIPS for America program, comes as the US seeks to revitalise its semiconductor industry and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. Advanced packaging, a crucial step in semiconductor production, has long been dominated by Asian countries like Taiwan and South Korea. By investing heavily in this area, the US aims to reshape the global semiconductor landscape and position itself at the forefront of next-generation chip technology, marking a significant shift in the industry’s balance of power.

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo emphasised the importance of this move, stating, “President Biden was clear that we need to build a vibrant domestic semiconductor ecosystem here in the US, and advanced packaging is a huge part of that. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to investing in America, the US will have multiple advanced packaging options across the country and push the envelope in new packaging technologies.”

The competition will focus on five key R&D areas: equipment and process integration, power delivery and thermal management, connector technology, chiplets ecosystem, and co-design/electronic design automation. The Department of Commerce anticipates making several awards of approximately $150 million each in federal funding per research area, leveraging additional investments from industry and academia.

This strategic investment comes at a crucial time, as emerging AI applications are pushing the boundaries of current technologies. Advanced packaging allows for improvements in system performance, reduced physical footprint, lower power consumption, and decreased costs – all critical factors in maintaining technological leadership.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s push to revitalise American semiconductor manufacturing comes as the global chip shortage has highlighted the risks of overreliance on foreign suppliers. Asia, particularly Taiwan, currently dominates the advanced packaging market. According to a 2021 report by the Semiconductor Industry Association, the US accounts for only 3% of global packaging, testing, and assembly capacity, while Taiwan holds a 54% share, followed by China at 16%.

Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Laurie E. Locascio outlined an ambitious vision for the program: “Within a decade, through R&D funded by CHIPS for America, we will create a domestic packaging industry where advanced node chips manufactured in the US and abroad can be packaged within the States and where innovative designs and architectures are enabled through leading-edge packaging capabilities.”

The announcement builds on previous efforts by the CHIPS for America program. In February 2024, the program released its first funding opportunity for the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP), focusing on advanced packaging substrates and substrate materials. That initiative garnered significant interest, with over 100 concept papers submitted from 28 states. On May 22, 2024, eight teams were selected to submit complete applications for funding of up to $100 million each over five years.

According to Laurie, the goal is to create multiple high-volume packaging facilities by the decade’s end and reduce reliance on Asian supply lines that pose a security risk that the US “just can’t accept.” In short, the government is prioritising ensuring America’s leadership in all elements of semiconductor manufacturing, “of which advanced packaging is one of the most exciting and critical areas,” White House spokeswoman Robyn Patterson said.

The latest competition is expected to attract significant interest from the US semiconductor ecosystem and shift that balance. It promises substantial federal funding and the opportunity to shape the future of American chip manufacturing. As the global demand for advanced semiconductors continues to grow, driven by AI, 5G, and other emerging technologies, the stakes for technological leadership have never been higher.

As the US embarks on this ambitious endeavour, the world will see if this $1.6 billion bet can challenge Asia’s stronghold on advanced chip packaging and restore America’s position at the forefront of semiconductor innovation.

(Photo by Braden Collum)

See also: Global semiconductor shortage: How the US plans to close the talent gap

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Tags: ai, AI semiconductor, artificial intelligence, chips act, law, legal, Legislation, Politics, semiconductor, usa

[spookysaladchaos]

Global top 13 companies accounted for 66% of Total Frozen Spring Roll market(qyresearch, 2021)

The table below details the Discrete Manufacturing ERP revenue and market share of major players, from 2016 to 2021. The data for 2021 is an estimate, based on the historical figures and the data we interviewed this year.

Major players in the market are identified through secondary research and their market revenues are determined through primary and secondary research. Secondary research includes the research of the annual financial reports of the top companies; while primary research includes extensive interviews of key opinion leaders and industry experts such as experienced front-line staffs, directors, CEOs and marketing executives. The percentage splits, market shares, growth rates and breakdowns of the product markets are determined through secondary sources and verified through the primary sources.

According to the new market research report “Global Discrete Manufacturing ERP Market Report 2023-2029”, published by QYResearch, the global Discrete Manufacturing ERP market size is projected to reach USD 9.78 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 10.6% during the forecast period.

Figure.   Global Frozen Spring Roll Market Size (US$ Mn), 2018-2029

Figure.   Global Frozen Spring Roll Top 13 Players Ranking and Market Share（Based on data of 2021, Continually updated）

The global key manufacturers of Discrete Manufacturing ERP include Visibility, Global Shop Solutions, SYSPRO, ECi Software Solutions, abas Software AG, IFS AB, QAD Inc, Infor, abas Software AG, ECi Software Solutions, etc. In 2021, the global top five players had a share approximately 66.0% in terms of revenue.

About QYResearch

QYResearch founded in California, USA in 2007.It is a leading global market research and consulting company. With over 16 years’ experience and professional research team in various cities over the world QY Research focuses on management consulting, database and seminar services, IPO consulting, industry chain research and customized research to help our clients in providing non-linear revenue model and make them successful. We are globally recognized for our expansive portfolio of services, good corporate citizenship, and our strong commitment to sustainability. Up to now, we have cooperated with more than 60,000 clients across five continents. Let’s work closely with you and build a bold and better future.

QYResearch is a world-renowned large-scale consulting company. The industry covers various high-tech industry chain market segments, spanning the semiconductor industry chain (semiconductor equipment and parts, semiconductor materials, ICs, Foundry, packaging and testing, discrete devices, sensors, optoelectronic devices), photovoltaic industry chain (equipment, cells, modules, auxiliary material brackets, inverters, power station terminals), new energy automobile industry chain (batteries and materials, auto parts, batteries, motors, electronic control, automotive semiconductors, etc.), communication industry chain (communication system equipment, terminal equipment, electronic components, RF front-end, optical modules, 4G/5G/6G, broadband, IoT, digital economy, AI), advanced materials industry Chain (metal materials, polymer materials, ceramic materials, nano materials, etc.), machinery manufacturing industry chain (CNC machine tools, construction machinery, electrical machinery, 3C automation, industrial robots, lasers, industrial control, drones), food, beverages and pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, agriculture, etc.