The Chairman of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), John Price, and the President of the Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (AEEMA), Christopher Janssen have announced that the Boards of both organisations had agreed to undertake a feasibility study of a proposal to merge and create a much larger industry grouping comprising the diverse technology-based and industry sectors which underpin Australia's economy.

Cambridge Consultants in Britain has produced its 'evaporative cooler' concept design for cooling the fuel cell-powered notebook computers of the future.

Scientists at Intel claim to have made the first all-silicon laser. This could lead to the development of silicon chips that can be used in both electronic and photonic applications.

If results of a South Australian survey released recently are anything to go by, South Australia is harbouring an unknown high tech industry in Adelaide’s suburbs.

The World Connector Business Index (CBI) dropped in December to 3.191 from 3.423 in November. All regions dropped except China, which is now 3.531 from 3.509 in November. Japan is still below 3.000, but improved slightly to 2.901 in December from 2.895 in November.

Dutch researcher Johan Hoogboom has developed a technique for making LCDs without the need for clean rooms. This technique is simpler and cheaper than current methods and is based on the self-ordering of molecules on a surface.

Richardson Electronics has signed an extended worldwide distribution partnership with Tyco Electronics, including CoEv Magnetics, Transpower Technologies and Raychem Circuit Protection.

What is claimed to be the world's first single-atom-thick fabric has been created by researchers at Manchester University, in Britain, and Chernogolovka, in Russia.

Evahan has signed an agreement to distribute Commlinx products in Victoria.

Soft-metal whiskers, tiny metallic protrusions that grow like hair from soft metals, are a problem that can cause electronic short circuits leading, in some cases, to the failure of devices such as heart pacemakers, avionic relays and satellites.

The Centre for Integrated Photonics in Ipswich, England has launched a range of electro-absorption modulators fabricated using indium-phosphide.

Chief executive of the Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (AEEMA), Angus M Robinson, has called for a major rethink of Australia's industrial development.

What is claimed to be the world's smallest and lowest cost near field radio frequency identification (RFID) reader has been developed by an English specialist company, Innovision Research & Technology.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a technique that uses surface chemistry to make tinier and more effective p-n junctions in silicon-based semiconductors.

WL Gore & Associates, Inc has expanded its electronic products operation into its 750 m2 facility in Shenzhen, China.