Magnetic materials, built up as multi-layered sandwiches with successive layers only a few atoms thick, are giving computers larger memories. By building up sandwiches of magnetic and non-magnetic materials one layer of atoms at a time, it is possible to manipulate, enhance and control the magnetic properties of such sandwiches with extraordinary precision.

Australian hi-tech exporters will have greater access to the world's biggest international ICT exhibition, CeBIT Hannover, following a partnership agreement signed between Austrade and Hannover Fairs Australia, the subsidiary of Deutsche Messe AG. The agreement will see the two organisations join forces to promote and manage Australian participation at the event, held annually in Hannover, Germany.

Computer hard drives look set to hold up to 1000 times more data, thanks to research at Griffith University using nanotechnology, the science of miniature machines.

A venture between technology corporations, educational institutions, universities and research organisations has started earthworks and marketing to raise community and industry awareness.

Intel Australia has just announced the opening of its solution centre in Sydney to accelerate the deployment of ebusiness applications on Intel technology. The centre aims to reduce the total cost of ownership spanning all components of the ebusiness enterprise by migrating, optimising and consolidating solutions.

Is has been reported that Hewlett-Packard will buy Compaq for an estimated $47.5 billion. Both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal have reported the deal, citing people close to the negotiations, but both companies have declined comment. Compaq Australia said it could not confirm or deny the reports.

Mayer Krieg and REC Electronics have merged and will trade under the name of Mayer Krieg. The merger creates a components and subsystems vendor valued at over $50 million. However, in the merger 10% of the workforce will lose their jobs.

Intel is selling three faster models of its Celeron chips for inexpensive PCs. The Celerons run at speeds of 1.1 GHz, 1 GHz and 950 MHz. Intel and Advanced Micro Devices have been competing over sales in less expensive PCs. With slowing economic growth, businesses and consumers are buying more of the cheaper systems. Advanced Micro previously sold the fastest low-end chip at 1 GHz.

Samsung Electronics has completed the development of a 40-inch TFT-LCD.

Toshiba will cut 20,000 jobs from its workforce of 190,000 to cope with deteriorating earnings in its semiconductor business, and it is also reported that Hitachi is about to cut 20,000 jobs from its 340,000 workforce because of falling world demand for chips and other IT products.

Through Associate Professor Sam Reisenfeld of the Engineering Faculty, UTS is playing a major role in developing an electronic package that performs specific tasks for Australia’s FedSat satellite to be launched next year from Japan.

65 employees in Lucent's Australian operation have lost their jobs as part of the company's plans to halve its workforce.

The two companies intend to accelerate the introduction of high performance, low power microchips for 3G mobile phones.

The Queensland Government's Information and Communication Technology SME Taskforce on Government Procurement will identify impediments and what might be done to use government procedures to assist the development of Queensland SMEs.

The two companies have formed an alliance to market field programmable analogue array (FPAA) products and technology in Japan.