Compaq has announced a worldwide voluntary recall and replacement program for approximately 1.4 million AC adapters used with certain notebook products. These AC adapters can overheat, posing a potential fire hazard.

Link Communications Corporation, a nationwide outsourced call centre provider today announced plans to double the size of their contact centre operations in Adelaide.

India's largest IT company, Wipro, plans to launch operations in Australia.

A $35 million wireless internet and communications precinct, the first of its kind in Australia, is to launch in Adelaide in February 2002.

Nortel expects to announce a $7.27 billion loss in the third quarter and said it would shrink its work force by almost 20,000 more jobs.

Electrolux Group have just announced a multi-million dollar investment package with the NSW government to secure and further develop its factory in the state's mid-west.

NEC has told the federal government that a greater focus on commercialising Australian communications research and development is required to get multinationals to invest here.

The possibility of an industry based on photonics has prompted several universities to offer courses on the subject.

Semiconductor worldwide sales fell 42% in August as demand for chips used in products ranging from computers to mobile phones declined, the Semiconductor Industry Association said. September sales may also have declined, the group said.

Redfern Polymer Optics, a developer and manufacturer of polymer planar and fibre components and polymer optical fibers, has just announced its formal launch. The company has raised $7.5 million in seed funding, mainly from Redfern Photonics.

A $34 million funding injection has been received by Sydney-based Cap-XX, developer of a power source for next generation mobile devices.

Hewlett-Packard has reached agreement to take over CSC's New Zealand business. The purchase has been on the table for a while and terms and conditions have reportedly been agreed.

Marconi has cut 70 Australian staff and is consolidating its three divisions into one organisation for Australia and New Zealand.

Worldwide semiconductor sales may decrease 34% in 2001 after terrorist attacks stalled shipments last week and may hurt consumer purchases, market researcher IC Insights, said. This follows last weeks report that sales would increase in 2001.

The manufacturing sector has recorded its first quarter of positive growth in nine months, but the US tragedy, the Ansett collapse and falling semiconductor sales could impact in coming months.