Staying informed is a constant challenge. There’s so much to do, and so little time. But we have you covered. Grab a coffee and take five while you nibble on these tidbits.
Wi-Fi World Congress North American conference coming to Toronto next week
From Sept. 18 – 20, the Omni King Edward Hotel in Toronto will host the Wi-Fi World Congress, featuring one day of training and two days of sessions about all things Wi-Fi. The focus is on innovation and opportunity, with special attention paid to 6 GHz Wi-Fi.
Standards will also be under discussion, with both the Wi-Fi Alliance and IEEE presenting.
Next generation of Thunderbolt announced
Intel this week announced the next generation of Thunderbolt, offering up to three times the bandwidth of the previous generation. Thunderbolt 5, it said in a release, “will deliver 80 gigabits per second (Gbps) of bi-directional bandwidth, and with Bandwidth Boost it will provide up to 120 Gbps for the best display experience.
“These improvements will provide up to three times more bandwidth than the best existing connectivity solution, providing outstanding display and data connections. Built on industry standards – including USB4 V2 – Thunderbolt 5 will be broadly compatible with previous versions of Thunderbolt and USB.
“All Thunderbolt products undergo stringent certification testing to ensure the best wired connection solution performance for the PC industry. Products that pass this testing use the Thunderbolt brand royalty-free.”
Products based on the Thunderbolt 5 controller are expected to be available starting in 2024.
Axonify expands partnership with Zebra Technologies
Waterloo, Ont.-based Axonify, a provider of frontline employee enablement software offerings, has announced it has expanded its work with ISV partner Zebra Technologies.
As part of the enhanced partnership, Zebra, according to a release, will “blend its real-time task management capabilities with Axonify’s personalized learning and training modules. This helps workers increase overall productivity and efficiency while ensuring they have the right knowledge at the right time.
“And, with a more productive, cross-skilled frontline, staffing needs become more manageable and budgets decrease. Integrating both technologies within a single tech stack will also allow customers to maximize frontline productivity and achieve operational excellence.”
Intel Foundry Services and Tower Semiconductor strike agreement
On the heels of their abandoned merger attempt, Intel Foundry Services (IFS) and Tower Semiconductor have signed an agreement in which Intel will provide foundry services and 300mm manufacturing services to Tower in its New Mexico facility.
Tower will invest up to US$300 million to acquire equipment and other fixed assets to be installed in the facility.
The increased scale resulting from this agreement will enable Tower not only to serve larger opportunities with existing technologies but also enhance partnerships with industry-leading customers that will help forge strong next-generation technology roadmaps, the companies said in a release.
Heitman named new president of Schneider Electric Canada
Schneider Electric has announced the appointment of Emily Heitman to the position of country president for Schneider Electric Canada, effective Oct. 1. She succeeds Adrian Thomas, who announced his departure in June to assume a new role as CEO of Hammond Power Solutions.
As country president, Heitman will work in partnership with the Canadian leadership team to drive Schneider Electric’s strategic initiatives and accelerate growth across the company’s energy management and automation businesses in Canada, a release said.
“Emily’s strong leadership and industry experience will propel our business to the next phase of growth in Canada while strengthening collaboration with our ecosystem of customers and partners,” said Aamir Paul, president of Schneider’s North American operations.
Heitman, who joined Schneider Electric in 2017, holds a bachelor of science in industrial engineering from Auburn University and an MBA from Marquette University.
Intel sells stake in IMS Nanofab
Intel has agreed to sell an approximately 10 per cent stake in its IMS Nanofabrication business to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) in a deal valued at about US$4.3 billion. It remains the majority shareholder in IMS, which will continue to operate as a standalone subsidiary.
The deal is expected to close in Q4. In June, Intel sold a 20 per cent stake of IMS to Bain Capital at the same valuation.
