TechKnowledgey 2004
distribution systems), and power
amplifier linearization. The AD9736
operates from 1.8 V and 3. 3 V
supplies, consuming 380 mW at
1.2 GSPS with the interpolation filter
bypassed and 550 mW with the
interpolation filter enabled.
The device is offered in a 160-pin
BGA (ball grid array) package to
reduce parasitics and improve
performance. Production quantities
for the AD9736, AD9735, and
AD9734 will be available at the end of
2004. In 1,000 piece quantities, the
AD9736 is priced at $34.95; the pin-compatible 12-bit AD9735 is $19.95,
and the 10-bit AD9734 is $14.95.
Industry and the
Profession
BASIC Language 40 Years
Old
2004 marks the 40th anniversary
of the Beginners’ All-purpose
Symbolic Instruction Code (BASIC)
computer language, devised at
Dartmouth University by Profs. John
Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz.
Descended from FORTRAN and
ALGOL, it was the first to use simple
commands such as LIST, SAVE, RUN,
END, and PRINT and it eventually
became the world’s most widely used
computer language, thanks to
outreach efforts that brought the
technology to a network of high
schools, colleges, and corporate
partners. Although C++, Java, and
other languages have more or less
superseded Basic, variations — such
as Visual Basic — are still used. (I
learned Basic in the seventh grade!
— Editor Dan.)
100 Million eMacs Ordered,
0 Delivered
For years, malcontented Macintosh
users have opined that the
machine’s rather pathetic market share
is the direct result of an inability at
Apple Computer ( www.apple.com) to
control costs, which translates into
prices that just don’t fly for the
average purchaser. It’s simply a
matter of price being inversely
proportional to sales.
Back in April, this concept was
dramatically underscored when
Catena Corp. ( www.catena.co.jp)
accidentally offered eMac computers
for sale on Yahoo! Japan at a price
of $25.45 each. In less than 24
hours, the company reportedly
received orders from about 20,000
individuals for a total of 100 million
computers.
Sadly, the machines actually sell
for a base price of about $800.00, so
the orders were not filled, but — had
they been — Apple would have
achieved an instant 90% share of the
Japanese market. Is there a lesson
here somewhere? NV
JULY 2004
Circle #91 on the Reader Service Card.
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