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BRISTOL, USA: Aries Electronics, an international manufacturer of standard, programmed and custom interconnection products, recently added new BGA Switch-A-Pitch Adapters that allow for smaller pitch devices to be used with larger pitch boards. The new adapters in the series adapt 0.40mm devices to boards with a 1mm pitch.

Aries’ BGA Switch-A-Pitch Adapters, part of the extensive line of Correct-A-Chip Adapters, drastically reduce costs by making possible the use of newer, tighter pitch devices with larger pitch boards, which are readily available and therefore more economical, vastly lowering the PCB cost.

The adapters have tops with BGA landing pads on a 0.40 mm pitch and bottoms fitted with BGA balls on a 1.00 mm pitch. Open space around the adapter tops provides space for further components to be added to the design at a lower cost.

High density interconnect (HDI) construction is reduced and the need for laser-drilled microvias on the motherboard is eliminated by adapting tighter pitch devices to larger footprints. The BGA Switch-A-Pitch Adapters enable the use of standard line and trace spacing down to 0.003″ (0.076 mm).

The innovative adapters can operate at up to 221 degrees F (105 degrees C) for FR4 and up to 266 degrees F (130 degrees C) for lead-free. The recommended PCB size for a 1.00 mm pitch is 0.020″ (0.50 mm). Boards are 0.062″ (1.57 mm) thick FR4 or Rogers 370 HR with 1/2 oz copper traces on both sides. Solder spheres are 63/37 tin/lead or lead-free SAC 305. The adapters feature non-solder mask defined (NSMD) pads finished with electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG).

As part of Aries’ Correct-A-Chip Adapter series, the Switch-A-Pitch Adapters save users both time and money. Correct-A-Chip Adapters allow the use of different termination styles or pitches on one board designed for an alternative style or pitch and can be fitted with either active or passive components for added functionality.

Aries adapters are available as adapter only or as a turnkey solution with mounted devices. Specializing in custom design and production, Aries offers standard products as well as special materials, platings, sizes and configurations upon request.

The Switch-A-Pitch Adapters are custom made to customer requirements. Pricing for a typical adapter with 32 positions is $6.50 each in quantities of 1,000. Delivery is four to five weeks ARO.

NY Times – The USA is contemplating indefinite operating extensions.

Increasingly dependable and emitting few greenhouse gases, the U.S. fleet of nuclear power plants will likely run for another 50 or even 70 years before it is retired — long past the 40-year life span planned decades ago — according to industry executives, regulators and scientists.

With nuclear providing always-on electricity that will become more cost-effective if a price is placed on heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions, utilities have found it is now viable to replace turbines or lids that have been worn down by radiation exposure or wear. Many engineers are convinced that nearly any plant parts, most of which were not designed to be replaced, can be swapped out.

“We think we can replace almost every component in a nuclear power plant,” said Jan van der Lee, director of the Materials Ageing Institute…

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The Times UK online reports on more potential errors IPCC Synthesis Report to government leaders

The most important is a claim that global warming could cut rain-fed north African crop production by up to 50% by 2020, a remarkably short time for such a dramatic change.

This weekend Professor Chris Field, the new lead author of the IPCC’s climate impacts team, told The Sunday Times that he could find nothing in the report to support the claim. The revelation follows the IPCC’s retraction of a claim that the Himalayan glaciers might all melt by 2035.

The Sunday Telegraph reveals new factual errors and poor sources of evidence in the IPCC reports.

Last weekend, the Telegraph revealed that the panel had based claims about disappearing mountain ice on anecdotal evidence in a student’s dissertation and an article in a mountaineering magazine.

And on Friday, it emerged that the…

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There’s all kinds of random junk out there that someone saw fit to slap a solar panel on and call it cool. Well. Sometimes it turns out adding a solar cell does make it cool, and sometimes it doesn’t. We’re a bit on the fence about which sides the Solar Powered Bird-B-Gone Bird Repeller falls.

On the one hand, when you have a bird problem, you’re willing to try pretty much anything. This device seems pretty harmless, and when you add the fact that it’s powered by a renewable energy source, it’s hard to be too annoyed – especially when you’re the person with the bird problem. The device charges up with sunlight and does a bit of helicopter action to keep the birds at bay.

On the other hand, it’s a piece of plastic with electronic parts that you’re setting outside, which means it likely won’t last as long as a piece of plastic that doesn’t have electronic parts and can be just as effective – like those spiky things, or bird netting. Plus, it’s a whopping $89 from Amazon.

Though, funnily enough, Amazon shows that people who bought this also bought motion-activated owls…can we make that solar powered??

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Avatar has a domestic box office of $630 million and will have a final domestic box office of $730-760 million

Box Office Mojo Inflation Adjusted totals

This will place Avatar 11th-14th on the inflation adjusted all time domestic list.

There is talk about re-releasing Titanic in 3D in late 2010 There is no uncertainty that a 3D release of Titanic will happen. The only uncertainty is the release date.

Titanic 3D box office added to Titanic’s total will easily move it up to 3rd place on the all time inflation adjusted list.

All six Star Wars movies will be released in 3D.

I would guess the new Star Wars 3D movies will start releasing on May 16, 2012 for the 35th anniversary of Star Wars original release. The first major re-release of a special edition was in 1997 for the 20th anniversary. The latest the release would occur is 2017 for the 40th anniversary.

Star…

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