Motorola, Palm partner on `Smart Phone' - Motorola, Schaumberg, IL, and Palm, Santa Clara, CA, are teaming up to develop a "smart phone" for early 2002 release. The phone will serve as a wireless Internet device, phone and personal organizer. The alliance was announced at the Personal Communications Industry Association's GlobalXChange conference in September. Both companies envision a color diplay larger than the screen on current Web-enabled phones, but smaller than the 3-inch by 4-inch displayed on current Palm organizers.

Texas Instruments unveils chip for Web music devices - Texas Instruments, Reuters, NY, has unveiled a new chip for Internet music devices. The chip uses advanced power management technology that would allow the devices to work for as many as 70 hours on two AA batteries. The new digital signal processor (DSP), paired with analog technology, converts sound into digital data. It is currently being released to consumer electronics companies, who will use the chip in design devices for the 2001 holiday season.

Allen Telecom's Comsearch division announces move - Allen Telecom's Comsearch division will move its headquarters from Reston, VA, into a new facility located in the Janelia Farm Technology Park in Ashburn, VA, in the first quarter of 2001.

Cree invests in Xemod - Cree, Durham, NC, has made an $11.3 million equity investment in Xemod, Santa Clara, CA. The companies also announced the signing of a development agreement directed to SiC-based RF devices for use in power amplifier components.

Gowanda Electronics forms subsidiary in Mexico - Gowanda Electronics, Gowanda, NY, has a established a subsidiary, Gowanda de Mexico. The subsidiary, located in Tijuana, will manufacture the company's magnetic components. The facility will augment the company's U.S. facilities.

NEC plots aggressive push in wired communications - NEC, Tokyo, and its U.S. semiconductor division, NEC Electronics, Santa Clara, CA, plans to spend $60 million over the next three years to develop the recently formed Communications Strategic Business Unit (SBU) at NEC Electronics. The Communications SBU will develop and market wired communications technology and products. It will be expanded to include 60 designers and engineers.

Siemens announces large commercial power quality installation at Arizona semiconductor fab - Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution, Raleigh, NC, will install a commercial power quality system at a semiconductor wafer fab manufacturing facility in Arizona. The company will add a new dual DVR medium voltage (MV) system to its two MV Dynamic Voltage Restorer systems already in place. The new system is scheduled to go online by late summer 2001.

Voxware and OMI partner to deliver standard interface for TRICEPS WMS - Voxware, Princeton, NJ, and OMI International, Dallas, have partnered to provide a speech-based interface to the OMI TRICEPS warehouse management system (WMS) using the Voxware VoiceLogistics system.