An interesting observation by the guys at MobileTechWorld has suggested that computing giant HP will no longer be a Windows Phone 7 launch partner, if slides presented by Steve Ballmer at the Microsoft's WPC 2010 are to be believed.

General Motors said on Wednesday that it would guarantee the battery on its forthcoming Chevy Volt for eight years or 100,000 miles - better than the typical five-year or 100,000-mile warranty it typically offers for the powertrain on its conventional cars.

To its credit, Microsoft recognized that its smartphone platform was headed down the wrong path, and it reversed course to deliver a different platform rather than continuing to build incrementally on the foundation laid by Windows Mobile.

ChangeWave conducted a survey between June 14-24 and found that 16.4% of those surveyed were planning to buy a smartphone within the next 90 days,the largest percentage increase since 14.4% planned to buy an smartphone in June 2009. And 52% of prospective buyers said they would purchase an iPhone.

First-half gross domestic product rose 11.1%, implying that second-quarter growth slowed from the first quarter's 11.9% pace.

Sprint's CEO, Dan Hesse, got the rumor mill churning yesterday when he spoke to the Financial Times about another possible merger between his company and T-Mobile.

The state of California is suing federal mortgage lending giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for blocking implementation of a program that helps property owners to install solar energy systems, it was announced today at a San Diego news conference

"...it is not China bailing out Spain but without doubt, the Chinese involvement was helpful," according to a banker.

Toshiba has started construction of Fab 5 at Yokkaichi Operations, its memory production facility in Mie Prefecture, according to the company. The chip vendor also announced it has signed primary agreements with SanDisk for a new joint venture to operate the new facility.

Applied Materials said demand for semiconductor and solar-panel manufacturing equipment in Europe is growing rapidly, a sign the region's debt crisis isn't crimping spending.

KLA-Tencor has increased its regular quarterly dividend to US$0.25 a share from US$0.15. "KLA-Tencor's strong cash flows and solid balance sheet provide us the financial flexibility to return significant cash to our shareholders while also providing the capacity to fuel our growth initiatives," said CEO Rick Wallace.

Typically, device makers prep their latest and greatest smartphone weapons looking forward to a summer smartphone showdown. This summer, however, is shaping up to be more the summer of smartphone scarcity.

South Korea, Asia's fourth-biggest crude oil importer, is considering expanding the list of alternative-energy equipment eligible for a tax benefit to cut reliance on fossil fuels.

At an analyst briefing at the Semicon West trade show, Applied Materials indicated that it now expects 140% on-year revenue growth for its semiconductor equipment business for the October 2010 fiscal year, an increase from the company's previous forecast of 120% growth.

An iPhone 4 recall would cost Apple $1.5 billion, a Wall Street analyst estimated on Tuesday.

Engine control units made by Hitachi couldn't be delivered on time to Nissan because ICs needed to make them were not available from a supplier, Hitachi said.

Altera has enhanced its Arria II GX FPGA variant with 6.375Gbps transceivers and up to 1.25Gbps LVDS support, while broadening the reach of the family with the addition of the new Arria II GZ FPGA variant. The company claimed its 40nm Arria II family provides the lowest power 6Gbps transceiver solutions shipping today, featuring up to 50% lower static power over competitive devices.

Novellus Systems posted quarterly results above expectations, helped by a surge in bookings and shipments. The chip-gear maker has reported net profits of US$63.3 million for the second quarter compared with losses of US$50 million a year ago.

The SYA1022 controller offers increased functionality, improved power efficiency and lower production cost in a smaller form factor, ideal for embedding into mobile and handheld devices such as handsets and notebooks. Engineering samples are immediately available with production quantities available in September 2010.

The revised moratorium would allow some drilling rigs to resume operating under certain conditions. To qualify, the rig's owners must prove that they have adequate plans in place to quickly shut down an out-of-control well, that the blowout preventers atop the wells it drills have passed rigorous new tests, and that sufficient cleanup resources are on hand in case of a spill.

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) said in a statement it plans to sell up to 1.5 billion new shares at HK$0.52 each to its largest shareholder, state-owned Datang Telecom Technology & Industry Holdings, whose stake in the chip foundry will rise to up to 19.06%.

There have been a number of positive developments regarding wage growth and government stimulus that will help move China forward towards a more consumption-oriented economy. But keep in mind that China is a save-first economy, so 20-25% wage inflation doesn't instantly equal 20-25% more consumer spending.