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Articles by Jim Holbrook
Crystal resonator or an oscillator?
Have you ever thought about the total cost of using a crystal resonator versus a MEMS oscillator? This question may not be at the forefront of your selection process when the price of crystals seems so cheap – at least on the surface. Although the unit cost of crystals is generally lower than oscillators, once the total cost is calculated, the picture looks much different.
The new norm: Demand planning, inventory, shortening cycles
Uncertainty was beyond question a certainty the last 18-24 months in a global market besieged by the onslaught of COVID-19, which is still hugging the corners of society. However, there were several other mitigating factors that made 2021-22 a very difficult year for manufacturers, retailers, distribution centers and family households alike. Especially hard hit in 2021 and early 2022 were the shipping and manufacturing industries, which are still hobbling along yet showing improvement daily.
The Time is Right for Programmable MEMS Timing
Oscillators have changed substantially since they were first developed in the early 1900s. When MEMS-based oscillators came on the scene in the early 2000s, the pace of innovation accelerated dramatically. One of the biggest transformations has surrounded the flexibility and scope of programmable timing features available, along with the resulting benefits. MEMS oscillators are complete timing systems based on a programmable architecture.
The Time is Right for Programmable MEMS Timing
MEMS oscillators offer programmable features that open the door to customizable frequencies and other performance-enhancing advantages. Jim Holbrook | Sep 05, 2019 Oscillators have changed substantially since they were first developed in the early 1900s. When MEMS-based oscillators came on the scene in the early 2000s, the pace of innovation accelerated dramatically.
Top Size and Power Saving Benefits of Programmable Timing
Programmability improves electronic product design in several ways. Some benefits are more obvious, such as faster development and shorter lead times. Other benefits, which we dive into below, lead to decreased size and power in somewhat surprising, lesser known ways. All of these advantages are enabled by the extensive feature set (many shown in the table below) and programmable architecture of MEMS timing systems.
What are the 8 Most Important Oscillator Specs?
Download this article in PDF format. What’s the first thing you think of when selecting electronic components? Chances are it’s the processor or something else central to the system. The timing component may be the last thing on your mind, even though the clock provides the heartbeat that all signals in the system depend on. Selecting these essential timing components may appear to be a straightforward process, but one must consider a number of factors that affect system performance.
What are the 8 Most Important Oscillator Specs?
Choosing the right oscillator typically involves weighing multiple factors. Here are eight parameters that should be at the top of the list. Jim Holbrook | May 16, 2019 Download this article in PDF format. What’s the first thing you think of when selecting electronic components? Chances are it’s the processor or something else central to the system. The timing component may be the last thing on your mind, even though the clock provides the heartbeat that all signals in the system depend on.
The 7 Deadly Sins of Retail
Earlier this year, I was invited to the annual National Retail Federation’s Big Show in New York City to share my two cents on the industry that never sleeps: private brands. As I was debating what to discuss at the conference, my mind gravitated to the topic of the year — retail Armageddon.
How Retailers Can Use Private Brands to Grow
When I think about my favorite private brand items, the thing that pops out to me is their “wow” factor. My favorite grocery store has the best ready-to-eat options; my go-to drugstore has reliable, well-priced over-the-counter options; and the coffee shop I most frequent never burns their house coffee. I choose these brands over others because they offer me more than “me too.” They give me something I can’t get anywhere else. That is what private brands are all about.
When Armageddon Means Reinvention in Retail
Pundits will say that we're in the midst of a retail apocalypse. In 2017 alone, 21 major retailers closed their stores and dozens of brand-name chains around the country filed for bankruptcy. But before you start building your bunker, there's an opportunity for retailers looking for a saving grace: reinvention. To outwit the competition, retailers have been analyzing their business strategies and switching things up by 180 degrees to stay on top.
Private Brand’s Hand in Innovation
Today, 80 percent of consumers say private label products meet expectations. And we can all guess why, right? Value prices for quality products are all the rage. But while it’s great that people are onboard the private brand gravy train, the truth is that this transition has been especially beneficial for shoppers on the hunt for inventive private brand products.
What’s in a Private Brand Name?
I read an article recently that found that AmazonBasics was driving more sales than some other Amazon.com private brands. The article’s conclusion was that the success of AmazonBasics meant that the company may not need to “disguise” its private brand by removing the Amazon name from its products to drive sales.
The Big Opportunity With Small-Format Retail - Target Marketing
If I wanted to wait in a long line, wander aimlessly and have my personal space invaded, I would have gone to a theme park. Unfortunately, this type of inconvenience is penetrating the big-box shopping experience, and with more on-the-go consumers than ever, people are heading to smaller format stores (not to mention the smallest format of all — their phones) to get the kind of retail journey that encompasses their lifestyles.
Staving Off the Competition: A Lesson in Self-Preservation
I was walking through a store recently when I stumbled upon an old standby – the gift card section. In recent years, gift cards have become a staple of retail endcaps, providing the ideal grab-n-go item for those looking for a last-minute token, a present for a distant relative or a thank you gift. But this wasn’t always the case. I remember when gift cards didn’t even exist just as clearly as I remember the day they suddenly popped up in every store on huge displays.
How SKU Proliferation Could be Hurting Your Business
I was walking through a grocery store recently, searching for the perfect sausages to grill on a hot summer day. Easy enough, right? Well, not when your local store carries more than 30 brands of sausages and more than 70 SKUs. I was instantly paralyzed by choice as I stared at the assortment within the aisle. At this moment, the first thing that came to mind were two words: Howard Moskowitz. And the first thing I did was curse his name.
Here’s How to Fix It
Here’s the thing about the retail industry: As much as you’d like to believe that your store is different from the guy across the street, you are really the same — at least when it comes to branded selection. So much so that up to 98 percent of stores’ branded item assortment is also carried by the competition. According to Daymon research, private brands currently average nine percent of available items and 20 percent of total sales.
How To Win At Category Management
Conducting business as usual is frankly not going to work anymore. If you’re looking to win over and keep today’s shoppers, you need to not only be innovative but agile. In other words: take what you thought you knew about category management and blow it out of the water. Outlined below are a few things to keep in mind when thinking about your company’s category management process.
Rockhounding: Secrets of a Rock Collector
Anyone who camps in the desert understands the lure of rock collecting. You’re surrounded by rocks. Rocks in your campsite, rocks on the roads. On BLM land, the dispersed campsites are often outlined with the rocks that people have collected through the winter season. Snowbirds who boondock in Arizona and other warm climates make rock jewelry and cut and polish rocks. They collect fossils and search for gemstones.
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