Applied Materials lowers forecast, warns of chip equipment slowdown

Applied Materials lowers forecast, warns of chip equipment slowdown

Applied Materials reported this morning that chip equipment sales will be down about 35 percent to $1.33 billion for its first fiscal quarter ended Jan. 25.

The world’s biggest provider of chip manufacturing equipment said that preliminary figures show sales at the low end of its… Continue Reading

Roundup: Intel cuts estimates, iPhone games taking off and more

Roundup: Intel cuts estimates, iPhone games taking off and more

Here’s the latest action:

Intel cuts fourth quarter estimates — The chip maker says sales could fall by as much as 19 percent, and things look similarly bleak for chip companies Applied Materials and National Semiconductor.

IPhone takes on Nintendo and Sony in portable gaming — Among other things,… Continue Reading

Indian renewables startup Kotak Urja raises $8M from Kleiner Perkins, Sherpalo

Kotak Urja, a diversified Indian startup that is planning solar power installations as well as making some solar equipment, has raised $8 million from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Sherpalo Ventures and Applied Materials.

The investment is Kleiner Perkins’ first renewable energy move in India, according… Continue Reading

Micro-inverters on the rise with Enphase funding

Micro-inverters on the rise with Enphase funding

To a layman, electricity seems like a fairly straightforward proposition: It flows like water through wires and into gadgets, end of story. But the real story is a bit more complex, which is why Enphase Energy, a company that makes a device called micro-inverters for… Continue Reading

Low cost, super-efficient solar cells? Newly funded, Wakonda Technologies says it’s possible

Low cost, super-efficient solar cells? Newly funded, Wakonda Technologies says it’s possible

In the solar cell market, there are three broad categories. Thin-film manufacturers produce cells that convert little of the sun’s energy to electricity, but are dirt cheap. Opposite thin-film, companies like Spectrolab and Emcore make highly efficient, but very expensive cells. Between are the standard… Continue Reading

BridgeLux, another clean-light company — but faces lawsuit

BridgeLux, another clean-light company — but faces lawsuit

BridgeLux, maker of chips for “light emitting diodes” that are environmentally cleaner lighting sources than standard lightbulbs, has raised a $23 million third round of funding, according to VentureWire (subscription required).

It joins the rush of other LED companies, including D.lightdesign (coverage), Quanlight (coverage), Intematix (raised… Continue Reading

Infinera, optical networking company, files for IPO, at long last

Infinera, the Sunnyvale, Calif. fiber-optic equipment company that says its technology is superior to existing offerings, has filed to go public, submitting its registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission to raise about $150 million.

It isn’t profitable, but sales are showing momentum.

It brought in $44.3… Continue Reading