The first is that most of the major companies will likely dive right in to establish their own presence in the new market, fielding competing lines at a good price. It's no surprise that several dc/dc makers, even those specializing in much higher powers, have had the eighth brick on their road maps for a while. Most preferred not to show their hand, many waiting for a de facto standard to emerge.

That problem appears solved now that both di/dt and Datel have come to embrace a quarter-brick pinout and 48-volt telecom input (see Jan. 28, page 55 ). Both companies also settled on an output in the 50-watt region, which could more firmly establish the defining line between brick and nonbrick (e.g., chip set) designs.

The only remaining question is: How long will it take for bricks to be applied widely in nontelecom applications? The brick definition has come to mean an isolated device, but most still hold the definition to form factor and industry-standard pinout.

Nevertheless, one prevailing thought is how important the eighth-brick will be for telecommunications. True, some analysts are calling for double-digit growth in telecommunications during each of the next two years (2003 and 2004).

I can easily see that happening, but not for the reasons you're thinking. Indeed, this could be the first dc/dc converter linked to basic societal change.

Reluctantly, I had to admit that the events of last September were starting to fade in the minds of many drivers by the middle of December, when I saw the gradual return of risky road maneuvers and basic road rage. Who knows? The growth of the eighth-brick might ultimately arise out of a national aversion to highway driving, leading more people to communicate with one another by phone.