Just as the natural world comes into bloom every spring, technologies bud in EE Times’ annual roundup of the innovations on which the industry is hanging its hopes for emerging markets in computers, communications, consumer electronics and automotive systems. This year again the common thread among our editors’ and contributors’ dispatches from the industry’s varied fronts is the net-centricity of the technologies and markets. Rick Merritt, editor-at-large, offers his take on the progress of the 3G phone ; Junko Yoshida, our Paris-based European bureau chief, tracks MPEG-4’s inroads and obstacles; and editor-at-large David Lammers judges consumer and business interest in videoconferencing. Embedded systems editor and automotive maven Charles J. Murray looks at universal vehicle platforms for cell phones, and news editor Anthony Cataldo delves into trends in embedded memory. Our crack advanced-technology team of technology managing editor Chappell Brown and In Focus executive editor Gail Robinson prognosticate on more futuristic scenarios, developments and market directions for buckyballs and organic LEDs. Taiwan bureau chief Mike Clendenin ruminates on the next generation of semiconductor memories. And on the communications horizon, senior editor Craig Matsumoto compares the virtues and vices of cable and DSL for office applications, and Communication System Design editor Patrick Mannion surveys the latest technologies for basestations. Complementing our editors’ reports are commentaries from some of the companies at the vanguard of development for emerging markets: Cellular 3G, Texas instruments, XtremeSpectrum, Analog Devices Inc., QuickSilver Technology and PMC-Sierra. -Nicolas Mokhoff, Editor, EE Times Special Issues

Infophones to bear heavy loads By Rick Merritt	A cellular phone need not sport a DSP By Alex Lax Standard interfaces to accelerate 3G By Kevin Huscroft
Images to encode transparently By Junko Yoshida	Ambiguity provides opportunity for 4G By Gene Frantz
Video chats to follow IP path By David Lammers	Wireless multimedia readied for work By Martin Rofheart
Cars to dock your cell phone By Charles J. Murray	Accurate temperature readings, sans wires By Darragh Maxwell and Russell Williamson
Silicon as task configurations By Anthony Cataldo	Adapting world phone to many standards By Paul Master
Graphitics fashions a revolution By Chappell Brown
Materials shape view of world By Gail Robinson
Common memories turn exotic By Mike Clendenin
Smart basestations take hold By Patrick Mannion
Cable, DSL talk business ties By Craig Matsumoto

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