Blog

Since the first iPhone was released in 2007, the world has seen and come to expect dramatic and rapid improvement in functionality and user experience from their smartphones. To make this a reality, we in the semiconductor and electronics industry are driving innovations and tremendous progress in hardware performance as exemplified by constant upgrades in performance specifications of leading application processors.

Previously I shared that as a long-time Rambus employee, the Rambus of today isn’t the same company I joined 21 years ago. Even within just the past year the changes within Rambus are extraordinary. Not only have we settled all of our disputes from the past, but we have now become members of JEDEC. We recently joined JC-40, the committee that is working on developing standards that drive server-based memory solutions.

From the first time I attended an MLOVE ConFestival in 2010, through each subsequent event, I have been continually impressed with the quality of individuals that attend, the companies those individuals represent and the innovations they create. As a group, MLOVE attendees are passionate about invention and inventing “things.” They continuously question the techniques of today and challenge the methods of tomorrow. Collectively they combine the creativity, drive, and expertise of both entrepreneurial start-ups and established market leaders in a dynamic, yet intimate, environment.

One billion smartphones were sold in the last five years; an impressive number, no doubt. But did you know we also added 244 million smart grid devices, over 5 billion consumer electronics devices, and over 500 million connected appliances in the same timespan? Our planet gained nearly 10 billion connected “Things” in the last five years, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. The potential of wearable and smart sensor technologies suggest that we’re well on our way to realizing the full impact of the Internet of Things.

As 2013 draws to an end, I would like to a few minutes out of my usual role as the Director of Engineering for the Rambus Imaging group to share a different side of Rambus. Since joining Rambus, I’ve had the opportunity to give back to the community by participating in a few of the numerous charity events that we sponsor and/or participate in.

Recently the International Trade Commission (ITC) hosted a hearing entitled “Fighting the Unauthorized Trade of Digital Goods While Protecting Internet Security, Commerce and Speech” here in Silicon Valley. The aim was to investigate the possibility of better protecting the interests of digital information owners.