Broadcom is kicking off the New Year with a big event … okay, several big events … at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

We have reviewed a few of these ideas in the past few weeks – the Connected Car and new advances in WiFi technology. Secretly, we have been working on a lot of others.

To kick it off, we’re unveiling a bunch of new elements to the Broadcom look.

The first is our completely redesigned Broadcom Website and this redesigned, renamed blog: Broadcom Connected. It’s a tight blog that allows you to interact with a variety of technologists and industry experts from Broadcom and beyond. Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed, follow us on Twitter and like our Broadcom Facebook Page for updates.

Next, we’re unveiling a new team of bloggers who will cover the CES 2012 show on behalf of Broadcom.

In keeping with the theme of Connecting Everything, our team is not a run-of-the-mill group of booth staffers. Rather, we’re bringing on a professional blogger – ZDNet and CBS Interactive tech journalist Sam Diaz – and a savvy group of engineering interns from around the world, each of whom will provide their unique perspective on participating in their first-ever CES show.

Broadcom Blog Squad: Fired Up for CES

So without further fanfare, here’s a brief look at our CES Blog Squad and their fearless leader!

Sam Diaz, chief blogger and CES veteran

Sam Diaz

Sam has worked for more than 20 years as a professional journalist, focusing in the last dozen years on the tech beat. He’s followed the dot-com boom and bust for the San Jose Mercury News, launched the first tech blog and podcast for the Washington Post and continues to offer expert commentary about the business of tech for ZDNet. Sam is expert in covering products and technology trends, company financials and competitive strategies. He’s been to CES more times than he cares to count and his experience is proving invaluable to our blogging team.

Eric Lin, Blog Squad Member

Eric Lin

Eric has a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from University of California, Irvine, and currently works as an RFDVT engineer in his internship with the Broadcom Bluetooth Group in Irvine. He’s a skilled photographer and shows off his work on his blog : www.ericlin.net/blog.

Prashant Mantha, Blog Squad Member

Prashant Mantha

Prashant is a student at University of California, San Diego, while also working as an intern for Broadcom’s Mobile and Wireless Group. He’s an experienced writer who started as the editor of his high school newspaper, then created a blog-styled database of challenging roads across the country for his last job at Automotive.com: http://www.bestroadsbyhonda.com/

Willy Wong, Blog Squad Member

Willy Wong

Willy is an Engineering student at Simon Fraser University, in British Columbia, Canada. He works as an intern for Broadcom’s Mobile and Wireless Group in Vancouver. He’s the Blog Squad’s resident multimedia expert, check out some of his strong video and photography skills on his blog: www.photosbywilly.com.

Please be on the lookout for posts from the Blog Squad, we promise they will be informative and fun. If you like what you read, be sure to share it!

Someone out there was a lucky winner today! Was it you?

Engadget and Broadcom rounded out this week’s fantastic Engadget Holiday Blues Buster Contest by giving away a new  iPad 2 16GB WiFi. 

Earlier in the week, Engadget and Broadcom gave away a Roku 2  and  Unlocked Samsung GT-I9100 Galaxy S II (international version).

Thousands of contestants competed for these great prizes by commenting to the Engadget blog before noon Eastern time each day to qualify.  Full rules can be found here.

We’d like to thank everyone who entered the contest and encourage you to Like or subscribe to the Broadcom blog to learn how  Broadcom is Connecting Everything as we drive toward our next big event, the Consumer Electronics Show 2012 in Las Vegas.

See you there!

Ready to get your hands on an unlocked, international version of the Samsung Galaxy S II?

Here’s your chance!

Just go to the Engadget article linked here and leave a comment, and you’re in the contest!

Today Broadcom is hoping to “connect everything” by hooking you up with an unlocked GT-I9100 Samsung Galaxy S II. That’s right — the original and international version. So if you’ve been following along in our contest, you know what to do. All of our newcomers, head below to the peek at the rules before entering. Good luck!

The contest:

December 19 – Roku 2 from Broadcom
December 20 – Unlocked GSM iPhone 4S from Wyse
December 21 – Unlocked Samsung GT-I9100 Galaxy S II (international version) from Broadcom
December 22 – Verizon-branded Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE from Appitalism
December 23 – iPad 2 WiFi 16GB from Broadcom

Photo: Engadget

Have you seen the cool contest that Broadcom is sponsoring with Engadget this week?

Check it out!

The contest runs through Friday and includes three great giveaways courtesy of Broadcom.

The full list of great giveaways for the week are as follows:

December 19 – Roku 2 from Broadcom
December 20 – Unlocked GSM iPhone 4S from Wyse
December 21 – Unlocked Samsung GT-I9100 Galaxy S II (international version) from Broadcom
December 22 – Verizon-branded Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE from Appitalism
December 23 – iPad 2 WiFi 16GB from Broadcom

To enter, leave a comment on the Engadget blog post, so be sure to click the link above and comment away!

While you’re at it, check out more about what Broadcom is doing in the run-up to the Consumer Electronics Show 2012 by liking our Facebook Page! 

Good luck!!

 Photo: Engadget

A new consumer poll conducted by JZ Analytics for Broadcom shows an increased appetite for seamless and pervasive connectivity not just in mobile devices, but in the home and car as well. Can this be right?

The November 2011 poll of 1,025 consumers revealed the desire for a more connected lifestyle in the home and on the go. The survey noted that, in response to increasing consumer demands, connectivity technologies will feature prominently at the upcoming 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show to be held January 10-13 in Las Vegas.

Here are some of the survey results:

Connecting in the Home

Respondents reported they are consuming far more video content, which eats up huge amounts of bandwidth. Still, they want to watch this content on multiple devices.

• Consuming online video: Two-thirds of people surveyed say they watch more than two videos a day (68 percent), while a quarter say they watch at least five videos a day (24 percent).
• Consuming overall digital content: 87 percent estimated that they consume more than 10 hours a week of digital content. More than half of all respondents (54 percent) consume more than 20 hours a week.
• Multi-screen entertainment in the home: Almost two-thirds (62 percent) said they would stream content that can normally only be watched on their TV to wireless devices such as laptops, smartphones or tablet PCs throughout the home should their cable or satellite provider offer the service.
• Connected televisions: Two-thirds (67 percent) are more likely to purchase a new HDTV that can easily connect directly to wireless devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptop PCs and the internet vs. one that cannot.

Takeaway: Multi-screen home entertainment is becoming a reality with the benefit of technologies and standards such as Transcoding, DLNA, Wi-Fi, MoCA and Powerline Networking.   

Connecting on the Go

People are using a wider variety of connected devices than ever before, but they want to spend less time configuring those connections and more time enjoying them.

• “Connectivity withdrawal”: Demonstrating the importance of connectivity in people’s lives, the survey explored the notion of “connectivity withdrawal” – the feeling of stress or anticipation of not being able to get online with a mobile phone, laptop or tablet.  35 percent said they’ve suffered from connectivity withdrawal, while 30 percent said it happens at least once a week.
• Number of wireless devices people own: 22 percent of those surveyed claimed to have six or more wireless devices in their homes. When asked to compare that to just a couple of years ago, the change was staggering. The percentage of people with six or more devices has almost quadrupled in the last three years (then = 6 percent).
• Configuring wireless connections: More than a quarter of those surveyed said that they’ve had to wirelessly configure and connect a device in the last month (28 percent). Less than half (46 percent) found the experience a pleasant one, so there’s room for simpler connectivity technology.
• Consuming content on the go: Of those who own a capable mobile device, one-third (32 percent) say they consume more than 10 hours of content a week while on the go, and more than half (51 percent) say they consume more than five hours a week.

Takeaway: Consumers want seamless, pervasive connectivity – something that will be possible with new technologies such as 802.11ac and Wi-Fi Direct.

 Connecting on the Road

Consumer demand for entertainment and safety features in vehicles is high, increasing the need for auto makers to include more complex networks in cars they produce.

For instance, when asked to rank the importance of connectivity features in vehicle purchasing decisions, respondents listed their preferences as follows:

Takeaway: Ethernet technology is set to become the standard for in-car connectivity to help address consumer needs while reducing cost, complexity and weight.

 To find out more about what Broadcom is doing in these areas, visit www.broadcom.com or join us at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in January.

Consumer interest in driver safety and infotainment features are at an all-time high, but automotive technology has not kept up with consumer expectations. Connectivity is edging its way squarely into the equation.

Collision warnings, comfort controls, infotainment and advanced driver assistance systems are emerging as compelling new automotive applications, increasing the need for bandwidth and connectivity within and between in-vehicle networks. 

Today, Broadcom responds by unveiling the next generation in automotive connectivity. The Broadcom BroadR-Reach Ethernet portfolio is the broadest automotive Ethernet product portfolio in the industry, consisting of five devices including three highly integrated switches with embedded PHYs, and two stand-alone PHY solutions.  All are designed to meet the rigorous demands of the automotive industry.

 In addition, the portfolio is the first to enable 100Mbps over unshielded single twisted pair cabling, to increase performance and substantially reduce connectivity cost and cabling weight.  Unlike existing Ethernet solutions that are “closed” (isolated in end-point applications using either LVDS or 100Base TX Ethernet cable), Broadcom Ethernet technology enables the migration to an open, scalable network.

 This announcement follows the recent introduction of the OPEN (One-Pair Ether-Net) Alliance Special Interest Group (SIG). Established to drive wide scale adoption of Ethernet-based automotive connectivity as the standard in automotive connectivity, the SIG will address industry requirements for improving in-vehicle safety, comfort, and infotainment, while significantly reducing network complexity and cabling costs. Members include Broadcom,  NXP Semiconductors N.V., Freescale Semiconductor, Harman International, BMW, Hyundai Motor Company and Jaguar Land Rover.  License to specification for BroadR-Reach is available to all interested OPEN Alliance members under RAND terms via a license from Broadcom.  Visit www.opensig.org to learn more.

 For more information on the Broadcom BroadR-Reach automotive portfolio, visit go.broadcom.com/ or check out the Broadcom demo at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 10-13, 2012.

2012 CES Design and Engineering Award Recognizes Chip that Drives Innovation in Smart Phones and Tablets

• Broadcom’s BCM4330 combo chip is named a 2012 CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award Honoree
• Wireless connectivity solution, which provides latest Bluetooth and Wi-Fi features, is being adopted by top-tier phone and tablet makers to support more media and data applications
• Award exemplifies Broadcom’s leadership in wireless connectivity for consumer electronic devices

Broadcom Corporation  has been named a 2012 CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards Honoree in the Embedded Technologies product category for its InConcert® BCM4330 wireless connectivity combo chip. The announcement was made at the 2012 CES New York Press Preview in New York City.

The highly integrated, third generation combo chip supports today’s most innovative and compelling mobile applications.  The BCM4330 was selected for its combination of low power, small size and advanced wireless functionality, allowing mobile device makers to deliver new, engaging mobile experiences.

Robert Rango, executive vice president and general manager of Broadcom’s Mobile and Wireless Group, said Broadcom is “proud to be selected by the Consumer Electronics Association for this prestigious award, highlighting our commitment to driving innovations that bring the newest, most advanced features like Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth low energy to next generation CE devices. The BCM4330 represents the pinnacle of wireless semiconductor integration, with its benefits now available in some of the most popular mobile devices on the market.”

The BCM4330 also supports Wi-Fi Direct™ and Bluetooth High Speed that enable mobile devices to communicate directly with each other at high speed without having to connect first to an access point, supporting multiple wireless device-to-device applications and usage models.

In addition, the Broadcom® BCM4330 was the industry’s first combo chip solution certified with the Bluetooth 4.0 standard, which enables Bluetooth Low Energy applications. This makes the BCM4330 the ideal solution for systems with long-term always-on portability requirements, such as wireless sensors for medical and fitness monitoring devices.

 The BCM4330 is shipping in volume production and will be on display starting January 9, 2012 at the CES Innovations Showcase in the Venetian Ballroom of the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

The CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards have been highlighting excellence in consumer electronics innovation since 1976, with winners selected by a distinguished panel of independent engineers and members of the trade press.

New Modem and Networking SoC Delivers Unparalleled Integration, Enables Radio-Optimized High Speed Traffic Delivery

• First Gigabit SoC for microwave backhaul delivers 25% more capacity – from 1024QAM to Gigabit and beyond
• First integrated baseband modem and networking processor in one chip – combines functionality of 10 ASSPs
• Marks successful integration of Provigent within six months post acquisition

Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM), a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, today announced the BCM85620, an innovative system-on-a-chip (SoC) delivering 1.25 Gigabit performance for 4G/LTE microwave backhaul.

Designed specifically to address the need for higher bandwidth in mobile backhaul — that is, from the handset back through to the server – the BCM85620 represents the industry’s first solution to deliver Gigabit bandwidth and beyond and is the first SoC to combine a baseband modem and networking processor in one chip.

“The mobile backhaul space is undergoing major changes,” said Michael Howard, co-founder and principal analyst for carrier networks at Infonetics. “The growing capacity demand and the shift from voice to data services are driving mobile backhaul networks to high capacity IP/Ethernet connections. The evolution to 4G/LTE networks will require even higher capacities and more cell site connections. Microwave currently represents 55 percent of physical backhaul connections. Innovation in this space ensures that microwave will retain its prominent position as the backhaul solution of choice.”

Market Drivers

• Global mobile backhaul expenditures are expected to reach $8B billion by 2014¹
• Ethernet is expected to be the dominant carrier technology by 2014 in mobile backhaul¹
• Microwave backhaul is the most prevalent technology used in the global mobile backhaul market with >55 percent of all backhaul connections¹

With unparalleled integration, the BCM85620 combines the functionality of up to ten off-the-shelf application-specific standard parts (ASSPs) into one SoC, dramatically lowering power consumption and system costs. Today’s announcement also represents the successful integration of Provigent within just six months post acquisition.

“The transition to 4G and LTE networks continues to drive the need for higher capacity and packet traffic in mobile backhaul networks,” said Dan Charash, senior director and general manager for microwave products at Broadcom. “With the industry’s highest level of integration and Gigabit and beyond performance, the BCM85620 allows system vendors to seamlessly and cost effectively migrate existing networks to 4G/LTE. The introduction of our latest innovation within just six months of acquiring Provigent is a testament to Broadcom’s ability to successfully integrate acquired technologies and rapidly introduce next generation products.”

As the number of mobile users, and use of multimedia services such as streaming video continues to rise, mobile operators are investing in next generation mobile backhaul networks that enable mobile operators to meet the performance and service expectations of consumers. In order to manage this massive growth in wireless traffic and evolution of 4G/LTE networks, carriers are faced with the challenge of backhauling data from the cell sites to the core network.

With enhanced radio performance and advanced networking capabilities, the BCM85620 provides radio-optimized traffic delivery, including robust clock delivery needed for packet transport networks. Coupled with 1.25Gbps throughput and 25 percent higher capacity than existing solutions, the BCM85620 enables wireless backhaul systems to support the demanding requirements of 4G/LTE networks. For more information click here.

Key Facts:

•  Industry’s highest capacity modem modulation (1024QAM) delivers Gigabit and beyond
• Packet fragmentation and header compression combined with ACM-aware traffic management enables radio-optimized networking
• Robust Adaptive code and modulation (ACM) technology automatically provisions bandwidth
• Extreme phase noise tolerance reduces system cost and improves spectral efficiency/system gain
• Synchronization over packet network – SyncE and 1588 support over ACM and protection switching
• Low latency for 4G networks
• Integrated carrier grade network processor

Congratulations to first place winner Daniel Feeny, 15, of Woodside, Calif., who receives $25,000 for his research on wave diversity in tidal pools!

 The Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public (SSP) today announced the 2011 winners of the Broadcom MASTERS™ national STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) competition for sixth, seventh and eighth graders. Broadcom and SSP also announced top winners in the categories of Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Rising Stars. Learn more and congratulate the winners of the 2011 Broadcom MASTERS competition at www.facebook.com/broadcommasters.

“Our future rests with how we educate and inspire the next generation of innovators,” said Broadcom Foundation president and Broadcom Corporation CEO and president Scott McGregor. “The Broadcom MASTERS creates unique opportunities for middle students to experience hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, and math.”

Second place and$10,000 is awarded to Benjamin Hylak, 14, of West Grove, Penn,  and third place and$5,000 is awarded to I-Chun Lin, 14, of Plano, Texas.

In total, Broadcom Foundation and classroom partner Elmer’s®Products, Inc. offered more than$500,000 in prizes, awards and rebates to nominees, entrants, semifinalists, finalists, and their teachers and schools. Funding for the top award comes from the Samueli Foundation, which strives to create societal value by investing in innovative, entrepreneurial and sustainable ideas. Winners were chosen from a pool of 30 top finalists (17 girls and 13 boys from 14 states andPuerto Rico, representing 29 schools) culled from more than 1,475 applications received from 45 states. Winners were selected by a panel of distinguished scientists and engineers from across the country.

“Society for Science & the Public is proud to join Broadcom Foundation in congratulating Daniel Feeny and all of the Broadcom MASTERS 2011 finalists,” said Elizabeth Marincola, president of the Society for Science & the Public. “It is inspiring to see students so young with a dedication and passion for science. I hope they will pursue that passion and continue to explore their interests.”

Winners Include:

First Place: $25,000
Winner: Daniel Feeny, 15, Woodside, Calif.
Project: Are Waves the Dominant Force Driving Diversity in the Intertidal Zone?
Through his research, first place winner Daniel Feeny noticed that some sections of the intertidal zone at Pescadero Beach were rich in species, while other sections of the beach were bare. The difference intrigued him, and he wondered if the force of waves striking the shore affects the diversity and number of organisms living there. He designed an experiment to quantify wave forces in different sections of the intertidal zone and correlate this data with the diversity of organisms in each location.

Second Place: $10,000
Winner: Benjamin Hylak, 14, West Grove, Penn.
Project: Practical Application of a Telepresence Robot
Second place honors and$10,000 goes to Benjamin Hylak, 14, ofWest Grove, Penn., for his project on the practical application of a telepresence robot. Benjamin’s grandmother lives in a senior residence facility, and he noticed that some of her fellow residents had few or no visitors. He wanted to find a new way for residents to connect with family and friends and decided to build an interactive robot, through which people could virtually visit their loved ones at the facility.

Third Place: $5,000
Winner: I-Chun Lin, 14, of Plano, Texas
Project: A Study of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Efficiency and Lifespan
Third place honors and$5,000 goes to I-Chun Lin, 14, of Plano, Texas for her project on dye-sensitized solar cell efficiency and lifespan. As an active member of her school’s recycling club, I-Chun wanted to find an inexpensive, eco-friendly way to harness solar power. She learned that dye-sensitized solar cells are cheaper to manufacture than solar panels, but are not nearly as efficient. She hypothesized that a mixture of dyes would be most efficient, helping the cell to increase its voltage output.

STEM Award Winners:

• Science Award:Samantha Rowland of Tipp City, Ohio, wins a Celestron Telescope and an iPad2 for her project on the impact of light type on pine needles.
• Technology Award:Robert Heckman of Kailua, Hawaii, wins a STEM summer camp experience and an iPad2 for his project on coral tumors, parrotfish predation and bacteria.
• Engineering Award:Katherine Landoni of Sequim, Wash., wins a VIZIO Home Theatre System and an iPad2 for her project on genetic variation and salinity inNew Zealand mud snails.
• Mathematics Award:Crystal Poole of San Diego, Calif. wins a STEM summer camp experience and an iPad2 for her project on buttercream frosting.

 Rising Stars Award:

• Carolyn Jonsof Eden Prairie, Minn., and Chad CampbellofHampstead, N.C., win a trip to theMay 2012Intel ISEF high school competition inPittsburghas official observers of the Broadcom MASTERS in recognition of their projects on soap bubbles, and the presence of antibiotics in meat, respectively.

 The Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology, and Engineering for Rising Stars) program helps children build a personal passion for science, engineering, and innovation, and stay with science and math through high school. Sponsored by Broadcom Foundation, a non-profit public benefit organization funded byBroadcom Corporation, the Broadcom MASTERS is a program ofSociety for Science &the Public. SSP has run some of the world’s most prestigious science competitions for more than seven decades.

For more information on the Broadcom MASTERS program please visit www.societyforscience.org/masters and www.broadcomfoundation.org/masters. To follow SSP and the MASTERS on Twitter go to www.twitter.com/society4science, or visit the SSP Broadcom Masters Facebook pages at www.facebook.com/societyforscience and www.facebook.com/broadcommasters.

National finals for the Broadcom MASTERS were held last weekened in Washington, D.C. The top finalist will be awarded the $25,000 Samueli Education Prize.  The finalists consist of 17 girls and 13 boys from 14 states and Puerto Rico and represent 29 schools. See a complete list of the finalists at www.societyforscience.org/masters/2011/finalists. Photos of all finalists and their projects can be found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/societyforscience.

The Broadcom MASTERS™, a program of Society for Science & the Public (SSP), is the premier competition for 6th, 7th and 8th graders where they demonstrate their mastery of Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering as Rising Stars through science fair competition.

Through their participation in the Broadcom MASTERS, middle schoolers are inspired, mentored and encouraged to stay with math and science throughout high school so that they are able to pursue exciting careers of science, technology and engineering and mathematics.

Young people who participate in the Broadcom MASTERS will be better prepared to meet the challenges of the future as tomorrow’s innovators who lead the way with scientific breakthroughs, engineering feats and technological know-how.

Why Middle School?

Finalist Katherine Landoni

By the time a student reaches middle school, he or she has mastered fundamentals of basic math and communication and is asking, “What do I want to be when I grow up?”

The Broadcom MASTERS competition is designed to give a middle school student a personal “ah ha!” moment when, by tapping into a personal interest or passion in the local science fair, he or she is inspired to continue studying math and science in order to achieve a personal goal or aspiration.

Through participation in the Broadcom MASTERS™ competition, beginning at local SSP-affiliated science fairs and culminating at the National Finals in Washington, D.C., students find mentors, explore new interests and experience the excitement of creating a science or engineering project that ignites a personal passion and keeps them interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning throughout high school.

A science fair project is often a student’s first — and in many cases only — opportunity to apply STEM subjects in ways that directly relate to his or her own life, personal interests or aspirations. An inspiring teacher or mentor, coupled with the intense gratification of creating a hands-on science or engineering project can be the powerful catalyst that redirects a student’s academic choices and opens new pathways to college and an array of exciting careers.

About Our Partner

Established in 1921, Society for Science & the Public (SSP) is one of the oldest nonprofit organizations in the U.S. dedicated to public engagement in science and science education. Through its acclaimed education competitions and its award-winning publications, Science News and Science News for Kids, SSP is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. For nearly 70 years, SSP education programs have inspired generations of science enthusiasts, including Nobel Laureates, National Medal of Science recipients, and nearly 100,000 other distinguished program alumni. To learn more about SSP and the competition, visit www.societyforscience.org.