Do you have an idea for an electronic product, the next must-have gadget, music or video system, time saver, or the greatest problem-solving device that was ever invented? Before you begin designing the product, there are a number of tasks that you must complete and issues that you must resolve before you have an actual product design that can be produced, marketed, and sold. This article will provide you with some guidelines to assist you in getting your idea turned into a successful design. Other issues, such as whether or not to apply for a patent for your product idea and in detail how a particular product should be advertised or marketed will not be addressed in this article.

Many great product ideas were turned into fully functional electronic devices but never made their way successfully to the marketplace because the product was not easy to use, the target market or niche market where the product could be sold successfully was not accurately identified or targeted, the product advertising was not successful, an unattractive or non-identifiable name was applied to the product, the product pricing was too expensive, the product was provided in unattractive packaging, the product as manufactured was unreliable, or the wrong sales distribution model was chosen. There are a lot of minefields to dance in before you have a successful product that meets or exceeds your sales expectations.

Initially you must identify the following to determine if your product idea is valid:

- who would buy this new product?

- how much would they be willing to pay for it ?

- can you produce the product and make the required profit margins at the anticipated sales price?

- how do you get the product in front of the customers so that they can buy the product?

- can you provide warranty and service functions for the product?

- will your design require product compliance testing for any applicable FCC or UL regulations?

- will the product have to meet RoHS requirements (such as lead-free for components and soldering) for overseas (European Union, China, Japan, Korea, etc.) and domestic (California) markets?

- would this product infringe on any existing patents?

To answer the above questions, you should document your product idea in the form of a product specification document that describes which systems that the product could interface with. It should also identify all of the various functions the product should perform, describe how the product should be packaged esthetically and physically for size and shape, and define how the device will be powered. The product specification document should also describe how the user would interface with the product, such as by an equipped keypad, pushbuttons, a rotary dial switch, touchscreen, by an external link to a personal computer, PDA, or one of the newer sophisticated cell phones. You must also consider how the unit will display information to the user with options including an LCD character display, light emitting diodes or LEDs either singly or in an array, a graphics capable display in monochrome or color, or by audible tones.

Once the initial product specification document is completed, a marketing study should be initiated that identifies the optimum target market or market niche, and the product’s preferable name choices, including a primary name choice and some alternate name choices. The marketing study should provide options for selling the product both directly and through sales distribution, including who would actually stock, sell, and support the product in each scenario. The marketing study should also include the product’s anticipated pricing range such as the anticipated MSRP or manufacturers suggested retail price at the upper end and the discounted pricing where you would really be able to sell large quantities of the product at different volume levels and different margin levels at the lower end.

When the marketing study is completed, it should be reviewed against the original product specification document and changes made as required to either or both documents to fully identify the product requirements. Once this review is completed, the electronics and mechanical packaging design processes can begin, based on the parameters established by the review of the product specification document and the results of the marketing study. In order to optimize the design, the product designers must know what functions the product should perform, what the product should look like, and how much the product should cost to be manufactured and packaged ready for sale. Product logo designs and product labeling requirements should also be identified as they can have an impact on the physical package designs and the overall appearance of the product.

With this information available, you are now prepared to either design the product yourself; utilize other internal resources to design the product, or to contract the design activities with an outside source. You will need access to the following functional skill sets to have your idea turned into a working product:

- electronics hardware designer(s) with the analog and/or digital design expertise required for your design idea application

- printed circuit board layout designer with an applicable pcb CAD package

- a software designer with the required programming expertise and software tools

- a mechanical packaging specialist

- an electronics assembly resource to populate the printed circuit boards, to solder the components to the boards, and to assemble the finished prototype product

Even if all of these resources are available within your own company, they may not be available to you in the timeframe your product introduction requires due to scheduling conflicts with other internal projects. This is the point in the project where it can make economic and scheduling sense to make use of the resources from outside entities. Sometimes all of these resources can be outsourced from an electronics manufacturing service provider or EMS, or you may find an engineering resource to provide the initial design services and an EMS to assemble the product. Be sure to have an appropriate Non-Disclosure Agreement in place with any and all parties that are involved in this process to protect your intellectual property.

Jim Usery
http://www.articlesbase.com/electronics-articles/i-have-an-idea-for-a-new-product-but-now-what-104363.html

I have to buy a range of electronics (camcoder, digital camera, cell phones, mp3 player etc etc) over next 4-5 months. I want to go with the best possible products but would like to know if i can save some money overall. Any suggestions are welcome.


Try Pricegrabber.com or Pricewatch.com.

Electrical engineers have a very difficult job to do and their jobs require that they receive a concentrated education that deals with electronics, electricity, and electromagnetism. Electrical engineers spend a few years in college pursuing this difficult degree to go into a very competitive, high tech field. Usually, they spend their time in college taking classes that have to do with mathematics, physics, computer science, and various other topics that deal specifically with electrical engineering. Master’s degrees are also available in the engineering field, and, while those with a BA degree make a great deal of money as electrical engineers, those with a Master’s degree can make even more money. After college, before they become certified, they must also go on to complete a certain amount of work experience, which can vary from place to place.

Some of the things that electrical engineers deal with on a day to day basis on the job include computer science, power, telecommunications, digital electronics, optoelectronics, control systems, analog electronics, and artificial intelligence. There are many different technologies that we depend on that are developed and serviced by electrical engineers. The technology that brings electricity into our homes and the technology that has developed the global positioning system is what these engineers are working with. Not only do electrical engineers design these technologies, but they also work to make them better, they test them, and even deploy them, as well.

Electrical engineers have an exciting job and they work on the cutting edge of technology all the time. They are always working to make technology better and are finding ways to improve the technology that is already existing as well. Electrical engineers work in a variety of different places as well. Some of them work in labs, developing and testing new technologies. Others work in offices dealing with clients and helping them with their technology. Yet other electrical engineers work in industrial plants and help manage the technology that is already in place.

It is important to note that electrical engineers are quite different than electronic engineers. While the two may sound the same, there are great differences between the two. An electrical engineer will deal with electricity and electrical things on a large scale, where electronic engineers will deal with smaller electronics such as cell phones and computers and the components that are inside them.

Electrical engineers have a very broad job base and can choose from any number of jobs. The education in electrical engineering prepares them to work in many different related fields. Becoming an electrical engineer can provide you with a variety of job opportunities, and most of them will be very different. If you are interested in electrical engineering, you need to remember that the training and the job take a great deal of dedication and hard work.

Izrul Fizal
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/electrical-engineers-field-116517.html

i have done my 4 year bachelors degree in Electronics Engineering from India. I am in US now and want to become a montessori or a kindergarten teacher here. What should i do for that ?

The idea of getting a degree in ECE is great, but it won’t necessarily help you with teaching in a Montessori school. I would contact schools in your area and see what training programs they recognize and where they offer training. In America, there are two main training organizations: AMS and AMI. Sometimes, schools will only accept people who have training from one or the other. So in the long run, it’s best to get both certifications.

Matt

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Christmas is an expensive time of the year. It is even more expensive this year because everything has gone up there are huge uncertainties concerning the economy and there are added pressures concerning jobs. Yet there is still the need to get some cool Christmas presents (which means electronic gadgets) and make sure that every dollar you spend stretches as fast as possible.

This means that when it comes to having cool top-quality cell phones, MP3 players, Bluetooth Headsets or even cost-effective PC accessories then the web is your best bet.

With so many online electronics retailers competing for your money it’s hard, sometimes, to know exactly what you can do or should do which is why it’s good to look at some of the ways you can separate the sheep from the goats and choose an electronics retailer who can provide high quality and good value.

The signs to look for are the digital equivalent of the everyday shopping experience. When you find an online retailer you think you will want to buy your electronics from look for:

Longevity – how long has the online retailer been in business for? The net is a very unforgiving medium and those who cannot deliver do not long survive.

Breadth of merchandise – if they are only doing a few items the chances are that they are either new or are on the way down. The web makes for diversity and retailers know that. Successful ones have as much choice as possible.

Feedback – have they got any customer feedback? I know this can be faked sometimes but if you are astute and read carefully you can usually spot the real ones from the fakes.

Prices – are their prices realistic? The web is an incredibly competitive marketplace. Online retailers know they have to deliver value as well as quality.

Guarantees – what online guarantees do they offer? Those who trade in tangible goods know they have to provide some kind of warrantee otherwise their customers will not have any peace of mind.

Delivery charges – again if you see the delivery charges being higher than the cost of the goods alarm bells should go off. Online retailers who are not able to guarantee their merchandise often charge more for delivery so they can boost their profit margin. Delivery costs are non-refundable whereas the price you pay for merchandise is.

Returns policy – even the best merchandise occasionally goes wrong, an item can get damaged in transit or there may simply be a bad batch. You should still feel you are able to return it without having to jump through hoops.

Provided you do your homework, check carefully the points mentioned above and email the retailer if you are not sure about anything you should be able to enjoy some great online gadgets for Christmas.

Thriftycomputer is a long-time quality electronics retailer dedicated to providing top gadgets at really good prices. Check them out online and see for yourselves and have a great, budget-stretching Christmas!

David Amerland
http://www.articlesbase.com/gadgets-and-gizmos-articles/gadget-christmas-cheer-without-breaking-the-bank-650468.html