ENGINEERS LOOKING TO SELECT PRODUCTS for use in designs weigh a number of factors. As often as possible they look to their peers for suggestions and recommendations. In fact, what fellow engineers think may be one of the most important factors influencing their product choices. But the electronics industry introduces a vast number of products each year and finding peer advice on specific products is not that easy.

With that in mind, we've created a unique service-ULTIMATE PRODUCTS. Each quarter our product experts-the editors of EE Times and eeProductCenter-will select the top ten new products in each of seven or more product categories. Then, using an electronic balloting mechanism that allows readers to read the editorial review on eeProductCenter (at www.eeProductCenter), we will poll qualified readers on the "technical significance" and "usability" of those products.

Welcome to the premier issue of ULTIMATE PRODUCTS that reports on the editorial selections and reader rankings of seventy of the most significant products introduced in the first quarter of 2004. Nearly 1200 readers helped us rank these products. We believe that this is the first such large-scale peer review of products ever undertaken in the electronics industry. We hope you find it to be a useful tool. Marty Gold Executive Editor, eeProductCenter

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Analog ICs

Processors & Memory

IP&E

Logic & Programmable Logic

Power

RF & Microwave

Test & Measurement

THE RANKINGS

Readers ranked products for technical significance and usability on a scale of 1 through 5 (with 5 as the highest score). However, the product rankings reported in this issue are relative to other products within the category-not absolute scores. The product ranked 1 in each category was judged as most technically significant for that category. Relative usability rankings and selected reader comments are also reported.