VDC (Venture Development Corporation) has announced the 2005 winners of its annual “Platinum” and “Gold” embedded board vendor awards. The awards are based upon a proprietary rating method that “measures customer experiences,” VDC says. Ten platinum and twenty gold awards were bestowed on the top-ranking companies from the 400 analyzed.

Platinum vendors include:

• ACS
• Tech80
• Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing
• Motorola, Inc., Embedded Communications Computing
• JK Microsystems
• Kontron AG
• Measurement Computing Corporation
• RTD Embedded Technologies, Inc.
• SBS Technologies
• VersaLogic Corporation
• WinSystems, Inc.

Gold vendors include:

• AAEON Technology, Inc.
• Acromag, Inc.
• Advantech Corporation
• Applied Data Systems, Inc.
• Arcom
• Axiomtek Co., Ltd.
• Concurrent Technologies, Ltd.
• Connect Tech, Inc.
• Data Translation, Inc.
• Diamond Systems Corp.
• Digital
• Logic AG
• Inova Computers
• Intel
• Microbus PLC
• National Instruments, Inc.
• Performance Technologies, Inc.
• Portwell
• Thales Computers
• Themis Computer, Inc.
• Trenton Technology, Inc.

VDC's practice director of embedded hardware research, Eric Gulliksen, said, “Because our model is based upon user perceptions, vendors achieving Platinum or Gold status may feel comfortable that their business practices and policies are highly regarded by their customers.”

VDC bases its awards on its year-long planning service, called “The Merchant Computer Boards for Embedded/Real-Time Applications Market Intelligence Program.” The service interviews decision-makers at board vendor companies, as well as board vendor customers, and it generates a number of reports, including:

• Slot single board computers and embedded CPU blades
• Embedded motherboards
• Mezzanine cards and computers-on-modules (COMs)
• Stackables
• Merchant embedded board industry overview

The reports are priced from $5,950 to $18,950. Information about the reports is available here.

 
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