The field of electronics is the study and use of systems that operate by controlling the flow of electrons (or other charge carriers) in devices such as thermionic valves and semiconductors. The design and construction of electronic circuits to solve practical problems is part of the field of electronics engineering, and includes the hardware design side of computer engineering.

The study of new semiconductor devices and their technology is sometimes considered as a branch of physics. This page focuses on engineering aspects of electronics.

Overview of electronic systems and circuits

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Electronic systems are used to perform a wide variety of tasks. The main uses of electronic circuits are the controlling, processing and dof information, and the conversion and distribution of electric power. Both of these uses involve the creation or detection of electromagnetic fields and electric currents. While electrical energy had been used for some time to transmit data over telegraphs and telephones, the development of electronics truly began in earnest with the advent of radio. One way of looking at an electronic system is to divide it into the following parts:

More on [ Electronics ]

NPR Topics: Politics & Society

Shopping For Armed Forces In Hemet
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:00:00 -0400
For many young people in tiny Hemet, Calif., the first stop after graduation is that town's Armed Forces Career Center. More than five years into the Iraq war, the center provides one-stop-shopping for potential Army, Navy and Marine recruits.
Why Rural U.S. Towns See More Casualties
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:00:00 -0400
Residents of Hemet, Calif. know all too well about military casualties. They're not alone — that town's story has been repeated in rural communities across the country. We examine why soldiers from rural areas are more likely to die in combat and how voters in those areas see the Iraq war.
Is Obama Sliding To The Center?
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:00:00 -0400
Some of the Democratic candidate's supporters are expressing frustration with what they see as a slide toward the center. Markos Moulitsas, founder of The DailyKos political blog, discusses how Obama is trying to appeal to moderates.

The Talk of the Town

The Chill
Nick Paumgarten Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:00:00 -0000
If you had stumbled into Banjo Jim’s, in the East Village, on a recent Wednesday night and encountered a sixty-something guy leading a band through a fervent rendition of “Wild Thing,” for an audience of two dozen or so, you might have concluded, “This is lame,” and slipped back . . .
Oily Speculations
James Surowiecki Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:00:00 -0000
When bad things happen, it’s always nice to have a scapegoat. So, with Americans furious about soaring oil prices, Congress has gone in search of someone to blame. There are a number of usual suspects to choose from, depending on your politics--OPEC, greedy oil companies, lily-livered environmentalists opposed . . .
Obama’s Iraq Problem
George Packer Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:00:00 -0000
In February, 2007, when Barack Obama declared that he was running for President, violence in Iraq had reached apocalyptic levels, and he based his candidacy, in part, on a bold promise to begin a rapid withdrawal of American forces upon taking office. At the time, this pledge represented conventional thinking . . .

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