Spun out from Philips Electronics in 2007, Silicon Hive specializes in paralell processing designs that can be built into the system-on-chip products at the heart of multimedia-friendly consumer electronics devices.

FORBES: Intel Snaps Up Mobile Multimedia Specialist Silicon Hive

Diamond Multimedia, a consumer-electronics firm, has already announced plans to build tablet-like web-browsing devices using Crusoe chips.

ECONOMIST: Transmetamorphosis

In Paris, the blue-chip CAC 40 shed almost 4 percent, or 189.94 points, to a 17-month low of 4, 824.82, led by consumer electronics maker Thomson Multimedia ( PTMM) and insurer AXA ( PAXA).

CNN: European markets routed

In June 2011, Lenovo announced its acquisition of MEDION AG, a leader in PC, multimedia products, mobile communications service and consumer electronics in Germany.

ENGADGET: Lenovo nearly doubles net profits in Q1 earnings report, not so certain about 'mainstream' Ultrabooks by end of year

"Open source has become an engine for innovation in the smart phone and consumer electronics market, " said Teppo Hemia, vice president, 3G Multimedia Platforms Business Unit of ST-Ericsson.

ENGADGET: ARM, Samsung, IBM, Freescale, TI and more join to form Linaro, speed rollout of Linux-based devices

First unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show last month, Verizon is pimping V CAST as a new multimedia service for the high-speed EV-DO wireless network they're currently rolling out in different cities across the country.

ENGADGET: Verizon Wireless V CAST review