■Electronics
Sony goes organic
Sony Corp, the world's second-largest consumer-electronics maker, said it will spend Japanese Yen 9 billion (US$76.4 million) to start initial production of small-sized displays that don't require backlighting. The Tokyo-based maker of the Clie hand-held computer will start making the panels, known as organic light emitting diode displays for mobile devices, early next year, the company said in an e-mailed statement.
■ Computers
Java boosted by HP, Dell
Dell Computer Corp and Hewlett-Packard Co agreed to load Sun Microsystems Inc's version of the universal programming language Java on upcoming models of their personal computers. It's a significant boost to Java, which Sun developed as an environment that can run programs regardless of the underlying operating system. In the past, most PCs shipped with Microsoft Corp's version, which was built into Windows and Sun claimed was altered to ensure that it did not threaten the software giant's operating system monopoly.
■ Fiscal policy
Snow clarifies dollar stance
US Secretary of the Treasury John Snow said he isn't concerned by the dollar's 19 percent decline against the euro over the past year and denied that puts him at odds with either US President George W. Bush or the eight-year "strong dollar" policy. The currency's drop has "been an orderly adjustment, we're going to monitor it, we're going to watch it, but I don't think it's any cause for any great alarm," Snow said in an interview on the Charlie Rose television programWednesday. Traders and investors sold the dollar last month after similar comments from Snow led them to conclude he had abandoned the traditional currency policy in order to boost the US economy.
■ E-commerce
EBay consolidates in China
EBay Inc, the largest Internet auctioneer, said it agreed to pay about US$150 million for the stake it doesn't already own in EachNet Inc to help accelerate growth in China. The cash transaction is expected to close in the third quarter, EBay spokesman Chris Donlay said. EachNet is China's largest Internet commerce site and employs about 150 workers in Shanghai, he said. EBay is expanding to take advantage of growth opportunities outside of the US, including those in China, one of the fastest-growing Internet markets. The San Jose, California-based company expanded into the world's most populous country last year when it bought a 33 percent interest in EachNet for US$30 million. EachNet has about 2 million users and averages 300,000 items for auction and sale on its site.
■ Computers
Weak demand hurts Hitachi
Hitachi Ltd, Japan's largest electronics maker, will lose US$330 million in its hard disk drive business this year because of weak personal computer demand. Hitachi, which bought International Business Machines Corp's hard disk drive business last year, will increase production of smaller drives used in hand-held PCs and digital cameras and reduce production of those for computers, Hitachi Senior Managing Director Isao Ono, said at a briefing in Tokyo. By shifting focus, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, the disk drive subsidiary formed in January, will be profitable in the year ending March 2005, said Ono, an executive in the computer operation. Hitachi is seeking to reduce its reliance on the personal computer market.
Agencies
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from