■Electronics
MS gets slice of mobile pie
Microsoft Corp, the world's largest maker of software, captured 6 percent of the market for advanced mobile-phone software in nine months, faced with competition from Symbian Ltd, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday, citing Canalys.com Ltd, a UK researcher. Of the 1 million Smartphones shipped in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in the second quarter, 94 percent ran software supplied by Symbian, a joint venture between companies including Nokia Oyj, Motorola Inc and Psion Plc. Microsoft and Orange SA, Europe's No. 3 mobile phone company, started selling the first Smartphone running Microsoft software in a few European countries in November, the paper said. By selling Smartphones, Microsoft is seeking to tap the US$100 billion wireless market.
■ Automobiles
Toyota raises sales targets
Toyota Motor Corp, the world's third-largest automaker by sales, raised its vehicle production and sales targets for the year, on demand for products such as the Sienna minivan in the US and expansion in other markets. Aichi prefecture-based Toyota now expects global output to rise 6 percent to 6 million units this year and sales to increase 6 percent to 5.85 million units, the company said in a release. The company is also expanding in markets such as China and Europe, leaving it less exposed than rivals to a slowdown in global auto sales. The automaker forecasts overseas production to rise 19 percent to 2.55 million units this year, while it expects to build 3.45 million units at home, a 1 percent drop. Toyota forecasts overseas sales to jump 7 percent to 4.12 million units and domestic sales to increase 3 percent to 1.73 million units.
■ Computers
HP expands in India
Hewlett-Packard Co, the world's second-largest computer maker, will expand its business in India through increasing its software developers, the Economic Times said, citing Siaou-Sze Lien, senior vice president in Asia Pacific. HP has about 4,000 developers in India, including its Indian software unit Digital GlobalSoft Ltd, the newspaper said. It didn't say how much it planned to expand its Indian business. HP has identified India, China and Korea as its fastest growing markets, the report said. HP, IBM and other companies are expanding their Indian units to take advantage of a large pool of English-speaking graduates and skilled workers available at about a fifth of the cost of a similar hire in the US.
■ Internet
Web surfing grows in China
China's Internet users rose by 48.5 percent from a year ago to 68 million as of the end of last month, according to a survey posted on the China Internet Network Information Center Web site. The world's most populous country lags only the US, which had 178 million Internet users as of May, according to market researcher AC Nielsen. China's user growth is helping drive demand for Internet companies such as Sina.com, Netease.com and Sohu.com, which have seen their US-traded shares jump since last year after venturing into online games and text messaging for cell-phones. According to the China Internet Network Information Center survey, 46.9 percent of China's Internet users go online primarily to obtain information, followed by 28.6 percent who use it for entertainment such as online games.
Agencies
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft