An Elitegroup Computer Systems Co (
"Our desktop-notebook is very popular," said Chen Ming-chun (
Sales in China, combined with a new contract to produce Apple Computer Inc's popular iMac, are helping Elitegroup become a contender in the notebook contract manufacturing business, which has long been dominated by Taiwanese powerhouses Quanta Computer Inc (廣達電腦) and Compal Electronics Inc (仁寶電腦), Chen said.
Elitegroup expects to sell over 1.1 million notebook PCs this year.
Earlier this year, the company unveiled a notebook computer made with parts normally used in desktops, and without a battery -- which reduced the price of each model by as much as 20 percent, according to analysts. The result was a space-saving, portable computer that simply needed to be plugged in.
According to Chen, the battery-free device has been very popular in China, where many people live in small apartments.
Analysts credit the concept computer with a rise in sales of no-name notebook PCs spotted by analysts at Dataquest. The market research firm reported yesterday that the notebook segment grew 6.1 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year, led by sales of no-name notebooks, which grew by 7 percent. Sales of such notebooks make up more of the market than sales by market leader Dell Computer Corp, Hewlett-Packard Co and Toshiba Corp combined.
Worldwide mobile PC shipments totaled 6.9 million units in the second quarter, up 6.1 percent from the same period last year.
"Elitegroup had very strong sales during the second quarter in China with their `DeskNote' PC," said James Huang (
Elitegroup produces its notebooks in China, lowering costs by about 5 percent when compared to similar products made in Taiwan, Chen said.
Profits in the notebook-computer business have been hard to come by this year. Dell and HP have kept prices low in an effort to attract consumers.
"Market share is the problem. Our customers are asking us to lower our prices so they can keep sales up, and we are pressuring our [component] suppliers to lower their prices as well," said Chang Chih-ming (
Combined with Quanta Computer's estimated 5 million notebooks, the two companies will account for more than half of the notebook computers made in Taiwan. Another dozen Taiwanese companies are battling for orders as well.
Taiwan will account for well over half of the notebook computers made worldwide this year, the Market Intelligence Center reported. The nation will produce around 18.1 million notebook PCs -- 28 percent more than last year -- at a value of US$14 billion, 14.8 percent more than last year, according to the center's figures.
It was late morning and steam was rising from water tanks atop the colorful, but opaque-windowed, “soapland” sex parlors in a historic Tokyo red-light district. Walking through the narrow streets, camera in hand, was Beniko — a former sex worker who is trying to capture the spirit of the area once known as Yoshiwara through photography. “People often talk about this neighborhood having a ‘bad history,’” said Beniko, who goes by her nickname. “But the truth is that through the years people have lived here, made a life here, sometimes struggled to survive. I want to share that reality.” In its mid-17th to
‘MAKE OR BREAK’: Nvidia shares remain down more than 9 percent, but investors are hoping CEO Jensen Huang’s speech can stave off fears that the sales boom is peaking Shares in Nvidia Corp’s Taiwanese suppliers mostly closed higher yesterday on hopes that the US artificial intelligence (AI) chip designer would showcase next-generation technologies at its annual AI conference slated to open later in the day. The GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in California is to feature developers, engineers, researchers, inventors and information technology professionals, and would focus on AI, computer graphics, data science, machine learning and autonomous machines. The event comes at a make-or-break moment for the firm, as it heads into the next few quarters, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s (黃仁勳) keynote speech today seen as having the ability to
NEXT GENERATION: The company also showcased automated machines, including a nursing robot called Nurabot, which is to enter service at a Taichung hospital this year Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) expects server revenue to exceed its iPhone revenue within two years, with the possibility of achieving this goal as early as this year, chairman Young Liu (劉揚偉) said on Tuesday at Nvidia Corp’s annual technology conference in San Jose, California. AI would be the primary focus this year for the company, also known as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團), as rapidly advancing AI applications are driving up demand for AI servers, Liu said. The production and shipment of Nvidia’s GB200 chips and the anticipated launch of GB300 chips in the second half of the year would propel
The battle for artificial intelligence supremacy hinges on microchips, but the semiconductor sector that produces them has a dirty secret: It is a major source of chemicals linked to cancer and other health problems. Global chip sales surged more than 19 percent to about US$628 billion last year, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association, which forecasts double-digit growth again this year. That is adding urgency to reducing the effects of “forever chemicals” — which are also used to make firefighting foam, nonstick pans, raincoats and other everyday items — as are regulators in the US and Europe who are beginning to
RSS