Asustek to launch Eee Note
Asustek Computer Inc (華碩電腦), the world’s No. 5 PC brand, is set to roll out Eee Note, an electronic note-scribbling pad, in Taiwan this week.
“This will be Amazon’s Kindle in the Mandarin-speaking world,” said Asustek CEO Jerry Shen (沈振來) at a product launch yesterday.
The Eee Note is a device that transcends the e-reader, allowing readers to turn to the next page in 0.4 seconds, compared with an average speed of 1 second per page for e-readers, he said.
Eee Note also comes with a recording function and sports a 2-megapixel camera. That means executives could use it to record meetings or take pictures of powerpoint presentations, he said.
ECFA committee to be set up
An economic cooperation committee that will formally handle issues related to a Taiwan-China trade pact signed earlier this year could be established before the next round of top-level talks between the two sides next month, Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) said.
The committee will monitor, interpret and settle disputes related to the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) signed by Taiwan and China in June.
ASE to buy back shares
Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc (ASE, 日月光) plans to buy back 37 million shares at between NT$25 and NT$41 each, the company said in a statement to the Taiwan Stock Exchange yesterday. The chip packaging company plans to buy back the shares between Nov. 30 and Jan. 28, according to the statement.
Solar products deal signed
Sino-American Silicon Products Inc (中美晶) and Solartech Energy Corp (昇陽光電) signed an agreement yesterday with Hsin Tung Invest Co (欣東投資) to form a venture to make solar-powered products, according to separate statements to the Taiwan Stock Exchange.
Chinese bank opens office
China’s Bank of Communications Co (交通銀行) opened a representative office in Taipei yesterday, according to an e-mailed statement.
TSMC splurges on equipment
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest custom manufacturer of chips, bought NT$3.5 billion of equipment and facilities from Applied Materials South East Asia Pacific Ltd and three other suppliers, the Hsinchu-based company said in four statements to the Taiwan Stock Exchange yesterday.
The company purchased NT$794 million of equipment from Applied Materials, NT$536 million of equipment from Agilent Technologies Singapore, NT$1.7 billion of facility and engineering equipment from Da Cin Construction Co and NT$516 million of facility and engineering equipment from Organo Technology Co, the chipmaker said.
UMC buys new equipment
United Microelectronics Corp (UMC, 聯電) bought NT$539 million of equipment from Lam Research International Sarl from Oct. 8 to Nov. 29, the Hsinchu-based chipmaker said in a statement to the Taiwan Stock Exchange yesterday.
Central Bank issues CDCs
The central bank issued NT$292 billion in certificates of deposit yesterday, less than the NT$338.35 billion that matured, the monetary authority said in a statement on its Web site yesterday.
The central bank sold 30-day certificates at 0.69 percent, 91-day certificates at 0.73 percent and 182-day certificates at 0.83 percent, according to thel bank’s statement.
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