■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
INSURRECTION: The NSB said it found evidence the CCP was seeking snipers in Taiwan to target members of the military and foreign organizations in the event of an invasion The number of Chinese spies prosecuted in Taiwan has grown threefold over a four-year period, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said in a report released yesterday. In 2021 and 2022, 16 and 10 spies were prosecuted respectively, but that number grew to 64 last year, it said, adding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was working with gangs in Taiwan to develop a network of armed spies. Spies in Taiwan have on behalf of the CCP used a variety of channels and methods to infiltrate all sectors of the country, and recruited Taiwanese to cooperate in developing organizations and obtaining sensitive information
BREAKTHROUGH: The US is making chips on par in yield and quality with Taiwan, despite people saying that it could not happen, the official said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) has begun producing advanced 4-nanometer (nm) chips for US customers in Arizona, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said, a milestone in the semiconductor efforts of the administration of US President Joe Biden. In November last year, the commerce department finalized a US$6.6 billion grant to TSMC’s US unit for semiconductor production in Phoenix, Arizona. “For the first time ever in our country’s history, we are making leading edge 4-nanometer chips on American soil, American workers — on par in yield and quality with Taiwan,” Raimondo said, adding that production had begun in recent
Seven hundred and sixty-four foreigners were arrested last year for acting as money mules for criminals, with many entering Taiwan on a tourist visa for all-expenses-paid trips, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said on Saturday. Although from Jan. 1 to Dec. 26 last year, 26,478 people were arrested for working as money mules, the bureau said it was particularly concerned about those entering the country as tourists or migrant workers who help criminals and scammers pick up or transfer illegally obtained money. In a report, officials divided the money mules into two groups, the first of which are foreigners, mainly from Malaysia
SILICON VALLEY HUB: The office would showcase Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductors and artificial intelligence, and help Taiwanese start-ups connect with global opportunities Taiwan has established an office in Palo Alto, one of the principal cities of Silicon Valley in California, aimed at helping Taiwanese technology start-ups gain global visibility, the National Development Council said yesterday. The “Startup Island Taiwan Silicon Valley hub” at No. 299 California Avenue is focused on “supporting start-ups and innovators by providing professional consulting, co-working spaces, and community platforms,” the council said in a post on its Web site. The office is the second overseas start-up hub established by the council, after a similar site was set up in Tokyo in September last year. Representatives from Taiwanese start-ups, local businesses and
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