Asustek reduces guidance for 2008 Systems | Dec 5, 15:18 | | Asustek Computer has reduced its notebook shipments goal for 2008 from originally six million units to only 5.6-5.7 million, but the company's netbook shipment goal will remain at five million units, according to industry sources. Read more | |  |
| Inventory levels down to 2-3 weeks, may not recover until February 2009, say IC distributors Bits + chips | Dec 5, 01:20 | | According to IC distributors, downstream system makers have adjusted their inventory levels to 2-3 weeks and may not return to the standard level of 6-8 weeks until after the Lunar New Year holidays in early February 2009. Read more | | |
| Acer branded smartphones to hit the market in 1Q09, company clarifies Telecom | Dec 5, 16:44 | | Despite a bleak economic outlook, Acer remains optimistic about its growth opportunities for 2009. The company expects its notebook shipments to increase 15-20% in 2009 and its overall sales to grow 25-30% on year. Acer is also optimistic about the smartphone market, and despite some internal confusion, the company has officially stated that it will launch its first Acer-branded smartphone in the first quarter of next year. Read more | | |
| | | | | CMC, Ritek obtain new CD-R, DVD+R/-R licensing from Philips Systems | Dec 5, 17:15 CMC Magnetics and Ritek have reached a consensus with Royal Philips Electronics about new licensing terms for Philips' CD-R and DVD+R/-R patents. A new... Read more | | BTC to quit optical drive business Systems | Dec 5, 17:13 Behavior Tech Computer (BTC), a Taiwan-based maker of PC peripherals, has decided to end production of optical disc drive (ODD) loaders as well as marketing... Read more | Acer chairman still optimistic about 4Q08 and 2009 notebook shipments Systems | Dec 5, 17:11 Despite that the current financial outlook is weakening, Acer chairman JT Wang still believes the economy is not as bad as it looks and is optimistic... Read more | | AMD global notebook market share might drop below 10% next year due to netbooks Mobos | Dec 5, 16:32 As Intel Atom processor shipments continue to increase, while AMD has yet to come up with an official netbook platform of its own, AMD's share of the... Read more | KYEC prepares NT$4.5 billion in cash for the next 2-3 years Bits + chips | Dec 5, 17:14 Testing company King Yuan Electronics Company (KYEC) may see losses in the fourth quarter of 2008 and its utilization rate has dropped to 50%. But the... Read more | | Solar cell maker Solartech Energy listed Bits + chips | Dec 5, 17:12 Solartech Energy, a Taiwan-based maker of crystalline silicon solar cells, on December 5 began its listing on the Taiwan Stock Exchange at NT$18 per... Read more | Chipbond to see losses in 4Q08 with only 50% utilization Bits + chips | Dec 5, 17:01 Backend packaging and testing company Chipbond Technology is facing difficulties with a utilization rate of only 50% currently mainly due to the impact... Read more | | Glass fabric makers cutting production due to weak PCB demand Bits + chips | Dec 5, 16:58 Taiwan Glass Industrial (TGI) has announced that it has stopped operations of two fiber glass fabric furnaces due to falling demand from the sluggish... Read more | DRAM to become expensive if South Korean makers monopolize the market, warn Taiwan makers Bits + chips | Dec 5, 15:46 DRAM chips, which are as cheap as tap water currently, will become as expensive as oil if South Korean makers are allowed to monopolize the global DRAM... Read more | | MediaTek November sales down over 32%; to see 30-33% decline in 4Q08 Bits + chips | Dec 5, 01:10 MediaTek has lowered its fourth-quarter consolidated sales target to a 30-33% sequential decline. The company had earlier guided an 9-16% decline. Read more | Plummeting phenol pricing to help lower PCB material costs, says Aurona Bits + chips | Dec 5, 01:00 Phenol, a raw material for PCB production, has seen prices plummet due to sagging global PCB demand. Average quotes for phenol are forecast to be as... Read more | | Foxconn skeptical over BYD's claim over withdrawal of IP lawsuit Telecom | Dec 5, 17:15 Foxconn International Holdings (FIH) has not yet been notified by Chinese police concerning claims that they have dropped a criminal probe into allegedly... Read more |
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| Several top-10 PC vendors to cut order volumes by 50% on year in 1Q09 Systems | Dec 4, 01:00 | | Several top-ten PC vendors including Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Acer and Asustek Computer are expected to reduce their PC order volumes in the first quarter of 2009 by around 50% compared to the same period in the previous year, according to sources at component makers. Read more | | |
| Taiwan government to push for consolidation in DRAM industry, but direct bailout unlikely Bits + chips | Dec 4, 12:26 | | Instead of pouring funds directly to rescue financially-troubled Taiwan DRAM makers, Taiwan's lawmakers have asked the state planners office under the Council of Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) to push for a consolidation process within the memory industry. Read more | | |
| TSMC asks employees to take more unpaid leave to help cut costs Bits + chips | Dec 4, 11:13 | | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has asked its employees to take more unpaid leave to help the company reduce its operating costs as part of its efforts to curtail the impact of the ongoing economic downturn. Read more | | |
| | | | | Notebook battery cell pricing starting to drop in December Systems | Dec 4, 16:23 Battery cell makers are planning to drop their prices by 5-8% in December this year following a recent fall in the global price of cobalt, an important... Read more | | Quanta expects to maintain 3Q08 shipment levels in 4Q Systems | Dec 4, 15:22 CC Leung, vice chairman of Quanta Computer, has relayed reports from the company's channel partners that their sales grew 3% during the Black Friday... Read more | MSI netbooks featuring Intel MID platform to be showcased at CES Systems | Dec 4, 12:34 Micro-Star International (MSI) plans to showcase its 10.2-inch Wind Notebook U110 and U115 models, which adopt Intel Intel's Menlow platform for mobile... Read more | | Simplo November revenues score historical high Systems | Dec 4, 01:15 Notebook battery module maker Simplo Technology has scored another monthly historical high with November revenues of NT$3.17 billion (US$94.37 million),... Read more | First-tier motherboard makers planning layoffs Mobos | Dec 4, 01:10 With Asustek Computer unlikely to meet its original annual shipments goal for both notebooks and motherboards, while annual profits in 2008 are also... Read more | | Panel makers' development projects for international handset vendors unaffected by economic downturn Displays | Dec 4, 16:28 Although international handset vendors such as Nokia, LG Electronics (LGE) and Samsung Electronics have trimmed their handset shipment forecasts for... Read more | IC design houses Holtek, Sonix and Sunplus lower 4Q08 sales targets Bits + chips | Dec 4, 16:52 Because orders have been frozen in November, IC design companies continue to lower their fourth-quarter sales targets. Some consumer electronics IC suppliers... Read more | | Lite-On Semiconductor reports decline in November revenues Bits + chips | Dec 4, 16:01 Lite-On Semiconductor Corp (LSC) has reported that November consolidated revenues amounted to NT$784 million (US$23.36 million), down 31.7% on year and... Read more | Holy Stone sees November sales down 30% Bits + chips | Dec 4, 15:46 Passive component maker Holy Stone has reported November sales of NT$776 million (US$23.12 million), down 30% from October and 35% on year due to weak... Read more | | Solar wafer maker SAS hits record revenue for 40 months straight in November Bits + chips | Dec 4, 11:08 Sino-American Silicon Products (SAS), a Taiwan-based producer of solar-grade crystalline silicon wafers, has reported self-estimated revenue of NT$871... Read more | SPIL lowers 4Q08 revenues forecast Bits + chips | Dec 4, 01:05 Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL) has lowered its fourth-quarter revenues forecast from a fall of 8-13% on quarter originally to a 25-28% sequential... Read more | | CHT to transfer 30 WiMAX base stations to Global Mobile for commercial operation Telecom | Dec 4, 16:31 Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) has signed an agreement to transfer the 30 WiMAX base stations and other related equipment it built for the M-Taiwan (mobile Taiwan)... Read more |
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Systems | PC market will slow as financial turmoil spreads, says IDC Dec 4, 16:47 | | | | | Worldwide server market decelerates in 3Q08, says IDC Dec 4, 16:41 | | | | | Taiwan market: TWM launches daily-charged 3.5G Internet-access service Dec 4, 14:43 | | | | | China market: Locally developed online games account for 66% market share at end of 3Q08 Dec 4, 14:34 | | | | | Digital power supply market approaches US$600 million in 2008, says IMS Research Dec 4, 12:25 | | | | | Picocells have limited window of opportunity, says ABI Research Dec 4, 12:24 | | | | |
Displays | Samsung's LCD panel utilization rate drops to 70%, says paper Newswatch | Dec 4, 16:42 | | | | | Epistar executives take pay cut, says paper Newswatch | Dec 4, 15:06 | | | | | Taiwan market: Chimei expects promotional campagin to drive December revenues Dec 4, 12:21 | | | | | LCD monitor shipments flat in 3Q, says DisplaySearch Dec 4, 11:21 | | | | |
Bits + chips | NAND flash set for slower growth in 2009, says DRAMeXchange Dec 4, 14:19 | | | | | Mirics and Spreadtrum announce strategic partnership to deliver innovative CMMB solutions for PCTV Dec 4, 13:57 | | | | | China solar wafer supplier LDK urged to cut prices Dec 4, 12:06 | | | |
| Chicony claims dominance in netbook components market Systems | Dec 3, 11:54 | | Chicony Electronics, a Taiwan-based maker of PC components, has become a main supplier of keyboards, adaptors, webcam modules and other components used in netbooks for Asustek Computer, Acer, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and other international vendors, according to the company. Read more | | |
| Foundries face heavy market capitalization erosion after TSMC guidance cut Bits + chips | Dec 3, 10:41 | | The continuing global economic woes have hit the Taiwan foundry industry badly. With leading foundry player Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) having downgraded its guidance for the first time over the past seven years, the shockwaves sent its own and other foundry players' share prices crashing on December 2. Read more | | |
| | | | | HLDS and TSST cut OEM prices for DVD burners amid Korean Won depreciation Systems | Dec 3, 01:15 Optical disc drives makers Hitachi-LG Data Storage (HLDS) and Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology (TSST) lowered their quotes for half-height 20x DVD... Read more | | VIA sees drop on November revenues Mobos | Dec 3, 16:40 VIA Technologies' revenues in November were NT$412 million (US$12.29 million), drops of 35.54% on month and 44.02% on year, while the company's combined... Read more | AMD updates chipset schedule for next year Mobos | Dec 3, 16:33 AMD plans to launch a new entry-level IGP chipset, the 760G based on RS780 architecture, in January 2009. The chipset will support DirectX 10 and Shader... Read more | | China LCD TV vendor Konka to produce LEDs for backlighting Displays | Dec 3, 15:48 China-base LCD TV vendor Konka is entering the LED industry, with the company planning to start construction on a plant in Kunshan, China in mid January... Read more | Small- to mid-size LCD panel maker Wintek reports 38% drop in November revenues Displays | Dec 3, 11:28 TFT LCD and touch panel supplier Wintek has announced November consolidated revenues of NT$2.2 billion (US$65.7 million), down 38% from record high of... Read more | | Amtran says Vizio TV sales strong on Black Friday Displays | Dec 3, 01:10 Amtran Technology, which makes the Vizio-branded flat panel TVs, has disclosed that the brand had strong Black Friday sales because of its pricing strategy,... Read more | FPCB maker Uniflex adjusts company structure after suffering continued losses Bits + chips | Dec 3, 15:01 Flexible PCB (FPCB) maker Uniflex Technology will see losses this year because orders have dropped 50% in the fourth quarter. In response the company... Read more | | DRAM makers' November sales expected to plunge on production cuts and sliding quotes Bits + chips | Dec 3, 11:20 Major DRAM makers Nanya Technology, Powerchip Semiconductor Corporation (PSC) and ProMOS Technologies are estimated to post revenue drops of 40-50% sequentially... Read more | IC designers to cut sales targets to reflect difficult times Bits + chips | Dec 3, 10:54 After Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) lowered its fourth-quarter financial forecast, the market is speculating that Intel will also... Read more | | Toshiba informs TSMC and UMC of delay in MEMS project, sources claim Bits + chips | Dec 3, 01:05 Toshiba has told Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) that it will delay a plan to produce... Read more | More players in packaging and testing sector may lower 4Q forecasts Bits + chips | Dec 3, 01:00 With Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) lowering its fourth-quarter guidance closely on the heels of a grimmer outlook offered by Taiwan Semiconductor... Read more | | Inventec Appliances to shift focus on CDMA handsets, targeting China market Telecom | Dec 3, 12:21 Inventec Appliances, the Taiwan-based vendor of OKWAP-branded handsets, will shift its focus on the development and marketing of CDMA 2000 models instead... Read more |
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Systems | Asustek subsidiaries AzureWave and TwinHan to merge via share swap Newswatch | Dec 3, 14:40 | | | | | Taiwan digital camera makers may share 60% of 2009 global shipments, paper says Newswatch | Dec 3, 11:37 | | | | | 4Q HDD shipments to be flat or down, says iSuppli Dec 3, 10:04 | | | | |
Displays | LED leadframe maker I-Chiun sees 48% drop in November revenues Stockwatch | Dec 3, 17:00 | | | | | LED chipmaker Epistar's November revenues may drop 25%, says paper Newswatch | Dec 3, 16:10 | | | | | Taiwan market: Sharp joins Sony in LCD TV price war Dec 3, 16:03 | | | | | Toshiba to double LCD TV outsourcing to Taiwan in 2009, says paper Newswatch | Dec 3, 15:22 | | | | |
Bits + chips | Driver IC maker Macroblock to ship LED lighting applications next year, says paper Newswatch | Dec 3, 15:33 | | | | | Hynix announces development of 2Gb mobile DRAM Dec 3, 15:20 | | | | | MPI high-end probe cards receive validation from first-tier companies, says paper Newswatch | Dec 3, 14:44 | | | | | Winbond executes second-round capacity cut for 2008 Newswatch | Dec 3, 11:55 | | | | |
Telecom | China maker to launch Android Dream 2 handset soon, says report Newswatch | Dec 3, 17:10 | | | | | HTC announces acquisition of One & Co design firm Dec 3, 16:53 | | | | | Taiwan market: APBT breaks even two months ahead of schedule Dec 3, 14:16 | | | | | China market: Mobile communication service subscribers over 627 million in October 2008 Dec 3, 11:06 | | | | | Economic crisis spurs mobile device shipment contraction in 2009, iSuppli says Dec 3, 09:57 | | | |
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