Taiwan to Host Online Patent Auction in October
11735
A government-funded research institute in Taiwan has opened a Web site for an October fire sale of IT patents.
542523
(InfoWorld) - Thirteen companies have applied to bid for the right to build WiMax high-speed wireless Internet networks in Taiwan, an effort one group hopes to derail out of health concerns. The agency responsible for vetting applications, the National Communications Commission, said nine companies will vie for licenses in northern Taiwan, while 10 companies are competing for licenses in the south. Taiwan plans to pass out three licenses in each zone, for a total of six WiMax licenses island-wide. One group is not happy to see the auction process proceeding. Earlier this month, the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union petitioned the government to halt the WiMax licensing process until further health studies can be made on the impact of electromagnetic waves from cell phone and WiMax base stations. Their concern centers on the belief that the waves can cause cancer, but the group says it cannot prove such a link. Taiwan is one of just a handful of places globally that has already started the process of offering WiMax licenses. It's part of the island's M Taiwan initiative, to establish WiMax as a way for people to access the Internet, even in the most remote areas of the island. Part of the idea is also to boost Taiwanese companies with domestic orders for WiMax gear, by promoting the technology. The island's three largest mobile phone service providers have all applied for WiMax licenses. Chunghwa Telecom Co. Ltd., the biggest phone company in Taiwan, applied to bid for licenses in both the north and south of Taiwan, as did Far Eastone Telecom Co. Ltd. and a subsidiary of Taiwan Mobile Co. Ltd. WiMax base stations can send broadband Internet signals to far greater distances than the Wi-Fi technology used to deliver wireless Internet access in coffee shops and airports. Although estimates vary on how far WiMax signals can go, in a densely populated place such as Taiwan, the distance should be between 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) and 4 km. Â
515472
NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO  - Top online auctioneer  eBay Inc  said on Wednesday it would appeal a U.S.  court ruling in a patent dispute with MercExchange LLC.
358197
Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry will consider company's open-source desktop suite for future bids.
631925
(InfoWorld) - Shares of Taiwan's Quanta Computer soared early Tuesday after the island's two largest financial daily newspapers said the company had won orders forÂ Apple iPhones. Quanta, the world's largest contract laptop PC manufacturer, will start making iPhones in September on an initial order for 5 million handsets, the Chinese-language Commercial Times and Economic Daily News both reported on Tuesday, without citing sources. In a statement, Quanta said that while it is taking measures to win new orders and increase business, it declined to comment on the reports because agreements with customers are confidential. A source at Quanta said the company has not won orders for the iPhone yet, but that the company is vigorously competing for such orders. Investors in Taiwan piled into Quanta stock early in the day, sending shares up to NT$51.8 (US$1.56) each at the open. But the price drifted lower throughout the day as investment banks and analysts speculated on whether or not the newspaper reports were accurate. The ticker ended the day at NT$50.8, up just NT$0.2. Speculation around the issue and the fact that it would move stocks so much show how much excitement there is about the upcoming Apple product. Despite some complaints such as the high price for the handset and having only one option for mobile phone service, Cingular Wireless/AT&T Wireless, many expect it to be a hit. The iPhone debuts in June. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer, is believed to be the main manufacturer for the iPhone. The company does not comment on customer orders. Knowledge of the company's work making iPod digital music players for Apple came to light last June, after U.K. newspaper, the Mail On Sunday, reported long hours and little pay for production line workers at Hon Hai iPod factories in China. Apple responded by sending a team to investigate the claims. ItÂ found the factories mostly complied with Apple rulesÂ for its manufacturing partners. But it asked Hon Hai to remedy a few issues, including living conditions at some worker dormitories and improved transportation for workers. Â
449850
EBay Inc.  on Tuesday  confirmed it is forming a joint venture with Chinese partner  Tom Online (8282.HK) as the U.S. Web auction giant  switches strategies for tapping the promising China market  where it has so far struggled.
601127
Taiwan's largest airline plans to sign a deal tomorrow that clears the way for the Connexion by Boeing in-flight Internet service to be offered on one Boeing 747-400 aircraft that flies between Taiwan and North America.
371972
(InfoWorld) - Chinese companies will be welcome to exhibit at Taiwan's annual Computex IT next year, the show's organizers said Saturday. The announcement came as organizers revealed a 10 percent increase in the number of foreign visitors at this year's show compared to last year. About 33,000 visitors from overseas attended this year's fair versus 30,275 last year, said Walter Yeh, executive vice president of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, at a Taipei news conference held as the fair ended its five-day run. Local visitor numbers saw a more modest increase from 100,177 last year to around 103,000 this year, he said. Both figures were a little above organizer targets. The rise in visitor numbers is impressive given the weather that Taipei has been experiencing this week. The usually hot and humid weather seen during early June was replaced this year by day after day of torrential rain that has caused deadly landslides elsewhere on the island. "We will make good arrangements with heaven," Yeh said of Computex 2008. Next year's show will see exhibitors split between the four exhibition halls that currently house the expo and a new center some distance away. Organizers hope to arrange shuttle buses to take people between the sites and estimate it will take 15 minutes -- a possibly optimistic goal given anecdotal journey times this week of around 30 minutes. The organizers are yet to decide how they will split the show but promise the new space will mean next year's show will see around 4,500 booths versus the 2,926 at Computex 2007. Yeh said the show this year had waiting list about 500 companies long, so Computex 2008 should not only mean they are welcome but will also signal the opening of the show's doors to companies from China. Until now, Chinese companies have not been welcome at the Taiwanese show due to space issues, said Yeh. "We don't have enough space, but next year, we will have space," he said. "Some of their best manufacturers can be here, we will welcome them." Yeh added he is confident that Chinese companies will appear at Computex 2008. China and Taiwan separated in 1949 during a civil war between the Nationalist army of Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces of Mao Zedong. The two sides never reconciled, and China has repeatedly threatened to attack Taiwan if the island formally declares independence from the mainland.
301859
The chairman of the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer, which assembles gadgets from AppleÂ iPods to Nintendo's Wii game console, pledged NT$15 billion (US$454.4 million) to Taiwan's most prestigious university to build a new cancer ward and fund research against the disease.
206350
Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba.com is making final preparations for an initial public offering of shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange, set for Nov. 6. But most of the proceeds will go to existing shareholders rather than into the company&#39;s coffers to fund future acquisitions and other plans.Alibaba&#39;s prospectus said the listing price would be set within a range between HK$12 (US$1.55) to HK$13.50 per share. While the final pricing has not yet been announced, Dow Jones Newswires reported that the listing price had been set at the very top of that range.Nearly 859 million shares -- accounting for 17 percent of Alibaba&#39;s shares -- will be offered during the IPO, including 227 million shares owned by the company. The balance of the shares on offer are held by existing shareholders.&#160;The IPO&#160;attracted US$150 billion in orders from institutional investors and HK$453 billion in orders from individuals, making it &quot;the biggest offering in Hong Kong&#39;s IPO history,&quot; according to the Dow Jones report.Out of the HK$11.6 billion expected to be raised during the IPO about HK$3 billion (US$387 million) will go to Alibaba, which plans to use most of the money for acquisitions and to develop new technologies.Alibaba is one of China&#39;s oldest and most successful Internet companies, running a business-to-business trading portal under the Alibaba.com name, an online payment service, and China&#39;s most popular auction site, called Taobao.com. But while other Chinese Internet companies cashed in on investor enthusiasm for Internet stocks and China&#39;s growing market with listings in Hong Kong and New York, Alibaba -- which generated 73 percent of its revenue from outside China during the first half of 2007 -- remained privately held.A 2005 deal with Yahoo took some pressure off Alibaba to go public.&#160;Yahoo invested US$1 billion in Alibaba&#160;in return for a 40 percent stake in the company, and transferred control of its Chinese operations to Alibaba. Approximately $750 million of the proceeds from that deal went to shareholders, allowing early investors in the company to take a return on their investments.Yahoo&#39;s investment in Alibaba will likely increase, with the company expected to invest a further US$100 million through the IPO.&#160;
613632
(InfoWorld) - Earlier this year, members of Chinese and Taiwanese IT associations announced broad plans to work together to jointly develop and promote Linux as well as home-grown standards for certain IT components. The idea is to match Taiwanâs technology prowess with Chinaâs huge number of users as a base for a global Linux putsch, and to create new standards to compete with global initiatives from Blu-ray to CDMA (Code Division Mutliple Access). At an IT trade show in Shanghai, IDG News Service (IDGNS) caught up with Roger Liao, deputy director of international affairs at one of Taiwanâs biggest industry groups, the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturersâ Association (TEEMA), to discuss progress on both fronts, in addition to other IT developments in China. IDG News Service: How is work on Linux progressing? Whatâs popular and whatâs not in Taiwan and China? Liao: It really depends on what kind of product youâre talking about. For example, China really wants to promote Linux as an OS, because itâs more stable. But Microsoft is by far the more popular OS here because people are used to it and it has a larger market share. Microsoftâs recent deal with Novell is another aspect thatâs very interesting, but itâs too early to say how that will affect Linux development and usage in China. Linux is still mostly used in servers and as embedded software in China and Taiwan. A number of Taiwanese companies have opened Linux development centers in China for embedded software development. Although Chinese engineers are less experienced, they are not expensive to hire, and they learn quickly. Even we (TEEMA) use Chinese engineers for all of our software needs, but thatâs mostly our Web site and e-commerce platform. IDGNS: What about the development of new technology standards? Weâve heard a lot about meetings between Taiwanese and Chinese IT associations to create new global technology standards. Whatâs been accomplished so far? Liao: Thereâs not a lot going on so far, just a lot of talking. Developing standards is very difficult, itâs actually a very political issue. Itâs something we (Taiwan-China) always talk about â we even held discussions at the recent APEC meeting (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Hanoi, Nov. 18,19) â but nothing concrete has come from these discussions. Most of our members are manufacturers, contract manufacturers, so they normally wait and see what standard wins out, and then embrace the winner. Thatâs the way itâs been for years, and I donât see it changing anytime soon. IDGNS: Speaking of manufacturing, is the growth of China really hurting Taiwanese manufacturers? Liao: A lot of Taiwanese companies are already using China as a manufacturing base, so theyâre taking advantage of the low costs. But the other issue is quality. Even Chinese companies that are making components on their own, well their quality isnât as good as Taiwan. There are also more risks in doing business with China. Chinese companies will always say âcan doâ even if they canât, which is a problem if your business depends on their delivery. So overall, it may be less expensive on the surface, but other problems such as low quality and business risk in China can increase expenses over the long run, and then it doesnât seem so cheap anymore. Taiwan has been involved in international business for years, particularly in IT. China is rather new to the game, and they still have a lot to learn. Taiwan is actually the best partner for foreigners to approach using China as a manufacturing base and as a market. Japanese companies tend to prefer partnering with Taiwanese companies when entering China. They take advantage of Taiwanâs long experience in China as well as better communication skills (Mandarin is spoken in both Taiwan and China). Itâs more difficult for Japanese companies to do it on their own, the costs are much higher. They definitely can do it, but there is a learning curve and itâs expensive to climb. Taiwan still has a big advantage in know-how, the knowledge of the local people, the education, and the experience with international business practices and standards. (Liao was in Shanghai for a major electronics trade show in China, a three-in-one combo; the China Electronics Fair (CEF Shanghai 2006), Asia Electronics Exhibition in Shanghai (AAES 2006), and the 2006 International Electronics Expo (IEE Shanghai 2006).ADVERTISEMENTNEW IT SERVICES FROM IBM: EASIER TO BUY AND IMPLEMENTDiscover a simpler, more cost-effective way to get the solutions your company needs to grow more flexible and efficient.
85376
(InfoWorld) - Some of Taiwan's DRAM makers have reported record monthly sales for August, highlighting an increase in DRAM prices that could continue in the months ahead. The higher prices are unlikely to affectÂ PC pricesÂ thanks to the stiff competition among system vendors and makers of other types of components, such as microprocessors. But users who want some extra DRAM for their PCs could find themselves handing over a bit more money than before. Nanya Technology, Powerchip Semiconductor, and ProMOS Technologies all reported record sales for August this week. The higher sales stem partly from an increase in PC sales in some parts of the world. That increase drives up prices for DRAM, since most of the chips -- around three quarters of the global supply -- end up in PCs. Analysts say PC demand could stay robust for the next several months, as back-to-school demand and holiday demand are followed by the launch of Microsoft's new operating system, Vista. That could keep prices for DRAM high. The spot price Tuesday for the most widely used DRAM, 512Mb DDR2 (double data rate, second generation) chips, is around US$6.00, according to DRAMeXchange Technology. Crystal Lee, a memory chip industry analyst at ABN AMRO AsiaÂ in Taipei, forecasts that prices for the chips will remain at or near that level in coming months. Powerchip and ProMOS have been improving their ability to make chips using 90-nanometer production technology, which allows companies to make chips that are smaller, more powerful and more energy efficient. It can also help them reduce costs, because making smaller chips allows their production lines to churn out more chips using the same raw materials. Nanya's sales for August rose 32 percent to NT$6.62 billion, a new all-time high for the chip maker, the company said Tuesday. A day earlier, Powerchip Semiconductor said its sales for August rose to NT$8.03 billion (US$245 million), up from NT$4.45 billion in the same month last year. The figure was also 14 percent higher than July, due to higher prices for the chips and increased output at factories. It was the company's fifth straight historical high. ProMOS's sales hit NT$6.01 billion last month, up from NT$2.53 billion during the same time a year ago, and 15 percent higher than July. "DRAM contract and spot prices continued to rise last month, but we also benefitted from our 90 nanometer process," said Ben Tseng, spokesman for ProMOS.
282157
(InfoWorld) - Taipei may have to rethink its China investment policies in the wake of an offer by a foreign group to buy the world's largest chip assembly company, Taiwan's Advanced Semiconductor EngineeringÂ (ASE). Part of the attraction of the deal is that by changing ownership, the company would cease to be Taiwanese, and therefore be allowed to invest in China as it pleases, pundits say. The trouble for many Taiwanese chip makers in recent years has been the tight leash Taipei keeps on technology investment bound for political rival China. Taiwan and China remain enemies after splitting in 1949 amid civil war. The island fears China could use chip technology to bolster its military capabilities against Taiwan. Despite the strained relationship and tough investment rules, China remains by far the favored destination for Taiwanese investment due to their shared language and culture, and China's lower costs and huge potential market. The deal for ASE, a $5.5 billion offer from a consortium led by the private equity firm Carlyle Group, would be a huge positive for ASE, transforming it into a foreign entity and allowing it to build chip assembly plants in China, according to Fubon Securities. Currently, ASE has no chip assembly investments in China, despite the fact that earlier this year Taipei gave a green light to chip makers to invest in low-end chip assembly. Despite the apparent opening, not a single application has been approved by Taipei, and companies remain unsure of how to proceed with such investment. Analysts argue that the approval process remains very much subject to politics in Taiwan, due mainly to the rivalry with China. A foreign takeover such as the one Carlyle and ASE are discussing would remove such political pressures and put China investments on the fast track. Indeed, theÂ embattled former chairmanÂ of chip foundry giant United Microelectronics, Robert Tsao, was quoted by local media as saying the possibility of such buy-outs excited him, and that UMC would welcome similar offers. Tsao is a prime example of the difficulties Taiwanese tech companies and executives face when investing in China. He and another key UMC executiveÂ resigned early this yearÂ after beingÂ indicted by Taiwanese prosecutorsÂ over their alleged role in the establishment of Chinese chip maker, He Jian Technology (Suzhou). The court case is still being heard. The government began investigating UMC over He Jian a few years ago, and fined UMC for failing to apply for permission to work with He Jian. Taipei has also leveled fines on UMC and He Jian executives. Tsao and his colleagues maintain that they have done nothing wrong. For its part, the government plans to review the possible ASE deal over its potential impact on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, since the company would likely be de-listed if it is purchased by Carlyle. Economics Minister Chen Ruey-long on Monday said Taipei needs to keep on top of the issue in case it becomes a trend, because such purchases could have long term effects on the economic development of the island. The review has nothing to do with China policy, he said.
85458
Electric Power Development Co., a former state-run utility, said Friday it is planning an initial public offering on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in October, a deal that could be the country's biggest new stock listing in six years.
328189
(InfoWorld) - Taiwan Mobile Co. Ltd. and MasterCard International Inc. have already started testing a mobile phone payment system in Taiwan, but competition to lure users will catch fire when the mobile phone operator's larger rival opens its trials with Visa. Testing by Taiwan Mobile and MasterCard is already underway, with 100 users carrying Nokia Corp.'s 3220 model handsets armed with the MasterCard PayPass wireless payment system on board, the operator said Thursday. The goal is to arm mobile phone users on the island with the ability to use their handsets for payments on small items. The Nokia mobile phones use Near Field Communication (NFC) technology for transactions, MasterCard said in a statement. The companies are also testing E-Coupons sent to mobile phone users, which can be used when making purchases. The companies have teamed up with Taipei Fubon Bank, and hope to expand the service later this year. Taiwan's largest mobile phone service provider, Chunghwa Telecom Co. Ltd, also plans to start testing a separate mobile phone payment system soon. The company has already signed on with the Visa International Service Association and Cathay Financial Holding Company on a system designed for small payments. The companies will offer users a choice of the CHT9000 or CHT9001 business handsets made by High Tech Computer Corp. for wireless payments, and limit the amount of transactions to NT$3,000 (US$90.88). On Thursday, Visa International Service Association and SK Telecom Inc. announced plans to introduce a mobile payment system using universal Subscriber Identification Module (USIM) cards for 3G (third-generation) mobile phones users in South Korea. Â
372784
It has been hanging in the air for sometime now. Back in September 2006 the rumor circus already pointed at Tom online as the likely candidate and it&#8217;s now decided. From Reuters EBaysaid it will fold its China business, acquired when it purchased local auction site EachNet for $180 million (91 million pounds), into a venture with [...]
689140
EBay Inc. and Taiwanese portal operator PCHome Online Inc. announced their newÂ joint venture Web auction siteÂ on Wednesday, an effort aimed at competing with market leader Yahoo Taiwan Inc.ADVERTISEMENTMAKE SOA REAL WITH IBM WEBSPHERE PODCASTStreamline processes and maximize efficiency within a proven service oriented architecture. Take back control of your business processes with IBM WebSphere.