Search

Points out that asset reuse, cost-cutting, outsourcing to Asia and consolidation in the Electronics Manufacturing Service (EMS) business are expanding the list of challenges for Agilent Technologies. Challenge on how to continue to service customers, specially when EMS companies have consolidated their production lines, grown bigger and are more demanding in terms of service and advanced equipment. INSET: FINANCIAL WELLBEING.

Presents news related to software and semiconductor industries in Asia as of July 2004. Flextronics International's purchase of 55% share of Hughes Software Systems Ltd.; Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corp.'s partnership with Korean System Integration and Intellectual Property Authoring Center to create a semiconductor intellectual property exchange platform.

Points out that surging domestic and overseas demand for electronics equipment is expected to transform China's semiconductor industry into a $42 billion market by 2006. Combination of favorable government policies and tremendous surge in foreign investment; Plans to ramp up integrated circuit-making facilities; Initial public offerings to fuel the ramp up.

Reports on developments related to electrical engineering in Asia as of February 2004. Worldwide shortage of flat-screen monitors; Change in the focus of TCL International Holdings; Plan of Sharp to build successive large-LCD factories.

Reports on the expected increase of text messages to be sent by mobile telephone users in China in 2004. Benefit of the increase for the operators; Number of short messages to be handled by the two mobile telecommunications operators; Implications of the growth for the customers.

Reports on Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.'s decision to move its core liquid crystal display operations in South Korea. Construction of a seventh-generation fabrication plant; Reason for bypassing six-generation plant.

Reports on the growth of Internet-access revenues in China in 2003. Increase in broadband connections; Projected Internet and broadband access revenues in Asia by 2008.

Reports Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s' announcement that China-based computer maker Lenovo Group Ltd. will use its chips for a line of desktop personal computers. Terms and conditions of the deal.

Reports on Japan-based Elpida Memory Inc.'s plan to build a large-scale advanced memory chip plant. Aim to catch up with industry leaders; Budget allocated for the project.

Reports on an investment to be made by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) in an assembly and test facility for microprocessors in Suzhou, China. Company's other plant for packaging flash memory chips; Number of employees; Company's plan to open an engineering design center in Bangalore, India in July 2004; Indian plant's contribution to the design of AMD microprocessors.

Presents news briefs relating to telecommunication and electronics companies in the Asian region, compiled as of June 2004. Sony Corp.'s joint development with Toppan Printing Co. of a paper disc that holds more data than a digital videodisc (DVD); Chinese semiconductor company Green Mountain Integrated's plan to set up an eight-inch wafer facility in Nantong, Jiangsu Province in China; Toshiba Corp.'s budget for displays and semiconductor devices to help make up for its personal computer (PC) business.

Reports that Hewlett-Packard (HP) has beaten Asian market leader Lenovo in terms of total Asian personal computer (PC) sales in the first quarter of 2004. Number of computers shipped by the two companies; Market shares of other vendors such as IBM Corp., Dell and Samsung Electronics; Lenovo's market share in China; Increase in PC sales in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan.

Reports on a handset joint venture formed by China-based TCL Corp. and France's Alcatel in April 2004. Alcatel's placement of its mobile phone production business with TCL; Alcatel's efforts to reduce its exposure to the mobile phone business, where it has been losing money and market share to Asian competitors; Right of TCL to buy Alcatel's stake; Deal's opening of the way for Alcatel's eventual withdrawal from the handset business; Alcatel's focus on building telecommunications equipment for carriers and commercial businesses.

Reports that German firm Siemens AG will partner with Chinese handset manufacturer Ningbo Bird to develop and market mobile handsets in China. Development of mobile phones to be sold under the Bird brand; Siemens' supply of the chipsets and platforms; Access to be gained by Siemens to Bird's outlets throughout China; Bird's use of Siemens' wireless modules for its phones; Entry into the major growth market of smaller cities and counties.

Presents news briefs relating to the Asian electronics industry, compiled as of June 2004. Samsung's goal of making a percentage of its output in China in 2004; Investment to be made by Canon to build a high-end copier plant in Japan; Joint venture called Eudyna Devices launched by Fujitsu and Sumitomo Electric Industries to make compound semiconductors used for home appliances.

Reports on the decision of Intel Corp. to stop selling its widely used Centrino Wifi chip package in China. Need for using a Chinese encryption software by overseas makers trying to sell wireless communication devices; Deadline for compliance in the use of Wapi; Factor affecting the delay of laptop computer purchases of consumers.

Reports on the plan of Matsushita Electric Industrial to shift production from Japan to China. Cuts in sales and production subsidiaries.

Reports that makers of handset components in Taiwan are struggling to supply big mobile phone companies with colour displays and camera lenses. Parts shortage problems of Motorola, Nokia and Siemens.