News
SAN JOSE, CA – The Semiconductor Industry Association released a letter signed by more than 70 business, higher education and scientific leaders, including 14 executives from the semiconductor industry, to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH).
The letter urges House leaders to support the Senate-passed funding levels for science and engineering research in the fiscal year 2008 supplemental appropriations bill currently under consideration.
A similar letter was sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
“The FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act came up woefully short of the funding commitments made by Congress and the Administration in the Democratic Innovation Agenda and the American Competitiveness Initiative,” says the letter. “Now is the time to invest in America’s competitive future and prevent further backsliding.”
The Senate-passed version of the supplemental appropriations bill includes $300 million for agencies that sponsor basic science and engineering research at U.S. universities: $200 million for the National Science Foundation and $100 million for the Office of Science in the Department of Energy.
TAO YUAN SHIEN, TAIWAN – The largest contract laptop maker in the world, Quanta Computer Inc., said global notebook PC shipments are expected to increase 25% in 2008, as consumer demand remains strong.
Global low-cost notebook shipments will reach about 10 million this year, as the demand for the 8-10" Netbook market grows, says the firm.
The company’s co-founder and vice chairman C.C. Leung said in a statement he expects global notebook shipments to hit 130 million units this year.
Quanta’s sales are expected to rise more than 20% in the last two quarters of 2008, compared to 2007. The company expects to ship 40 million notebook units, compared to 32 million last year.
Quanta’s second-quarter results have not yet been released.
TAIPEI — Taiwan's Acer Inc. said its sales are expected to increase more than 50% in 2008, raising its previous forecast as a result of demand for smaller, cheaper laptops.
"The notebook market is growing for at least the next two to three years, and with the entry of new mobile Internet devices, the market can easily double in size, changing the profile of the industry dramatically," Acer president Gianfranco Lanci said, according to published reports.
"I think all the major PC brands are getting ready to face the change and to manage the change," said Lanci.
Lanci believes Acer could have 16 to 18% of the global PC market by yearend, as the company continues to compete with Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard and Dell Inc.
The company expects to sell 6 to 7 million units of its Aspire One in 2008, and 15 to 20 million units in 2009.
