Acer’s Everywhere. How Did That Happen?(nytimes.com)
nytimes.com
Acer’s Everywhere. How Did That Happen?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/28/technology/companies/28acer.html?_r=1&ref=technology
4 comments
Easy. It's not just Acer, it is Asus and MSI and possibly many more to come. And its not because they're doing something exceptional. The business of PC building has changed to their advantage because of two (harshly worded) trends:
1. Computers, even laptops, become commoditized and don't require much of R&D to design and produce.
2. The majority of PC sales are consumers' who, unlike business customers, prefer cheap disposable junk, hence there isn't a single 24-bit true-color laptop available to buy these days: they're all gone. (which makes me wonder: what is the point of these high-tech digital SLRs?)
Don't bring the Apple argument: their success rests on value-add services/software that just happen to run well on in-house hardware.
P.S. Suddenly, IBM's decision to sell off PC business several years ago looks even more impressive.
1. Computers, even laptops, become commoditized and don't require much of R&D to design and produce.
2. The majority of PC sales are consumers' who, unlike business customers, prefer cheap disposable junk, hence there isn't a single 24-bit true-color laptop available to buy these days: they're all gone. (which makes me wonder: what is the point of these high-tech digital SLRs?)
Don't bring the Apple argument: their success rests on value-add services/software that just happen to run well on in-house hardware.
P.S. Suddenly, IBM's decision to sell off PC business several years ago looks even more impressive.
IBM's decision to sell off the Thinkpad business was a good one. They must have learned it from the commidification of their other businesses like the Hard Disk business.
The margin of Acer is 2%. That is really really low. IBM margins in services must be in 20s.
The margin of Acer is 2%. That is really really low. IBM margins in services must be in 20s.
Yup. IBM has an operating margin of 17% according to Yahoo.
> isn't a single 24-bit true-color laptop available to buy these days: they're all gone. (which makes me wonder: what is the point of these high-tech digital SLRs?)
It's not just laptops - find a decent display for a desktop.
According to a Pixar presentation that I saw a couple of years ago, the disappearance of decent CRTs was a big concern for them.
It's not just laptops - find a decent display for a desktop.
According to a Pixar presentation that I saw a couple of years ago, the disappearance of decent CRTs was a big concern for them.
Acer was already everywhere, just branded under another company's logo.
Acer, Asus, MSI, LG, Levono, HTC were OEMs for popular brands who decided to strike off on their own.
Acer, Asus, MSI, LG, Levono, HTC were OEMs for popular brands who decided to strike off on their own.
You sure about LG and Lenovo?
Lenovo were the OEMs for IBM's Thinkpads. LG still makes monitors for Dell, hard drives that are rebadged and I'm not sure of what else (they are a huge conglomerate)
LG was never an ODM (sic). And they don't manufacture hard drives. Sure, they manufacture displays but so do Sharp and Philips. Also, I was under the impression that Lenovo merely acquired IBM's PC business. All the other companies are ODMs though.
Lenovo had been the manufacturer for the PC business for some years before they bought it entirely.
I don't think the comment you're replying to claims that LG was the only manufacturer of displays, just that it has manufactured displays badged with other brands (and perhaps still does) and recently started selling them under its own name (perhaps as well, rather than instead).
I don't think the comment you're replying to claims that LG was the only manufacturer of displays, just that it has manufactured displays badged with other brands (and perhaps still does) and recently started selling them under its own name (perhaps as well, rather than instead).
I apologize, it is ODM and not OEM.
LG does manufactures portable hard drives and has a partnership with Hitachi to manufacture internal hds. ( http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/21/lg-reveals-xd1-family-of-... )
Here is a list of Dell displays with their respective manufacturers, including LG/Philips ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_monitors )
LG does manufactures portable hard drives and has a partnership with Hitachi to manufacture internal hds. ( http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/21/lg-reveals-xd1-family-of-... )
Here is a list of Dell displays with their respective manufacturers, including LG/Philips ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_monitors )
The heading/article should rather be:
Intel’s Everywhere. How Did That Happen? (nytimes.com)
And it suddenly becomes obvious: you need a case for the chips, preferably with the least margin possible for .tw - Quoting Otellini is not an accident. Those who had the doublethought of going ARM/MIPS are suffering hard.
Intel’s Everywhere. How Did That Happen? (nytimes.com)
And it suddenly becomes obvious: you need a case for the chips, preferably with the least margin possible for .tw - Quoting Otellini is not an accident. Those who had the doublethought of going ARM/MIPS are suffering hard.
Sorry to be off-topic, but can any language-nerd explain why the apostrophe is appropriate here? Is it short for "Acer is everywhere"?
One can only assume so, because that's the only way it is correct. Not sure why it isn't just written out to remove the awkwardness.
I was so intrigued by this title that I went out to buy their style guide (I've been wanting to read it for a while), but I couldn't find it in-store. I'm really interested to see what they say about apostrophies, because they seem to use them pretty liberally (eg. CEO's even when not plural).
It's such a typical distracted and convoluted main stream news that after reading the article my brain was like a messed up Rubik's Cube and I had to twist much just to summarize only two points:
* Aggressive investment in Netbook, which is supposed to be disruptive innovation. This is fine.
* Acer is free to choose low cost parts for its laptop -- this is considerably fluffier as if its competitors are doing (trying to do) the same.
Anyone else has a better idea?