Taiwanese Troops Behind Apple’s iPad

Apple Inc. ascertained in early March that its new tablet device iPad will go on sale in US stores on the first Saturday in April and in other countries after few weeks. Behind this fascinating device a group of Taiwan-based manufacturers plays the role to back up Apple’s innovative idea, even though the company as always mutes on questions with regard to its tight parts suppliers

People familiar with the giant say main suppliers for iPad likely include Foxconn International Holdings Ltd., the trade name of the Taiwan-based firm Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the largest manufacturer of electronics and computer components worldwide by revenue; Wintek Corporation, small- to medium-size LCD panel maker headquartered in the central city of Taichung, and etc.

Supported by the powerful manufacturing forces, Apple provides more services beyond comparison just to differentiate itself from competitors who focus on process cost-down. As stated by David Yoffie, a professor of HarvardBusinessSchool, Apple’s decision to outsource all manufacturing and to incorporate as many industry-standard components as possible has been a key driver of its profitability.

In early February, the largest solar boat in Asia made its shiny debut on the Love River, Kaohsiung. The solar tourist boat makes its appeal to environmental friendliness by replacing petrol with solar energy and the reducing energy consumption up to 3/4 of the conventional petrol-driven boats.

The solar boat can carry 36 passengers and feature no pollution and low noise. The PV modules that are installed on the boat's roof provide an additional 25% energy saving on an average sunny day. According to Kwo-Tsai Wang, Director-general of Transportation Bureau, Kaohsiung City, the sunshine hour in Kaohsiung is up to 2,072 hours per year. After 9-hour sunlight exposure, the boat can cruise over 9 hours with its six full-charged ecological lithium batteries.

Although the solar boat costs 7.47 million NTD, it also saves Kaohsiung City Government 30 thousand NTD for petrol per month. Kaohsiung government has decided to invest 37 million NTD to build five solar boats and phase out the conventional boats. Featuring power-saving and environment-friendly, the solar boat presents one of the best example that combines photovoltaic technology and application.

FIG.1 The tourist solar boat features no pollution and energy-saving

Courtesy: PIDA

The Executive Yuan recently approved a Patent Act revision designed to stimulate R&D and meet the needs of Taiwan's industries. The revision contains new provisions that will boost the development of the green energy, biotechnology, and high-end agriculture industries to bring Taiwan’s patent in line with international norms.

The revision includes:

-General Opening of Plant and Animal Patents
-Clarification of the Scope of Patent Right
-More Comprehensive Compulsory Licensing Mechanism
-Expansion of Grace Period and the Scope of Design Patents
-Enhanced Protection of Patent Rights

The intellectual property office of Taiwan (IPO) indicates that this revision symbolizes a major reform of Taiwan's patent system. And TIPO will do its best to promote and to acknowledge people with this new patent act.

In response to TIPO's action and to help the Taiwan Photonics Industry train its own patent specialists, PIDA has worked with TIPO since 2008 to hold patent seminar for the industry. The latest patent seminar "Fundamental IPR Knowledge" will be held from April 10th to 24th, which includes the topics such as: 1. Patent Laws , 2. Trademark Laws , 3. Copyright Laws and Case Studies, 4. Trade Secrets Act and Related IP Issues, 5. IPR Contracts, 6. International IP Conventions and Development Trends, and 7. Intellectual Property Case Adjudication Act.

For more information, please visit PIDA's website at
http ://www.pida.org.tw