佳能東芝聯手 2010年奪最高市場份額

佳能東芝聯手 2010年奪最高市場份額
Nikkei Electronics
2004/09/16
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　　【日經BP社報道】 “雖說SED面板的正式量產時間是2007年，確實比較晚，但我不在乎。因為SED面板的性價比已經超過液晶面板和PDP。本公司的數位彩色影印機和數位相機儘管起步都晚，但如今的地位已經非常穩固。此次也準備通過推出優秀產品奮起直追，希望2010年在大尺寸超薄電視面板領域取得全球最高的市場份額。即使大螢幕超薄電視，本公司與東芝也將登上榜首。”（佳能董事社長禦手洗富士夫）

圖1：雙方社長握手祝賀。東芝準備在2004年10月5日開幕的“2004年日本高新技術聯合展（CEATEC JAPAN 2004）”上展出SED電視樣機
　　佳能和東芝將於2004年10月成立一家名為“SED”的開發、生產和銷售電視SED面板的合資公司（見圖1）。這家合資公司將於2005年8月以月產僅3000枚的小規模開始量產50英寸SED面板，2007年開始正式量產。2007年底月產計劃為7萬5000枚（見圖1）。

　　正式量產時所生產的品種計劃為可顯示1080線的HDTV規格。作為畫面尺寸，雖說也將生產40英寸左右的產品，不過將以50英寸產品為主。 “最終將形成一個32英寸以下為液晶電視，更大的為SED電視的產品線”（東芝董事社長岡村正）。打個不恰當比喻，SED面板的結構就等於是有多少個像素就具有多少個電子槍（而每個CRT則只有一個）（見圖3）。因此佳能和東芝強調說在映像效果和耗電量等很多方面優於液晶面板和PDP（見圖4、5）。

佳能正在開發電視版DIGIC圖像處理晶片

　　在新聞發佈會上，記者集中就佳能的電視機戰略進行了提問。佳能社長禦手洗表示，“在家用電視產品方面，將利用在數位相機等領域中培育的銷售渠道展開商品行銷。將會跟新力和松下電器產業進行競爭”。為了做好跟這些可怕的對手競爭的準備，佳能表示：“SED電視準備自量產開始配備本公司開發的圖像處理晶片。該公司將可在本公司的SED電視中通用。”（禦手洗社長）這就是說該公司正在開發在數位相機中共同配備的電視版圖像處理晶片“DIGIC”。

　　東芝雖沒有明說，不過似乎準備在SED電視的圖像處理中使用正在與新力等公司聯手開發的微處理器“CELL”。東芝社長岡村在“2004年東京國際數字會議”上曾表示“CELL將主要配備於電視機和家用伺服器”。看來，CELL將與SED面板同時於2005年內開始量產。（記者：大槻智洋）

圖2： SED面板的開發藍圖。銷售目標是2007年達到每年300億日元（約合人民幣23億元），2010年達到每年2000億日元（約合人民幣153億元）。對於2010年來說，年產將達到300萬枚以上，力爭取得20～30%的全球市場份額，居全球首位。合資公司“雖說準備外銷SED面板，不過由於優先考慮向佳能和東芝供貨，因此外銷將要等待一段時間以後。”（佳能社長禦手洗）


圖3：SED面板的基本結構


圖4：畫面尺寸基本相同的SED面板、液晶面板和PDP之比較


圖5：SED面板的耗電量為液晶面板的1/2～2/3，PDP的1/3～1/2

WiMAX發展 跳躍發展 搶占先機

跳躍發展 搶占先機

■ 記者 黃玉珍

繼行政院端出WiMAX發展藍圖，揭示政府發展無線寬頻通訊產業的新方向之後，經濟部昨天更進一步以實際行動，和美商英特爾簽定在台合作發展WiMAX的協議。WiMAX究竟有何魅力 可以讓政府「獨鍾此味」，列為重要的無線寬頻通訊技術選項。

我國無線通訊（Wireless LAN）產品的全球市佔率高達90%，不過，業者賺的大都是「代工」的錢，利潤並不高，因為過去業者切入動作太慢，或是不懂得「參與標準制訂就是搶得市場」的定律。直到最近政府和業界才感受參與標準建置及測試的重要性，二年前也才爭取安捷倫等業者來台設立Wifi實驗室。

但是，全球WiMAX市場仍處於待開墾的處女地，不只尚無標準，而且試驗場也很少。如果台灣能爭取在台設立WiMAX試驗場所，並及早參與國際標準的制訂，對我國掌握WiMAX技術及智財權將有極大助益，進軍全球WiMAX市場自然如虎添翼。

過去，我國無線通訊設備在全球市占率雖高，但是切入領域侷限在終端設備等方面，對利潤頗高的手機基地台等無線通訊設備市場，一直找不到著力點。而WiMAX仍屬萌芽期，如能提早掌握技術，台灣廠商有機會切入WiMAX的基地台市場，有助產業鏈的完整發展及提高附加價值。

政府推動M-Taiwan初期，曾有600萬寬頻到府的宏遠計畫，後來發現受限於最後一哩路，而困難重重。

種種因素相加，讓行政院科顧組、經濟部、交通部等單位會商後，決定採取「跳躍式的發展方式」，略過國際大廠已捷足先登的技術，而選擇還處於萌芽期的WiMAX，作為台灣發展無線寬頻通訊產業的重要技術選項。

【2005/10/18 經濟日報】

經部與英特爾簽約 推動WiMAX產業體系

經部與英特爾簽約 推動WiMAX產業體系

■ 記者黃玉珍、曹正芬／台北報導

經濟部和英特爾昨天合作推展WiMAX打造成行動台灣新世界，由經濟部長何美玥（左二）、政務委員林逢慶（左一）、英特爾執行副總裁暨行動事業群總經理馬宏昇（右二）、英特爾業務及行銷事業群副總裁暨亞太區總裁蔣安邦（右一）共同站台。
記者曾吉松／攝影

英特爾昨（17）日與經濟部簽約，合作推展WiMAX無線通訊環境，加速實現「行動台灣應用推動計畫（M-Tai-wan）」，將在2007年前建置10 個行動城市、15個無線應用示範區，推廣WiFi或WiMAX技術。最終目標是協助國內網通及電信業者進軍全球無線寬頻通訊市場，成就第三兆元通訊產業。

英特爾與經濟部在英特爾亞太科技論壇（IDF）首日宣布簽訂WiMAX合作協議，WiMAX是新一代廣域寬頻無線技術。這項協議在行政院政務委員林逢慶的見證下，由經濟部長何美玥及英特爾執行副總裁暨行動事業群總經理馬宏昇（Sean Maloney）代表簽署。林逢慶表示，未來四年政府預計投資370億元，落實M-Taiwan計畫，WiMAX是該計畫最重要的項目。

經濟部將推動、發展台灣WiMAX產業體系，積極開發台灣設計代工市場，終極目標為向全球電信市場提供高成本效益的WiMAX相關產品、設備與解決方案。經濟部也將負責協調台灣通訊頻譜之配置，並為WiMAX場測（Field Trial）提供資源與協助。

林逢慶表示，政府自2005年至2008年投資370億元展開M-Taiwan 計畫，其中一項工作是運用「行動台灣應用推動計畫」，在城市各角落佈建無線寬頻設施，WiMAX則是重點之一，寄望台灣能成為世界上規模最大的WiMAX 產業發展基地，取得WiMAX技術領先優勢。

何美玥表示，台灣過去科技產業發展以硬體為主，希望透過經濟部與英特爾合作，為台灣產業創造新機會，台灣不用在既有領域和既有競爭者流血競爭，而能跨越到另一領域，台灣不但提供WiMAX硬體，同時也能提供服務，WiMAX將是台灣科技產業轉型關鍵。

【2005/10/18 經濟日報】

Why your iPod will be out of date in a year

Why your iPod will be out of date in a year

MURDO MACLEOD AND WILLIAM LYONS

THAT new iPod nano may be impossibly slim and stylish but the sad truth is it's already obsolete. Even its bigger, video-playing brother - announced last week - will be old technology by the time it hits the shops next month.

For 2006 is to be the year of the Ultimate Gadget, when the phone, music player, camera, organiser, games machine, and pretty much everything apart from the kitchen sink, is crammed into one attractive, effective and easy-to-use package.

The consumer electronics industry is convinced we're tired of carrying two or three separate devices to deal with our entertainment and communication needs. The marketing gurus call the solution "convergence".

And while many modern mobile phones offer a bewildering array of functions none yet does them particularly well. But a series of recent developments have convinced technology-watchers we are on the verge of getting the electronic equivalent of a Swiss Army Knife:

• Tiny, high-capacity hard drives have been developed which allow thousands of songs and hours of high-quality video to be stored on devices no bigger than a mobile;

• South Korean firm Samsung has developed a tiny computer chip powerful enough to process numerous tasks simultaneously; and has also showcased mobiles containing hard disks;

• Software giant Microsoft is working on a mobile-based version of Windows that will handle a wide variety of jobs; and

• PalmOne already claims to have produced the ultimate gadget, the £400 Treo 650, a handheld computer that incorporates a camera but is likely to appeal more to gadget addicts than mainstream consumers.

Meanwhile, the firm that many would argue started it all, Sony, is not far from the action. Sony Ericsson will unveil its W800i Walkman Phone, which includes an organiser, camera, video camera and player, and music player, later this month.

Apple, the creators of the iPod, is refusing to give anything away but industry sources are convinced its iPod Video is just the beginning of the route to convergence.

Paul Harris, Professor of Screen Media at the University of Abertay, Dundee, said there is now a demand for an ultimate gadget, but it will have finally arrived when people no longer think of it as a gadget.

"It will become as essential as a kettle in the home," he said. "It will include a telephone, camera, texting, music store. It will allow you to download programmes and songs from anywhere."

Robert Strohmeyer, gadgets editor of the technology journal Wired, said: "As far as the ultimate convergence gadget is concerned, we are almost there. A series of new phones will come out in the next couple of months which will bring all the functions together."

He added: "One in particular, the Samsung i300, has a hard disk and, for song storage, it is up there with the iPod nano and iPod Mini, and it is a phone and organiser. We can expect convergence devices to become much more common about the end of 2006 onwards. But these devices need to be under £200 in order to become mainstream."

There is another important side to the development: style. Merely cramming features onto a Mars Bar-sized piece of electronics will not be enough to sell, according to experts.

Mainstream consumers, and especially women, have little interest in expensive gadgets which are anything other than completely intuitive.

The iPod's success among women has been shown by a huge increase in their numbers downloading music from the internet. New figures show that while in 2004 96% of downloads were bought by men, this year 31% of the customers are female as women have embraced the new technology.

Shane Greeves, executive creative director of marketing agency Future Brand, said: "The element of style is completely crucial. What Apple has pioneered with the iPod is the philosophy that products do not have to be big and chunky; they can be slim and elegant. One of the key factors that attracts women to iPods is its simplicity. Women don't like gadgets and they are technophobes. On a mobile all women want is an address and text and that is it."

Michael Parsons, the editor of the personal technology website Cnet.co.uk, said: "What Apple cracked with the iPod, was making it easy enough to use. Their Clickwheel on the front allowed the user to find one song among 4,000. There needs to be a similar advance in making gadgets easy to use in order to make a 'super gadget' popular among mainstream buyers."

But there are other challenges in the months and years ahead, among them developing batteries which are both small and high-capacity. Colour screens running video use up plenty of power, yet consumers will demand many hours' use between recharges.

Graham Whitehead, manager of future developments at BT Scotland, agrees the ultimate gadget is on its way, but questions whether its appeal will be universal. "Personally, I quite like having an iPod, which plays music and that is it.

"I like having a high-quality digital camera, which is a good camera and nothing else. If the ultimate device has to fit in a pocket, how big can the screen be? Will it be big enough for those of us who are getting on a bit?"

Changes in tech world almost too fast to follow

Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 12:00 AM

Permission to reprint or copy this article or photo must be obtained from The Seattle Times. Call 206-464-3113 or e-mail resale@seattletimes.com with your request.



Changes in tech world almost too fast to follow

By Brier Dudley
Seattle Times technology reporter

It's not another bubble, but wild times are back in the technology industry.

A massive shift has begun, and it's centered on Microsoft, as the company and its competitors reposition themselves — in some cases as partners — for the future.

That's created a wave of tech news this week that feels like the boom of 1999 viewed through a funhouse mirror: Apple rolls out video players, Google bids on America Online, Microsoft makes nice with RealNetworks and does deals with Yahoo!

Industry watchers say it's only the beginning. They expect the pace to continue through the fall as companies jockey for new positions. Microsoft is trying to be more like faster-moving Internet companies, and Internet companies are trying to be more like Microsoft — turning their Web sites into places where people spend the day working and playing, instead of a few minutes visiting.

"I would call it a flood of activity," said Friday Harbor technology commentator Mark Anderson. "That's what's so strange about it — there was nothing doing a month ago, and suddenly we're in full flood here."

Anderson said the driving force is high-speed Internet access. With fast connections finally becoming widespread, software, computers, advertising and entertainment are changing fast. That's creating new business opportunities — Google's recent litany of new initiatives is the best example — and forcing Microsoft to reach out to former rivals like Yahoo!, which already has a strong position in this connected world.

"There is a big change in the competitive landscape," said David Smith, an analyst with the Gartner technology research company. "It's all being driven by what I would call the emergence of the Internet platform."

This shift helps explain why Microsoft reorganized its business last month, Smith said. The company merged its MSN Web business with Windows and put a bigger emphasis on delivering services over the Internet, positioning the company to better compete with Google.

"What's at stake ultimately is their strong position in the industry," Smith said. "The world is changing, and they need to change with it or be left behind."

How it will shake out is anybody's guess. The rumor and speculation mill fired up in mid-September when word leaked that Microsoft was trying to link MSN with its nemesis, AOL, then it kicked into overdrive when Silicon Valley stalwart Sun Microsystems said it was working on technologies with Google.

It has made for good headlines, but it hasn't played well on Wall Street. Microsoft stock is down $2 over the past month, and tech stocks in general were down yesterday after concerns were raised about Intel and Apple sales.

"I think the partnerships are heading in the right direction. It just might take some time to see the tangible results for Microsoft," said Standard & Poor's analyst Jonathan Rudy.

Goldman Sachs analyst Rick Sherlund said Microsoft stock in particular may not be reflecting the action that's under way. Investors may be concerned about competition from Google, or that Microsoft won't catch this next wave.

"I do think that a lot of the roads do point back to Google here," Sherlund said. "Yahoo!, as well as Google, could be in a position to host some competing software as they already are beginning to do with e-mail, and calendaring and contacts are likely closely following."

As for all the rumors about AOL, Sun, Google and others, Rudy said, "it's getting to the point where it's a little ridiculous until something is announced."

"With so many different, disparate rumors going on," he said, "I don't know if anybody has a handle on what's going on."

In the meantime, here's a cheat sheet to help keep track of it all.

Apple and video

Apple's new video iPod was unveiled yesterday, but the $299-$399 device is just part of the story. Apple's trying to extend its leadership role in digital music into video on several fronts. The company upgraded its iTunes service to sell video content for $1.99 apiece. Disney's ABC is providing television shows, including the popular "Desperate Housewives." Lost in the hubbub was news that its iMac desktop computer is morphing into a home-entertainment center to play videos, and now comes with a TV-like remote control.

The Microsoft angle: Video is one place Apple is playing catch-up to Microsoft. Microsoft introduced a portable video player in 2003 and made a content deal with TiVo last January, but its device never caught on like the iPod. On the desktop front, Microsoft has a wide lead with its Media Center PC product, introduced in 2002. Microsoft is expected to announce an updated version and report better-than-expected sales tomorrow.

Yahoo! and MSN Messenger

Microsoft and Yahoo! announced yesterday that their instant-messaging services will now work together. They've been working toward "interoperability" for years, but competition from Google's new communication services apparently sped up the alliance.

The Microsoft angle: Microsoft wants its messaging platform to be used as widely as possible. It's part of a bigger effort to become a major player in communication as consumers and office workers increasingly use a blend of voice, e-mail and instant-messaging services to stay in touch. The Microsoft-Yahoo! alliance also places competitive pressure on market leader AOL.

Google-AOL

The Wall Street Journal yesterday reported that Google and Comcast have teamed up to make a "serious" bid for a stake in Time Warner's AOL service to align themselves with its Internet presence. Last month, the New York Post reported that Microsoft was negotiating to buy a stake in AOL.

The Microsoft angle: Although they used to compete fiercely, Microsoft and AOL have had a partnership since they reached a settlement in 2003 of a Time Warner antitrust suit against Microsoft. Microsoft would like AOL to use its new MSN Search technology instead of the Google system AOL now has. That could boost MSN Search and slow Google, which gets 12 percent of its sales from AOL. Cards on the table may include the MSN Internet-access business that Microsoft has tapered back and Microsoft software that Time Warner may be interested in, such as its television platform and copy-protection technology.

Microsoft-RealNetworks

To settle an antitrust lawsuit brought by RealNetworks, Microsoft agreed this week to pay its longtime competitor $761 million, make Windows a better platform for Real's products and promote Real's Rhapsody music service on MSN.

The Microsoft angle: The deal largely ends Microsoft's antitrust problems in the U.S., and the partnership will help both companies compete with Apple. By adding Real's music catalog to its search service, Microsoft also gains against Google and Yahoo! search operations.

Google-Sun Microsystems

Speculation ran rampant when the two Silicon Valley companies scheduled a news conference last week to announce a new alliance, but the industry shrugged at the actual news: largely that the two will work together on future products. Google, whose chief executive used to work at Sun, will also buy more Sun servers.

The Microsoft angle: A sigh of relief in Redmond? Pundits expected that Sun and Google would work together to deliver word-processing and other productivity software online, taking a bite out of Microsoft's Office franchise, but it hasn't come to pass yet. The news conference did raise questions about the Sun-Microsoft alliance that was formed in 2004 when the two companies settled Sun's antitrust suit against Microsoft.

Brier Dudley: 206-515-5687 or bdudley@seattletimes.com