Crowds at this year’s show seemed to be on par with last year’s even as the ICT industry continues to suffer the effects of external challenges. “The turnout for 2009 looks similar to that of 2008, even though the global economic slowdown and outbreaks of influenza A (H1N1) have significantly affected other trade shows,” Enoch Du, secretary-general of the Taipei Computer Association, said June 2. A total of 1,712 exhibitors, including international giants such as Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp., staffed 4,498 booths in expectation of around 35,000 foreign buyers. An estimated 34,685 overseas buyers attended the 2008 show, at which 1,725 vendors rented 4,492 booths, according to the TCA, which is one of two co-organizers of Computex, the other being the Taiwan External Trade Development Council.
Vendors flocked to this year’s event, and even more would have set up had space been available. “ICT products are perceived as daily necessities now,” Du explained. “Taiwan’s innovation and competitiveness in the ICT industry makes Computex an event that cannot be missed regardless of the macroeconomic situation,” he said. Taiwan’s complete supply chain and links with other major ICT players mean it can provide total solutions in the areas of semiconductors, components, computer peripherals, communication device parts and finished consumer products.
Technology trends appearing this year mirror the exhibition’s slogan, “M.O.V.E. Forward,” in which “M.O.V.E.” stands for “mobility,” “openness,” “vitality” and being “eco-friendly.”
“Mobility” refers to the interaction between broadband wireless technology and computer systems. Major WiMAX manufacturers and operators such as Intel, Global Mobile Corp. and Taiwan’s Tatung InfoComm Co. Ltd. showcased their latest WiMAX devices at nearly 700 booths.
Computex Taipei 2009 for the first time “opened” up to exhibitors from mainland China, of which firms such as Tsinghua Tongfang Co. Ltd. and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. attended. As for “vitality,” the exhibition served as a platform for many vendors to show off their latest innovations.
“Eco-friendly” items, meanwhile, took the spotlight given industrialized nations’ emphasis on environmental protection. Forward Electronics Co. Ltd., Chipset Communication Co. Ltd., Chi Lin Technology Co. Ltd. and other producers of light-emitting diodes and related products showcased their energy-efficient solutions, while Powercom Co. Ltd., OPTI International Corp. and Cover Ground Electronics Co. Ltd. were among the solar energy apparatus makers present at the trade show.
Some 170 foreign and domestic firms submitted 400 products to be considered for one of the show’s highlights, the Best Choice Award. Chen Hsin-hsi, chief director of the Computer & Information Networking Center at National Taiwan University, said the 25 winners reflected trends this year. “They outperformed because of their technological edge, innovative design and export marketability,” said Chen, who served as a member of the judging panel. “They show that future demand will be for devices that are smaller, waterproof, have a unique design, boast greater power efficiency and incorporate touch panels.”
Among the winners was Taiwan’s Elan Microelectronics Corp.’s Transparent Touchpad, which utilizes multi-finger touchpad technology that allows a user to employ hand gestures to rotate and zoom in on items in multimedia applications used on smart phones and MP3 players. Godwin Chiu, director of Elan’s smart human interface design department, expects that the new Microsoft operating system to be released later this year will make touchpads more commonplace. “Windows 7 will standardize touch features and should help boost demand for touchpad applications,” he predicted.
IEI Technology Corp.’s waterproof computer, equipped with a TFT-LCD screen, is a newcomer welcomed by those in the marine, avionics, military, mining, engineering and industrial sectors who require such a durable machine for hard use in mission-critical applications. C.Y. Hung, a manager at IEI Technology, said the device will function under an extreme range of temperatures and in harsh environments and offers protection to everything from the aluminum housing and touch panel to connectors and cables.
Four special awards were also presented at Computex this year. The “Best Choice of the Year” went to Elan Microelectronics Corp. for its Transparent Touchpad. The “Green ICT Award” honored VIA Technologies Inc.’s Nano processor as well as Acer Inc.’s K10 projector for their environmentally conscious designs and energy-saving features. U.S.-based NVIDIA Corp.’s ION graphics processor was named the “Best Choice of Overseas Enterprise,” while the “Jury’s Special Award,” which highlights products with the greatest export potential made by small and medium-size enterprises, went to June-On Co. Ltd. for its KDM switches and Add On Technology Co. Ltd. for the Soundbase G3, a surround-sound system.
Write to Adela Lin at adela2009@mail.gio.gov.tw