Dear faithful readers:

I hope you have enjoyed our journey together through the Taiwan technoscape. I have been privileged to have this outlet for sharing my opinions during this exciting time of change. Unfortunately, this story must come to an end. In a few days, I will leave Taiwan to return to New York City.

I will not leave you on your own. Taiwan blogging will be handled by Spencer Pangborn, a talented and witty fellow with solid experience in the local tech sector. While we of course have differing styles, I think you will find his observations unique and relevant.

Over the past couple of years, Taiwan industry has continued its evolution. Once the dust settles on the global economic storm, the island nation should emerge stronger than ever. If a normally scattershot, unfocused technology sector can get its act together, there can be real progress in some areas such as solar technology, nano-tech and the like. I don't think we'll yet see any emerging powerhouse brands but if Taiwan can get past its past and focus on value and innovation (instead of cheap, cheap cheap!) then there is real potential for the market.

Eight years in Asia have taught me a lot. The people, places and organizations I have gotten to know have changed my perspective in countless ways. I will always encourage others to learn more about the vibrant cultures and industries here.

I will continue to follow the technology industry here with interest. I wish you and yours a happy, healthy holiday season.

-Jonathan Gardner

Well, it's no HUGE shock (unless you work there) but Yahoo Taiwan is following its global big brother's demand for blood and is chucking out a bunch of staff today. Sources tell me they will be axing many today and about 100 total. So if you didn't get your pink slip yet it may be on its way.

Yahoo Taiwan (aka Yahoo-Kimo) has 500 or so staff in Taiwan. They also own an online shopping company called Monday with 400 or so staffers. I couldn't confirm if the 100 redundancies will come from the total 900-odd employees or only from the main Yahoo office. If the latter is true than this is very unfortunate and represents 20% of their local workforce. This is also a not insignificant number out of a reported 1,500 jobs cut by Yahoo worldwide.

I'm told that among the unlucky will be R&D staff and, of course, those in the sales and marketing division. If Google Taiwan still has designs on bringing down the house, then this would be an opportunity for them: HIRE some of these peeps, PUMP cash into Taiwan (I know, it's counter to the prevailing winds), and seize the day and make the Yahoo Taiwan suckers RUE firing all these guys.

Another way of looking at this is as a real comeuppance for Yahoo Taiwan, at least for the senior management. Nearly EVERY week, including just a few days ago (and previously chronicled in this column), there is some kind of PR puffery "news" story about "we have great online shopping sales" and "we're so great," yada yada. As I pointed out these stories suspiciously usually lack any kind of hard data such as what exactly Yahoo Taiwan's local sales are. Well, it's no surprise that they were clearly trying to b.s. everyone and the lies have caught up with them.

Hopefully it means we'll stop seeing spin in the press from Yahoo, and that Google will seize this opportunity and finally rid us of this poorly managed lot. It's funny, a senior Yahoo HQ-based staffer told me not long ago that their Taiwan branch is the superstar in their network and could do no wrong. She said no one at HQ cares that their office here is run poorly as long as the numbers "look" good. Well, the chickens have come home...

More to come,
jag

ZOMG! Breaking news: Apple has announced the iPhone 3G will be officially launched in Taiwan this year (please note my intended sarcasm). What's the problem, you ask? Aren't you a huge Apple fan just salivating over the availability of legit iPhones? Yes and no.
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The global obsession with HTC, Taiwan's only leading (branded) light in the mobile phone sector, continues, with bankers now weighing in, saying that they are confident the company will meet its sales goals and that its shares are undervalued. This is good news for HTC and at least its staff knows they'll probably keep their jobs. Others, according to reports, may not be so lucky.
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Are you ready for the EeePhone? ASUS has announced its me-too intention to launch a "Googlephone" based on the Android operating system. Perhaps it noticed its smart phone rival HTC making some noise in the US with its G1 phone for T-Mobile.

This shouldn't surprise anyone as the overarching Taiwan business strategy is to copy, copy, copy whatever your neighbor is doing. That's not to say this is necessarily the worse move ASUS could be making. And one of the ideas of the Android thing is for everyone to start using the platform. But this IS different from, say, Motorola announcing it's jumping on the Android bandwagon. ASUS and HTC are virtual bunkmates in the tiny, incestuous Taiwan tech world.
Read more »

 

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