Biostar Microtech International expects to ship 90,000 iDEQ-series small form factor (SFF) systems in 2005, up 38% on year, according to company chairman Wang Ming-I. The motherboard maker also projects its eDEQ-series LCD PC shipments will top 130,000 units this year, said Wang. In addition, Biostar aims to ship 3.14 million motherboards in 2005, up slightly from about three million units in 2004. The second-tier motherboard maker reached pretax earnings per share (EPS) of NT$0.67 for the first five months of 2005, after returning to profitability in the first quarter, according to the company. Biostar recorded profits of NT$33.036 million and EPS of NT$0.3 in the first quarter. In 2004, the maker had negative earnings per share of NT$1.31 and suffered a loss of NT$143.442 million. Biostar’s revamped product strategy has begun taking effect, said the company. The maker posted gross margins of 10% in the first quarter, up from 8.91% in 2004.

High Tech Computer (HTC) will start volume shipments of its first 3G PDA phones by the end of the third quarter, CEO HT Cho said yesterday at the company’s annual shareholders meeting. Cho declined to reveal the client’s name, but market sources indicated that the 3G PDA phone is a WCDMA PDA phone, the MDA IV, which was unveiled by Germany-based T-Mobile International early this year. HTC plans to launch one or two 3G mobile phones in 2005, but will increase the number of 3G handset models in 2006, Cho said. Cho also predicted that HTC’s handset shipments are likely to increase 30% on-year, to about 4.85 million units in 2005, up from 3.73 million units in 2004. In addition, the proportion of wireless communication devices, including smartphones and PDA phones, to the company’s total shipments is expected to exceed 60% this year, up from 50% in 2004, Cho asserted.

During the recent Computex 2005 show, Wistron NeWeb (WNC) was displaying its first WiFi phone that supports both the 802.11b and 802.11g standards. The company stated the model will be available with dual-mode WiFi/GSM or WiFi/GPRS for its ODM/OEM customers from the fourth quarter of this year. Asustek Computer and BenQ also unveiled their respective tri-band mobile phones, the ASUS J105 and BenQ S500. In addition, Inventec presented a Linux-based smartphone. Sources indicated that the model was the e2800, which is manufactured by Inventec-invested Shanghai-based E28. Mobile phones at Computex Company Product picture Product name Network Display Built-in camera File formats supported Wireless connectivity Availability Asustek Computer ASUS J105 GSM 900/1800/1900, GPRS (class 10) Main: 1.8-inch 262,144-color TFT Sub: 1.2-inch 262,144-color TFT VGA CCD MPEG4, MIDI - - ASUS V66 (formerly V606) GSM 900/1800/1900, GPRS (class 10) 262,144-color TFT VGA MPEG4, MP3, MIDI Bluetooth August ASUS J201 (formerly J121) GSM 900/1800/1900 Main: 1.8-inch 262,144-color TFT Sub: 65,536-color CSTN 1.3-megapixel MP3, MIDI Bluetooth September ASUS M303 Reported on March 8 Now ASUS J103 GSM 900/1800/1900, GPRS (class 10) Main: 1.8-inch 262,144-color TFT Sub: one-inch 262,144-color TFT VGA MPEG4, MIDI - Now BenQ BenQ S500 GSM 900/1800/1900, GPRS (class 10) Main display: 1.8-inch 262,144-color TFT (176x220) Sub-display: 1.2-inch 262,144-color TFT (96x96) 1.3-megapixel MP3 USB - BenQ P50 smartphone Reported on Jan 7 June BenQ S80 June BenQ U700 June BenQ P30 smartphone Reported on October 29, 2004 Now Wistron NeWeb (WNC) SKPD-1 IEEE802.11b/g 1.9-inch 65,536-color CSTN (160x128) NA - - Now Dual-mode in 4Q Source: compiled by DigiTimes. June 2005. Linux-based smartphone spotted at Inventec booth (no specifications) Photo: Jessie Shen, DigiTimes.

BenQ demonstrated its BW1000 prototype blue-laser DVD burner at the recently concluded Computex 2005 and the company plans to start volume producing the product in the first or second quarter of 2006, depending on how quickly the market for blue-laser products develops. The BW1000 features writing speeds of 2x for Blu-ray single-layer and DL (single-sided double-layer) discs, 12x for DVD+R/-R, 4x for DVD+R/-R DL, 4x for DVD+RW/-RW, 32x for CD-R and 24x for CD-RW, as well as reading speeds of 2x for Blu-ray, 12x for DVD and 32x for CD, according to BenQ. Single-layer Blu-ray discs will have a storage capacity of about 25GB while DL versions will have a capacity of 50GB, so the BW1000 will target high-density applications such as HDTV (high-definition TV) recording and playback, the company stated. BenQ also showcased two DVD burner models (DQ60 and DW1640) at the show, with the DQ60 being BenQ’s first three-format (+R, -R and -RAM) drive. The DVD drive also features drag-and-drop data recording, so burning software is not necessary, BenQ pointed out. The model will be launched at the end of this month. Although BenQ began volume producing the DW1640 last month, the company added -R DL writing functionality to the model presented at Computex, BenQ indicated. In related news, Toshiba displayed a prototype HD-DVD (high-definition DVD) player model at the Computex show. BenQ DVD burners Specification DQ60 DW1640 Writing speed DVD+R DL 8x 8x DVD-R DL 4x 4x DVD+R 16x 16x DVD-R 16x 16x DVD+RW 8x 8x DVD-RW 6x 6x DVD-RAM 5x - CD-R 48x 48x CD-RW 24x 32x Reading speed DVD 16x 16x   CD 48x 48x Manufacturer’s recommended retail price (US$) 99 99 Source: BenQ, compiled by DigiTimes.com, June 2005 BenQ BW1000 Blu-ray DVD burner Photo: Evan Chao, DigiTimes

However high-tech a reporter tries to make reports from Computex, there’s a side to the show that is oriented to what can only be described as the gadget freak. Journos legging it around the four halls are likely to be side-tracked, if they have any pocket-protector imagination at all, by ultra-violet lit fans, patented CPU coolers, digital binoculars, infra-red holographic keyboards for PDAs, security flash-drive dongles, inkjet ink refillers and USB massagers. In this reporter’s opinion, the DocExpress document camera from New Image, on display on the third floor of the Taipei International Convention Center (TICC), was a clear winner in the gadget category. The idea, with DocExpress, is to make slow, cumbersome document scanning a thing of the past. DocExpress replaces elephantine scanning with a quick one-second flick of a switch, and an overhead camera captures the document at up to 3.0 megapixels, in up to 16 million colors. An A4 document will be captured at around 180dpi. This swing-arm camera unit is designed in Taiwan’s umbrella tradition, to fold up into something neatly compact that could be easily carried around by the corporate road warrior. Unfolded, it looks rather like a miniature construction crane, at a maximum height of 445mm. There’s no additional power-supply unit to lug around – the unit is powered from the USB port. When the overhead arm is horizontal, the application will be document scanning. But flip up the arm, and snapshots and video of a range of objects and events become possible. While most users will be capturing still images and documents up to A4 size, there are eight possible combinations of resolution and recorded video (the specs for the latter are given, by New Image, in frames per second). At the low end is 2048×1536 at 7fps. At the high end are 1025×510 at 30fps and 1224×190 at 78fps. Output can be via fax and email, as well as to a host PC under USB 2.0, at a maximum 480Mbps. Output can also be to a projector, making the DocExpress a potential presentation tool. Output can also be to a printer, to allow DocExpress the functionality of a photocopier. Software support is provided, including a TWAIN driver. There’s a lot about the DocExpress to light the imagination of any gadget freak. The time it would take to scan a 360-page book is unimaginable, given the torturous nature of the task, and the difficulty of cramming a book under a scanner lid. A dexterous user of DocExpress could do the job, theoretically, in around six to 10 minutes. We suspect that business cards could also be efficiently recorded using the DocExpress. Banks and offices that regularly have to process completed forms, passport pages, ID cards and the like, might also find this a useful gadget. Volume pricing was quoted at the show as between US$119 and US$159. A sample costs US$189. Look, no power supply! The DocExpress camera unit is powered from a USB port. Photo: company. New Image claims DocExpress can capture a document in one second. Photo: company. The DocExpress folds up into a compact, portable unit. Photo: company.

Mio Technology, an own-brand division of Mitac International, expects to debut a PDA phone with a built-in GPS module in the second half of this year, according to Michael Hsu, Marketing Director of Brand Marketing Division at Mitac. GPS capabilities will be one of the key features for Mio’s smart handheld devices, said Hsu, noting that built-in MP3 player functionality will be the other key feature. Europe is currently Mio’s largest market, and it accounts for 65% of the company’s sales, Hsu stated. South Korea is the company’s next biggest market, and Mio has been expanding its presence in Japan and North America starting earlier this year, Hsu said. The Mio-brand business currently accounts for 35% of Mitac’s handheld device business, said Hsu, adding that Mitac’s other business is all ODM/OEM. All production for the handheld devices is done at Mitac’s Kunshan Plant, Jiangsu Province (China), according to Hsu. In related Computex news, Mio was also showcasing the Mio 268, its first mobile navigation system with a hidden antenna. Rivals Acer, Asustek Computer and Leadtek Research also presented similar devices. Computex: Mobile navigation systems with hidden antennas Company Acer Asustek Computer Leadtek Mitac International Model image Model name n35 MyPAL A636 9700 MIO 268 Chipset provider - NA SiRF SiRF CPU provider Samsung Samsung Intel OS Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 software for Pocket PC Premium Edition Windows Mobile 5.0 Microsoft Windows CE .Net 4.2 Microsoft Windows CE .Net 4.2 Memory 64MB SDRAM, 32MB cache NA 32MB NAND, 64MB SDRAM 32MB Flash, 64MB SDRAM Display 3.5-inch 65,536-color TFT (240x320) 3.6-inch 65,536-color TFT with touch panel 3.5-inch 65,536-color Dimension 12x7.2x2cm - 13.78X7.198-7.818X2.57cm Weight 165g - 210g Expansion slot SD/MMC, SDIO SD SD/MMC Wireless transmission IrDA USB 1.1 USB Source: companies, compiled by DigiTimes, June 2005.

Iwill is exhibiting a dual-Opteron small-form-factor (SFF) PC that supports two graphics cards using Nvidia's nForce4 SLI (scalable link interface) technology at Computex 2005, with the company claiming the product will begin shipping in September of this year. The dual Socket 940 system, named ZMAXd2, supports dual-core AMP Opteron processors and features the Nvidia nForce Professional 2200 MCP (media and communications processor). The ZMAXd2 motherboard has two DIMMs, two PCI Express (PCIe) graphics card slots and the system is powered by a 400-watt power supply. Iwill stated the SFF system will target workstation applications such as digital content creation, MCAD and electronic design automation. The company claims the system will begin shipping in September. Iwill ZMAXd2 Photo: Michael McManus, DigiTimes.com Iwill ZMAXd2 Photo: Michael McManus, DigiTimes.com

Shuttle aims to launch its XN26P XPC, which supports Nvidia’s SLI (Scalable Link Interface) dual-graphics card technology, by the end of July, according to sources at the company. The Nvidia nForce4 SLI-based solution will support single and dual-core AMD K8 Socket 939 CPUs, up to 2GB of memory, SATA2 hard disk drives (HDDs) and two PCI Express (PCIe) graphics cards using Nvidia’s SLI technology. The system will also feature Via Envy 24-bit audio onboard Shuttle also plans to market the system equipped with two Leadtek Nvidia GeForce 6800 GT PCI Express (PCIe) graphics cards with 256MB GDDR3 DRAM.

Gigabyte Technology and AOpen are exhibiting pico-BTX systems at the ongoing Computex 2005 show, with Gigabyte marketing its system for its ease of assembly, while AOpen expects the performance of its dual-core pico-BTX systems will boost its sales. BTX systems from both companies, however, do share a common feature in their cold metallic designs. Gigabyte has named its pico-BTX solution the CB series, and the Intel 915G-based system supports a 800MHz FSB, up to 2GB of memory, one PCI Express (PCIe) graphics card, one ATA hard drive and two SATA disks. The system is powered by a 270-watt power supply. The CB series also has one PCI slot, two rear USB ports, Gigabit LAN and front-side access for USB, IEEE 1394 and a 13-in-1-card reader. However, the key feature of the CB series is that no tools are needed for assembly. The system folds open, and then by using a series of sliding clips and latches, users will be able to install and secure two optical drives (ODDs), an IDE hard drive and all other components. According to the sales representative at the Gigabyte booth, the pico-BTX solution will have no trouble handling high-end graphics cards and will run at about 30-35dB. Although the design may seem drab, the system is definitely sturdy. The CB series will begin shipping in volume by the end of this month and Gigabyte is targeting the DIY market with the product, sources at the company stated. AOpen has also designed its BTX system chassis using a mix of black and metallic-colored grating, with AOpen’s pico BTX solution being based on the Intel 945G chipset and supporting dual-core Pentium D processors. The company has also designed a pico-BTX EPC (entertainment PC) based on the same board. Both of AOpen’s pico-BTX solutions will begin shipping in July, sources at the company stated. Gigabyte CB series Photo: Michael McManus Folding open Photo: Michael McManus CB innards Photo: Michael McManus Sliding latch here to remove drive Photo: Michael McManus Connecting clips for securing drives Photo: Michael McManus Gigabyte BTX family Photo: Michael McManus AOpen pico-BTX Photo: Michael McManus AOpen BTX family Photo: Michael McManus

Although Apple was able to temporarily banish Luxpro’s Super Shuffle MP3 player at CeBIT this year, Taiwan-based Luxpro is openly displaying its latest MP3 player, the MX-585D at Computex 2005. The model bears more than a passing resemblance to Apple's iPod shuffle. With a 64×48-resolution OLED display, the latest model also supports Digital Rights Management (DRM). It is compatible with three audio formats, including MP3, WMA and WAV. The model charges to 80% of capacity in just two hours and offers continuous use for 10 hours on a full charge, according to the company. In addition, the model supports 10 different languages. Luxpro’s MX-585D MP3 player. Photo: Eric Fan, DigiTimes.