Windows Platform News - New Year's Edition

Posted 01/03/2008 at 9:49am | by

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It Dices, It Slices, It Turns One into Three!

New Year's Day marked the official split-up of AsusTek Computers into three separate companies, as announced in July:

• ASUS
• Pegatron Technology Corporation
• Unihan Technology Corporation

So, who's making what in the new three-from-one ASUSTek world?

ASUS will continue to manufacture ASUS-brand motherboards, components, and systems. Its former ASRock subsidiary is the basis for the new Pegatron Technology Corporation. Pegatron's motherboard and add-on products will be aimed at OEM customers. A third new company, Unihan Technology Corporation, will produce computer cases, modules, and take over non-PC contract manufacturing.

ASUS Dominated 2007 Mobo Sales - But What About Now?

As a motherboard maker in both name-brand and OEM markets, ASUSTek was the big kahuna of mobo makers in 2007, racking up sales of around 59 million motherboards. However, only 13 million were ASUS-brand products, with the rest (46 million) being OEM products that will now be manufactured by Pegatron. Who was the number two mobo maker in 2007? Foxconn, at 45 million. Who will be the biggest mobo maker in 2008? Your dollars will help decide that question.

VIA's Chipset Business Fades Away

Digitimes reports that VIA, whose chipsets have become less and less significant in recent years, has recently merged its chipset division into its CPU division. VIA's inability to reach a patent agreement with Intel appears to be one of the major reasons for the decision. VIA will focus primarily on its own CPU platforms, such as its ultra-low-power C7 family, but will continue to support its existing chipset product lines.