Netbook News

Asus announced today that the first generation of 16 GB version of Eee Pad Transformer price cut to $350, which is more than the retail price of before fell $50, at present wal-mart and other retailers has been completed, and there are 32 GB version is from $500 down to $470. Believe that the move is to give the price to be published next Transformer 2, which is expected to make way for new product will be released next month.

The first generation of Transformer is asus tablet mountain work, it USES NVIDIA Tegra 2 chip solutions, running Android 3.1 and 3.2, the next model system may escalate to include four core and powerful graphics performance, it is the first paragraph of the Tegra3 using the chip products.

According to market institutions by the latest statistics analysis points out that put the second quarter, global size LCD panel shipments of 180.8 million, a 11% growth in the first quarter, the annual rate of 6%. The amount of which is shipment to us $19.3 billion, a 11% growth rate, but a quarter dropped 16% last year. As for the ship in the second half, in general panel factory think downstream the manufacturers and brand should be in the third quarter at the end of the season for sales, so estimates ready for the third quarter will be shipped on picture; But for the first four seasons estimated flat for shipment.

According to information, LCD panel industry supply exceeds demand situation has lasted more than a year, in the first quarter of this year is the bottom of a valley, and the second season prices rebounded slightly, while making the second season whether shipments or amount is up in the first quarter. DisplaySearch greater China region XieQinYi general manager, says Mr “IT is only a short picks up. Because the economic development and the stagnant consumer confidence is insufficient, especially IT products and the TV market demand does not see improvement, the second season of shipment on only 11%, more original panel factory 18% goal. But the third season within 6% and suffers from low price panel market demand and decline.”

Most current TV machine manufacturers are cut 2011 panel demand to reduce costs pressure and try to maintain a low inventory level. Because of weak demand side, recent panel prices decline, and loose price predicts to will make panel manufacturers reduce capacity utilization in the second half. In these cases, let panel factory tend to set more conservative target, compared with previous shipment to panel factory to maintain a strong second half usually goal for growth, is the exceptions.

According to the application to see, all applications don’t don’t are significantly positive season, especially in the growth rate tablet computer shipments, season the strongest growth rate 88%, annual growth rate reached 386%. More Monitor and laptop panel season respectively 3% and shipment growth of 11%, but with flat last year. Liquid crystal TV panel shipment growth 7%, yet season is down 4% from the same period last year. And only a small notebook shipments last season 5% growth. Since the end of July and other early August falls to a panel, panel factory to start the second half of the year show more concern.

According to the shipment to see, due to the face amount of the price is smooth makes all application delivery amount is last season, tablet computer and growth public display panel highest growth rate of 64% and 28%, respectively. However, compared with the same period last year, display, laptop computers and liquid crystal TV panel revealed a negative growth. Looking to the third quarter, due to the face factory estimate will be shipped due to ready for the season and growth, at the same time expected effect shipment value will have 11% increase.

According to foreign media reports, the famous American market research firm Gartner the latest statistics on Thursday, according to a report in the second quarter of this year, Western Europe during the market for PC shipments to 12.7 million units, 18.9% lower than the same period last year; In the market the top five PC manufacturers, only apple shipments year-on-year growth of 0.5%, the other four are dropped.

Shipments for the standard, in the second quarter this year of Western Europe market top five PC manufacturers were HP, acer, dell, asus and apple. In addition to apples shipments increased 0.5% year-on-year, the other four are a potential, is down 6.1% year-on-year drop HP, acer fell by 44.6%, dell fell by 12.7%, asus fell 22.9%.

Chief analyst Gartner, give Evans m (Escherich) to Meike Ritchie said: “during the second quarter this year, Western Europe enterprise users and consumer market demand slump. The PC is on the other hand, due to too much in 2010. At present, the market shipment is also facing the problem of digestive inventory.” During the second quarter this year, western European mobile PC market rate 20.4% year-on-year drop, mini laptop (namely the Internet this) shipments 53% year-on-year drop.

Gartner says, in the UK market the top five PC manufacturers, only apple and samsung realized the single-digit growth. The French market is only apple realize shipment growth. Ella richie said, Germany up markets, because such as iPad tablet computer, Germany adore the electronic retailers for PC order cautious attitude and hope in the shelf more multimedia tablet computer.