"Taiwan has been an important ODM/OEM base for worldwide ICT industry for a long time, and has strong capabilities in product development.  However, it is hard for Taiwan vendors to demonstrate their technologies and capabilities if there is no platform, and it is the mission of Microsoft to offer them a platform to showcase their latest dream technologies and capabilities,  and enables their dream products come true," states Eddie Wu, General Manager of OEM Asia at Microsoft Corporation.

An Important Indicator at Showground

Wu indicates that Microsoft is one of the important indicators in many important shows.  With tight schedule during COMPUTEX TAIPEI, some visitors and buyers will just visit Microsoft's booth to check what Taiwan companies are doing recently or what are they going to do in the near future.  

"Microsoft supported the development of netbook last year, and more than ten OEM/ODM and own branding NB makers have displayed their network products on our booths," Wu expresses.  "Smart phone is another good example, vendor such as HTC also introduced their newly developed smart phone products on Microsoft's showground last year, and these products were available in the market in next three to six months."

Apart from netbook and smart phone, other kinds of products such as PND (personal navigation device) and digital photo frame, both the market size and vendors that get involved are comparatively limited, and Microsoft served as a bridge enables the interested parties from both sides to match-up with each other ¡V they found each other at Microsoft's booth in COMPUTEX TAIPEI.

Many international buyers know what kind of developing trends and directions are worth noticing, especially those international giants.  Moreover, many international ICT giants already have their OEM/ODM partners in Taiwan and know how to search new partners very well.  However, for those second-tier or third-tier companies (such as those local kings in European countries or developing countries), they do not have that much information about the latest product and market trends, and they also have not much ideas what Taiwan companies are doing. 

"Microsoft presents the match-making effect in such occasion, and enables those buyers to check out Taiwan companies' latest ICT products on our booths at one time when they have tight visiting schedule," claims Wu.  Microsoft has even printed a booklet to demonstrate the important newly developed products that applied Microsoft platforms, and distribute at exhibitions in Taiwan.        

Wu also indicates that keynote speech at COMPUTEX TAIPEI is another important indicator for latest technology and product development trends, hence Microsoft will unfold the detailed latest development directions of products, technologies and Microsoft itself.

Wu states that Microsoft will surely showcase the latest products in COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2009.  Such as Windows 7 Beta, there are already hundreds of thousands people are testing this new platform.  Microsoft tends to expand the exhibition scale of this new operation platform this year. Though people are dying to know whether Windows 7 will be commercially launched in 2009, but Wu states that it is not the timing to disclose the commercial schedule of Windows 7, but one thing can be sure is that more Windows 7-enabled products will be seen at this year's COMPUTEX TAIPEI.

Showcasing Series of Application Platforms

Besides Microsoft's OS platforms, there are Browser IE 8.0, Windows Live are worth to mention.  In addition, many vendors have demonstrated Windows Server 2008 last year, and Wu believes more new products of this platform will join in 2009.  While the volume of files are getting larger and larger and so as personal files, Wu indicates that home server will surely be a trend in the future.  As for environmental protection issue, Green PC is going to the key focus.

Mobile applications is another important market development trend and focus of Microsoft, and Microsoft will empphasize on making it more powerful with lower power consumption and lower production cost. 

Wu indicates that Windows Embedded is a platform not only for handheld or mobile devices, it also answers the needs of other traditional embedded commercial applications such as high-end POS application and thin client.

"Overall speaking, Microsoft will combine all Taiwan vendors' latest development and products together, and deliver the market a message of key market trends in 2009 and even in next couple of years.  It enables international buyers to have a better picture of the purchase direction and serves as the bridge for International buyers and Taiwan makers.  To certain extent, it may stimulate the growth of the market in economic downturn as well," states Wu.