Foxconn gets into the graphics card business. Huh?

Ok folks, let's do a little role playing: imagine you're some big manufacturing company in Taiwan. Just for argument's sake, call yourself Foxconn Technology Group. Now imagine that your company produces one of the world's most popular gadgets (call it the iPod) for a company in California (call them Apple Computer), and then two Chinese journalists also investigate and then your company later sues them for $3.77 million. Then, a British journalist investigates your factory and confirms that your workers are working in erm, questionable conditions -- and even Apple starts looking into the matter. Upon further reflection of the absurdity of your lawsuit your company rescinds the lawsuit and reduces the damages to one yuan (12 cents). So, here's the question: what is the next logical step in this crazy sequence of events? After studying every successful business guide that we could get our hands on and consulting with everyone from Bill Gates to Steve Jobs, we've discovered that the only possible, rational and meaningful subsequent business move would be to start selling Joan Mirò-inspired NVIDIA graphics cards. Yes, we knew they were coming as of a few months ago -- but no, we don't think that makes it a good idea now.

[Scott @ Sep 9th 2006 11:36AM]

Seems like Perfect Logic to Me

[xerxesdaphat @ Sep 9th 2006 12:01PM]

Well, they're already making motherboards. It's not really too much of a stretch. All they're doing is manufacturing gfx/mainboard reference designs; it's not like they're making their own chipsets or anything.

[Hamson @ Sep 9th 2006 12:02PM]

"Now imagine that your company produces one of the world's most popular gadgets (call it the iPod) for a company in California (call them Apple Computer), and then two Chinese journalists also investigate and then your company later sues them for $3.77 million."

This part doesn't make any sense grammatically.

[Ben Hobbs @ Sep 9th 2006 12:22PM]

Not sure I understand this article, are you saying that the iPod is badly manufactured, inferior or unsuccessful?

Most electronics in China are made in the same type of environment, I'm sure you wouldn't want to pay $800 for an iPod just for it to be manufactured somewhere nice.

[John Doe @ Sep 9th 2006 12:25PM]

Wow... Foxconn mobos SUCK
Dell uses them and the usb ports ALWAYS BREAK!!!!!!!!!
remind me never to get one of these vid cards
unless their really cheap

[Johannes Vinke @ Sep 9th 2006 12:25PM]

I think it spells i-d-i-o-t-s.

[simon @ Sep 9th 2006 12:38PM]

If the employees are not being forced to work there and are free to leave then what is the problem? If they do not like it move somewhere else.

[Cyrus Farivar @ Sep 9th 2006 1:57PM]

We appreciate your comment and took into account your opinion. The articles you're referring to merely acknowledged the announcement of these products, but they were only recently released.

[Evilsmevil @ Sep 9th 2006 2:18PM]

Well Humax went from designing nuclear reactor control panels to kareoke machines before moving into the more mainstream electronic devices like set-top boxes and the like. So its not THAT weird...

[Rolf Shervey @ Sep 9th 2006 2:54PM]

Imagine this: a company that makes great products as an OEM manufacturer and makes a good amount of money doing so, using basically the same business practices that every other Taiwanese and Chinese subcon do. Then they have some business problems just like a lot of other companies do!!! (oooohh!)

Then, for some strange reason, they think "well as long as we're still a BUSINESS- lets make some PROFIT for ourselves by diversifying and manufacturing more OEM electronic products, which we seem to be pretty good at..." That is soooo strange!!!

... wait- no it isn't. Maybe if they decided to go into the canned tuna business it would be strange, maybe if they decided to start giving all their money away to charity (which would wipe out their company overnight and all the jobs it creates)- that would be strange. But making NVIDIA graphics cards is most decidedly not strange. Not even one iota.

[Dan @ Sep 9th 2006 3:27PM]

Kawasaki makes crotch-rockets and LCD TV's. Mitsubishi makes TV's too. Volvo makes contruction equipment. Bridgestone makes tires and golf balls. Even Honda. They make engines, and robots.

I just think things like these are funny. There's a bunc more that are really good that I can't think of right now.

[L @ Sep 9th 2006 5:57PM]

You must really not understand how electronics are manufactured these days, or Foxconn's place in the OEM/ODM supply chain.

[Hamson @ Sep 9th 2006 6:31PM]

Excuse me Mr. Farivar, if you took the time to read the comments, surely you would've noticed that a number of them said that your explanation of this news if very confusing. If I may ask, why didn't you edit your news post?

[EdZ @ Sep 9th 2006 7:17PM]

Foxconn already makes almost ALL of the nvidia boards anyway (you think that EVGA or XFX card was manufactured by EVGA or XFX? Nope! BOTH were manufactired my Foxconn, with minimal branding by the companies. Though they do test the cards and perform any stock overclocking before selling, and possibly replace the stock HSF).

[JV @ Sep 9th 2006 7:19PM]

I don't understand why he's bashing them on their timing. So what? Let em realse it. Let’s just be thankful we don’t rely on Farivar's business sense.

[tekdroid @ Sep 10th 2006 3:03AM]

Interesting box design by foxconn there. I agree, it makes perfect sense, and we've seen it all before a million times over with other mainboard manufacturers diversifying.

[Spike @ Sep 10th 2006 10:19AM]

As one poster said, you think Foxconn hasn't been already making these cards for years? HAH.