http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/ Engadget Comments for Editorial: Thoughts on Foxconn http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 10:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
If we want to pay $99 for a smart phone this is the price that is paid on the otherside of things.]]>May 21st 2010 11:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/btw, 10th suicide occurted today at foxconn, jumping off the top floor.]]>May 21st 2010 11:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 11:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 11:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
"Joseph Mama" post really said it all for me. Right on the $. I feel everyone should read it.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/19/the-fate-of-a-generation-of-workers-foxconn-undercover-fully-tr/]]>May 21st 2010 11:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 11:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
(Note: I am flying to China tomorrow morning to visit my factories in Dongguan... I know first hand from what I speak)

This article is well thought out for someone who doesn't understand math or money. For someone who DOES understand math, or money, or international commerce, well...

This factory is better than many in China... The jobs are desired. The wages end up providing for a lifestyle that is above average for China, and provide for opportunities.

PLEASE read this editorial from the NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/opinion/15kristof.html

We have to understand the CULTURE we are working with there, and the DEMAND for less expensive products here. I have two versions of the product I sell... 100% made in China, and 49% made in China (For BAA/TAA US Government sales). Guess what? The 49% China sourced products cost about 75% more. For 100% US sourced products, I am looking at no less than 130% more cost...

Are you willing to pay 2.3 times more for your gagets???]]>May 21st 2010 12:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 12:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/I think Foxconn is getting a lot of attention simply because it is associated with Apple, and Apple has been getting a lot of attention lately. No doubt similar conditions exist in other factories, but they're not under a spotlight so we don't hear about them.

Am I willing to pay 2-3 times as much for electronics? Heck, I can't afford them now!]]>May 21st 2010 12:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
You miss the point entirely. It isn't the NDA itself that is causing them to commit suicide, it is the restrictive working conditions which the NDA plays a part of. Based on Apples secrecy, in addition to the NDA, they aren't allowed to use phones or leave the factory. The NDA you signed might not make you want to kill yourself and that is because your company still lets you leave at the end of the working day and go home to your friends/family and have a life outside of your job. When your company asks you to sign a NDA, prevents you from leaving the office and communicating with the outside world, then come and tell me you won't commit suicide.]]>May 21st 2010 1:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/Apple announced a massive multi billion dollar profit (as do many other companies, but as apple is one of the bigger names ill use them as an example) so i dont know why they have to pay such measly wages, or use the fact that they dont make profit for not using western countries for creating their products

again, it all boils down to greed
its the same with companies moving their call centres to india, leading for a very difficult situation when youre trying to fix your networks/anything.

i personally believe its one of the reason for the economic downfall, such big companies paying people in chine measley wages, marketing their products to hard off westerners, and making excessive profit
]]>May 21st 2010 1:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 1:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 1:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
Rule #1: Excess profits breed competition. There's imply no way around that fact. Foxconn makes a lot of profit. Great. What's the revenue needed to generate that profit? How much investment was needed to generate the revenue? What percentage of each investor's portfolio tanked, meaning that these profits might just allow most of them to break even?

If the profits are out of line, then someone else will take advantage and open a less profitable factory with lower prices and shut Foxconn down. That's the way it works, and how it keeps profits from becoming too high.

...Or are you saying that any profit is bad? Please start thinking like a non-idiot and understand that just stating a large profit doesn't describe the situation. Large companies with large revenues SHOULD make large profits on an absolute scale. Let's talk about net profits as a percentage of revenues, and let's see how the world REALLY works.]]>May 21st 2010 2:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
.
]]>May 21st 2010 2:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://j.mp/apple-child-labor-phone]]>May 21st 2010 4:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 9:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
Obviously yes, but people like you would take the difference continuing to enslave workers.
It's also funny that still exists someone surprised by the fact that paying mp3 players like 10 pizza would be not possible without our faithful asian slaves.]]>May 22nd 2010 9:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 22nd 2010 12:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 22nd 2010 12:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 22nd 2010 2:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
Laura, what you call "sad" is but the Western interpretation of the word. I'm not saying that it doesn't look pretty bad. But that's because we've had it pretty well (by global standards) pretty much since we were born. You and I won the global lottery. You say yourself, a "bad" job is better than no job at all which is in fact the case a lot of the time in China.

I would like to remind people that its not necessarily a bad thing to buy China. Strictly from an economic point of view it is anything but bad. When you see people's salaries in the high peanuts, that doesn't mean people are starving. In fact, by purchasing from them we are actually bringing them closer to parity with our own currency and making them as well off as we are!

The way I see it, the only thing bad about buying from China is the fact that the government doesn't drop the peg it has with the dollar. Thereby ensuring its own currency is always going to be cheaper (even though economic forces are going in the opposite direction).

Sadly, we can't sustain our lifestyle of consumption and make China richer. Something has to give. So if you want to cringe at the working conditions in mother China, cringe away. But, don't complain about high prices and even potentially shoddy products made domestically. There is no such thing as a free lunch.]]>May 22nd 2010 4:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 10:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/ROFL!!!!!!!
Epic.]]>May 21st 2010 11:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 11:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
Your comment coupled with your pic make for a delicious pot of epic win java with an authentic NY bagel on the side.]]>May 21st 2010 11:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
I have a bigger sense of humor than most people I know, but I just don't feel like cracking a joke after reading this article.]]>May 21st 2010 11:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 11:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 11:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
You, sir, shall receive one token of FREE INTERNET.]]>May 21st 2010 11:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
With a name like Mr. Blue, I'm highly inclined to believe you, in fact, aren't the life of the party.

But on a different note, people process differently. This is a serious article but I see no need to censor one's self from humorous comments if said comments are not insensitive as in the case of Mr. Blurrycam's.]]>May 21st 2010 11:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
haha abusing people is funny]]>May 21st 2010 11:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 22nd 2010 5:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 11:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 11:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 11:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/Nonsense. Should we likewise say that a country should be free to enslave people or commit genocide just because we made these mistakes with African slaves and Native Americans, respectively? You may be right that the conditions in China are reflective of an earlier step in the process of industrialization, and we cannot ignore this, but it's wrong to turn a blind eye to inhumane conditions just because we were there once, too.]]>May 21st 2010 11:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
Agreed 100%.]]>May 21st 2010 12:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
The change that will spur development and improve conditions will come from the workers of these factories, just as they did here, just as they did in every post-industrial nation.

Until the workers become 'fed up' with the conditions, nothing will change, no matter how much finger wagging we do. It will happen with time, however it may happen a bit more slowly in China than previous incarnations of this situation. The fact of the matter is, these jobs are amazing opportunity for most of the workers - until the cost outweighs the benefit, this will continue.]]>May 21st 2010 12:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/You're looking at it 100% from the point of view of China and other developing nations, while of course 'western' politicians view it 100% from their own view.

Attempts to curb GHG emissions and improve worker conditions are not protectionist impulses, as much as China's government and some extremely nationalistic citizens want you to think they are, but of course we can't pretend like it's fair to starve their people just because *we* demand better working conditions on their behalf.]]>May 21st 2010 2:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
Does the US really want to get into that game? Should we really be telling another country what it can and can't do? I doubt people here in the US would appreciate it if China came over here and said, "Oh you can't do things like this, you have to do it like this." China gave a "report" on human rights abuses in the United States ( http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-03/12/content_9582821.htm ) and although most of the incidences are either ludicrous or not human rights violations, their point remains clear: Butt out and mind your own business.

In my opinion, thinking that we should somehow make China live by our standards is the same kind of thinking that gets us into wars that we maybe shouldn't have gotten into (you know what I'm talking about). If you want things to change somewhere, fine, get involved personally. Do as Laura June intelligently suggests, and search for alternative places to buy your tech goodies. But I really don't think it's a good idea for us to be lecturing the world from an official standpoint, as if we are squeaky clean.

That said, I love the USA, and always will. But, I understand where other people are coming from. ]]>May 22nd 2010 2:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
I imagine that if this were the 1920s, you'd have a hell of a time being a yellow journalist.]]>May 22nd 2010 3:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/]]>May 21st 2010 11:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/maybe $200 one from China, at least I can help pay some unfortunate people wages in sweatshop.

I don't think any factory went to Asia to lower the price of final products, they went to lower the cost. that's very different. unless you are buying unbranded stuffs, the reduction in cost will not realized in the final product.]]>May 21st 2010 11:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
If everything stays status quo foxconn won't stop abusing employee's. Why should they? It's worked thus far.

Apple and the other American companies that buy from these factories, might put pressure on foxconn, they might not. Even if they do what guarantee is there that foxconn will stop.. As long as parts keep selling why should they?

The only way to make sure this crap stops is with us and our wallets. But like the author pointed out, even if you don't buy that iPhone because it's made by these people you go buy a HTC phone instead, chances are some part of it was made in a factory just similar to this one.

God knows no one here is going to give up gadgets totally or actually look into who it's made by and how. Thats too much work.

All this fuss isn't going to make a bit of difference in the end. ]]>May 21st 2010 11:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
I'd buy it. We need to start supporting ourselves again.]]>May 21st 2010 11:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/May 21st 2010 11:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
On a side note, remember that these suicides make up part of the "normal" suicide rates any country has, and with the sheer amount of people living in china, it is "normal" to have this suicide rate (my country with less than 30 mill people has less than 1k suicides yearly).]]>May 21st 2010 11:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/21/editorial-thoughts-on-foxconn/
Heck speaking of Apple, look at their margins! Large companies ftl...]]>May 22nd 2010 10:28AM