Quanta Computers
Encyclopedia
Quanta Computer Incorporated is a Taiwan
-based manufacturer of notebook computers and other electronic hardware
. It is the largest manufacturer of notebook computers in the world. Its customers include Apple Inc., Compaq
, Dell
, Gateway
, Hewlett-Packard, Alienware
, Casper
, Cisco
, Fujitsu
, Gericom
, Lenovo, LG
, Maxdata
, MPC, Research In Motion
, Sharp Corporation
, Siemens AG
, Sony
, Sun Microsystems
, and Toshiba
. It was founded by Barry Lam
in 1988. Lam continues to head the company.
Quanta Computers was announced as the original design manufacturer
(ODM) for the XO-1 by the One Laptop per Child project on December 13, 2005, and took an order for one million laptops as of February 15, 2007. In October 2008, in was announced that Acer would phase out Quanta from the production chain, and instead outsource manufacturing of 15 million Aspire One
netbooks to Compal Electronics
.
In 2011, Quanta designed servers in conjunction with Facebook
as part of the Open Compute Project
.
It was estimated that Quanta had a 31% worldwide market share of notebook computers in the first quarter of 2008.
, when Quanta used Intel components with non Intel components. The Supreme Court of the United States
ruled that LG, who had a patent sharing deal with Intel did not have the right to sue, because Quanta, being a consumer, did not need to abide by patent agreements with Intel and LG.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
-based manufacturer of notebook computers and other electronic hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
. It is the largest manufacturer of notebook computers in the world. Its customers include Apple Inc., Compaq
Compaq
Compaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
, Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
, Gateway
Gateway, Inc.
Gateway Computer Corporation, is a computer hardware company headquartered in Irvine, California, USA which develops, manufactures, supports, and markets a wide range of personal computers, computer monitors, servers, and computer accessories...
, Hewlett-Packard, Alienware
Alienware
Alienware is an American computer hardware subsidary of Dell, Inc. It mainly assembles third party components into desktops and laptops with custom enclosures for high-performance gaming. These products also support graphically intense applications such as video editing, simulation, and audio editing...
, Casper
Casper
Caspar, one of the Three Biblical MagiCasper may refer to:-Given name:*Casper , 5th Century ruler of the Mayan city of Palenque*Caspar Badrutt , Swiss businessman and pioneer of alpine resorts...
, Cisco
Cisco
Cisco may refer to:Companies:*Cisco Systems, a computer networking company* Certis CISCO, corporatised entity of the former Commercial and Industrial Security Corporation in Singapore...
, Fujitsu
Fujitsu
is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
, Gericom
Gericom
Gericom was an Austrian computer equipment manufacturer, based in Linz, Upper Austria. The company was bought by Quanmax, Inc and subsequently converted to Quanmax AG.-History:...
, Lenovo, LG
LG
LG may refer to:*LG Corp., a South Korean electronics and petrochemicals conglomerate*LG Electronics, an affiliate of the South Korean LG Group which produces electronic products* Lawrence Graham, a London headquartered firm of business lawyers...
, Maxdata
Maxdata
Maxdata is a German based company that produces IT products, such as computers, notebooks and Monitors, it has been one of the top ten European IT producers for several years...
, MPC, Research In Motion
Research In Motion
Research In Motion Limited or RIM is a Canadian multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada that designs, manufactures and markets wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market...
, Sharp Corporation
Sharp Corporation
is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products. Headquartered in Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan, Sharp employs more than 55,580 people worldwide as of June 2011. The company was founded in September 1912 and takes its name from one of its founder's first...
, Siemens AG
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
, and Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
. It was founded by Barry Lam
Barry Lam
Barry Lam is the founder and Chairman of Quanta Computer, the leading laptop producer worldwide. He is also a major patron of the arts and a leading philanthropist in the area of culture and education. In 2011, Forbes named him as the 376th richest person in the world and 6th richest in Taiwan...
in 1988. Lam continues to head the company.
Quanta Computers was announced as the original design manufacturer
Original Design Manufacturer
An original design manufacturer is a company which designs and manufactures a product which is specified and eventually branded by another firm for sale. Such companies allow the brand firm to produce without having to engage in the organization or running of a factory...
(ODM) for the XO-1 by the One Laptop per Child project on December 13, 2005, and took an order for one million laptops as of February 15, 2007. In October 2008, in was announced that Acer would phase out Quanta from the production chain, and instead outsource manufacturing of 15 million Aspire One
Aspire One
Acer Aspire One is a line of subcompact notebook computers, or netbooks, released in July 2008 by Acer Inc.It is based on the Intel Atom platform, which consists of the Intel Atom processor, Intel 945GSE Express chipset and Intel 82801GBM I/O controller, and is available in several shell colors:...
netbooks to Compal Electronics
Compal Electronics
Compal Electronics is a Taiwanese original design manufacturer , handling the production of notebook computers, monitors, and televisions for a variety of clients around the world, including Acer Inc., Dell, Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, and Fujitsu Siemens Computers...
.
In 2011, Quanta designed servers in conjunction with Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
as part of the Open Compute Project
Open Compute Project
Open Compute Project is an initiative announced in April 2011 by Facebook to openly share custom data center designs to improve efficiency across the industry.-External links:*...
.
It was estimated that Quanta had a 31% worldwide market share of notebook computers in the first quarter of 2008.
Court case
In 2008, LG Electronics sued the Quanta Computer company for patent infringementQuanta Computer, Inc. v. LG Electronics, Inc.
Quanta Computer, Inc. v. LG Electronics, Inc., 553 U.S. 617 is a decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court reaffirmed the validity of the patent exhaustion doctrine, and in doing so made uncertain the continuing precedential value of a line of decisions in the Federal Circuit that had...
, when Quanta used Intel components with non Intel components. The Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
ruled that LG, who had a patent sharing deal with Intel did not have the right to sue, because Quanta, being a consumer, did not need to abide by patent agreements with Intel and LG.