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Business
March 30, 2012
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Foxconn workers react to reduced hours, same pay

By on March 30, 2012 at 12:20 PM.

Foxconn workers react to reduced hours, same pay

In response to one of the largest investigations ever conducted of a U.S. company’s foreign partners, Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn has agreed to hire tens of thousands of new workers, eliminate illegal overtime, improve safety condition and upgrade workers’ housing and other amenities, Reuters reported on Friday. After probing three Foxconn plants and interviewing over 35,000 workers, the Fair Labor Association reported that it found serious violations of Chinese labor laws, such as illegal and unpaid overtime, and extreme hours. Foxconn plans to reduce workers’ hours to 49 per week, which includes overtime, and it does not plan to raise salaries. The company will also hire additional workers and build more housing and canteens to combat overcrowding. While some of the company’s efforts have been praised, the changes have received mixed reactions from Foxconn’s employees. Read on for more. More →

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Business
January 25, 2012
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Texas Instruments to close plants in Texas and Japan

By on January 25, 2012 at 12:15 AM.

Texas Instruments to close plants in Texas and Japan

Texas Instruments announced recently that, even though it reported better than expected chip sales during the fourth quarter of 2011, the company will shut down its plants in Texas and in Japan. Texas Instruments has seen an increased demand for its mobile chips but will close the two factories during the next 18 months while increasing its employee numbers at different plants. The move is an effort to cut costs, Reuters said. The company reported a fourth-quarter profit of $298 million, down from $942 million during the same quarter last year. Revenue also fell from $3.53 billion last year to $3.42 billion during the fourth quarter. “Everybody feared we’d end the holiday season with abysmal sales,” Cody Acree, an analyst with Williams Financial, told Reuters. “The reality is that end-demand is better than TI customers had originally feared. We’re not calling for great growth but we’re not heading into the abyss.” More →

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Gaming
May 17, 2011
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Plants vs. Zombies headed to Android, free for a day from Amazon

By on May 17, 2011 at 3:30 AM.

Plants vs. Zombies headed to Android, free for a day from Amazon

PopCap Games announced on Monday that it has reached an agreement with Amazon to offer Android games through Amazon’s Appstore. The first title, Chuzzle, will launch tomorrow and will be followed by the hit game Plants vs. Zombies later this month. Both titles will be free on the day of their debut, and will be available for $2.99 each thereafter. Each game will be exclusively available through Amazon’s Appstore for a two week period, after which they should also be available from the Android Market. We’ve played Plants vs Zombies on iOS a few times, and it’s definitely a game you’ll want to keep your eye out for. Plus, it’s free and there are zombies. It doesn’t get any better than that. Hit the jump for the full release from PopCap Games. More →

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Business
April 12, 2011
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iPad maker Foxconn could spend $12B on new plants in Brazil

By on April 12, 2011 at 1:21 PM.

iPad maker Foxconn could spend $12B on new plants in Brazil

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd.-owned Foxconn is considering spending up to $12 billion on new facilities in Brazil that would help the electronics manufacturer’s clients avoid high import taxes on devices shipped to key markets from China and Taiwan. The move would also potentially help the manufacturer avoid some of its rising labor costs in China. The Brazilian government says it is currently studying Foxconn’s plans, and the country’s President Dilma Rousseff is overseas discussing this and other matters with Chinese President Hu Jintao. “You’ve got an ample range of investments that go from $300 to $400 million to $12 billion over 5 to 6 years in the case of Foxconn,” Rousseff told Reuters. “They’re proposing a partnership. They came to us and said we want to invest in Brazil.” Foxconn could start building devices like Apple’s iPad in Brazil by the end of November according to Aloizio Mercadente, Brazil’s science and technology minister. More →

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