China's Moving On Up

[StormRider]

Originally posted by: Rainsford
The problem with China's high-tech aspirations is that they can't seem to escape their low-cost industrial roots. Everything they make has one appealing factor, it's cheap. They can't (or won't) compete on quality, they compete on big talk and cheap products. Chinese companies have masted the art of vaporware in a way that must make American companies jealous. Everything they announce is some world changing device that's going to be light years beyond the competition, and in the end it's a bunch of junk wrapped up with duct tape.

That's not to say that they won't be the next Japan of high-tech, but the day that happens is not tomorrow or for a fairly long time. China wants to be a world power in every area, and I have no problem with that at all...but right now they mostly just talk a big game.

Am I the only one that thinks Chinese products are actually pretty good? I can't be because I see lots of hardware review sites praising certain motherboards and they are mostly made in China. My PS3 is made in China. The Nintendo Wii I bought for my parents is made in China. Most of the things I own are made in China and I actually like most of the products I own. The Gorilla Ladder is a well regarded copy of a higher price US made ladder (Little Giant - can't remember the name)

The thing China is lagging a bit is in innovation, design, and brand-name recognition. But the quality of their products is actually very good -- maybe not the best but on average very good.

I wouldn't be surprised if companies like Haier will someday become as well regarded as companies like Samsung or Sony. Maybe sooner than most of us think. I remember it wasn't too long ago that I think that companies with funny names like Samsung, Hundai, and Lucky-Gold were cheap knock-offs of better known Japanese brands like Sony, JVC, and Panasonic.

 

[blackangst1]

Originally posted by: StormRider

Originally posted by: Rainsford
The problem with China's high-tech aspirations is that they can't seem to escape their low-cost industrial roots. Everything they make has one appealing factor, it's cheap. They can't (or won't) compete on quality, they compete on big talk and cheap products. Chinese companies have masted the art of vaporware in a way that must make American companies jealous. Everything they announce is some world changing device that's going to be light years beyond the competition, and in the end it's a bunch of junk wrapped up with duct tape.

That's not to say that they won't be the next Japan of high-tech, but the day that happens is not tomorrow or for a fairly long time. China wants to be a world power in every area, and I have no problem with that at all...but right now they mostly just talk a big game.

Am I the only one that thinks Chinese products are actually pretty good? I can't be because I see lots of hardware review sites praising certain motherboards and they are mostly made in China. My PS3 is made in China. The Nintendo Wii I bought for my parents is made in China. Most of the things I own are made in China and I actually like most of the products I own. The Gorilla Ladder is a well regarded copy of a higher price US made ladder (Little Giant - can't remember the name)

The thing China is lagging a bit is in innovation, design, and brand-name recognition. But the quality of their products is actually very good -- maybe not the best but on average very good.

I wouldn't be surprised if companies like Haier will someday become as well regarded as companies like Samsung or Sony. Maybe sooner than most of us think. I remember it wasn't too long ago that I think that companies with funny names like Samsung, Hundai, and Lucky-Gold were cheap knock-offs of better known Japanese brands like Sony, JVC, and Panasonic.

The fact is, most are.