First came the slim fashion models, hugging the slim new laptops. Then a tuxedo-clad Jerry Shen, chief executive of Asus, stepped onto the stage last month to introduce his company’s new S101 mini-laptop to a horde of reporters. He stood in front of a sign that likened the new product, which is now on sale in the United States, to “fashion on the go.
Later in the month, another low-profile Taiwanese tech company took center stage: Little-known HTC introduced the much-hyped first cell phone based on Google software.

These moves signal a dramatic shift in the island’s high-tech focus as it seeks to step out of its behind-the-scenes role as a manufacturer and into the spotlight as a direct challenger to Silicon Valley’s dominance in the consumer product market. (continuare…)