E-TEN
Encyclopedia
E-TEN Information Systems Co., Ltd. (倚天資訊股份有限公司) was an electronics
manufacturing company based in Taiwan
, specializing in sophisticated handheld device
s such as smartphone
s.
Founded in 1985 in Taipei
, E-TEN initially became known for its Chinese language
input system for DOS
based computers. The company went on to introduce various computer products, both computer hardware
and software, building on its experience in rendering Chinese characters. Market offerings included a publishing application, a laser printer
, and a Microsoft Windows
-based input system.
E-TEN turned to handheld device
s in 1997, with the introduction of a real-time stock trading "financial pager" that became quite popular in the financial community of Taiwan. Nowadays, the company focuses on manufacturing advanced communicators (both branded and ODM
) based on the Microsoft
Windows Mobile
, as well as DAB
receivers.
In 2006, E-TEN introduced their new Glofish line of smartphone
s; the X500 and M700. Both models featured GSM, Bluetooth
, Wi-Fi
and GPS. First Glofiish Model with 3G support is the X800, which is released Q3 2007, followed by the M800 with a sliding keyboard released shortly after.
E-TEN was awarded the Best Choice of Computex Award 2008 for its Glofiish DX900 – the first dual-SIM
Windows Mobile handset to support HSDPA and EDGE
. The DX900 was showcased at the E-TEN booth along with three more Pocket PC
phones - the V900, the X900, and the X610. Russia is the most successful market for E-TEN products. The company has significant market share there - up to 20.52% (Q1 2008), making it one of the few markets where HTC Corporation is not a market leader in Windows Mobile-based devices
In March, 2008 Acer announced that it would buy E-TEN for $290 million (US
). Acer chairmen J.T. Wang stated that the "acquisition of E-TEN increases Acer's global footprint by giving us a strong and highly credible presence in the mobility segment." After the buyout, the E-TEN brand was discontinued, and the Acer name will be used on all future products.
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
manufacturing company based in Taiwan
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...
, specializing in sophisticated handheld device
Handheld device
A mobile device is a small, hand-held computing device, typically having a display screen with touch input and/or a miniature keyboard and less than . Early pocket sized ones were joined in the late 2000s by larger but otherwise similar tablet computers...
s such as smartphone
Smartphone
A smartphone is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile computing platform, with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary feature phone. The first smartphones were devices that mainly combined the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone or camera...
s.
Founded in 1985 in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, E-TEN initially became known for its Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
input system for DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
based computers. The company went on to introduce various computer products, both computer hardware
Computer hardware
Personal computer hardware are component devices which are typically installed into or peripheral to a computer case to create a personal computer upon which system software is installed including a firmware interface such as a BIOS and an operating system which supports application software that...
and software, building on its experience in rendering Chinese characters. Market offerings included a publishing application, a laser printer
Laser printer
A laser printer is a common type of computer printer that rapidly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper. As with digital photocopiers and multifunction printers , laser printers employ a xerographic printing process, but differ from analog photocopiers in that the image is produced...
, and a Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
-based input system.
E-TEN turned to handheld device
Handheld device
A mobile device is a small, hand-held computing device, typically having a display screen with touch input and/or a miniature keyboard and less than . Early pocket sized ones were joined in the late 2000s by larger but otherwise similar tablet computers...
s in 1997, with the introduction of a real-time stock trading "financial pager" that became quite popular in the financial community of Taiwan. Nowadays, the company focuses on manufacturing advanced communicators (both branded and ODM
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...
) based on the Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
, as well as DAB
Digital audio broadcasting
Digital Audio Broadcasting is a digital radio technology for broadcasting radio stations, used in several countries, particularly in Europe. As of 2006, approximately 1,000 stations worldwide broadcast in the DAB format....
receivers.
In 2006, E-TEN introduced their new Glofish line of smartphone
Smartphone
A smartphone is a high-end mobile phone built on a mobile computing platform, with more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary feature phone. The first smartphones were devices that mainly combined the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone or camera...
s; the X500 and M700. Both models featured GSM, Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
, Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
and GPS. First Glofiish Model with 3G support is the X800, which is released Q3 2007, followed by the M800 with a sliding keyboard released shortly after.
E-TEN was awarded the Best Choice of Computex Award 2008 for its Glofiish DX900 – the first dual-SIM
Subscriber Identity Module
A subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module is an integrated circuit that securely stores the International Mobile Subscriber Identity and the related key used to identify and authenticate subscriber on mobile telephony devices .A SIM is held on a removable SIM card, which...
Windows Mobile handset to support HSDPA and EDGE
Edge
- Aviation :* Leading edge, a line connecting the forward-most points of a wing's profile* Trailing edge, the rear edge of the wing* Zivko Edge 540, an aerobatic aircraft- Mathematics, science and technology :...
. The DX900 was showcased at the E-TEN booth along with three more Pocket PC
Pocket PC
A Pocket PC is also known by Microsoft as a 'Windows Mobile Classic device'. It is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer, personal digital assistant , that runs the Microsoft 'Windows Mobile Classic' operating system...
phones - the V900, the X900, and the X610. Russia is the most successful market for E-TEN products. The company has significant market share there - up to 20.52% (Q1 2008), making it one of the few markets where HTC Corporation is not a market leader in Windows Mobile-based devices
In March, 2008 Acer announced that it would buy E-TEN for $290 million (US
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
). Acer chairmen J.T. Wang stated that the "acquisition of E-TEN increases Acer's global footprint by giving us a strong and highly credible presence in the mobility segment." After the buyout, the E-TEN brand was discontinued, and the Acer name will be used on all future products.