You didn’t say when you bought your Macs.

You mentioned the brands of the parts, but did those parts mention where they were made, or did you just mention the home countries of the brands?

Sony makes most of its DVD drives in China. Most of the world’s DVD drives actually come from China, Korea, or Taiwan (Benq, LG, Samsung) and are only rebranded by vendors like HP. ATI graphics chips come off the assembly line in TSMC in Taiwan. Kung Intel na yang Mac mo malamang made in Malaysia iyang processor (and some Philippines). Texas Instruments chips are made mostly in the Philippines (sa Baguio), including Firewire controllers and codecs. If your LCD panel is made by LG-Philips, it’s probably from Poland or China.

Here’s some links if you don’t believe me:

http://www.applefritter.com/Mac_Mini_Take_Apart_Guide — look closely at the DVD drive — made in Indonesia

http://mactree.sannet.ne.jp/~kodawarisan/imac_intel/imac_intel01.html
- ATI chip — made in Taiwan
- Intel chipset controller – made in the Philippines
- Intel processor — can’t see but most are made in Malaysia

You shouldn’t confuse the brand’s country of origin with where it was made. The fact is most electronics parts manufacturing happens in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and China. It’s the design that comes from US, Canada, Japan, etc, though Taiwan is catching up (with Acer, Benq, Asus, HTC). Every first week of June people from all over the world go to Taiwan to discuss business with these manufacturers (who are mostly Taiwan based, but not all).

I still think your fear (and stereotype) of Japanese cars are imagined and are largely based on anecdotal experience. There are light Japanese cars, and there are heavy Japanese cars. You can’t compare a Sentra to Volvo S80. Any number of reasons other than actual safety performance could be behind why you’ve seen what you’ve seen. But crash tests by auto insurance industries are probably the most objective source.

I opened my Imac and the power supply is made in Ireland.
ATA BUS – Japan
DVD-Sony-Japan
CODEC-Texas Instrument, US
Graphics/Display-ATI Radeon-Canada
DIMMO- SDRAM – Taiwan
InternalUSBModem.kext – US

Wala yata akong makitang China or Philippines

Re: Jap cars:

Compared to domestic and Eurppean cars, Japs are still too thin for my trust :) It must be psychological. But I want to be relaxed when I’m driving, not fearing to experience what I have seen from Jap Cars figuring in horrendous accidents. Lalo na dito, at 100mph (though I remember driving along the Sacramento hwy @ 140! with a Nissan Car). And that happened because I wasn’t looking at my speedometer. Jap cars are so light that it’s so easy to go beyond the speed limit without realizing it. Not so in heavier cars. Kaya dahil malilimutin na ako sa speed limit, kailangan ko talaga, heavy car na lang. Kumbaga sa mga senior citizens dito, drive a BOAT. He-he.

That’s true, kaya nga yung safety belt eh parang superflous tuloy. Ang babagal ng takbo, mag sa-safety belt ? Pero dito sa probinsiya kailangan talaga. Daredevil ang mga jeepney drivers dito, akala mo INDY 500 ang highway dito sa bilis nila. 80-100 KPH ang cruising speed nila.Kaya pag mi aksidente sigurado maraming patay. Ang napansin kong mga speedster dito eh yung biyaheng San Joaquin, Miag-ao, Tubungan, Igbaras… pag gabi na mas lalong bumibilis sila kasi kokonti na ang nasa Highway. Puro Southern route ito sa Iloilo.

I think the likelihood is, if it’s a custom-built Mac G5 then it probably is assembled in the US. All others (notebooks), IMac, are usually assembled in China or Taiwan. I know for a fact that China notebooks and desktops do get delivered in North America (just google it and you’ll see forums where people in the USA who bought in the USA state their Macs are assembled in China).

OTOH, assembled in USA doesn’t mean anything when it comes to computers (because it doesn’t take much skill, and not much value is added). The value of Apple is in the design, not where it’s assembled. Apple’s component parts are basically from the same PC parts suppliers (mostly from Taiwan/China). Other than design, the value of the computer is in the component parts. Since the most likely to fail parts are hard disks, power supplies, and CPU fans, they’re the ones that merit scrutiny for quality.

Japanese cars were indeed thin-skinned, but I think that’s only true up to the 70′s. When we were kids we used to get up on the roof of my Dad’s Dodge Dart and standing on it felt like solid ground. Then in 1976 he replaced the car with a Mitsubishi Galant and we couldn’t play on the car’s roof anymore without fearing it would dent if we sat on it. But since the 70′s oil crisis Detroit has stopped making virtual tanks, and most cars have more or less the same chassis thickness (within their own classes).

Yes, one Volvo made it to the 2007 list, but I think none made it in 2005 (or was it 2006?). I just wanted to dispel the belief that Japanese cars have thin metal and are therefore unsafe. I found another list (below) listing the 11 safest of all time. 7 models are Japanese, 2 are Korean, and 2 are American.

http://www.insure.com/articles/carinsurance/safest-cars.html

Auto safety is really more a function of other safety features like front and side airbags, ABS, side impact beams, traction control, crumple zones, and roll-cages, more than the differences in chassis thickness.

I think that the safest cars are anything that you drive in Metro Manila. There are very few lethal traffic accidents here because traffic is slow, and drivers are well-conditioned to react fast to other reckless drivers. :-)

My impression was only based upon what I’ve seen in accidents here. Little Japanese cars tend to crumble like wilted pansies during collisions, unfortunately, and I am not comfortable to drive one. It could be psychological, but for now, my mind is telling me not to do it.

Rob, check out the safest cars/suv of 2007. Volvo XC90 is on top of the list with Acuras and Hondas. Mercedes MLS is also included, but I disagree, and this is not being bitter.

I have 3 MacIntoshes and all of them are assembled in Cupertino. I think Apple Computers do not ship their assembled computers to another country. What I understand is: If you’re buying it in north America, you get the unit from Cupertino, Cali. If you’re buying it in Mexico, you get it from Mexico and so on. Now if the country doesn’t have a factory assembling these computers, I have no idea where they get them :)

But here, the units are all assembled in Cali.

Apple computers parts come from all over the world (if it’s got TI chips then there’s a good chance it’s made in Baguio, and maybe some Intel chips from here), but final assembly of Macs, Macbooks, and Ipods are done in China or Taiwan. Maybe in 2003 they still assembled a few models in the USA, but that’s ancient history.

The reputation of Volvos as the safest car comes from it’s marketing focus, but nowadays it doesn’t top safety charts. In fact last year no Volvo model made it to the most respected insurance industry ratings list. In recent years, the safest cars tend to come from Acura (which is a Honda premium brand), Saab, Subaru (Japan), Audi, VW, and (surprise) Honda. So it looks like it’s largely a Japanese and German domination of the safest cars lists.

Good to know na nakuha mo na pala. Check the Galleon and Bagatao articles, ditto for the warring gueriilla groups ESCUDERO vs LAPUZ factions, and my own , GUACHINANGO. Check also Toots Jamoralin’s ORAGON, and the others….

Is it possible for you to include the orig Yuma ? it’s no longer available here….
Tungkol sa US cars, i’m just commenting on them within the context of the Third World realities. Hindi kasi practical dito yung mga big engines, at iba pang mga gas guzzlers na iyan kasi hirap tayo sa cost ng gasolina rito, at makitid ang mgadaan at highway dito. Kaya mas praktikal yung mga aSIAN CARS NA SMALL–ENGINED.Yeah there are still good US cars lalo na yung mga muscle cars nila gaya ng GT na Shelby ng Ford. Yung Hummer wala na yata…

While it’s true that Japanese cars have improved a lot, their bodies are still TIN CANS. This part made Japs cars rather IFFY for me because I have seen so many Toyotas and Hondas figured in car crashes and… MAYHEM is a euphemistic word to use. I saw one accident that really bothered me for a long time. A 19-year old guy was driving, the girlfriend, 17, was at the passenger side. At 2:00 am, he hit an electric pole. It was horrendous. The Honda was divided into three parts. The front part PUMULUPOT SA POSTE! How it happened, only God knows. They died instantly and what a horrible sight. The saddest part was that I had to call 911 myself because I was the only car next to them.

Another one, this time, a Nissan Exterra. I have just crossed the exit to the freeway, when this car skidded (the guy hit black ice) and the Nissan rolled over three times. It exploded into a ball of fire. Durog ang katawang lata ng Japanese car. Instantly, patay yung passenger.

Kaya nga, I have always bought Volvos because they are built like tanks. Those Old Volvo DLs, my golly, paligid iyon ng bakal! Even the new Volvos (owned now by Ford), ay napaka-galing pa rin. Volvo pa rin ako, though I also drive an Explorer for long distance travels because Explorers drive so well, and very comfortable. I also drive a Nissan Pathfinder but I find it quite light. I can feel the wind and the passing trailers on highways. Masikip pa sa paanan at nakaka-cramps sa long driving.

Mercedes MLS 500 are not that sturdy. My wife was driving one when she had an accident and died. She got hit by a 17 year old guy driving a a Hummer. Now, I guess you guys will understand what I feel about car crashes. Each one I see or hear or read about, becomes a reminder, and it is not easy.

I know that accidents can happen anytime and can kill anyone. But, having a tin can car body is a precarious proposition. It’s like gambling, throwing the dice, so to speak. Despite what people say about American cars, they have very strong bodies and believe me, Auggie, some of them are really good. Test drive an Explorer or even an Escape. You’ll be convinced how good their handling is.

Re: YUMA. I’m surprised you haven’t seen the orig Yuma? Mr. Samonte is right. You gotta see that one.

BTW, Heather brought me your bikol book and the DVD of JACK & JILL and FLORADEMA, ANG BILANGGONG BIRHEN. Thank you. I haven’t burnt AGUIRRE AND FITZCARRALDO, though I have downloaded them already. As soon as I find the time, I’ll do it and mail it to you. I was actually shopping for Inodoros for the renos. It is so shocking that even these toilets, you can hardly find anything made in USA or Canada.

AMERICAN STANDARD (US)- now made in VENEZUELA
EUROVIT (Italian) – now made in CHINA
TOTO (US) – now made in VIETNAM
CRANE (Canada) – now made in MEXICO

Nakakabaliw ito! Kung hindi ako pa mismo ang naghanap ng toilet, di ko malalaman na wala na palang inodoro na gawa dito sa North America. Bakit nahuli na naman yata sa bandwagon ang Philippines? Wala akong nakitang INODORO na made in the Philippines. Sana, trabaho pa iyon sa mga taong jobless ngayon, di ba?

So ang predicament ko ngayon ay alin ba sa mga bansang ito ang lesser SLOPPY work? I like Eurovit because it looks so nice. One-piece, elegantly designed, belissima. Kaya lang, knowing China’s reputation…

RobbyV:

Apple Computer parts are usually made in Ireland, Japan, Taiwan (wala rin ang Philippines). But they are all assembled in CUPERTINO, CALI.

Ay, teka muna… labas na ba tayo sa topic natin dito? Okay, I’ll shut up now :)

http://video48.blogspot.com

daming old pinoy movie poster.