I have no comments about this particular company but in general I continue to hear a number of problems with piracy and stealing of intellectual property when dealing with chinese electronics makers. I spoke to the head of a well known speaker maker at a recent industry event who related the story of how a MAJOR speaker maker outsourced production to china. audits revealed that tens of thousands of units were being billed to the US speaker manufacturer but were actually being sold out the back door to the chinese market - local factory pocketing all proceeds. Then the factory trademarked the US makers name in china and continues to sell those speakers in china under the US name - having paid nothing for R+D or licensing or all the other US costs such as retirement/benefits, etc.
Then you have a company like APEX (low end chinese stereos) which was charged with never paying licensing fees for technologies used in its products.
So in addition to a wage differential, I beleive china is not always competing on a level playing field - if they do not recognize the validity of US intellectual property law, trademarks, patents, etc.
I've recently bought a few chinese items and have been happy with them. but there is one item in which the licensing of the technology is in dispute and this troubles me. I do not want to steal from hardworking americans (or anyone for that matter.)
Then you have a company like APEX (low end chinese stereos) which was charged with never paying licensing fees for technologies used in its products.
So in addition to a wage differential, I beleive china is not always competing on a level playing field - if they do not recognize the validity of US intellectual property law, trademarks, patents, etc.
I've recently bought a few chinese items and have been happy with them. but there is one item in which the licensing of the technology is in dispute and this troubles me. I do not want to steal from hardworking americans (or anyone for that matter.)