While in most other areas of the business world the United States and Europe are the frontrunners, technology trends usually come from the East. Whether displays, computers or mobile communication, many groundbreaking milestones are set by engineers in the land of the rising sun. And the rise continues. With a share of 32% Asia overtook Europe in the global research and development expenditure 2005 according to UNESCO. (www.uis.unesco.org)

That is why you see smaller notebooks, faster mobile phones and bigger flat-screen displays in Japanese households than anywhere else in the world. Electronic gadgets are as common to young kids as are jumping ropes to kids in other parts of the globe. One of the latest fads: carrying tiny photos of friends in the size of fingernails in wallets. And while in America and Europe operators are still battling over 3G and UMTS licenses, the penetration of 3G coverage in South Korea and Japan has reached 40%. (http://www.mobilemonday.net)

Even further ahead is the development of new technologies in China. In oppose to simply following along with international standards, the Chinese bring forward their very own norms. Their answer to the CDMA communication standard for third generation mobile data transmission is called SCDMA. While the rest of the world watches DVDs, the Chinese enjoy their EVD format. Throughout the past 10 years China has made an effort to introduce new technology standards rather than following suit with already existing ones. In the long run this could mean that many technology markets have to oblige to the norms set forth by the Chinese simply because of the size of their national market. Already China produces some 40% of the global mobile phone output. Statistics for other products show similar results.
(http://www.atimes.com/atimes)