ASRock Launching Tegra 2, Android 3.0 Tablets By July

I think a lot of manufacturers are thinking now or never in terms of their Android Tablet hopes. Not because Android Tablets are going anywhere soon, but because first mover advantage and brand recognition count for a lot. That’s probably why Taiwan-based ASRock and Pegatron are promising 7-inch and 10-inch Android Tablets in Q2 2010 despite struggling in the motherboard business:

The company is already in evaluating both 7-inch and 10-inch models, but will only consider Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and Google Android 3.0 combination platform for its devices, Li noted.

Tegra 2? Check. Android 3.0? Check. Alright ASRock… you’ve got my attention.

But will ASRock’s attention on Android pull them further from their motherboard focus, distracting them from reaching goals for a second straight year? Or will Android supplement their balance sheet in addition to providing branded products in which to ship their motherboards in the first place? Either way, it seems they’re not making many of their own motherboards in the first place:

ASRock is currently outsourcing its motherboard orders to Hong Kong-based Fittec Electronics, which has plants in China. Facing the rising labor costs as well as a labor shortage of about 20% in China, Fittec plans to shift some orders to its plants in Vietnam, increasing production share from only 10% to 20% to help resolve the labor problems.

That sounds like a lot of location juggling. Maybe their Android aspirations are positioned properly: ViewSonic today announced they’re shipping 60,000 units of their Tegra 2 powered ViewPad per month, a feat I’m sure ASRock would like to duplicate. If they need somewhere to move their Tegra 2 / Android 3.0 tablet testing operations, I’ve got some room in my office to stock a few units.

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