The Millennium Semiconductor Survival Guide

"I made my first money by making video games, and instead of making games all the time, I started doing Internet services, and now I'm doing consumer electronics.

There are many things you can do to start a business. Cooperation with me is just one of your options, and it doesn’t mean you can only do this. "

Zhou Xin is very touched by this. The real world cannot be carried out completely according to your expectations. For example, at the time he thought he could help ZTE get the ban, but it didn't work at all.

When Zhou Xin and Cao Yongluo were discussing the future development, the Cherry Company got the matrix product after belatedly.

"You have also experienced it for a day, let's talk about your feelings."

Everyone knows that Cherry is a German company, but it was actually born in the basement of a family in Highland Park, Illinois, American.

Later moved to Germany.

Therefore, Cherry has branches in both Germany and American.

This time, after receiving the news, Günter Merman flew from Germany to American Wisconsin, which is also Cherry's office in American.

Gunter is a veteran of Cherry. He started working for Cherry more than 20 years ago and is an executive in charge of R\u0026D and product design.

"According to our research, matrix adopts a completely different structure from ours, and all their parts are detachable and replaceable.

From the shell, keycap, shaft body, to pcb board, positioning board, etc., these are all detachable.

Matrix’s keyboard also has several layers of cushions. According to our research, these cushions and metal kits of different materials, combined with their specially developed shafts, are the key to making Matrix produce a pleasant percussion sound.

At the same time, their inner tanks have no steel structure or screws for support at all, and the keyboard relies entirely on the precision of the upper and lower covers for bite, combined with silicone pads and cotton pads to make the keyboard extremely soft.

This is also one of the important reasons why users feel addicted. "

After the engineers in North America finished speaking, Günter tapped the space bar of the matrix keyboard a few times with his fingers.

The reason why cherries attach so much importance is because they also want to go to the high end, but the way they adopt is to jog in small steps and gradually increase prices.

Until 20 years later, the most expensive cherry keyboard was less than 2,000 RMB. In dollar terms, the Cherry Keyboard is up from $150 to $300.

And matrix is ​​in place in one step. The price of the first keyboard is 500 US dollars after it is launched, and it has been well received on the Internet forums.

It's not that there are voices of opposition, and the voices of opposition are all focused on dissatisfaction with the pricing and attacks on Zhou Xin personally.

And when someone comes out on the Internet forum to say that the matrix keyboard itself is not good, buyers will come out to maintain the matrix.

This is the kind of thing that only I can scold, but none of you can scold.

Cherry is curious about what matrix relies on to gain user recognition, and second is vigilance, vigilance that matrix will seize the high-end market.

Gunter didn't answer the question. It was the first time he saw the matrix keyboard. After seeing the real thing, he realized that the threat of matrix to cherries was greater than he imagined.

He continued to touch other keys with his hands. After hitting the big keys, he put his hands on the keyboard and made a series of knocking sounds continuously.

"Excellent product, worthy of Newman, I finally realized the desperation of European Internet companies when facing Quora.

But we're okay, we're nowhere near hopeless.

You went on to say, is there anything unique about their technology?

If we reproduce the design of the matrix keyboard and mass-produce it and put it on the market, can you do it? "

The engineer said: "It is absolutely possible, the structure of the matrix keyboard is too clear, which is a disadvantage for us.

Because the design is too simple, any private studio in the future can follow this structure to design a keyboard.

At the same time, matrix shafts and keycaps will also be sold separately.

At present, we have found that some small start-up companies in the electronics field have taken orders on online forums, and then sold products similar to Matrix under their own names. "

"Are they replicating so fast?"

"No, they make a sample first, and then if you want it, you pay half of the deposit, and then pay the remaining half of the deposit after the goods are made.

They buy matrix shafts and keycaps, and then copy other designs of matrix themselves. "

If it was Zhou Xin, he must have realized that after he launched Matrix, customization appeared in this world ten years earlier.

Günter asked: "Are there any disadvantages of matrix?"

The engineer replied: "Compared to our keyboard, the matrix's response time is not as fast.

But this is only a few milliseconds gap, and the user cannot perceive it at all. "

Why do e-sports players still buy keyboards like Cherry and Logitech after there are customized keyboards in later generations, because their latency is shorter, which means that the computer can receive signals faster after pressing a key.

After all, customization has no guarantee in this regard.

But now e-sports is even more niche, and this difference cannot be the reason for users to choose Cherry at all.

"We're also launching our own matrix mode keyboard as soon as possible.

Otherwise, we simply cannot compete with other manufacturers. "

The door of customized keyboard was pushed open by Zhou Xin. Zhou Xin himself did not expect that the garage companies in Silicon Valley would react so quickly.

They can make other accessories, and then buy matrix shafts and keycaps.

Even if you make the model yourself, as long as you can buy it with 20 people, the cost will be cheaper than the official matrix price of $499.

However, Zhou Xin knows that he will not pursue these studios for infringing his keyboard structure patent, because what Matrix needs is reputation.

After the matrix keyboard was launched, the time came to the end of November in a blink of an eye.

Before returning to China, Zhou Xin took Lin Benjian and Guan Jianying to Japan. The main purpose of going to Japan was to discuss the transfer of lithography machine technology with Nikon and Canon.

They hope to obtain the technology of lithography machines that are a generation behind.

It is unrealistic to rely entirely on self-research, first buy the technology of the backward generation, and then catch up with Nikon and Canon on the basis of the technology of the backward generation.

"Zhou Jun, in principle, we are willing to sell the lithography machine technology of the backward generation to you, but we need to conduct a further round of negotiations on the specific amount."

Although the purpose of Zhou Xin and his party is lithography machine technology, and lithography machine is only a part of Nikon's business line, Nikon President Toshio Moriguchi still personally received Zhou Xin and others.

After chatting with Nikon and Canon respectively, both Nikon and Canon have given replies that they are willing to sell technology.

Here's to technology that's a generation behind.

Zhou Xin can tell from their willingness to sell technology that Nikon and Canon are having a hard time.

The ASML behind it is too deadly, and Nikon and Canon will definitely not be willing to sell lithography machine technology, even if it is a generation behind the lithography machine technology.

"Ben Jian, you are in charge of negotiating with them. You are in charge of the amount. I am not sure how much the lithography machine technology that is behind the most advanced process is worth.

After I return to China, you just need to report the results to me, and I will tell you if it is possible. "

The next chapter is going back to China, just think about how to write the plot of returning to China on the weekend, and there will be a series of climax plots that will definitely make everyone enjoy watching!