Google Phone: Made in America

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21

[quote]Testy1 wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]Testy1 wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]AliveAgain36 wrote:

[quote]Testy1 wrote:

[quote]magick wrote:
Huh.

Haven’t people been getting riled up about how jobs and production are being outsourced by every major company in the past couple of years?

I’ve met many older folks who told me that’s why the U.S. is doing so poorly now. Hell, it’s almost exclusively older folks who say this. Younger folks tend to be more for globalization and don’t seem to mind it. Or they don’t think on it. I don’t know.

But probably a matter of different people we interact with?[/quote]

They don’t understand that manufacturing is what created the middle class. Everyone wants to be an accountant or executive without realizing if we don’t make stuff to sell we won’t stay on top for long. Look at what has driven China’s recent prosperity. By the time the realization comes that shuffling around virtual money doesn’t actually produce anything sets in it will be to late.[/quote]

This ^

We are borrowing money from China.
We are loaning money to kids to go to school.
Kids are going to school to get jobs that don’t exist.
Kids are not able to pay back the money we loaned them.[/quote]

This is a bit of a stretch. If you borrow 50K to get a degree in 18th century art, ya you’re a moron. 50K to be an accountant, no problem. [/quote]

For now. What do accountants produce? If the red tape ever disappears and we don’t have these complex monetary laws accountants have nothing of value. I know it is a stretch but this points exactly to what I am saying. [/quote]

It’s very unlikely that the business world will be less complex anytime soon. [/quote]

So you believe our economy can keep chugging along without producing anything tangible?

Or that we can keep shipping jobs overseas and then when nobody here can buy their products that businesses will survive? That is exactly what happened to domestic automakers. Ship the jobs to mexico and then when the people you laid off here can’t buy your cars then what? Mexicans aren’t buying them. [/quote]

I think our economy is pretty complex and continually evolves. Ya, we don’t manufacture cars as much anymore, but we do other things. Detroit falls & Silicon Valley rises for example. This will probably always be the case.

22

[quote]AliveAgain36 wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]AliveAgain36 wrote:

[quote]Testy1 wrote:

[quote]magick wrote:
Huh.

Haven’t people been getting riled up about how jobs and production are being outsourced by every major company in the past couple of years?

I’ve met many older folks who told me that’s why the U.S. is doing so poorly now. Hell, it’s almost exclusively older folks who say this. Younger folks tend to be more for globalization and don’t seem to mind it. Or they don’t think on it. I don’t know.

But probably a matter of different people we interact with?[/quote]

They don’t understand that manufacturing is what created the middle class. Everyone wants to be an accountant or executive without realizing if we don’t make stuff to sell we won’t stay on top for long. Look at what has driven China’s recent prosperity. By the time the realization comes that shuffling around virtual money doesn’t actually produce anything sets in it will be to late.[/quote]

This ^

We are borrowing money from China.
We are loaning money to kids to go to school.
Kids are going to school to get jobs that don’t exist.
Kids are not able to pay back the money we loaned them.[/quote]

This is a bit of a stretch. If you borrow 50K to get a degree in 18th century art, ya you’re a moron. 50K to be an accountant, no problem. [/quote]

I don’t disagree with you at all. For a good chunk of the population, this is true. However, gulp, there are some people that shouldn’t be going to college that are conditioned that they have to, and given the money to do so. It seems a lot harder to find training for skilled labor jobs and manufacturing jobs are becoming more and more rare. What are these people supposed to do usmc?
[/quote]

Well, first off I don’t think the situation is that dire. Manufacturing is still responsbile for $1.8 Trillion in GDP and employs 9% of US workers.

http://www.manufacturing.gov/mfg_in_context.html

That said, I agree many people shouldn’t go to college, but instead they should pick up a trade. There still are a lot of, “Blue collar,” jobs here.

Honestly, we need to work on keeping jobs here and attracting business back to America. There is little incentive to manufacture here with the cost of labor alone being a huge factor.

23

When they say that it is made in the US, how much is actually made in the US. My guess is the components are made elsewhere and final assembly is in the US. Second point is that the article doesn’t say that it would cost $4 more to make that phone in China, it says that it costs $4 more to make than an iPhone 5.

If they have chosen to make that phone in Texas it is because that is the best option for their profit margin. Possibly because of government grants, lower transport costs, better quality control, whatever the factors are the actual cost is lower the way they are doing it, otherwise they would be doing something different.

24

[quote]Cockney Blue wrote:
When they say that it is made in the US, how much is actually made in the US. My guess is the components are made elsewhere and final assembly is in the US. Second point is that the article doesn’t say that it would cost $4 more to make that phone in China, it says that it costs $4 more to make than an iPhone 5.

If they have chosen to make that phone in Texas it is because that is the best option for their profit margin. Possibly because of government grants, lower transport costs, better quality control, whatever the factors are the actual cost is lower the way they are doing it, otherwise they would be doing something different.[/quote]

All valid points - good post.

I do think I’ve heard predictions that US v China manufacturing costs are going to be equal in 2015 I believe. However, this will probably just create a new place as the ‘go to’ place for cheap manufacturing.

25

Most of the stuff that I know of or have had a hand in is manufactured here out of necessity. Whether it be sheer size, skill, or items that must meet stringent manufacturing compliance and quality standards it is only done here because it can’t be done elsewhere for less.

We do quality really well in the US. What we don’t do very well is quantity. Our manufacturing systems and workforce are definitely lacking in the ability to turn out very high numbers of items that are both of good quality and in a quantity that makes it feasible to consider doing here in a price range that is acceptable.

26

USA!!! USA!!! USA!!! USA!!!

27

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]strungoutboy21 wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]magick wrote:

[quote]AliveAgain36 wrote:
So why make it in Texas if it costs an extra $4?[/quote]

Gut feeling- Publicity.

Americans have such a hard-on for domestically produced goods right now that if Google says “Hey! We create stuff here in the U.S.A!!!@#!@#@!#!@#@!” then people will be like “OMG! Google is a great company for producing jobs in the U.S.A!!!@#@!@!$!@#! WE LOVE GOOGLE!!@#@!”

And then Google gets more business and makes more money than it may lose.

I mean, read the bloody comments in that article.

If nothing else Google just earned major brownie points from the general public.[/quote]

Really? I’ve never meet anyone under 40 that cares where their stuff is made. [/quote]
I’m under 40. If I had an option I would buy something made in the US for a little extra cash. A lot of times there isn’t an option.[/quote]

Okay, I’ve heard of 1 person under 40 that cares…

Honestly though, do you check before you make a purchase or are just like, “Sweet it’s made in America, alright,” After the fact. [/quote]

well you’re up to 2…

if there are multiple options of the product I’m wanting I’ll look to see where its made and if cost and quality are similar I’ll go with stuff made here.

seems like there was a thread within the last year or so of products made in US but doesnt seem like that thread stayed around long…

28

Good stuff, i’ll be considering this for my next phone.

29

[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Most of the stuff that I know of or have had a hand in is manufactured here out of necessity. Whether it be sheer size, skill, or items that must meet stringent manufacturing compliance and quality standards it is only done here because it can’t be done elsewhere for less.

We do quality really well in the US. What we don’t do very well is quantity. Our manufacturing systems and workforce are definitely lacking in the ability to turn out very high numbers of items that are both of good quality and in a quantity that makes it feasible to consider doing here in a price range that is acceptable.
[/quote]

I have actually seen quite a few things that have moved offshore come back to being made here due to quality concerns.

Another thing we do well is innovation. Yes, other countries are good at copying and improving stuff developed here, but we are still king at development.

30

[quote]Testy1 wrote:

[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Most of the stuff that I know of or have had a hand in is manufactured here out of necessity. Whether it be sheer size, skill, or items that must meet stringent manufacturing compliance and quality standards it is only done here because it can’t be done elsewhere for less.

We do quality really well in the US. What we don’t do very well is quantity. Our manufacturing systems and workforce are definitely lacking in the ability to turn out very high numbers of items that are both of good quality and in a quantity that makes it feasible to consider doing here in a price range that is acceptable.
[/quote]

I have actually seen quite a few things that have moved offshore come back to being made here due to quality concerns.

Another thing we do well is innovation. Yes, other countries are good at copying and improving stuff developed here, but we are still king at development.
[/quote]

I’ve seen this too. One company I used to work at had a couple of items of their product line built at a job shop in Poland. The things that they would screw up were endless. Everything from wrong and/or poorly fit fasteners to incompatible circuit boards from one run of production to the next. It was like receiving a truck load of headaches.

On innovation, I don’t know why we don’t have more precision automated assembly systems. Maybe that is what Google has in mind to produce these phones at an affordable price and in significant quantity to make it viable.

31

[quote]SkyzykS wrote:

[quote]Testy1 wrote:

[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Most of the stuff that I know of or have had a hand in is manufactured here out of necessity. Whether it be sheer size, skill, or items that must meet stringent manufacturing compliance and quality standards it is only done here because it can’t be done elsewhere for less.

We do quality really well in the US. What we don’t do very well is quantity. Our manufacturing systems and workforce are definitely lacking in the ability to turn out very high numbers of items that are both of good quality and in a quantity that makes it feasible to consider doing here in a price range that is acceptable.
[/quote]

I have actually seen quite a few things that have moved offshore come back to being made here due to quality concerns.

Another thing we do well is innovation. Yes, other countries are good at copying and improving stuff developed here, but we are still king at development.
[/quote]

I’ve seen this too. One company I used to work at had a couple of items of their product line built at a job shop in Poland. The things that they would screw up were endless. Everything from wrong and/or poorly fit fasteners to incompatible circuit boards from one run of production to the next. It was like receiving a truck load of headaches.

On innovation, I don’t know why we don’t have more precision automated assembly systems. Maybe that is what Google has in mind to produce these phones at an affordable price and in significant quantity to make it viable.

[/quote]

I have designed and built some of these systems and sometimes the level of control, soft touch and precision of the human hand just can’t be easily duplicated. With that said more is being automated all the time.

32

[quote]js252 wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]strungoutboy21 wrote:

[quote]usmccds423 wrote:

[quote]magick wrote:

[quote]AliveAgain36 wrote:
So why make it in Texas if it costs an extra $4?[/quote]

Gut feeling- Publicity.

Americans have such a hard-on for domestically produced goods right now that if Google says “Hey! We create stuff here in the U.S.A!!!@#!@#@!#!@#@!” then people will be like “OMG! Google is a great company for producing jobs in the U.S.A!!!@#@!@!$!@#! WE LOVE GOOGLE!!@#@!”

And then Google gets more business and makes more money than it may lose.

I mean, read the bloody comments in that article.

If nothing else Google just earned major brownie points from the general public.[/quote]

Really? I’ve never meet anyone under 40 that cares where their stuff is made. [/quote]
I’m under 40. If I had an option I would buy something made in the US for a little extra cash. A lot of times there isn’t an option.[/quote]

Okay, I’ve heard of 1 person under 40 that cares…

Honestly though, do you check before you make a purchase or are just like, “Sweet it’s made in America, alright,” After the fact. [/quote]

well you’re up to 2…

if there are multiple options of the product I’m wanting I’ll look to see where its made and if cost and quality are similar I’ll go with stuff made here.

seems like there was a thread within the last year or so of products made in US but doesnt seem like that thread stayed around long…[/quote]
I agree if there are multiple options I will always go with the US one for a little extra cash.

This is sort of similar, but I try to support smaller local businesses rather than shop at Walmart.