Friday Poll: How important is it to buy U.S.-made tech?
Google's new Nexus Q is a rare big-company gadget made right here in America. Are you on the hunt for "Made in the USA" tags on your tech products?
The Fourth of July is coming up next week. It's a good time to take stock of where the country stands in the world of technology manufacturing.
We've been hearing quite a bit lately about how feasible (or not) it is to make tech products right here at home.
Manufacturing plants in Asia pretty much have the cell phone and gadget market cornered, but there are some blips on the U.S.-made tech radar. Google has managed to design and build the Nexus Q streaming media player in America.
Is this a sign of a reboot for technology manufacturing in America? Don't expect Detroit to be churning out cell phones and iPads anytime soon, but there are some rumblings to the movement. For example, the Obama administration is pushing for more U.S.-made high-tech materials.
Apple has said that it would like to make products in the U.S. but that the dream simply doesn't mix with business reality. Manufacturing on American shores has an impact on price tags. The Nexus Q runs $299. It likely would have come in lower if made in Asia.
Still, the lure of U.S. tech products can be strong. Strong enough to trump the cost? That depends. Maybe you actively seek out that "Made in the USA" label. Maybe you're strictly a lowest-price shopper. How important is it to you to buy U.S.-made tech? Vote in our poll and talk it out in the comments.