Some hit back by accusing Mr Guzman of nepotism: he gave a contract for a computer system to his son's company, though he denies any wrongdoing.

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"Without applications, the device itself means nothing, " said Barry Lam, chairman of the contract laptop manufacturer Quanta Computer Inc.

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Given the growing pie, most home computer companies are making money, even contract manufacturers.

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Their options range from using online app-building tools, to taking crash courses in computer programming and coding languages, hiring a costly professional on contract, or recruiting a full-time developer.

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In 1982 Jabil went into high-tech with a contract to make add-on boards for the IBM Personal Computer unit in Boca Raton, Fla.

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Last month, Computer Sciences signed a letter of intent with the U.K. NHS to continue the contract.

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Contract manufacturers already make most of the products branded by such companies as Dell, Cisco and Apple Computer.

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Meaning: You get in the door with a contract to manage some aspect of a customer's business then go for additional work, including traditional computer outsourcing.

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And to share news about products agencies are looking for, such as the search for computer desks by the military academy at West Point, or advice about how to make your road to a government contract easier from staff at the government agencies.

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