IDG News Service —
1. "Yahoo CEO Semel Gives Up Title to Cofounder Yang"
June 19, CIO.com
Embattled Yahoo CEO Terry Semel ended his six years at the helm, with the company's board tapping co-founder Jerry Yang to take over. Shareholders at a recent meeting asked sharply critical questions of Semel, who has increasingly been on the hot seat the past couple of years because Yahoo isn't gaining enough inroads, according to investors, into the search-engine advertising market, among other things. It can't be easy when your company is most often compared to Google. While Yang expressed optimism that the company "has all the assets it takes to win," analysts expressed skepticism that calling on Yang is the best strategy, suggesting there are better choices to lead the way.
2. "Apple iPhone: The Device IT Managers Will Love to Hate,"
June 22, CIO.com
"Gartner to IT: Avoid Apple's iPhone,"
June 21, Macworld
With next Friday's release of the Apple iPhone sure to bring this year's hot product into the communications mix at many companies, IT managers are trying to figure out how to support it so that workers can access e-mail and other applications. Industry analysts have been warning about security since word of the iPhone came down from Apple CEO Steve Jobs, but Gartner stepped it up a notch this week saying it's going to tell IT managers they shouldn't allow iPhones to be part of their networks because Apple isn't aiming it at the enterprise market and therefore isn't going to offer the necessary support.
3. "Microsoft to Change Vista Desktop Search by Year End,"
June 20, InfoWorld
In response to an antitrust complaint from Google, Microsoft will change desktop search in Vista by year's end. The change, to be made in Windows Vista Service Pack 1, will allow users and OEMs to select a default desktop search program other than Windows Instant Search, according to court documents. That service pack is due out in beta form by the end of the year. While Google said that's all well and good, it is standing on its position that Microsoft needs to do even more to keep from violating the consent decree in its federal antitrust case.
4. "ITC Denies Stay on Qualcomm Ban,"
June 22, InfoWorld
The U.S. International Trade Commission denied a request by Qualcomm to stay a ban on importation of some of its chips and cell phones into the U.S. while the company continues to appeal a jury verdict against it in a patent infringement case brought by Broadcom. Not long before the ruling was released Thursday, the head of the CTIA cellular industry association sent a letter to President Bush urging him to strike down the ban, saying it will "freeze innovation" for U.S. wireless networks and hurt industry attempts to strengthen emergency 911 services. Presidents aren't inclined to intervene in such matters, so the ban could be appealed in federal court, but that's not significantly more likely to help either.
