cooking

Talking tech optimism and bashing Microsoft

TUSCON, Ariz.--It was as if the panelists couldn't resist the urge to talk smack about Microsoft. At least Salesforce.com founder and CEO Marc Benioff surely couldn't.

Benioff, the firebrand who often bashes his former boss, Oracle's Larry Elison, shared the stage here today at Techonomy 2011 with Intuit founder Scott Cook and management guru Gary Hamel.

The discussion, moderated by longtime venture capitalist Roger McNamee, was billed as the case for optimism, and the gang had plenty to be optimistic about.

Hamel, a hater of corporate bureaucracy, spoke hopefully about the ability of people to … Read more

PC forecast cut in wake of HDD shortage: analyst

Barclays Capital has slashed its PC growth forecast for the fourth quarter due to the shortage of hard disk drives and continued weakness in the PC market, according to reports.

The investment bank cut its global PC growth forecast for the fourth quarter to 4.3 percent from 7.2 percent "due to continued weak demand and a shortage of hard drive disks (HDD) resulting from the flooding in Thailand," according to a number of Asia-based outlets such as the China Post, citing a Barclay's research note.

And the bank didn't stop there, lowering its full-year … Read more

For Apple, $7.1B should keep supply chain humming

Apple's tight control of the supply chain has been one of its competitive strengths. And that control should get even tighter next year as the company plans to double its current level of spending.

With a treasure chest of more than $80 billion in cash and investments, Apple is looking to spend a whopping $7.1 billion on supply chain expenditures in 2012 and another $2.4 billion in prepayments to major suppliers, according to a profile by BusinessWeek.

Citing interviews with former Apple employees, executives from suppliers, and management experts, BusinessWeek revealed how Apple has spent big bucks … Read more

Apple CEO Tim Cook: Early clues to his leadership

Tim Cook has been Apple's chief executive officer for little more than two months, but he's already made some distinct changes from his predecessor, a new report says.

The Wall Street Journal has posted a profile of Cook's experience since taking on the CEO role (subscription required). The paper took a close look at a number of changes made during his tenure so far, which began in August when late company co-founder Steve Jobs stepped down as CEO.

Among the big things mentioned:

Cook restructured the company's education division to better fit it into Apple's … Read more

Keep your phone, tablet safe from cooking madness

When I hastily grabbed my phone to check a recipe during my first attempt at bibimbap, gunk from my fingers landed on the phone screen, nearly seeping into the speaker and damaging my favorite kitchen companion.

And it really is just that. With fruitful recipe apps like Allrecipes and Epicurious, along with my phone's built-in timer and calculator for measurement conversions, my iPhone and iPad are extremely useful tools, right after a freshly sharpened knife and KitchenAid mixer.

There's just one problem: these gadgets are hanging out in the dangerous war zone that is the kitchen. Chopping, rinsing, and transporting ingredients always involves the inevitable splashing, and your phone or tablet is right there, vulnerable to these kitchen elements and your messy fingertips.… Read more

Bio quotes Jobs on partners in crime: Cook and Ive

Still more snippets of the authorized Steve Jobs biography have emerged, with Bloomberg relating a couple of choice bits about Jobs' relationship with new Apple CEO Tim Cook and the company's industrial design wizard, Jonathan "Jony" Ive.

Jobs hired Cook away from Compaq not long after the Mac mastermind had returned to the company he'd founded. Cook had an undergrad degree in industrial engineering from Auburn University and an MBA from Duke, and when they met, Jobs saw him as a kindred spirit. "I knew what I wanted and I met Tim, and he wanted … Read more

Hard drives could get scarce: Apple, analysts

The humble hard disk drive may become a more precious commodity in the coming months, according to analysts and Apple.

Apple CEO Tim Cook made this very clear this week in the company's earnings conference call, referring to the impact of the floods in Thailand. "Like many others, we source many components from Thailand and have multiple factories that supply these components. There are several factories that are currently not operable, and the recovery timeline for these factories is not known at this point," he said.

Cook continued. "We would say that our primary exposure is … Read more

Fondue and fry too

Some appliances provide a means to prepare a wide variety of foods. Consider the myriad possibilities for meals from the oven, stovetop, or even the microwave and it becomes apparent that their use in daily life is rich and varied. The flip side to that coin is that there are plenty of appliances that are capable of only doing one thing, such as deep-fry foods or keep a pot of fondue happily bubbling away. But when two features are combined, then the resultant fusion can lead to something more than the sum of its parts.

Providing a means to deep-fry … Read more

The 404 920: Where we're on a 7-second delay (podcast)

Wilson's out sick today so CNET Labs' Joseph Kaminski fills in with a 7-second delay, just in case.

Today we're discussing the controversial details of Steve Jobs' use of psychedelic drugs, what's being taught at Cupertino's Apple University, pre-crime becoming a reality, and this morning's speedbumps for iPhone 4S preorders.

The 404 Digest for Episode 920

Pre-crime might become a reality. Unlocked iPhone 4S coming in November. Galaxy Nexus launch delayed due to Jobs' death. Sprint to cover 120M people with 4G LTE next year (scoop). Did dropping acid make Steve Jobs more creative? Steve Jobs' virtual DNA to be fostered in Apple University. Superman fan turns to surgery to become Man of Steel. Florida school district taking attendance by scanning students' fingers. Google-designed Nikes prove Google has no taste. Fear abounds in images from Nightmares Fear Factory.

Episode 920 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more