IBM's New Chief Executive Officer

This week IBM announced a new CEO, Virginia Rometty. The New York Times has an article today discussing her career path. We have talked in class about the importance of social networks. It used to be common for women to be put in marginal positions within companies, such as personnel, purchasing, or public relations. IBM has had a long history of of including women within the company and developing programs to mentor them. IBM has seen this not as doing-good, but as enlightened self-interest. For a company to be its best, it needs to develop all the talent it has, whether it is women or men, black or white, American-born or foreign-born, gay or straight.

The 10th Birthday of the Ipod

The Ipod turned ten on Sunday. Here are some reflections on the Ipod's ten years with us.

The IThermostat

The New York Times as an article about how managers at Apple who worked on the IPod and the IPhone are now at a start-up company working on the iThermostat. Their premise is that they can use digital technology and concepts of machine learning to help people control the temperature of their homes more precisely, saving money and reducing pollution. The thermostat costs $249, which is twice the price of other thermostats, but they claim that it will pay for itself in one year. One of the founders said that at Apple, "we were building toys," but at the new company they were building "a product that could have a huge impact on a big problem.” The big question is whether Americans will pay as much for a thermostat as they will for their digital toys.