More than simple IT news!
On today’s Digits: WSJ’s Don Clark tells us how HTML5 is changing the Web, in a long-standing battle between proponents of the Web language and Flash-maker Adobe; a new ruling on whether Twitter data can be obtained without a warrant; Facebook is close to settling a privacy case with the FTC; in Swisher Scoops, Kara Swisher has the latest on talks of a Yahoo sale and, what IBM is doing in the ‘Bring Your Own Device’ war at work.
AMD is implementing a massive “restructuring plan” in an effort to improve its competitive positioning.
”Reducing our cost structure and focusing our global workforce on key growth opportunities will strengthen [our] competitiveness and allow us to aggressively pursue a balanced set of strategic activities designed to accelerate future growth,” explained newly appointed AMD CEO Rory Read.
”The actions we are taking are designed to improve our ability to consistently address the needs of our global customer base and stake leadership positions in lower power, emerging markets and the cloud.”
Unfortunately, restructuring is a sterile euphemism for layoffs, with the company terminating approximately 10% (1,400) of its workforce.
A list compiled by Icrontic confirms the following employees have been let go: Director of the Products Group, senior engineer Carrell Killebrew; PR Manager Antal Tungler; PR Rep Bernard Fernandes; FirePro Product Marketing Managers Robert Miller and Lidia Gentilucci; Corporate VP of Strategy and Fellow Patrick Moorhead; Margaret Franco, VP of Marketing; and John Volkmann, Corporate Marketing Fellow.
According to Charlie Demerjian of SemiAccurate, the layoffs are likely to have a negative impact on AMD.
“Car
Earlier today, we wrote that Microsoft’s Steven Toulouse cleared early recipients of Modern Warfare 3 to play online without risking a ban from Xbox Live. But that decision has now been overturned.
Activision has stepped in and expressed its disapproval of early play. Toulouse wrote in a shorthand-filled tweet, “MW3 pre-release play not authorized.” He asked for players’ patience and concluded, “Playing early may impact your account!”
The statement makes two points at once. First and foremost, you’re not guaranteed a ban will be imposed for playing early, but it sounds like Activision has reserved the right to do so. Secondly, Acti
YouTube will start rolling out next month a set of new channels with original programs next month, as the video site beefs up its offering of exclusive, professionally-produced content.
These new channels are meant to complement YouTube’s core user-generated amateur videos and the non-exclusive, professional movies and TV shows it redistributes.
The strategy is intended to attract more viewers to YouTube, already the web’s most popular video site, and offer advertisers new opportunities for marketing their products.
The new channels will also make YouTube a more direct competitor to producers and broadcasters of original, professionally-produced programs, including other Internet companies like Yahoo, as well as TV and cable networks.
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