SAN FRANCISCO -- Google Inc. CEO Eric Schmidt on Wednesday told industry analysts the online search engine leader is unlikely to create its own Web browser, even though the company remains worried about being slighted by the next version of Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer. Responding to a question during a conference call, Schmidt said Google sees little need to develop its own browser because most people seem satisfied with Explorer and rivals such as Firefox, Apple Computer Inc.'s Safari and Opera. ``We would not build a browser just for the fun of building a browser,'' Schmidt said.
Microsoft to partner on iPod rival
Microsoft will ally with Toshiba Corp., Victor Co. of Japan, NTT DoCoMo Inc. and five other companies to offer music and video distribution services and media players to compete against Apple Computer's iPod. The companies will develop a portable music and video player for the Japanese market, according to a Microsoft press release. The device would challenge the iPod, the best-selling device that plays songs and other media downloaded from the Internet or copied from compact discs. Microsoft will develop the software while consumer electronics makers Toshiba and Victor, will make the portable device.
Sun to cut up to 5,000 jobs
SAN FRANCISCO -- Computer server maker Sun Microsystems Inc., whose revenue has declined four years in a row, said Wednesday it planned to cut 4,000 to 5,000 jobs in an effort to return to consistent profitability. The cuts, which will reduce Sun's 37,500-person work force by 11 percent to 13 percent over the next six months, will cost Santa Clara-based Sun from $340 million to $500 million over the next several quarters, the company said.
Microsoft opens data storage farm
QUINCY, Wash. -- In a brief ceremony, local leaders and Microsoft officials broke ground on the company's new data storage center in Grant County. The 75-acre site will house tens of thousands of high-capacity computers. Construction on the data center began May 10, but company officials joined local business leaders and elected officials Tuesday to celebrate the start of the project. When the new data center is operational by April 2007, Debra Chrapaty, corporate vice president of Microsoft Network operations said, it will be one of the company's largest and most important for providing Internet-based services for ``tens of millions'' of customers.
Microsoft picks two for Office unit
REDMOND -- Microsoft split leadership of its Office unit after former head Steven Sinofsky was promoted to run the Windows and Internet business. Antoine Leblond will run the Office Productivity Applications group and Kurt DelBene will lead the Office Business Platform group, Microsoft said in an e-mail Wednesday. The two-man leadership team has about six months to prepare for the launch of the new Office programs, postponed until January to coincide with the delayed launch of the next version of Windows, called Vista. Sinofsky was moved to the Windows unit in March, when the latest delay of Vista was announced.
Judge, Delta pilots approve deal
A bankruptcy judge Wednesday approved the $280-million-a-year concessions agreement between Delta Air Lines Inc. and its pilots, rejecting claims by the government's pension insurer that it should receive the compensation the pilots were promised if their pension is terminated. The decision came hours after rank-and-file pilots gave their nod to the deal.
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