X-bit labs

Friday, February 11, 2005

HP’s CEO Steps Down, What's Next? HP Searches for New Chief Executive Officer

The board of directors of Hewlett-Packard Company announced earlier this week that Carleton S. Fiorina has stepped down as chairman and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Robert P. Wayman, HP's chief financial officer, has been named chief executive officer on an interim basis and appointed to the board of directors. Patricia C. Dunn, an HP director since 1998, has been named non-executive chairman of the board, also effective immediately.

With Ms Fiorina leaving HP, an era in the IT industry comes to the end. The main questions analysts, observers and executives ask themselves is what is next to happen to HP and who is the next chief of the Silicon Valley legend.

• Newsfactor: Hewlett-Packard Diversification, Post Fiorina.
• MarketWatch: HP Breakup Coming This Year.
• BusinessWeek Online: Can Anyone Save HP?
• Associated Press: With New CEO, HP May Face Major Shift.
• CNET News.com: Who Will Lead HP Now? Experts Offer Their Picks.
• Investor’s Business Daily: Will HP Executive Search Lead It Back to Capellas?
• BusinessWeek Online: The Inside Story of Carly’s Ouster.
• MarketWatch: New CEO at HP faces stiff challenges.
• The Street.com: Lessons of Carly Fiorina’s Fall.
• BusinessWeek Online: Where Fiorina Went Wrong.
• Associated Press: Wayman Replaces Fiorina at Hewlett-Packard.

Intel Pentium M on the Desktops – An Alternative to the Pentium 4? Intel’s Mobile Chips Starring as Desktop Processors

Contemporary desktop processors, such as Intel Pentium 4 and AMD Athlon 64, consume extensive amount of power and require huge coolers that are usually pretty loud. While the consumers do want high performance from their personal computers, they also value quietness and small form-factors. Given that it becomes harder and harder to organize proper cooling while sustaining miniature sizes and quiet operation, some PC makers plug mobile processors into desktops. But is it really a solution for a speedy computer?

“With a very high cost of ownership, thanks to high motherboard prices and correspondingly high CPU prices, not to mention a very limited upgrade path, the Pentium M just isn't suited for the desktop. And unless these deciding factors change significantly in the near future, it won’t be for some time to come,” claims AnandTech web-site.

• AnandTech: Intel’s Pentium M on the Desktop – A Viable Alternative?