Voices

Amazon Softens Stance on Taxes

Amazon.com Inc. reached an agreement with Texas officials Friday to begin collecting sales taxes in the state starting in July and appears to be backing away from its long-held opposition to tax collection in states where it has warehouses and other facilities.

Apple Reports Progress on Supplier Responsibility, But Major Violations Doubled Last Year

Apple was recently accused of ignoring hazardous and unhealthy conditions at its overseas suppliers, so the company’s 2011 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report arrives at a particularly apt time.

News Byte

Panasonic Develops Hair-Washing Robot

Showcasing an interesting new use of 3D technology, Panasonic unveiled a hair-washing robot today that scans the shape and surface of a client’s head in order to apply “just the right amount of pressure” while shampooing and massaging each scalp. The robot was designed to help at understaffed healthcare facilities in Japan, where the rapidly aging population is a growing issue.

New From Google Labs: Google Plutocrat

The broader advertising recovery may take time, but search advertising is clearly beating a hasty path back toward normalcy. Or it is in Google’s case anyway. Reporting third-quarter results after market close Thursday, the search giant posted revenue of $5.94 billion, an increase of seven percent compared to the third quarter of 2008.
sergeymoneydive

Google’s Revenue Slumps, but Cost-Cutting Pays Off

As predicted, Google saw its revenue decline from the last quarter of 2008 to the first three months of this year. The search giant said it generated net revenue of $4.07 billion, which is down from the 4.22 billion Google notched in the previous quarter, and it’s a tad shy of the $4.08 billion consensus. But investors are going to be pleased with the non-GAAP earnings number: $5.16 share, up from $5.10 per share in the previous quarter and way, way above the $4.90 per share consensus. Bottom line: Google has cut back on its expenditures and that’s boosted profits.
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Former Yahoo CEO's Tenure Memorialized With $303 Million Fourth-Quarter Loss

Yahoo’s financials for the fourth quarter–co-founder Jerry Yang’s last as CEO–were about what you’d expect: mediocre. The fourth was Yahoo’s first money-losing quarter since 2002, and the first time its revenue declined since the fourth quarter of 2001.

Former Yahoo CEO’s Tenure Memorialized With $303 Million Fourth-Quarter Loss

Yahoo’s financials for the fourth quarter–co-founder Jerry Yang’s last as CEO–were about what you’d expect: mediocre. The fourth was Yahoo’s first money-losing quarter since 2002, and the first time its revenue declined since the fourth quarter of 2001.