GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Preliminary figures show Florida’s population went up slightly in 2009 after a one-year decline broke a steady string of growth dating to the end of World War II. The University of Florida reported Thursday that the state added an estimated 21,000 residents last year. That’s after losing more than 56,000 in 2008. Florida’s total estimated population now is 18,771,768. Stan Smith, director of the university’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research, said while population was up last year it was the smallest increase since the 1940s. Smith said it also didn’t make up for the previous year’s decline. He attributed the growth to a slight improvement in Florida’s economy although it’s still bad. Related Articles Florida Governor’s race shake-up North Fort Myers Fire Dept. taking a hit so they don’t have to increase residents taxes Woman sentenced to 18 years for beating 2 year old step son FWC officer injured in north Florida boat accident
September 2, 2010 | Posted in
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NEW YORK (AP) — Xerox Corp. has this message for you: For the last time, we’re not just about making copies. To hammer that home, the company is launching its biggest media blitz in decades, starting next week. While the Xerox name is still synonymous with copy machines, the company has been branching beyond that line of work for years. Selling toner and paper remains a huge portion of its revenue, but it also makes money helping other companies manage how documents get around on their computer networks, among other services. And with the $6.4 billion acquisition this year of a company called Affiliated Computer Services, it has tripled the size of its services business, essentially transforming the company more than half a century after putting out its first copy machine. Where less than a quarter of its revenue came from services before the deal, they now account for roughly half of the $22 billion annual total. Coming out of a recession that put a big dent in corporate technology spending, Xerox is counting on the deal to get revenue growing again. Xerox, which is headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., expects ACS to help it sell back-office services to its existing clients, which won’t require much advertising. But according to Xerox President Jim Firestone, the bigger opportunity is winning new customers, especially abroad, where ACS hasn’t had as much of a presence. Hence the new ads. “We know that Xerox has moved far from its historic roots,” says Firestone. “But the rest of the world doesn’t pay quite as close attention as we would like.” It isn’t the first time Xerox has tweaked its brand in an effort to shake the copier company label. It redesigned its logo in 2008 with the same goal in mind, dropping the uppercase lettering that was so familiar from its copiers and printers and adding a stylish white “X” stretched over a red sphere. Xerox won’t reveal exactly what it is spending on the new campaign, but said it will more than double the company’s ad budget compared with last year. It includes spending on TV commercials, print ads and the Web. And while business services may not sound like much fun, Xerox is trying to liven up its marketing with a touch of humor. In one TV spot, a worker at Ducati motorcycles steps into a wind tunnel and tells a fellow employee who is testing a bike that management wants him to translate some company literature into Portuguese. “Are you busy?” The gist, of course, is that businesses should let Xerox handle this kind of ancillary work, while they stick to what they know. A voiceover tells viewers, “Ducati knows it’s better for Xerox to manage their global publications, so they can focus on building amazing bikes.” The idea is also to save Ducati and other companies a few dollars, an appeal Xerox hopes will resonate in a shaky economy. Before the ACS deal, Xerox had stalled. The recession meant less business going on at its customers, which in turn meant less printing and copying. Businesses also became more reluctant to replace aging office equipment, a trend that hurt revenue growth across the technology industry. Until the ACS deal closed, Xerox hadn’t reported revenue growth in more than a year and company executives warned repeatedly that they didn’t expect spending would bounce back quickly. The company has gone though several rounds of layoffs in the past two years. Now, Xerox is hoping the ACS deal will help it grow again, in part by offering other businesses ways to cut costs. “Clearly the economic environment is unsteady … and as a result everyone is very cautious,” said Firestone. “In this environment, where companies are trying to find the most cost-effective way to run their businesses, what we have to offer is part of the solution.” ? 2010 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .
September 1, 2010 | Posted in
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&cat=19&pid=9942&cache=true " alt="Permits to build take a hit in Lee; One builder blames the oil disaster" class="alignleft" />
LEE COUNTY, Fla. – Permits for new building dropped in some key categories in August in Lee Co.?? One builder is blaming the oil disaster in the Gulf for frightening potential buyers from completing their contracts for homes here. “The end of? April, everything just went quiet.? People stopped making decisions on buying or building a home here.?? Many feared the beaches were soaked in oil, especially the Europeans believed that,”? said Bob Knight, Vice-president of Paul Homes in Cape Coral.??? “People cancelled contracts, based on what they heard about oil on the beaches.?? That oil spill really wrecked the fragile recovery, and sent us right back into a recession.” Lee Co. released permit numbers for August.?? Builders pulled only 17 single-family home permits, compared to 33 in July and 34 in Aug. of??? ‘09.???? Builders pulled no permits for multi-family homes in August, compared to 28 in July and 10 in Aug. of ?’09.?? Commercial permits went up slightly, compared to July. Still, it adds up to discouraging news for the battered construction industry.?? Mike Scullen told WINK News, he is giving up on construction.?? He used to work as a window installer.?? But he’s been jobless for more than 2 years, and says he is looking to go into sales.?? He says he is about to become homeless, because there is no work. David Vieira agrees.?? He too used to make a good living in the building trades.? Now, nothing. “I do not have any hope for construction.?? I have to get into another field,” said Vieira. Bob Knight says, the coming visitor? season should tell a lot about the local economy.? “We will know if we are on the road to recovery, or still slogging through the mud,” said Knight. ? Related Articles Fla. nursing home evacuated after pipe bomb found BP spent $93M on advertising after Gulf spill 4 people killed in 2 car crash in north Fla. Lions, tigers, bears – and a couple hundred homes?
September 1, 2010 | Posted in
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Lee Commissioners met for hours on Tuesday afternoon, hearing about cuts made across many county programs and agencies.? In the end, they did not have a solid budget plan in place, and agreed to meet again next week to try to finalize a plan to wipe out a 70-million dollar shortfall. At the end, Commissioner John Manning offered a possible compromise among a variety of options:??? that the county leave the tax rate where it is now, $3.65 for every $1000 of property value, and use 20 to 25 million in reserve funds to balance the budget.?? But there is no guarantee he can get 3 of 5 votes for that plan. Earlier,? commissioners heard from Sheriff Mike Scott and Lee Clerk of Courts Charlie Green, among others.?? Scott said his agency has cut 9-million dollars in 2 years, and cannot cut any more.??? “We’ve cut the budget to 153 million and that is as deep as we can go.?? I will not put people on furlough, you can’t do that in a law enforcement agency, and I will not charge deputies more for their health insurance for family members.? Those benefits are generous and they make up for a relatively low salary for our people here in Lee,” said Scott. Green suggested commissioners could balance the budget by using reserves, and money for the land preservation program, Conservation 2020.?? “That program gets aboutg 27 million a year in taxes, and? you could re-direct that money from land purchases to the general fund,” he told commissioners.? In addition, Green urged the board to use other reserve funds to create local jobs and put peope to work.?? “It is wrenching to see so many people hurting,” said Green.?? “We could create jobs putting in sidewalks and all kinds of public works projects.?? Those dollars we pay the people would ripple and spread 4 times over through our local economy.” Commissioners meet again Sept. 7 to try to finalize a budget.? The first public hearing on a budget is the next day, Sept. 8.??? The county must balance its budget by Sept. 30 for the coming year. Related Articles Drilling agency imposes conflict-of-interest rules Republican leaders mend fences in Fla. with Scott Commissioners approve taking out bonds to pay for new Red Sox stadium Lee considers first round of budget cuts
August 31, 2010 | Posted in
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&cat=19&pid=9865&cache=true " alt="Attorney General complaint against Bonita Bay Group dismissed" class="alignleft" />
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. -??The Attorney General’s civil complaint against Bonita Bay Group has been dismissed.? After reviewing briefs and? hearing oral arguments from both parties, Circuit Court Judge Michael T. McHugh dismissed the Attorney General’s claims that the company committed fraud and engaged in deceptive conduct. The Attorney General’s Office initiated an investigation after being contacted by several members of the company’s clubs who disagreed with Bonita Bay Group’s interpretation of its club membership contracts. “The Attorney General then sued, seeking to convert what at worst can be described as a private contract dispute into a case of deception, and the court rightly rejected that misguided effort,” said Bud Kirk, legal counsel for Bonita Bay Group. “We are pleased that the Court dismissed the Attorney General’s complaint,” said Kirk. “Bonita Bay Group has refunded deposits for more than 20 years and continues to do so today. Quick action by Bonita Bay Group avoided bankruptcies that would have required closing the clubs and would have had a devastating impact on the local economy. By working diligently with the member-board? representatives, Bonita Bay Group was able to keep the clubs open and operating for members to enjoy their lifestyle and world-class amenities, and to ultimately sell four of the clubs to new clubs formed by their members with more than 90 percent membership approval. Today those members own their clubs outright and continue to enjoy the benefits associated with them.” Related Articles Bonita Springs fire officials file complaints against fire board candidate Robert Sharkey No new judge for Fla. man in killing of NC trooper Fla. judge ends former astronaut’s probation early Incumbent Hayward wins Lee Co. judge recount
August 31, 2010 | Posted in
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LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — For a decade, West Africa’s main connection to the Internet has been a single fiber-optic cable in the Atlantic, a tenuous and expensive link for one of the poorest areas of the planet. But this summer, a second cable snaked along the West African coastline, ending at Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos. It has more than five times the capacity of the old one and is set to bring competition to a market where wholesale Internet access costs nearly 500 times as much as it does in the U.S. It’s the first of a new wave of investment that the U.N.’s International Telecommunications Union says will vastly raise the bandwidth available in West Africa by mid-2012. “Africa is sort of the last frontier here,” said Paul Brodsky, an analyst at the research firm TeleGeography in Washington. The effects are already being felt in Ghana. Kofi Datsa, general manager of Internet service provider DiscoveryTel Ghana, said it has seen the monthly cost of the access it buys from larger telecommunications carriers drop more than a quarter to $1,625 per megabit per second, from $2,250, in recent months. The carriers, fearing they could lose customers, have started cutting prices ahead of the new cables landing in the country. Datsa expects his bandwidth costs to drop further in a couple of months, to $350 per megabit per second. By the end of 2011, when two other cables will have gone live, that could go as low as $225, he believes. But that’s still high. In the U.S. and Europe, wholesale Internet connections cost $5 to $10 per megabit per month in major cities, according to research firm TeleGeography. It’s not clear exactly when the cheaper prices will trickle down to the consumer level, but Datsa expects that to happen fairly quickly, as there’s plenty of competition, with 25 registered ISPs in the country. According to the Ghana Internet Service Providers Association, a typical DSL package costs $32 a month, about two-thirds of the average monthly income in the country. It’s far slower than DSL service in the U.S., which costs about the same. The ITU found that 32 million sub-Saharan Africans, or 3 percent, had Internet access in 2008 – the latest figure available. But that number was growing at almost twice the world average rate. “Internet growth in Africa has been phenomenal and has not shown any signs of being diminished by the worldwide slump in the economy,” said Prince Radebe of South Africa’s Telkom SA, which has a stake in the older cable. “The investment in international submarine cables will further unlock this growth.” Even with added international communications capacity, Africa still faces another problem: In many places, it doesn’t have the fiber cables necessary to carry the signal from the shores inland, said Abiodun Jagun, a lecturer at South Africa’s University of Witwatersrand. And in the countries where there is an expansive network of terrestrial fiber optic cables, such pipes are controlled by telecommunications operators that close them to rivals or charge a hefty premium for Internet traffic. “There is this mentality, this monopolistic mentality that is hardwired into telecom operators,” Jagun said. Cell phones can help bring Internet access into the hands of consumers, but even wireless networks are dependent on long-haul fiber-optic cables, as the signal travels over the air only for a few miles. The old cable connecting West Africa to the world, called South Atlantic Telecommunications Cable Number 3/West African Submarine Cable, or SAT-3, is controlled by incumbent telecom operators. The new $250-million MainOne cable is owned by a consortium of Nigerian banks and financial institutions, South African investors and other African entrepreneurs, none of whom are telecommunications operators. The cable, which has a maximum capacity of 1.92 terabits per second, went live in Ghana and Nigeria last month and has several branching points along the West African coastline ready to connect six other countries. The other cables in the works are Glo 1, which is owned by Nigerian mobile phone service provider, Globacom Ltd. It will connect Nigeria and its neighbor Ghana with Europe and is expected to go live this year. South Africa-based mobile phone company, MTN Group, is leading another project called West Africa Cable System, which is scheduled to be completed next year. France Telecom is leading another consortium, Africa Coast to Europe, whose cable should be completed mid-2012. And on the eastern Africa coast, it is leading a separate submarine cable project – LION 2. Apart from extra capacity, the new cables will bring much-needed reliability to communications in Africa. Undersea cables are prone to being damaged by fishermen and earthquakes and take weeks to repair. When SAT-3 broke last summer, it took several countries completely offline for a while, and Nigeria lost 70 percent of its international capacity as it fell back on satellite connections, which are slower and even more expensive than SAT-3. With multiple cables, French-speaking Senegal may be able to expand its outsourced call centers, and English-speaking Ghana would have a better chance of implementing its plan to get into that business. Joseph Mucheru, Google Inc.’s regional lead for sub-Saharan Africa, sees great opportunities for West Africa with improved communications, despite the problem of finding enough skilled workers, the lack of security and other challenges. “I would, however, say all this is outweighed by the opportunities West Africa presents,” Mucheru said. “A vibrant, youthful population and thirst for growth and great technology adaptation.” ? 2010 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .
August 30, 2010 | Posted in
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MIAMI (AP) – Two of Florida’s U.S. Senate hopefuls, Gov. Charlie Crist and Congressman Kendrick Meek, on Sunday touted their plans to stimulate the lagging economy. ???? ? In an interview taped for CNN’s “State of the Union,” Crist said extending the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers would help boost home sales in Florida. Crist left the Republican Party this year to run as an independent. ???? ? “I think any time you can reduce taxation in order to spur the economy forward, that’s a good thing to do and that would be great to do,” he said. ???? ? Speaking live on the program Sunday, South Florida Congressman Kendrick Meek said he would push for green initiatives and green jobs to stimulate economic growth in Florida. He also favored continuing tax cuts for small businesses and the middle class, partly paid for by rolling back Bush-era tax breaks for the wealthy. ???? ? Another way to pay for those tax cuts would be moving toward more diplomatic solutions in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Meek, the Democratic nominee in the contest. He and Crist will face Republican Marco Rubio in November. ???? ? “Getting our combat troops out of Iraq is going to save this country money,” Meek said. “… I support making sure that they are secured and that they are safe and that we have force protection, but at the same time, we have to look at the affordability of what we are doing.” ???? ? The last U.S. combat brigade was pulled out of Iraq this month. Nearly 50,000 soldiers remain in the country even though they won’t be carrying out combat missions. Later Sunday morning on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Meek said he was confident President Barack Obama would return to Florida to campaign for him, as he did before the Democratic primary. Meek defeated billionaire Jeff Greene for the party’s nomination. ???? ? Meek downplayed concerns that Crist will siphon away Democratic votes in a crucial election that will decide which party controls the Senate. He also said Crist and Rubio would be fighting for the tea party vote, with positions “far right” of his own. ???? ? “I’m the only candidate in this race that has won by a popular vote in a contested primary,” he said. “I look forward to capitalizing on that because there’s vast differences between myself and the other two lifelong Republicans that are in this race.” ???? ? On CNN, Crist evaded the question of whether, as an independent, he would caucus with the Democrats or with the Republicans in the Senate. ???? ? “I think the important thing to do is, if I have the honor of winning, (is) ask tough questions,” he said. ???? ? Crist also dodged questions about whether he still supported former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who criticized Crist at a Jacksonville fundraiser last week for leaving the Republican party.????? ? “I believe that I will win. And what really matters is not somebody from Alaska, but my fellow Floridians, and that’s what I’m focused on,” he said. ???? ? Rubio gave the Republican Party’s weekly address. He focused on the economy and government spending, and he said he favors extending tax cuts passed under President George W. Bush that are set to expire in January. He also favors repealing Obama’s health care law and ending what remains of the stimulus legislation.????? ? “Today the American dream is threatened by out-of-control politicians in Washington who think that more government deficit spending is what it takes to grow our economy. That has never? worked anywhere it’s been tried and it won’t work now,” Rubio said. Related Articles Two year boy drowns in lake behind home Founder of Florida A&M Marching 100 dies at 91 Health Department says stay out of the water at some Southwest Florida beaches Water bills in the Cape go up… when nobody is home
August 29, 2010 | Posted in
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Fresh off his primary win for the Republican nomination for governor, Naples businessman Rick Scott says he’s ready for the general election. “They believed in my message. 7 steps to 700,000 jobs over 7 years. That’s what resonated,” Scott said in a one-on-one interview with WINK News from Fort Lauderdale, site of his primary election night victory party. Scott says his image as an outisder who’s lived the American dream led him to victory in Tuesday’s GOP primary. Scott credits his Southwest Florida neighbors with playing a key role. “Its inspiring to talk to people in SWFL about their struggles, their issues, and what I bring to the table,? how I can get the economy back to work.” Surviving a bruising primary, Scott says he was surprised when opponent Bill McCollum at first refused to concede the race.? Scott says as of Wednesday afternoon, he still hadn’t received a concession call from McCollum, though the Florida attorney general did officially bow out of the race with a late night e-mail statement. Now Rick Scott looks ahead to a fresh battle with Democrat Alex Sink. “I spoke with Ms. Sink last night and what we spoke about is we need to run a campaign that talks about issues. When you go to the polls in November, you should know where people stand.” Scott didn’t specifically rule out more negative ads, while saying he’s ready to point out his differences from the Democrats. First, Scott will need to work to unite his own party, after successfully challenging the GOP establishment. ? “Republicans will rally around what I believe in,” Scott said. One of the first key moves in that effort could be his choice of running mate, though he isn’t giving many hints. “Make sure its a person all of us would believe would be a good governor, a person who believes in the same principles I believe in. A lot of great candidates across the state,” Scott said. The Scott campaign says it should be ready to announce a running mate within the next couple of weeks. Related Articles Election shifts make up of Lee County School Board Water shut off in East Fort Myers Florida election winners McCollum concedes by early morning e-mail
August 25, 2010 | Posted in
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Country music star Faith Hill says giving back just comes naturally for the Mississippi native, and she has a message for those still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. “We are here for you still and you are not forgotten,” Hill said before headlining a free concert Tuesday evening in New Orleans to support those still rebuilding five years later. She said the evening at the Mahalia Jackson Theater was intended to celebrate how far the Gulf Coast has come since the 2005 storm flooded New Orleans and surrounding areas of Louisiana and Mississippi. “I feel like it’s my responsibility to give back,” Hill said. “When you’ve been given so much, it’s only right that I do what I can to help, if I can.” The Dirty Dozen Brass Band opened Tuesday’s event and about 2,200 tickets were distributed in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette and the Mississippi cities of Biloxi and Jackson. Mona Rowe, of Perkinston, Miss., said she was glad to have the opportunity to see Hill perform. “She is just outstanding,” Rowe said. “She knows and understands what we went through and what we’re trying to do.” Hill took the stage after the Dirty Dozen’s set, opening with her hits “Free” and “Wild One” before bringing the New Orleans-based brass band back on stage to play backup on her song, “There Will Come A Day.” “The Dirty Dozen Brass Band must come back on stage,” Hill told the audience, to rousing applause. “You guys were simply amazing.” After singing “This Kiss,” one of her No. 1 hits, and “Let Me Let Go,” Hill told the crowd that she didn’t know where the music might take her. “This city inspires great music and sometimes when I get together with my band I never know what will happen. We want you to just sit back and forget about it all and just have a great time. Can you do that?” she asked, getting yells and applause in response. Lola Russell, a paramedic from New Orleans, said she was one of the lucky first-responders to receive a free ticket to the event. She said Hill’s performance helps to keep the recovery in the spotlight. “She brought all these people here,” Russell said. “They’ll probably get a room tonight, go out after the concert and pour even more money into our economy. That can’t do anything but help the city’s recovery.” Hill’s husband, country singer Tim McGraw, is a Louisiana native and both are veterans of employing celebrity clout to help raise money or awareness for causes. The couple helped organize a flood-relief benefit concert for Nashville after the Tennessee city was deluged by historic rains that left 22 dead in early May. “Sometimes, with celebrity, you can make things happen pretty easily,” said Hill, a five-time Grammy Award winner now working on a new release. She urged people to support New Orleans and other coastal communities whose livelihoods are now threatened by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. “My message is ‘Come to New Orleans and experience this great city.’ Yes, there are places that are still rebuilding and are not quite back yet, but when they do come back, they’ll come back better.” ? 2010 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .
August 25, 2010 | Posted in
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NEW YORK (AP) — The seemingly recession-proof smart phone is suffering from a side effect of the rough economy: Manufacturers simply can’t build enough of the gadgets because chip-makers that rolled back production last year are now scrambling to play catch-up. The chip shortage means Apple Inc.’s rivals are having trouble making enough phones to compete with the iPhone, a problem expected to persist through the holidays. It’s also affecting wireless carriers, some of which are seeing delays in improving their networks, and it could even raise computer prices. There isn’t an across-the-board shortage of chips, but rather problems with certain components here and there. If just one of the 20 to 30 critical chips that go into a smart phone is unavailable, the whole production line screeches to a halt. Sprint Nextel Corp., for instance, couldn’t satisfy demand for HTC Corp.’s EVO 4G, the first phone to use a faster “4G” network, in parts of the country. Motorola Inc. said shortages of a wide range of chips, from memory to camera sensors to touch-screen controllers, are contributing to problems supplying enough of the new Droid X phones to Verizon Wireless. The carrier’s online store reports a two-week wait for shipping orders. The chips that go into smart phones compete for production capacity with other chips at the gigantic factories run by contract manufacturers such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and United Microelectronics Corp. Makers of a vast array of electronics, from TVs to data center switches, also depend on the factories. The chip-making industry had a tough start to 2009. February sales were only $14.2 billion, down 30 percent from the year before, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. Although sales sprang back later in the year, manufacturers were spooked and reined in investment in chip factories. Capital spending plunged 41 percent to $25.9 billion in 2009, after dropping 31 percent the year before, according to research firm Gartner Inc. Total chip production capacity shrank. Now the factories are having trouble scaling up production fast enough. The chip factories, or “foundries,” are running at 96 percent capacity, up from 56 percent at the depth of the recession, according to the SIA. “The semiconductor guys are really continuing to operate on all cylinders,” said Linley Gwennap, president of research firm The Linley Group. Gartner predicts worldwide investment in the chip industry zooming 84 percent this year to $47.5 billion. That forecast is up from March, when it looked for a 56 percent increase. While investment is recovering, it takes months to set up new production lines and upgrade existing ones. That’s why executives see shortages lasting until next year. Gwennap also sees caution in the industry because the global economic recovery is starting to look quite tentative. “Even where companies are facing shortages, they’re saying ‘Nah, I’m not sure I want to invest right now, because demand could turn down any minute.’ That makes for a very difficult environment,” he said. “In normal times, companies would be hiring, investing in more equipment and factories and trying to increase supply, but these aren’t normal times.” Though consumers may have to wait for new phones, they’re unlikely to notice price increases. Phone prices are heavily subsidized by carriers, and competition in the industry means it’s likely someone in the supply chain will absorb higher prices for the chips. However, research firm iSuppli warns that prices for PCs could rise this year because of short supplies of memory chips. The prices for these commodity chips are highly volatile. Smaller memory-chip manufacturers need to replace factory equipment, and tool suppliers are struggling to keep up, iSuppli said. Makers of computer and phone networking equipment were the first to report problems this spring. They continue to face constraints, which means trouble for U.S. wireless carriers that are struggling to increase network capacity to cope with data traffic from the iPhone and other smart phones. Alcatel-Lucent and LM Ericsson AB, the two largest makers of equipment for U.S. phone companies, have both reported problems making deliveries. They’re both suppliers to AT&T Inc., which has complained that it can’t beef up its wireless data network as fast as it would like, as it’s trying to deal with traffic from the iPhone. Computer networking giant Cisco Systems Inc. is also feeling the pinch and expects problems to continue through the year. “We continue to see challenges in procurement of components this quarter,” Cisco CEO John Chambers said recently. “Supplier lead times now appear to have stabilized, but are still longer than we would like.” Apple is an exception. Although the company can’t keep the iPad and iPhone 4 in stock, it blames that on demand outstripping assembly line capacity, not on problems procuring the right chips. That may be partly “dumb luck” on Apple’s part, Gwennap said, but it could also be a case of it being “good to be the king.” “As a chip supplier, you’re going to service your best customers first,” he said. “If my choice is to try to make Apple happy or some smaller customer of mine, I might take all of my supply and give it to Apple.” — AP Business Writer Annie Huang in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report. ? 2010 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. 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August 20, 2010 | Posted in
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