Apple exec to HealthTeacher

John Herbold (left), a pivotal player in Apple Inc.'s iCloud product development, has joined Nashville-based HealthTeacher, for a campaign to improve the health of US youth while advancing the 12-year-old company. VNC's story is here.

Iridium SmartFuel

George Sibble's Iridium Development SmartFuel app is viewed as a potential winner, but working with Apple requires plenty of runway. Story here.

Death of Apple board member from Memphis

Yesterday, Apple's Steve Jobs announced the death of a board member who hailed from Memphis: "Apple® is sad to announce the death of Apple Board member Jerome B. (Jerry) York [at left, age 71]. York, the chairman, president and CEO of Harwinton Capital, joined Apple's Board of Directors in 1997. He was the former CFO of IBM and Chrysler, and former vice chairman of Tracinda. He is widely acknowledged for his contributions at Chrysler and IBM during their turnarounds. Jerry joined Apple's Board in 1997 when most doubted the company's future. He has been a pillar of financial and business expertise and insight on our Board for over a dozen years," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "It's been a privilege to know and work with Jerry, and I'm going to miss him a lot." Jerry York was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1938. He graduated from the United States Military Academy, and received an MS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of Michigan. Trained as an engineer, York worked his way up through Chrysler to become CFO." InformationWeek reported York died after a brain hemorrhage. Among many achievements, York was once vice chairman of Tracinda, a firm controlled by billionaire Kirk Kerkorian. (AP Photo)

The Apple-Lala Axis

Apple is, according to a New York Times report, buying Venture-funded, Palo Alto-based Lala, to enable consumers to manage and enjoy their music via the Cloud (Web), rather than having to download, synch, etc.

Shwew! Got it: iPhone apps abound

Friends and family of Nashville iPhone app developers who weren't in yesterday's story about gpsAssassin have been writing to point out other hot or maybe hottish iPhone plays by locals, including, but not limited to, SmartVue Corporation's iPhone surveillance extension...Griffin Technology (locally based national maker paraphernalia for iPod, iTouch)...Brentwood publisher Magellan Press Inc.'s LocalEats app, et cetera, et al. Thanks. Would love to hear from more small-screen app developers.

Tech Titans draw scrutiny

The Washington Post reports this week such technology titans as Microsoft, Google and Apple are among companies drawing fresh scrutiny over suppression of job-shifting in Silicon Valley and influence brought to bear on Congress and the Administration. (Illustration from WIRED.)

Forbes: Dell Inc. could be in 'buy or be bought' mode

[Updated June 5, 2009, 8:55 a.m.] With its stock and book value under pressure, Forbes reports Dell's recent hire of an M&A exec from IBM (drawing an IBM noncompete lawsuit) could mean Dell does a few small deals to complement its data-storage biz, or could mean Dell will use those deal-making skills to sell itself, to someone like Apple, which has plenty of cash on-hand. Updated: Lebanon city officials are pressing Dell to restore jobs cut at its assembly plant there, claiming Dell is abrogating a deal cut in 2000, WTVF NewsChannel 5 reports.