BUSINESS
By Valerie Rice and Valerie Rice,Knight-Ridder News Service | September 23, 1991
The largest manufacturer of semiconductors in the world has never sold a single chip.But after almost 30 years of making chips exclusively for its computers and other products and -- more recently -- serving as patron and de facto R&D center for the entire U.S. chip industry, International Business Machines Corp. is looking for a payback.The Armonk, N.Y., computer giant is hoping its $6.4 billion semiconductor operation has developed technology -- and products -- it can finally make some money on. And its first real customer may be Apple Computer Inc., its old desktop #i computing rival.
BUSINESS
By New York Times News Service | April 21, 1995
Driven by surprisingly high revenue from product sales and its service businesses, IBM posted record earnings yesterday, surpassing analysts' expectations by a wide margin.Net income for the first quarter nearly quadrupled to about $1.3 billion, or a record $2.12 per share, compared with $336 million, or 54 cents a share, for the comparable period a year earlier.The results add luster to the reputation of IBM Chairman and Chief Executive Louis V. Gerstner.He was brought in two years ago, after multibillion-dollar losses, to transform the company, then a bloated giant, back into an industry leader.
BUSINESS
By New York Times News Service | June 10, 1991
SAN FRANCISCO -- Top executives of Apple Computer Inc. will be visiting IBM headquarters in Armonk, N.Y., today to discuss a far-ranging technology alliance that could have a major impact on the computer industry, industry executives say.One part of the talks, according to these executives, is a proposal for International Business Machines to license from Apple, and perhaps even to help develop, basic software for a new line of Apple computers that will...
BUSINESS
By New York Times News Service | November 7, 1994
Many corporate buyers, companies that sell computers and computer industry consultants say they welcome the new machine that IBM and Apple Computer Inc. are planning to make together, which will be officially announced today. Some broad details of the plan leaked out last week.Intended to be a computing chameleon, the jointly developed computer will be able to run several operating systems, including IBM's OS/2, Apple's Mac OS, and Sun Microsystems Inc.'s Solaris, taking on the appearance and functions of each, as well as the most commonly used operating system, DOS, and its friendlier helper, Windows.
BUSINESS
By New York Times | July 12, 1991
As a first step toward establishing a joint software development company with Apple Computer Inc., IBM announced today it would buy Metaphor Inc., a Silicon Valley software developer.Metaphor is reported to be the focal point of the two computer makers' plan to create a joint software system that will redefine desktop personal computing in the second half of the decade. Terms of the proposed purchase by IBM were not disclosed.IBM and Apple have proposed pooling their development efforts to create an alternative to a similar new desktop standard being proposed by an industry consortium made up of Compaq Computer Corp.
BUSINESS
By New York Times News Service | April 17, 1992
IBM announced a portable computer yesterday that is controlled with a pen instead of a mouse pointing device or a keyboard.Though it is not the first company to introduce a pen-based computer, International Business Machines Corp. is entering the market more quickly than it has approached other new computing markets.Although its new machine, at 6 pounds, is slightly heavier than some of its competitors', IBM is expected to play a significant role in the new market.The machine, dubbed the Thinkpad, will be available in July.