JobCuts
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Motorola hacks a thousand from China-based R&D team
Details are starting to flow in regarding those 4,000 job cuts that Motorola announced in January, and evidently a thousand of 'em are coming from a single Chinese facility. According to the People's Daily Online, 1,000 Moto workers are being dismissed, and every last one of 'em are from the research and development team of the mobile phone department. We're told that the software platform project team suffered the most, and all told, there's just 100 staffers that remain at the plant. For whatever it's worth, Motorola has affirmed that its commitment to growth in the Chinese market remains the same -- apparently it thinks it can still succeed with far fewer heads doing the work.[Via mocoNews]
VUDU looks to integrate with TVs, DVD players
VUDU's been doing its darnedest of late to keep up with the slew of rivals looking to steal away every piece of market share they can, and a recent report over at CEPro sheds a little light onto how the company plans to both stay afloat and take off. As with most every other outfit, VUDU has also suffered through a few rounds of layoffs. Currently, the company employs about 50, which is down from a high of around 110. Co-founder Tony Miranz seems pretty optimistic about the future, though, noting that the outfit is being "bombarded with inquiries" from potential partners. Speaking of which, he also asserted that VUDU was -- at its heart -- a software company, and thus it was currently looking to integrate its top-shelf UI and movie delivery network into HDTVs, DVD / Blu-ray players and other standalone boxes. It's tough to say how such a shift would affect the firm. On one hand, you've got CinemaNow barely breathing, while Netflix has managed to execute this plan to perfection. Go on VUDU, roll the dice -- we'll be watching.[Thanks, Ben]
Creative axes 2,700 jobs, simultaneously lowers expectations for Zii
While the hype is bubbling over surrounding Creative's Zii "stemcell computing," the outfit obviously doesn't think whatever it is will turn things around. Instead, it has chosen to cut some 2,700 jobs -- nearly half of its workforce -- as "demand for its music players tumbled." According to a report filed to Singapore's stock exchange on December 31, 2008, the company had 3,100 full time employees at the end of June 2008, which is around 47% lower than what was posted a year prior. 'Course, we suppose the cuts aren't all that surprising after posting a net loss of $19.7 million on the lowest revenues in five years, but it still makes us wonder just how confident the company is about this whole Zii dealio.[Thanks, Grayson]
Motorola hastens layoff plans, axes 400 earlier than anticipated
The words "job security" and "Motorola" haven't coexisted in a non-sarcastic manner for quite some time, and things just seem to be deteriorating by the day. Not even two full months after the flagging company announced that 3,000 employees would be sent packing, a new Reuters report has it that the axing process in Q4 will be accelerated. Specifically, some 1,900 (versus 1,500 as originally predicted) will be cut in an attempt to save $800 million in 2009, though there's no word on how damaging the inevitable productivity losses will be given the markedly low morale. To no one's surprise, most of the Q4 cuts will be in the mobile devices segment; we're beginning to think Sad Moto Face™ here will never, ever vanish.[Via UnwiredView]
Sharp closing down two LCD panel production lines, hacking 380 jobs
It's not pulling a Sony or anything, but even Sharp has been unable to absorb the downturn in flat-panel demand. We already knew that the firm was looking to scale back production by as much as 10% from the middle of this month, and our deductive reasoning skills are leading us to believe that this is the cutback we've been expecting. The outfit will be closing down two LCD panel production lines in Japan in order to "move production to a newer and more cost-efficient plant as the global downturn hits demand for electronic goods." Along with the closings will come 380 job cuts -- all temporary workers -- which will presumably be sent home when the lines halt for the final time in January.
Tesla Motors burns out another as Darryl Siry signs off
Apparently the fear of snapping up another job after ditching the green fields of Tesla Motors isn't on Darryl Siry's mind, as the SVP of Marketing and Sales has publicly admitted to leaving the company over "disagreements in strategy." The news comes but 1.5 months after Elon Musk made himself CEO and told a few others to stay happy elsewhere, and while Darryl's replacement wasn't directly named, Siry does outrightly state that he has only remained on this long to recruit "a very strong successor." The best part of his farewell? This gem: "So what now? I have no immediate plans but look forward to exploring various opportunities that I find out there." Translation? I'm so loaded after my stint in this place, it doesn't even matter, holmes.[Via Autoblog]
Palm axes an undisclosed amount of employees, sort of blames itself
My, my -- how's this for truth in advertising? Palm InfoCenter has confirmed with a Palm spokesperson that the flagging outfit will be laying off an undisclosed amount of employees as the economy worsens and the firm attempts to keep that final nail from being slammed down on its coffin. According to the spokesperson, the company will undergo a certain amount of restructuring (sound familiar?) that will "result in company reductions in the US and internationally." Incredulously, the statement also included this gem: "The global economic downturn continues to dampen demand for consumer goods around the world, and the impact on the economic environment is worsened by our maturing Centro line and the length of time it is taking to ramp our new Windows Mobile products." We won't say for sure that it's actually taking some of the blame here, but it sure sounds like it. Now, if only it would take charge of its future...[Image courtesy of DayLife]
UIQ Technology puts entire staff on notice of dismissal
Ugh, this is just downright depressing no matter how you spin it. Sure, it's just the reality of business and all, but it's no fun to hear that 270 staffers will soon be looking for employment when UIQ Technology finishes climbing into the grave. After hacking 200 jobs in June and being coined "dead" by Sony Ericsson's Patrick Olson, All About Symbian has it that the company has put its remaining employees "on notice of dismissal." We're told that SE has agreed to "continue funding the company on a by month by month basis in order to allow it to investigate options for the future," but from the outside looking in, we'd say the outlook is bleak. Thankfully, it sounds like those affected will at least be assisted as they exit, but now would probably be an opportune time to shed a tear for UIQ as we knew it.
SanDisk likely to cut 15% of staff as it downsizes
According to unnamed industry sources, SanDisk is primed to fire up to 15% of its staff, which would amount to around 450 to 500 employees. The purported cuts will be made as the company downsizes in order to cut costs, hot on the heels of a $155 million Q3 loss and sales that have sunk by 21% year-over-year to $281 million. Call us crazy, but we get the feeling this won't be the last story we hear over the next few months that ends with dutiful workers being sent home.[Image courtesy of Semiconductor]
Pioneer forecasts even wider net loss, names new president
As the flagging economy wreaks havoc on just about every mega-corp out there, the latest to publicly admit to being affected is Pioneer. After posting a rather significant loss earlier this year, the company is now guiding to a wider-than-forecast net loss of ¥78 billion ($789.9 million) for the year to March 31, blaming the surging yen and the slowing economy. The company is scheduled to nix its unprofitable plasma-panel operations by February and slash 2,000 jobs this fiscal year in order to counter the bleeding, and it looks as if former president Tamihiko Sudo is one of the first bigwigs to fall. As of November 16th, Susumu Kotani (pictured right) will take over that role, though we can't imagine he's looking forward to grabbing the captain's chair in such a turbulent environment.[Via PC World, image courtesy of DayLife]
Dash cuts 50 employees, drastically changing business model
It's hard to say if Amazon's recent fire sale of the Dash Express was an indicator of all this, but Dash is making some serious changes, regardless. Reportedly, the outfit has slashed 50 employees -- or around two-thirds of its workforce -- which will leave 30 workers who will operate primarily in engineering and support. According to now-CEO Rob Currie (who has replaced founder Paul Lego by Lego's choice), Dash "wanted to launch its device in the retail channel, but the economic changes made it rethink its business focus." To that end, Dash will actually cease making and selling its own hardware, and instead it will "license its platform to makers of automobile on-board navigation systems, smartphones, netbook-style mobile internet devices and other consumer electronics." So, what does it all mean? It could mean that the connected Dash platform is on the way to an automobile or cellphone near you, but we suppose only time will tell. As for existing Dash owners? Continued software updates and an online Dash Driver Network has been promised.
Motorola to layoff 3,000 employees, most of 'em in handset division
To be honest, we were surprised that we didn't hear this number along with the other doom and gloom professed during Motorola's Q3 earnings call, but the writing was very clearly on the wall. As part of the mentioned $800 million expenditure cut planned for 2009, 3,000 (more) of Moto's employees will be looking for work elsewhere. According to an unnamed spokeswoman, a "little over two-thirds of those layoffs [will be] in the handset division." And just think -- if Moto would only use all those hands to get an Android-powered phone out before "entirely too long from now," maybe these cuts wouldn't even be necessary. Maybe.
Audiovox exits the LCD TV business that no one knew it was in
Okay, so we're kidding. Sort of. Believe it or not, Audiovox actually was a very minor player in the LCD flat-panel industry, but no more. In an effort to counter "what is shaping up to be the worst economy in decades," CEO Patrick Lavelle decided to pull the plug on the LCD business and show 8% of his employees the way out for the final time. It's all good for the company though, because every worked-to-the-bone parent in America will be snapping up one of its Homebase Digital Message Centers.
Sony Ericsson laying off 450 employees in Research Triangle Park, NC
"Planned" and "executed" are two very different things, and while we knew Sony Ericsson was mulling the idea of hacking 2,000 jobs, the hammer has finally fallen in Research Triangle Park, NC. The company will soon be axing 450 employees at its North American headquarters as part of a large reorganization, with most everyone knowing by the week's end whether they'll stay or go. According to Aldo Ligouri, Sony Ericsson's head of global communications and public relations, the RTP cuts are "part of company-wide changes that Sony Ericsson announced in July," and in whatever context, he added that "this is our map of how we see things moving forward." Just to put things in perspective, the outfit only has about 750 workers in the North Carolina-based facility, which is primarily seen as an R&D hub. Tough news to hear, no matter how you spin it.[Image courtesy of Flickr]
HP making changes within Voodoo?
Here's a curious one -- merely months after HP essentially revitalized the Voodoo brand and cranked out the undeniably sexy Envy 133 laptop / Omen desktop, in flies word that the branch may be broken in the foreseeable future. In response to rumors that the Voodoo PC division would be canned entirely, Rahul Sood (yeah, the same guy that pimped an undisclosed new gizmo barely a week ago) stated that "HP is working on a plan to better leverage its existing resources to bring Voodoo products to market faster and make them more accessible to consumers." An HP spokeswoman was also quoted as saying that "[it] continually assesses and re-balances the size of its work force relative to the business environment and market conditions." In other words, no one is denying nor confirming the whispers, and while we have our own suspicions about what that means, we'll let you make of it what you wish.[Via CNET]
Nokia to pay German state ???1.3 million to settle Bochum dispute
Germany wanted $6.2 million in research subsidies back from Nokia, and in addition to the "tens of millions" that the company has already relinquished after the highly-disputed Bochum plant closing, it'll be coughing up another €1.3 million ($2.04 million) to hopefully close the door on the matter. Said payment will be addressed to North Rhine-Westphalia, which was quite angry after the handset maker decided to hack 2,300 jobs from Germany and relocate operations to Romania for "lower labor costs." The sum here is in addition to the €20 million "Growth for Bochum" foundation that the outfit started, but apparently that show of goodwill didn't really change the hearts of those already bitter.[Via PhoneScoop, image courtesy of Reuters]
AT&T's job cuts to be offset with hires in Mobility unit
AT&T has announced plans to cut 1.5 percent of its workforce of 309,000. Sad times ahead for the company? Not quite. Apparently the 4600 jobs will be harvested from managerial spots in its flagging wired home phone business, so no worries, wireless types. Now here's where it gets interesting: word has it that AT&T also expects to hire back that same number of employees into the fold -- the wireless fold, that is -- keeping the total headcount nice and steady. We'd wager that we'll see more cuts like this in the coming months and years, so if you were pondering that job as a switchboard operator, time to retrain. So yeah, turns out it's business as usual for the number one carrier after all -- unless you happen to be in the 4600-strong group of obsoleted folks, that is.[Via mocoNews]
Digeo lays off half of its employees, replaces CEO
Merely days ago, Digeo trumpeted a number of Moxi-related partnerships and simultaneously failed to give us any additional details as to when we could expect either of its standalone HD DVRs. Now, we could have a reason why. According to a breaking report from The Wall Street Journal, the firm is axing 50-percent of its staff (leaving 80 employees) and Mike Fidler, CEO, is handing over his position to Greg Gudorf, the company's current president and chief operating officer. As if that weren't enough, the report also claims that Digeo will "not release two digital media recorders that had been planned," and rather, it will "focus on a [single] next-generation consumer model." Notably, we aren't told whether or not said model is the HD DMR that's already out in beta testers' hands, but we suppose only time will tell. [Warning: read link requires subscription]Update: We've now learned that the oft delayed Moxi Multi-Room HD DMR and the Moxi Home Cinema Edition DMR will not be released. Additionally, we're told that details about the firm's upcoming consumer DMR (which will be released) will be "announced later in the year." Full release posted after the jump.
Samsung 'restructuring' handset division, hints at Armani partnership
In the wake of increased competition from Motorola and Nokia in particular, Samsung is reportedly "restructuring its handset division," which will aim to find "new sources of revenue, realigning businesses, and cut costs." As expected, the move will also involve a number of "personnel reshuffles," but a Samsung spokesman was quoted as saying that there won't be any "forceful" job cuts. Interestingly, we're hearing further details that the firm is indeed courting the idea of partnering with "luxury name brands such as Italian fashion house Armani to develop premium brand phones," and considering just how hot avant-garde mobiles have been of late, we certainly don't think that's a bad idea.[Via JustAMP]
Palm axes some jobs
In the wake of Palm's sale of a quarter stake to Elevation Partners, the company is axing an unspecified number of jobs in an effort to flatten its "organizational hierarchy." Though it wouldn't specify how many jobs were getting cut, they're apparently in the development group (from a casual observer's perspective, development seems like the wrong place to cut jobs when your best-selling products are mildly tweaked versions of years-old designs, but we're just bloggers -- what do we know?). For what it's worth, Palm points out that the cuts are just the final stages of a reorganization that's been in the works for some time now and predates the Elevation deal. No faith that you're gonna need engineers around for a Foleo 2, guys?[Via the::unwired]
