Category: Blog

So former Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo thinks Australia is racist and backward, huh? Hhhmmm….interesting. While I do acknowledge our past hasn’t been that great with race relations (after all the White Australia policy didn’t end until the early1970s), I do take issue with Trujillo’s description of the country as it stands today. Is there racism? Sure, there is in any country. Is using terms like “Amigo” and “Adios” in newspaper, magazine and online portal news stories racist? I think he might be stretching the point.

In my opinion, I think Trujillo is trying to muddy the waters a bit, because as he knows, whenever a high-profile CEO of a public company steps down, scrutiny is sure to follow. And in Trujillo’s case, it is certainly worth a look. When he took over Telstra shares were trading over $5. When he left they were at just over $3. A drop of 40 percent – hardly something that would make you proud.

So what happened during his tenure of note? Well, he did get the 3G network (NextG) up and running, but any CEO worth half his salt would have done the same. I was at the launch and I must admit, I was impressed watching live phone handset video conferencing with Telstra employees from Uluru and other far off places. What was also interesting, was when the sprinklers came on. I thankfully had left by then, but it went down as one of the best launches ever!

But back to that share price and Sol’s job as a CEO. I don’t think Sol really was ever going to be liked by Australia. But he was the guy they brought in to change Telstra from a business that made money from phone calls, to a business that made money from the internet, and he did an OK job.

I still think that Telstra over charge and under deliver, and I know many of you feel the same. But in the end, when you import a CEO from overseas, he comes in, does his job, then goes back to where he came from, then he’s just another foreign CEO.

As for the newly arrived Kiwi-born CEO David Thodey, well all I can is the board have made a choice decision and this new bro will be well received by the other Cousie’s.

Had a lot of fun on the show this morning, especially with the EA Sports Active and flying alarm clock. Here’s the run down on these gadgets – if you have any queries leave a comment and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

EA Sports Active
EA’s latest workout ‘game’ for the Wii is for serious workout for those who don’t have time to go to the gym or exercise in the elements. It targets cardio and upper and lower body, but interestingly it tells you how many calories you have managed to consume. I’m guessing it’s going to eat into the personal trainer market.

RRP
$99.99

Desk Top Charger
This little unit charges up to three portable devices at once while sitting at your desk. It takes up minimal room and is ideal for those who use a lot of portable devices in their life. It also comes with various interchangeable heads.
RRP
$TBC

Samsung Ultra Touch
This little number is like a lot of smart phones, but what makes it interesting is its fake call function. This allows users to set up a fake call so if they are in a sticky situation – in a boring meeting, or talking to somebody you don’t like – they have a way of leaving the meeting or conversation without causing offense. Of course, if everybody has one of these, then the game is up! It also has a scratch-free touchscreen.
RRP
Varies with plans

Some good news out of the Canberra this morning as Environment Minister Peter Garrett has agreed in principle that a national e-waste recycling system needs to be put in place, even if a tax is attached.

Currently, when people finish with an old computers or other CE gear, they either chuck it out with the council recycling, or in some cases, councils will have computer waste collection days.

So what kind of dangers lurk in your computer or old CRT TV? Plenty. There is lead, mercury and cadmium in many of these products. Capacitors, transformers and wires are usually insulted with PVC, which can contain cancer-causing PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).

That aside, a lot of the componentry in computers,VCRs and mobile phones contain valuable metals that can be reused, so it is not only about a clean environment, but about making the most of your resources. So, well done to Peter Garrett, and let’s hope he pushes forward with the scheme. It does help that manufacturers such as Dell, HP and Apple support such an idea.

As an aside, I would also like to have a quick word about the term ‘eco-friendly’. This term is usually banded about by vendors when trying to persuade consumers that their product is more friendly to the environment than the opposition’s goods.

I take issue with that description, as anything with any plastic part to it, or internal mechanisms that include metallic alloys and compounds etc is not eco-friendly. They do deserve a pat on the back for reducing the amount of pollutants, or using recycled products, but at the end of the day, if it isn’t grown naturally, or can decompose in quick, smart time, it isn’t eco-friendly.