links for 2007-02-21

• How Apple's Steve Jobs played hardball In iPhone birth
  Jobs considers telecom operators like "orifices" that companies must go through to reach consumers. He told Cingular they would never understand Web and entertainment. Cingular agreed to leave its brand and software off the iPhone. And more. (From WSJ)
  (tags: Apple iphone stevejobs behindthescenes)
• Australia to ban incandescent light bulbs
  The Australian government announced that standard incandescent light bulbs (designed in the 1800s and producing more heath than light) will be phased out within 3 years to be replaced with fluorescent or low-wattage bulbs. (From News.com.au)
  (tags: australia environment energy lightbulbs)
• Users who know too much and the IT departments who fear them
  Employees are using consumer IT (Skype, IM, GoogleDocs, etc) to work faster and more efficiently and finding new/better ways to get work done. But corporate IT departments are stuck in their "control the technology" mindset and say no. (From CIOmag)
  (tags: productivity work workplace)
• Bill Gates and Steve Jobs together on stage at the "D" conference
  It will be a rare joint appearance of two technology icons. The "D: All Things Digital" conference will take place at the end of May in California (see under d.wsj.com) and it's sold out. (Thx Laurent for the link)
  (tags: billgates stevejobs conferences icons)