We’re all about giving today: Zuck’s giving away his virtual fortune, Costco’s giving up Apple products, Apple’s trying to give Steve Jobs some money, and Chinese housewives are trying to give the gift of black market iPads. We’ll give you all of this and more in the remainders for Thursday, December 9, 2010.
16 tycoons agree to give away fortunes (Wall Street Journal)
Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is among the 16 new billionaires who have pledged to give the majority of their wealth to charity as part of the “Giving Pledge” organized by Warren Buffet and Bill Gates. Unfortunately, as Zuckerberg’s company isn’t public and his wealth is mainly valued based on theoretical holdings, his charitable donation will be made in farm coins.
Costco reports strong quarter; will phase out selling Apple products (Seattle Times)
Wholesaler Costco announced in its recent quarterly earnings that it has reached a mutual consensus with Apple to phase out sales of the company’s products, due to an inability for Costco to offer large discounts or sell the products online. Really, though, Costco was disappointed when it turned out that it couldn’t sell crates of two hundred iPads alongside enormous packs of toilet paper.
Apple owes Steve Jobs some money: $37.91 (AppleInsider)
According to records in the California State Controller’s Office uncovered by AppleInsider, Apple owes Steve Jobs $37.91 in unclaimed property. Apparently, he’s also owed $0.20 worth of dividends from Time Warner, $35 of income from IBM, a few hundred dollars in insurance and annuity checks, and a falafel sandwich from Phil Schiller.
Alleged iPad 2 cases show up with some interesting cuts (Engadget)
The case manufacturers are at it again, this time trying to suss out what the next-generation iPad will look like. Pictures of one prototype case have surfaced, though they sport a mystery: a large additional slit in the bottom of the case. The logical speculation has settled on it being for a revamped speaker, but let’s not let a little something like logic slow us down. What do you think? USB port? Flash card reader? High-powered laser gun?
iPad-smuggling housewives detained (Wall Street Journal)
Customs officials in Shenzhen nabbed 14 housewives who tried to smuggle 88 iPads and 340 mobile phones from Hong Kong into mainland China. This could make a great TV show—would you describe them as…desperate?