Apple Seeks Growth Beyond Consumers

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By Ian Sherr

Apple Inc. is boosting efforts to appeal to a new type of customer: small businesses.

The consumer electronics giant responsible for the iPhone is seeking to hire engineers in as many as a dozen U.S. retail stores to put together Apple-based computer systems for small businesses, according to recent job postings on Apple’s website. The employees would implement computer systems for clients and are expected to be proficient in networking hardware and server platforms.

“Thousands of businesses run on Apple products,” the posting reads. “Many more would like to, and that’s where you come in.”

To read the rest of the story, either contact me directly or read more online at the WSJ: here. (subscription required)

(Published July 21, 2010, in The Wall Street Journal.)

Dell Puts Hope in Health-Services Unit

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By Ian Sherr

Dell Inc. hopes customers like Methodist Hospital System will help cure what ails it.

Methodist has contracted with Dell’s services since December 2009 to help it create and maintain an electronic medical records system. Dell’s technicians are also customizing software for Houston-based Methodist’s 2,600 doctors so those records can be accessed by staff at any of its four community hospitals.

The Methodist contract is one of the most visible examples of what Dell hopes to accomplish with its $3.9 billion 2009 acquisition of Perot Systems, a specialist in health-care information technology.

To read the rest of the story, either contact me directly or read more online at the WSJ: here. (subscription required)

(Published July 6, 2010, in The Wall Street Journal.)