Apple CEO Tim Cook, who has not been shy on the emailing as of late, has sent out a lengthy letter to all of his employees that is a direct response to these recent reports of factory worker mistreatment. Cook’s opening:

"As a company and as individuals, we are defined by our values. Unfortunately some people are questioning Apple’s values today, and I’d like to address this with you directly. We care about every worker in our worldwide supply chain…"

Cook seems a lot busier with the emails than Steve Jobs was. Or the emails leak more easily.

"According to the NAO, the UK rollout of smart meters “would save a typical dual fuel customer £1.92 a month, assuming that the householder’s use of gas and electricity falls in line with predictions”. A princely sum indeed. And note the caveats – dual fuel customers and a fall in gas and electricity prices.<br />
"Now look, I am not saying smart meters aren’t a great thing for the energy suppliers. But the suggestion that any cost reduction they achieve by eliminating (eventually) ‘feet on the street’ meter readers, and by being able to micro-manage supply, will then be passed to consumers is just pipe-dream stuff."

"The global supply chain for tablet PCs is expected to brace for acute shortage of parts and components, including memory chips, gyroscopes, capacitors, chip-resistors, cover glass and even bismaleimide-triazine (BT) resin, which will seriously affect shipments of iPad-like tablets, according to sources at Taiwan notebook makers.<br />
"The market had originally expected the tight supply of components and key materials caused by the Japan earthquake will ease in May. Contrary to the expectations, the crisis of the possible interruption of the supply chain now is likely to emerge in the second half of May, indicated the sources...<br />
<br />
"...Affected by the component shortages, a number of makers have reduced their shipments of tablet PCs, said the sources, noting that combined tablet shipments from first-tier notebook vendors could be less than five million units in 2011."<br />
5m? That's not very many.<br />
<br />
(Note: Digitimes links go behind a paywall after a period.)