Apple turns to IBM exec

Apple Inc. has gone outside its normal orbit with plans to hire an IBM technology executive to run its iPod and iPhone hardware engineering groups. The move is not sitting well with IBM, which last week filed a lawsuit against the executive, Mark Papermaster. IBM maintains that Papermaster, the manager in charge of the company's Blade server business, signed an agreement preventing him from accepting a job with a competitor until one year after leaving the company.

Tony Fadell, senior vice president for the company's iPod division, will stay at Apple in an advisory role. The New York Times reports that Apple may be interested in Papermaster's processor design expertise. Apple earlier this year purchased PA Semi Inc., a small microprocessor design firm that was developing microprocessors based on the IBM Power design.

For more on this corporate intrigue:
- see the New York Times article

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