Apple
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Computers are still an important part of its mix, but these days music-related products are at the top of Apple's playlist. The company scored a runaway hit with its digital music players (iPod) and online music store (iTunes). Apple's desktop and laptop computers -- all of which feature its OS X operating system -- include its Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook for the consumer and education markets, and more powerful Power Mac and MacBook Pro for high-end consumers and professionals involved in design and publishing. Other products include servers (Xserve), wireless networking equipment (Airport), and publishing and multimedia software. The company's FileMaker subsidiary makes database software.

Only co-founder, CEO, and Apple crusader Steve Jobs may have expected the level of success the company's music-related products have enjoyed. In 2003 Apple announced the launch of an online music service called the iTunes Music Store that lets computer users purchase and download songs for 99 cents each. Apple has since expanded the offerings to include music videos, audiobooks, television shows, and other content. The store's catalog, which has helped spur sales of Apple's popular iPod digital music and video players, includes songs from the five largest record labels, as well as television content from ABC, NBC, and a number of cable networks. The company has launched international versions of its iTunes Music Store that serve Canada and European Union countries. Early in 2006 it began offering select television content on a subscription basis with a service called Multi-Pass. Later that year the company launched an online movie service, and previewed a device called iTV for watching downloaded content on televisions. Apple announced availability of its television device, redubbed Apple TV, early the following year.

Since debuting the iPod in 2001, Apple has provided regular updates to the line, including color displays and and flash memory-based models. Late in 2005 Apple, Motorola, and Cingular Wireless (now AT&T Mobility) announced the debut of a mobile phone with iTunes functionality. Apple also unveiled the iPod nano, an updated (and even smaller) version of its miniature iPod model, as well as an iPod capable of playing video. Early in 2007 the company finally unveiled a long-rumored Apple mobile phone that combines features of a high-end handset with those of an iPod. Its product line even further diversified, Apple also announced it would drop "Computer" from its name.

Once the world's top PC maker, Apple has been relegated to niche status in a market dominated by "Wintel" machines (computers using Microsoft Windows software and Intel processors). Macintosh computers run Apple's own UNIX-based operating system. The uniqueness of Apple's computers is a double-edged sword for the company. The graphical interface and form factor of Macintosh computers reflect the aesthetic of Jobs, who has long championed the importance of visually attractive, user-friendly design. The features that distinguish Macs have allowed the company to maintain a loyal following willing to pay premium prices and overlook any interoperability issues with Windows (a factor that Apple largely addressed with its OS X operating system). However, Apple's market share has dwindled as prices for commoditized Windows-based machines continue to fall.

In addition to its proprietary operating system, a traditional differentiator for Apple had been its use of IBM's PowerPC processors (manufactured by IBM and Freescale). However, in 2005 Apple announced it would begin incorporating Intel chips into its PC lines. Apple debuted its first Intel-based computers early in 2006, and it completed the transition across its entire line later that year. The company also released software that allows its Intel-based computers to run Microsoft's XP operating system.

Apple shares a long and thorny history with Microsoft. Although it provides an alternative to Microsoft's omnipresent operating system, Apple's relative size and market share restrict its threat to the software giant's stranglehold. The companies have long maintained a working relationship; the Mac-compatible version of Microsoft's popular office suite is a key software title for Apple, and Apple has scored crossover hits with Windows-friendly editions of iPod and iTunes. Soon after Apple released its Safari Web browser, however, Microsoft announced it would cease development of the Apple version of its ubiquitous Internet Explorer.

In an effort to boost its appeal among consumers, the company has opened more than 100 Apple retail stores across the US; it also has stores in Canada, Japan, and the UK. Apple generated 18% of its sales through its retail channel in fiscal 2006.

The company remains focused on product innovations that solidify its popularity in classrooms, Web design shops, and graphic arts studios. Apple generated 10% of its revenues in fiscal 2006 through its US education channel, a market where it has felt increasing pressure, particularly from Dell. While Apple continues to roll out unique hardware offerings, the company has also looked to software development to drive sales. Many of the company's multimedia applications -- including iTunes, iMovie, and iPhoto -- are available for free, but the company charges for bundled versions of its software. Late in 2006 Apple acquired UK-based Proximity, a developer of software used to manage digital audio and video assets.

General Electric
Description                                                                                                                              

When working with electricity, GE Supply feels quite at ohm with watt industry needs. The company, once a unit of mega-manufacturer General Electric, is a global distributor of electrical, voice, and data products. Its inventory of products -- from GE and more than 200 other manufacturers -- includes such items as cable and wire, conduits, industrial controls, electrical distribution equipment, lighting products, motors, and power conditioning devices. GE Supply also provides ordering and technical support services. The unit has operations on four continents. Rexel has acquired GE Supply for $725 million in cash. GE Supply will continue to operate as a stand-alone organization.

GE Supply operates a hub-and-spoke network, with direct overnight delivery service to customer in hub-serviced areas. Its National Sales Center serves as a centralized contact point for small and medium-size customers, and its Global Account Management group supports large, multi-location customers.