A Fool Looks Back

Hopping networks and operating systems were fit to be featured this past week. Let's take a closer look.

Like day and night for Katie
In a move that had been telegraphed for days, Katie Couric is leavingGeneral Electric's (NYSE:GE) NBC to become the anchor on the CBS Evening News. Her contract at CBS (NYSE:CBS) will also find her appearing on the popular 60 Minutes show. Leaving NBC's Today show wasn't just about the money. As amazing as the reported $13 million to $15 million-per-year payday that CBS dangled before Couric was, some claim that NBC was willing to offer her more.

Many have pointed to the challenge of being the first female lead anchor on a major network's nightly news show. It no doubt played a part in her decision. Just like David Letterman before her, bolting from a cushy NBC gig in favor of a better time slot on CBS helps. What also helps is that CBS is mopping the floor with NBC in the ratings. Why is that a factor? Well, prime-time success often translates to morning show popularity. When Disney's (NYSE:DIS) ABC was milking Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for four nights a week, high ratings led to a surge in viewership for ABC's Good Morning America. We're incredibly lazy. The channel that we turn our TV off on at night is the one we usually stick with in the morning.

It's not as dramatic an impact for the evening news, but with NBC continuing to struggle at night, Couric couldn't be too encouraged in hoping that things would pick up at Today anytime soon. It's why she made the right move. Once I heard that NBC was starting to test shorter ad breaks at its USA network in order to win back advertisers, you could just feel the beads of desperate sweat dripping in the NBC boardroom.

Run, Katie, run!

Yes, Steve Jobs does Windows
How cool is it that new Macs with the Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) chips will be able to boot up with Windows? It's not just because Apple Computer (NASDAQ:AAPL) is making nice with rival Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). It's because now Apple doesn't have much of an excuse before it starts gobbling up bigger chunks of market share.

It won't happen overnight. Apple certainly has a long way to go before it catches up to Dell (NASDAQ:DELL). It fell too far back. However, the success of the iPod has helped boost the Apple brand, with the company selling Macs at a quicker pace than the rest of the PC industry. In other words, it's starting to nibble away at market share gains.

I'm realistic. The ability to boot up with Windows isn't likely to make much of a dent in the entry-level and corporate markets. However, for casual computing users who always craved Apple's style but felt there were too many native Windows applications that needed to be run, those fence-straddling PC users can now go with their heart and buy a Mac. It's a strong selling point, and Apple is riding too good a wave to blow it this time.

Until next week, I remain,

Rick Munarriz

Microsoft is an Inside Value recommendation, and Dell is a Motley Fool Stock Advisor pick.

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz loves to look back, even if it means he falls on his face going forward. He does own shares in Disney. The Foo l has a disclosure policy. Rick is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.