AP Looks At Piracy Around The World... Misses The Real Story
Forget Free, Now We Want Services That Pay

National Semiconductor Takes Back Gift iPods

(Mis)Uses of Technology

from the not-such-a-gracious-gift-giver dept

Wed, Jul 5th 2006 4:07am — Mike Masnick
We've heard of plenty of companies giving out iPods as gifts to employees recently. It's a nice enough gift -- but apparently the gift giving only goes so far at National Semiconductor. Someone who prefers to remain anonymous sent in the news that Nat Semi decided its "gifts" were actually loaners. Yes, that's right, when they laid off a bunch of people, the company demanded the iPods back. This, despite the fact that the company claimed it gave the devices out to employees as a reward for its "best fiscal year" -- and even the press described the iPods as gifts. Some of the laid off employees claim they sold their iPods or gave them to others as gifts. Perhaps they need to go back to those they gave the iPods to and explain that it, too, was only a temporary gift.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

56 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Jul 2006 @ 4:23am

    Nice One

    Thanks for all your hard work. Here's a token of our appreciation.................
    Your fired! We want our token back.

    Nice one assclowns!

    Oh, btw. Frist psot!!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    RWeed, 5 Jul 2006 @ 4:52am

    I really feel bad for the poor bastard in middle management that was forced to take them back. Getting fired is one thing but having to fire someone and then having to look like an even bigger jerk by taking back a gift that the suits handed out must have been awful.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    This is a basic Judge Judy...., 5 Jul 2006 @ 4:54am

    Common, how many times have we watched judge judy and said 'She's gonna call this one a gift because there is no payment made for it nor do they have any doccument saying it was a loan..."

    I think this is cut and dry, I'd love to see them take legal action just so they crash and burn...

    Big Companys waste money all the time, I was with one electronic firm that threw out older PC's and TV's after physically smashing them with a hammer because it cost them to much more if they were given away rather then taken off the books as obsolete/scrap... (the hammering was so no-one took them out of the dumpster they were thrown into) Now this was the same company who's own employees were Usinging Pent 2 333's while they were throwing out Pent 3 1GHtz+... insanity (While I worked there I actually converted a few digital recording units with 4 harddrives into workable machiens for the staff.... idiots... my supervisors were like 'wow you can do that?')

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Miss Manners and the Spelling Bee Queen, 5 Jul 2006 @ 5:38am

      Re:

      Gawd, luv Ur ablility 2 spel. Mebbe nxt tyme yoo shud tayk a hammur 2 yur hed.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Miss Manners and the Spelling Bee Queen, 5 Jul 2006 @ 5:38am

      Re:

      Gawd, luv Ur ablility 2 spel. Mebbe nxt tyme yoo shud tayk a hammur 2 yur hed.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Miss whose type of manners?, 5 Jul 2006 @ 6:32am

        Re: Wry spelling post

        Wow how lucky we are that an actual editor with perfect elocution, sentence structure, and spelliing abilities has enough time to correct language usage on the web.

        Thank you so very much. And good luck finding an actual job!

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Prissy Spellers are LAME, 5 Jul 2006 @ 10:29am

          Re: Re: Wry spelling post

          Spelling whiners are the bane of the internet.

          Shame on you! You want to correct spelling?

          Go teach elementary school...

          Spelling corrections are the SPAM of Feedback posts

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Rob, 5 Jul 2006 @ 7:20am

      Literacy?

      did you even graduate from primary school?

      "companies" rather than "companys". "too" rather than "to". "no one" rather than "no-one". "cut and dried" rather than "cut and dry". "document" rather than "doccument". "whose" rather than "who's". "using" rather than "usinging". "machines" rather than "machiens".

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Lame, 5 Jul 2006 @ 7:34am

        Re: Literacy?

        Who cares?

        As long as he got the message across.

        Maybe he's dyslexic. Besides there are much worse spellers out there.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 5 Jul 2006 @ 8:55am

        Re: Literacy?

        Seems this is something that has been happening a lot. Get a damn life. Most of us don't care that it bothers any of you and would much prefer reading an intelligent post rather than squabbling about spelling.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    thecaptain, 5 Jul 2006 @ 4:54am

    Who the hell makes these bonehead decisions and how the hell do they get to be in a position to make them?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Scott, 5 Jul 2006 @ 5:24am

      Re:

      >>"how the hell do they get to be in a position to make them?"

      The Peter Principle

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      ed, 5 Jul 2006 @ 5:35am

      Re: Three letters

      The reason for this kind of decision: three letters - IRS
      The Tax code has created tons of screwy situations. Have you noticed how hard it is to get out-of-print books now when it used to be easy (publishers used to hold stock, now they have to destroy it or they can't deduct it).

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      John Redpath, 5 Jul 2006 @ 7:43am

      How do they get in position to do this?

      Easy. Like about 90% of so-called "management" types, or "suits", they fake it 'til they make it. Blood sucking and leaching off the unsuspecting and ignorant.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Just Me, 5 Jul 2006 @ 5:42am

    Nothing is free

    Africans have a saying that goes

    "In life, there is nothing free, only scorpions will give it to you for free".

    I guess I don't need to say more.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Junyo, 5 Jul 2006 @ 5:45am

    Okay, what's the gain in asking for them back? You get back a bunch of used iPods; what're you gonna do with 'em? Put them on eBay? Regift new hires? Pay to warehouse or crush them? Almost anything you do will have bigger cost implications than just eating the gift this time, or adding the price onto the employee's final check as pay. And next time, just give out pens/cash.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    dataguy, 5 Jul 2006 @ 5:52am

    "even the press described the iPods as gifts."

    Since when is the "press" a standard for accuracy?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Comboman, 5 Jul 2006 @ 5:57am

    Keep the iPods

    NatSemi doesn't have a leg to stand on with this one. I've seen people argue (successfully) that they should keep "their" laptop the company "gave" them after they were laid off. Personally I don't agree with that, since the laptop is obviously company property assigned to an employee for work purposes, but the the iPod "gift" is not really in the same category at all. At the very least, there was an expectation that this was a gift and I think most courts would agree if NatSemi pushed the issue that far.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      lar3ry, 5 Jul 2006 @ 6:40am

      Re: Keep the iPods

      Actually, my company stamps each laptop with a tag that says "Leased." There's no doubt whatsoever that the laptop is not a gift, and I doubt that even in the event the laptops had no tag there would be no difficulty in the company recovering them.

      The iPods, on the other hand, were distributed as gifts. I think it's pretty slimy to do such things, especially to departing employees.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Too Bad, 5 Jul 2006 @ 6:22am

    Reasonable Doubt

    I found N.S.s press release about the iPods nowhere in the article does it say they are gifts. It does make several references to how good the company is doing which usually means hookin' a brutha up. I'm thinking the article was structured that way to setup plausible deniability or has been revised recently. ;-)

    http://www.national.com/news/item/0,1735,1172,00.html

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Michael, 5 Jul 2006 @ 7:02am

      Re: Reasonable Doubt

      i agree - the press release doesn't say that the iPods were a gift. of course, individual managers may have left a very different impression as they handed the iPods to their employees.

      whatever the company's intention, it's both bad form and needless bad publicity to demand that laid off employees return the iPods mere weeks after crowing about a record fiscal year.and we are talking about only 35 employees, or approx $10,500 worth of iPods.

      if the company had any sense, it would call a press conference, apologize for any misunderstanding, make it clear that the laid off employees do NOT have to return the iPods (because of the misunderstanding), and set a clear policy for the future for remaining employees. (as a rule for the future, it wouldn't be the worst thing ever for laid off employees to keep their iPods, while resigning employees have to return theirs.)

      (plus you know the net cost of the iPods to the company wasn't $300 - heck, the iPods use the company's analog chips!)

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Greg, 5 Jul 2006 @ 6:27am

    Classy.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Ian, 5 Jul 2006 @ 6:40am

    And if they don't give them back...

    ...are they going to fire them? ;)

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    WhooTAZ, 5 Jul 2006 @ 7:03am

    IPods

    I guess National Semicondutor wanted to retain their Assets ratio, that all important ROI that every wetback scumball Suit so desires even to the pit of HELL.

    Damn, National Semicondutor must of gotten screwed by Apple for the IPODS. They probably paid 50 times the going street rate for them to be an Indian Giver in the end....

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jeremy, 5 Jul 2006 @ 7:17am

    Lawsuit

    This company is going beyond the norm and asking for gifts back. This action needs to be punished. A lawsuit is in order for causing mental anguish. Any normal person would know you don't ask for a gift back and then to do it when you fire goes beyond the pale.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Tyshaun, 5 Jul 2006 @ 7:28am

    a simple question?

    If the company was doing so well, why the lay offs?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    lay man, 5 Jul 2006 @ 7:30am

    Bullshit!

    N.S. is lame, if this story is true.

    Clearly ipods are not some sort of special tool required to do their jobs.

    These must have been gifts and I mean real gifts.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Mike Mixer, 5 Jul 2006 @ 7:31am

    Scoundrels

    Here's a gift, Yours for a limited time only, It's a good
    long look straight into the eyes of evil. You can't find it in stores .You can only get it through our offer here. What's the deal you say,Here it is, You give us
    your blood, sweat, and tears for several years. Then accept a token of our gratitude for all the money we made on your backs. Hold on, We're not through yet.
    After all that ,You get fired and have to give us back
    our token of gratitude. That's your deal. One to a customer please. No discounts and no dealers .

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    SkiOne, 5 Jul 2006 @ 8:17am

    Unbelievable

    They need to show where they stated that they were loaners prior to those people getting laid off.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Chief Elf (profile), 5 Jul 2006 @ 8:29am

    3 letter explanation

    >>Who the hell makes these bonehead decisions and how the hell do they get to be in a position to make them? >The reason for this kind of decision: three letters - MBA: Mindless Business [idiots]

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    anonymous coward, 5 Jul 2006 @ 8:30am

    New Hire

    Welcome to the National Semiconductor team Bob, here's your iPod.

    Well, gee thanks but what's this piece of tape on the back and why is it engraved to some guy named Steve?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Thomason, 5 Jul 2006 @ 8:34am

    Leave your toys here.

    Reminds me of that employee who heard that her employer was awarding her a "toyota" but what she got was a small figurine, a "toy yoda." She sued.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anon, 5 Jul 2006 @ 8:35am

    Whatever!!!

    I work for National. In our internal documents at National, we were informed that the company would be using the ipods for training and other company information. We had to sign a release that we would keep information on our ipods confidential. You don't sign a release for gifts! The idiots that sold their ipods are just greedy especially since we've only had them for two weeks! The ipods are meant for corporate training and can also be used for personal use.

    And by the way, we have not had any layoffs. They must have been fired! (probably for stealing!) We are in the process of adding hundreds of people.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Paying consumer, 5 Jul 2006 @ 9:54am

      Re: Whatever!!!

      Well I for one will not be purchasing any products associated with this company

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      FAYE, 14 Jul 2006 @ 7:35pm

      Re: Whatever!!!

      I WORK AT THE ARLINGTON SITE AND I DON'T REMEMBER NO CONFIDENTIAL NOTHING WRITTEN...AND THOSE IDIOTS YOU MENTIONED I KNOW THEM AND THEY HAD GOOD REASONS FOR SELLING THEM, AND YOU CARE Y...THEY SAID THEY WERE FOR TRAINING TO THE MEDIA, NOT TO US...NO ONE IS GOING TO USE IT FOR THAT,NOBODY...YES THERE WAS A VOLUNTEER LAYOFF...THESE PEOPLE WANTED TO GET THE HELL OUT, WHICH I DON'T BLAME THEM, NOBODY DOES...THE ONLY GOOD THING NATIONAL DID FOR THEM WAS LET THEM HAVE TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO THEIR FRIENDS AND EVERYBODY APPRECIATED THAT...I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU ARE LYING ABOUT THE HUNDRED PEOPLE,, SO BASICALLY THEY LAID OFF 35 TO HIRE HUNDREDS, MAKE SENSE TO ANYONE ELSE....ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE TAKING TOOLS OUT...WHAT ARE THESE HUNDREDS GOING TO RUN..THEY ARE SLOWLY MAKING IT INTO MAINE.WHERE THE TOOLS QUAL THEMSELVES AND THERE ARE WHAT 10 PEOPLE PER SHIFT...YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.....YOU'RE PROBABLY UPSTAIRS WITH THE HEADS, SO I CAN SEE WHY YOU'RE SAYING SUCH B.S...

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      FAYE, 14 Jul 2006 @ 7:40pm

      Re: Whatever!!!

      I WORK AT THE ARLINGTON SITE AND I DON'T REMEMBER NO CONFIDENTIAL NOTHING WRITTEN...AND THOSE IDIOTS YOU MENTIONED I KNOW THEM AND THEY HAD GOOD REASONS FOR SELLING THEM, AND YOU CARE Y...THEY SAID THEY WERE FOR TRAINING TO THE MEDIA, NOT TO US...NO ONE IS GOING TO USE IT FOR THAT,NOBODY...YES THERE WAS A VOLUNTEER LAYOFF...THESE PEOPLE WANTED TO GET THE HELL OUT, WHICH I DON'T BLAME THEM, NOBODY DOES...THE ONLY GOOD THING NATIONAL DID FOR THEM WAS LET THEM HAVE TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO THEIR FRIENDS AND EVERYBODY APPRECIATED THAT...I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU ARE LYING ABOUT THE HUNDRED PEOPLE,, SO BASICALLY THEY LAID OFF 35 TO HIRE HUNDREDS, MAKE SENSE TO ANYONE ELSE....ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE TAKING TOOLS OUT...WHAT ARE THESE HUNDREDS GOING TO RUN..THEY ARE SLOWLY MAKING IT INTO MAINE.WHERE THE TOOLS QUAL THEMSELVES AND THERE ARE WHAT 10 PEOPLE PER SHIFT...YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.....YOU'RE PROBABLY UPSTAIRS WITH THE HEADS, SO I CAN SEE WHY YOU'RE SAYING SUCH B.S...

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    JIMMY HEARTLEIN, 5 Jul 2006 @ 8:36am

    STINKS!!!!

    I AM A PROMISE KEEPER AND THIS STINKS!!!!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jay, 5 Jul 2006 @ 8:55am

    Pity the fired employees :p

    Read the press release.
    While designed for personal entertainment, the popular Apple MP3 player will be used as a new training and communications tool at National, providing a convenient real-time method for employees to download National podcasts and other employee communications.
    Yeah, that's definitely a "gift" not something the company provides to employees as a tool. If you are a framer, and you get fired, or quit, try taking your bosses tools that he "gave" you while you were working for him. See how that works out.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Scottitude, 5 Jul 2006 @ 8:59am

    Another non-story brought to you by Techdirt Corporate Intelligence.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Sanguine Dream, 5 Jul 2006 @ 9:13am

    ???

    How does one use an iPod for training? Instructional mp3s? And why allow them personal use of company property? Even with a release form to agree to confidentiality there is still the risk of the data on it being lost or stolen. i find it hard to believe that this company paid the usual $300 for those iPods. I'm sure they got some kind of deal from Apple for buying so many at once. Kinda like the time I rented VHS from Blockbuster and held it past the deadline by about 3 weeks and they wanted me to either turn it in or pay $70.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    SailorAlphaCentauri, 5 Jul 2006 @ 10:19am

    Wow...

    who snuffed out the fires of hell? Because it sure is cold in here.

    If the iPods were gifts to their employees, then that is some dirty dealing to want them back. If, however, they are instructional tools for the workplace, there will be documents that every employee had to sign which would prove the company's case. If those documents do not exist, it seems phony that the iPods were not gifts and the company looks callous as well as cold.

    Anyway out, you would think there would be other ways for people to get their training from...oh, I don't know...the computers they have to hook up the iPods to in order to get the information in the first place!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      smellygirl, 5 Jul 2006 @ 11:11am

      Re: Wow...

      "If, however, they are instructional tools for the workplace, there will be documents that every employee had to sign which would prove the company's case."

      That is not true. I have worked for several large corporations and have had their laptops, blackberries, etc. I never signed anything stating they were not gifts or whatever it is you imagine might be signed. Obviously these tools are property of the company.

      But with the iPods, this is does seem pretty slimy. iPods are a very hot gift item for corporations and sales conferences, etc. It is hard to think of them as business equipment and not primarily for personal use.

      The NS article mentions the business purpose of the iPods in the same way that a boondoggle in Hawaii has a business purpose. You may have to attend a meeting or something so that the company can write it off as a business expense, but everybody knows that if you got to go on the trip it is as a reward.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Cober, 5 Jul 2006 @ 10:53am

    Spelling

    Proper spelling is important - sorry to rain on your parade, but poor spelling undercuts any message you are trying to deliver. Poor spelling implies either you are uneducated or too lazy to properly present your message. How are you going to impress anyone when you're saying "I are ignorent[sic]"?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Jul 2006 @ 10:57am

    HAHA, good way to treat your employees.... Lot of morale there I bet?

    Good thing to keep in mind when looking at stocks to invest in. Afterall happy employees (usually) = happy investors.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anon-i-mouse, 5 Jul 2006 @ 11:01am

    NatSemi and slaves

    Well, it is no surprise that many employees (now mostly ex-employees) euphemistically call the company by it's name-by-behavior - Nazi Semiconductor... I see that this hasn't changed any over the past 25 years or so.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Irritated Regular, 5 Jul 2006 @ 11:12am

    MIKE - You're dropping the ball again!

    Mike,

    What the hell is up with the fluff you've been posting as news lately?

    This is the second week in a row that things have been pretty lame around here.

    Strike two.

    If you guys don't get back to some real stories soon, I'm going to have to drop you from my RSS feeds.

    (Yes, I'm sure it'll hurt your feelings. :-P )

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Slackerman, 5 Jul 2006 @ 11:38am

    Used to work for National...

    ...glad I don't any longer.

    Halla is all-go, no-show, and his company shows it. I'm more than a bit surprised by its "success" of late. Success is in quotes because I have a hard time defining flat revenue growth (from when I was with the company...circa 1998) and head count reductions as "success".

    To me, this is just more of the same from a company that just doesn't "get it".

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    John, 5 Jul 2006 @ 6:02pm

    iPODS

    I would bet that it was an isolated incident in which a manager figured he would force his former employees to give back the iPODS so that he could then give them to his friends and family members. That is assuming he/she has friends.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    ebrke, 6 Jul 2006 @ 8:40am

    What I'm wondering is

    if they just had their best fiscal year ever (reason for gifting iPODS), why the heck are they laying off workers?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    media hater, 13 Jul 2006 @ 11:39pm

    How typical of bloggers

    Everything is hyped up for no reason. The reason any of this even happened is that John Doe decided to give his work utility to close acquaintance X.

    Look at the inherent bias here:
    1. These are ex-employees (read people intended on distancing themselves from National Semiconductor / bashing National Semiconductor as much as possible)
    2. This is a tech oriented blog that routinely gets the crap that digg / slashdot / cnet / et al doesn't manage to hype and delivers the matter a liberal dose of marketing fluff itself.

    Shame on you Techdirt for not actually getting to the heart of the matter.

    The result is a wanking session of idiots posting the same "interesting" ideas in the comments session in different permutations of words and phrases.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    000amannik200609, 26 Sep 2006 @ 8:04am

    business with russia

    On this site you can find a lot of the interesting information about business in [b]Russia[/b].
    Here you can find new partners and customers for enjoy profit !
    http://computers-9.ru-company.ru/computers

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]


AP Looks At Piracy Around The World... Misses The Real Story
Forget Free, Now We Want Services That Pay
Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

Friday

19:39 Important Announcement: Techdirt Is Migrating To A New Platform (0)
More arrow

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.