Schmidt triggers Apple fashion parade

ERIC SCHMIDT has joined the board of Apple, prompting fears that he may replace his rather sober dress style with something, er, more fashionable.

Conspiracy theories abound that Apple's Steve Jobs and Google's Schmidt are in the same boardroom in an alliance against the Great Satan of Software, the Mighty Vole.

We fear the truth is more prosaic, and the most that will come from this new relationship will be a rather more fashion conscious Schmidt.

Board hopping is a popular pastime in multinational land. For example, the rather stylish Paul Otellini is on the Google board of directors.

Cigar puffing CEO of BP, Lord Browne of Petroleum, sits on the board of Intel. Carly Fiorina, like ex ICL supremo Peter Bonfield before her, sits on the board of chip foundry giant TSMC.

It's all rather like a somewhat exclusive club but without fancy ties, mysterious lapel pins, or Jachin/Boaz handshakes. And no, you can't join.