TechCrunch extracts the best parts of a Jim Cramer interview with Google CEO Eric Schmidt, in which the pair discuss a variety of issues, from Steve Jobs' health to Google's decision to kill its print ads business. Regarding the latter, Schmidt said: "That particular product didn't work particularly well and we're trying other solutions. Print is a hard one because they have declining ad revenue and higher print costs. And so we're trying other solutions. Ultimately most people will get their information online." On Steve Jobs' health, the Google CEO and Apple board member said: "Speaking as a board member, …

The Microsoft layoff rumors turned out to be true, after all. The company surprised investors this morning with an early earnings announcement, in which the software giant said it was eliminating 5,000 positions, including 1,400 today. The cuts, to be completed over 18 months, will come across all divisions, including "R&D, marketing, sales, finance, legal, HR, and IT." Microsoft said the cuts would save about $1.5 billion a year. Microsoft also missed its fourth quarter earnings. Revenue came in at $16.63 billion, versus $17.08 expected. Earnings-per-share was $0.47 a share, missing expectations of $0.49. Silicon Alley Insider points out that …

Bloomberg reports that the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating Apple's disclosures about CEO Steve Jobs' health in order to assess whether or not investors were purposefully misled. The fact that the SEC is reviewing the matter doesn't mean that regulators have seen evidence of wrongdoing, Bloomberg's source said. Last week, the news organization reported that Jobs is considering a liver transplant as a result of complications after his treatment for pancreatic cancer. Since Jobs appeared noticeably thinner at an Apple event in June, investors have been pressing for information related to the his health. After saying he would remain …

If you've been following Kara Swisher's coverage of the Steve Jobs saga, you know the noted tech industry blogger is far from impressed with the media's "creepy obsession" with the Apple CEO's health. Therefore, it's surprising to hear Swisher applaud the SEC for looking into the company's disclosures about the matter to ensure that investors weren't misled. At the very least, she says, the federal agency can set the record--which has been grossly distorted by the media--straight: "if the press and blogosphere and Apple aren't going to do it, I vote for the one with subpoena power to sort …

Many of you probably watched yesterday's inauguration online, and for those who watched it on CNN.com, you probably noticed that next to the video player, you could see the Facebook status updates of those watching being streamed in the sidebar. And many of you probably turned this feature off. Facebook Connect, the social networking giant's new platform for bringing your identity with you to other Web sites, powered this integration of Facebook and CNN.com Live. For Web sites that use Facebook Connect, visitors can easily log in using their Facebook account information and interact with the site as if …

The ax is expected to fall tomorrow after Microsoft delivers its fourth quarter earnings. McAdams Wright Ragen analyst Sid Parakh is predicting hefty layoffs. "Checks indicate that Microsoft is likely to engage in headcount reductions to the tune of 6,000 to 8,000 employees or 6-8% of its 95,000 workforce," he tells Reuters. "Our checks also revealed some speculation over the potential for a second round of cuts in some groups sometime later in the year." Meanwhile, analysts are expecting the software giant to fail to meet even its own guidance tomorrow. "All eyes are on the forecast," said Jefferies & …

Despite having a still relatively small user base, Twitter continues to receive an enormous amount of media coverage. Stories of tweets received after the US Airways plane crash and Barack Obama's inauguration permeate the Web, yet Twitter's business model remains a mystery. As CNet's Dave Rosenborg notes, "Ubiquity without clear methods of monetization can easily result in a situation where free really means free, with no way to make meaningful money." With no clear path to monetization, Twitter users may start asking for proof that the service will exist in the future, Rosenborg says. In this case, proof means a …