Thompson, who won the World Cup with England in 2003, said he was left with no choice after receiving expert medical opinion.

BBC: Injury forces Thompson to retire

"Yes, it does matter, because people want choice, " says brand expert Robert Pasikoff of Brand Keys, who also noted that a current law that gives customers the right to keep their phone numbers when switching carriers makes it easier for them to bolt to Verizon or Sprint.

FORBES: Magazine Article

"Yes, it does matter, because people want choice, " says brand expert Robert Pasikoff of Brand Keys, who also noted that a current law that gives customers the right to keep their phone numbers when switching carriers makes it easier for them to bolt to Verizon or Sprint (nyse: S - news - people ).

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The fact Google is losing any market share to Microsoft could indicate that it is no longer the immediate choice for everyone, thinks search expert John Batelle.

BBC: Microsoft increases search share

Local media have been reporting that Carlos Pascual, a Cuban-American expert on Europe and a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, is Obama's choice, but the fact that he wrote a report for the Brookings Institute on Iraq and the importance of reconstructing a failed state wasn't well received in political and government circles.

CNN: Behind the scenes: Will Latin America welcome Obama?