Category: News

Filed under: Ford, Lincoln, Luxury

Just a few years ago, Ford had so many luxury brands in its then considerable suite of marques that there were upscale offerings for just about any taste in every region of the world. Aston Martin, Land Rover and Jaguar are now in the hands of other owners and Volvo is on the outs, so how will Ford deliver luxury goods to other regions of the world? How about Lincoln?

The idea has been kicked around to no avail in the past, but with a growing luxury market in emerging markets like China, the Blue Oval may need a new global plan for its lone luxury marquee. Automotive News reports that Ford will only discuss expanding Lincoln globally when its North American operation gets turned around. Ford President of the Americas Mark Fields told AN, “We don’t have any plans at this point to take it global. That doesn’t mean in the future we wouldn’t look at that, but it’s very important for us to focus on North America.”

If Ford waits for Lincoln to turn around in North America before looking at other markets, the process could take a while. Lincoln sales were down 23 percent in 2009, with sales dipping to a 28-year low of 82,847 units. Many of Lincolns newer models have arrived with a luke-warm reception from both journalists and the car-buying public, though there are high hopes for the recently introduced 2011 Lincoln MKX and its trick MyLincoln Touch interface. Another Lincoln that could help spur sales overseas is a smaller model based off of the Concept C from the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Report: Ford could take Lincoln global (one day) originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

By Geoffrey A. Fowler, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

As reports of the devastation and death toll in Haiti continue to rise, some tech companies are rolling out efforts to help. While the earthquake destroyed even the most basic infrastructure in some parts of the country, there are places where Internet is available – and, of course, it has also turned into a tool for raising money and awareness elsewhere around the world.

Here are a few of the efforts.

• A Web site called Haitian Earthquake Registry allows people to register and look for missing friends and relatives. (Similar “human search engine” efforts developed after the 2008 earthquake in China’s Sichuan province.)
• Companies including Intel (INTC), Cisco (CSCO) and Microsoft (MSFT) help support NetHope, an organization that works with 17 different relief groups to do things like set up the basic communications between agencies, and help coordinate reports and contact lists.

Read the rest of this post on the original site

Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]

Read Original Article

We’d like to see more of this is 2010. Author’s photo.

The start of a new year is a time to look forward, get a gym membership, and make resolutions. Here at Way2Go, we decided to follow the lead of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and make a transportation wish list for 2010, carrying over the best from '09 and adding some new goals for the upcoming decade.

• Fix-it-First: Federal funding for transportation infrastructure improvements should be prioritized so that existing roads and bridges are repaired before we expand our system. This saves money in the long run and provides immediate jobs.
• Restore American transit and transit manufacturing jobs: This past year has seen many drivers and transit manufacturing jobs lost. Let's fix local agency budget gaps, restore transit service, and get these Americans back to work.
• Tailored mass transit: We'd like to see more Federal funding for transit that provides more choice, like rural transit in the San Joaquin Valley, CA and flexible suburban bus routes in Prince William County, VA.
• Passenger rail: The White House's and Joe Biden's interest in rail has been all over the news. We’d like to see reliable and faster passenger rail in the US. Kick back and see the US without long security lines and with mismatched socks.
• Pedestrian safety: People should have a diversity of transportation choices. Feet (and sometimes skis) matter, too–though sometimes it doesn’t seem like it. Let's make it easier and safer to walk with smart designs like Project for Public Space's work in New York City.
• Bicycle safety: More bike boxes, safe bike networks, and fewer accidents.
• Modernized, cleaner freight: Funding for a freight system that is efficient and provides environmental benefits. Our freight system is expected to grow 80% in the next 10 years, and we need solutions to reduce pollution and congestion.
  

  Innovative data programs like New York MTA’s make it easier for people to take transit. Courtesy NYC MTA.

• Real-time data: At the very least, riders should know when the next bus is coming. Transit agencies should continue to communicate with riders via social media programs, like Twitter, Facebook, Flikr, and blogs. We also encourage social media innovations like San Francisco County Transportation Authority's bike data iPhone and Android app, a user-driven app that allows bikers to map their routes and help SFCTA gather data are creative solutions and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority's open source data for app developers (check out their very cool short film).
• Pay-as-you-drive insurance: Let's incentivize reduced VMT and get PAYD in every state, so drivers can opt for an insurance policy that best reflects their lifestyle.
• Smart pricing: In 2010 we'd like to see broader adoption of smart parking policies, such as parking cash-out. We also look forward to the release of and San Francisco's pricing study examining the benefits of applying cordon pricing, that's proven successful in Europe, to reduce pollution and improve transportation.

Vodafone UK officially jumped on the iPhone bandwagon by launching both the iPhone 3G and 3GS today, joining O2, Orange and Teso Mobile in the now non-exclusive UK market. Vodafone customers looking to keep costs low can score an older 8GB iPhone 3G for free with a minimum monthly plan of £35 ($57USD). Folks that must have the latest and greatest still have the pleasure of receiving a free iPhone but those high rollers will have to agree to a minimum monthly tariff of £45 ($73USD) for an iPhone 3GS 16GB or £75 ($122USD) for the 32GB version. Sales of the iPhone are expected to be brisk with Vodafone moving an estimated 50,000 handsets in this first day of sales.

Read

Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]

Read Original Article

Have you heard? As of January 1st, 2010, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services and The CBO Center have merged to better serve the nonprofit communities of Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

Read the official announcement here.  

Congratulations to both organizations!

In an attempt to recoup the government’s investment in the financial and auto industries, President Barack Obama seeks to levy a fee on approximately 50 of the largest financial institutions with $50 billion or more in assets, to repay taxpayers for the costs of bailing out the banks and automakers. The kicker though,  is that no such fees will be imposed on the automakers that were bailed out; the banks will be expected to shoulder the $30.4 billion lost on the auto bailout.

Auto-lender GMAC will be one of the 50 financial institutions covered.

“My commitment is to recover every single dime the American people are owed,” President Barack Obama said today. “And my determination to achieve this goal is only heightened when I see reports of massive profits and obscene bonuses at the very firms who owe their continued existence to the American people, who have not been made whole, and who continue to face real hardship in this recession.”

The White House based the defense of its decision to not impose the fee on the automakers on the fact that since the fee would be levied based on assets, it would not be workable in the case of the auto makers.

The administration has said that, “the situation with autos is a difficult and special case…we just simply do not feel that in the case of the auto industry that this was a workable fee for them and that you could not have something that covered each and every firm that might have benefited.”

Republicans by and large are opposed to the plan, as they see it as nothing more than another tax on the American public. They see the tax as punitive considering that the banks have already paid back their monies, and that it will discourage job creation at an already horrible economic time.

– By: Stephen Calogera
Photo Credit: White House Flickr

Source: Detroit News

Some health-care news out of Washington this afternoon:

More fees may be coming for drug and device makers, the WSJ reports. Dems may add $10 billion in fees for device makers over 10 years, on top of the roughly $20 billion already included in the House and Senate bills. The final health-care bill may also cut reimbursements or increase fees on drug makers by an additional $10 billion over 10 years, beyond the $80 billion the industry agreed to last year.

Democrats and big unions cut a deal on the proposed tax on high-end health insurance plans. Unions, some of which offer high-end benefits, don’t like that tax. But it plays a key role in the Senate bill, and President Obama has backed the tax, which he argues would slow the growth in health-care spending by pushing people toward more moderate health-insurance plans.

Under the deal, collectively bargained contracts (i.e. the kind negotiated by unions) would be exempt from the tax until 2018. The deal would also raise the threshold for the tax on all plans. The Senate bill taxed plans whose premiums were more than $8,500 a year for individuals and $23,000; under the deal, the threshold would rise to $8,900 for individuals and $24,000 for families, the WSJ said. Here’s coverage of the deal from the WSJ, New York Times and Politico.

Photo: Associated Press

As solar thermal firms like eSolar have started flipping switches on their first projects in U.S. deserts, I’ve been eagerly waiting the stirling engine solar folks to officially enter the game. Looks like we’re getting one project at the end of this month: Stirling Energy Systems and its developer partner Tessera Solar are planning a […]

Uniqlo continues to impress with their up to date and fashionable contemporary styles. Always ahead trendwise in comparison to the bigger fashion chains, Uniqlo puts forth a lookbook that will have most of us wanting for the seasons to change right away. The looks are colorful and crafty with styles that mixes outerwear, knits, blazers, tops and more. If there’s a Uniqlo chain near you, be sure to lookout for these looks when released.

Continue reading for more images.

Source: Mens Model Talk

If you’re looking to score a 100% unique Valentine’s Day gift for a little one, or even an owl lovin’ adult pal then you’re in luck. Night Owl Paper Goods has a decent collection available right now of their sweeter than sweet handmade owl plushies. These owls are not only eco-friendly but totally one-of-a-kind. No two completely alike and so your gift will be truly special.

Each Owl Plushie is handmade by Lori Nichols for Night Owl Paper Goods and each is an eco-friendly work of art. The bodies are made with re-purposed washed thrift store sweaters and the big round eyes are comprised of Night Owl Paper Goods repurposed wood & letterpress bits from their paper collection (or recycled map or book pages) along with natural acorns. Owls come with a wooden name tag as well. Due to their delicate nature these aren’t meant to be toys, but will delight a child while sitting perched on a bookshelf.

Because each is handmade once an owl is adopted he’s gone, so if you see one you like I’d hurry and order because they seem to go fast from what I’ve seen. Below are some of the little owl plushies who still need a home – why not bring home your favorite for Valentine’s Day?!

• Roberta Snow Owl
• Mary Owl
• Andrew Owl
• Ossie Owl
• Birch Owl
• Pip Owl

Post from: Blisstree

Unique Valentine’s Day Owl Plushies

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Chrysler, Dodge

CNNMoney.com is reporting that Chrysler will be the only U.S. domestic automaker to air a commercial during this year’s Super Bowl. The spot in question will be 60 seconds long, the most expensive length to buy during the big game, and advertise the Dodge Charger of all vehicles. Chrysler spokeswoman Dianna C. Gutierrez is quoted saying, “What better way to illustrate to our customers that we are still here than to air on the Super Bowl…” Oh Dianna, we could think of a few ways.

Has Chrysler determined there are so many people who believe it’s disappeared that spending millions on a Super Bowl ad to remind them it hasn’t is a good idea? This idea ranks right up there with boarding a private jet bound for the nation’s capital to ask for money from Congress. In other words, it will backfire. The expense of buying air time during the Super Bowl to advertise the outdated Charger could easily be seen by some as a waste of money, dollars that could have been used to do better things, like, say, developing a better Charger.

There’s nothing Chrysler can say in a commercial that will wipe out the ill will that remains in some people’s hearts after the government loans and forced bankruptcy, so Chrysler should do what its cross-town rivals are doing: be quiet and start developing better products. Once the folks at Chrysler build a better Charger (and Avenger, Caliber, Journey, etc.), then we’ll by happy to watch their Super Bowl ad. Until then, we’re more looking forward to watching spots from Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Audi and Volkswagen on February 7.

[Source: CNNMoney.com | Image: Jamie Squire/Getty]

Hail Mary Pass? Chrysler buying 60-second Super Bowl spot for Dodge Charger originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]

Read Original Article

Filed under: SUV, Chrysler, Jeep, Diesel, Off-Road

If there’s one single item we think the Jeep Wrangler sorely needs, it’s a new powertrain. The current 3.8-liter V6 engine and four-speed automatic transmission are extremely long in the tooth and make Chrysler’s mountain goat feel downright anemic when traveling on paved roads. It could be argued that a small-displacement diesel engine would be the ideal way to add some much-needed grunt and improved fuel efficiency to the iconic off-roader, but apparently that’s not going to happen – at least not here in the United States.

Says Michael Manley, president and chief executive officer of the Jeep brand, “We have no plans at the moment for diesel Jeeps in North America, although one of the things I’ve learned in this business is to never say never… I wouldn’t rule it out, but specifically on Nov. 4, we were commenting on diesel in Europe.”

Fortunately, that doesn’t mean the 70-year-old Civilian Jeep won’t get any updates at all. According to the Toledo Blade – the Jeep brand’s hometown newspaper – Chrysler is likely to use its new Pentastar V6 engine, which we’d hope would also include a new six-speed automatic transmission, in the Wrangler starting next summer. Also, we’re told that more special edition models will join the recently unveiled Islander and Mountain models. Thanks for the tip, Tom!

[Source: Toledo Blade]

No diesel Jeep Wranger for North America originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]

Read Original Article

According to a report by AutoCar, the Volkswagen Compact Coupe Hybrid Concept (that made its debut at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show earlier this week) hints at a Jetta Coupe. The model is likely to enter production as a competitor to the Civic Coupe, the upcoming production version of the Toyota FT-86 Concept and the Mazda3 hatchback.

The platform for the model will also underpin the next-generation Beetle, which goes on sale next year. Design wise, the next-generation Beetle is expected to be a radical departure from the current feminine styling.

“The design will change, slightly but there won’t be anything too surprising,” a Volkswagen source said. “It will have more interior space and slightly different proportions. The main aim is to make the design more masculine, to appeal to more buyers.”

Volkswagen has sold over one million Beetles of the current generation Beetle in the past 10 years.

2010 Detroit: Volkswagen New Compact Coupe Hybrid Concept:

All Photos Copyright © 2009 Omar Rana – egmCarTech.

– By: Kap Shah

Source: AutoCar

Starting on January 22nd, Red One users will be able to upgrade to the Mysterium-X sensor for the low, low price of $5,750. It’s the same sensor found on the Epic-X—delivering improved imaging and better low light performance.

The unit will also come with an updated version of REDCINE-X that can handle the new and improved video. Red also announced that anyone interested in stepping right up to the Epic-X can get a $1,250 credit if they are accepted into the beta program in either the first or second stage. [Electronista]

The North American International Auto Show is still in full swing in Detroit, with the largest electric and hybrid vehicle lineup to date. While many of these cars are still just concepts — likely to undergo substantial change before hitting dealerships, if they ever do — they represent important steps toward a slicker, cleaner automotive market emerging by 2013. To give you a taste of what’s on offer there, we’ve combed through the green attendees and picked out our five favorites.

1. Audi E-Tron — Shorter, narrower and lower than its cousin the Audi TT, this electric R4 concept car can hit 60 miles per hour in 5.9 seconds with an electronically-limited top speed of 124 miles per hour. It may not be greased lightning but it’s surely fast enough for the typical commute. Its driving range is expected to be 155 miles, and it features a new brand of LED headlamp.

2. Toyota FT-CH — Other journalists have been following the company line, that this car was designed for the 8-bit generation with design cues taken from 1980s video games. To anyone else, it looks like a sportier version of the Prius. While it’s maller than the company’s current, wildly-popular hybrid, more fuel efficient, cheaper and lighter, not much else is known about this vehicle. Toyota says that something like it will probably roll into showrooms within two years. The current Prius has a stick price of about $22,000. Selling a greener car for less than this could really jumpstart wider adoption.

3. Ford Fusion Hybrid — The 2010 Ford Fusion is an incredibly practical car. You can wring 700 miles out of every tank of gas. Ford is even using eco-friendly fabrics for the interior of the car, the icing on its 41 miles-per-gallon mileage cake. The car also transcends green with its tech savvy. It comes equipped with a blind spot detection system, a rear-view camera, a Sony 12-speaker sound system, voice-activated navigation and more. It’s packed with features to make the daily commute safer, easier and cleaner.

4. Tesla Model S — This might be the most hyped car at the whole auto show, but we’re only giving it fourth place. Why? Because even though its positioned as the more affordable and family friendly offering from Tesla Motors, its still well outside most people’s price range. Even with the $7,500 government purchase incentive, it will probably require a $50,000 outlay. On the pro side, the car comes with three battery options. The basic package gives you 160 miles of driving range, while the top-tier package gives you 300 miles between charges. Because EV charging stations have yet to become commonplace on highways, the Model S wouldn’t be practical for long-distance driving. But the car is certainly pushing the envelope on battery-powered range.

5. Subaru Hybrid Tourer — This car uses 2-liter horizontal engine to deliver power to the front wheels while dual electric motors drive the rear end. While the car already debuted at the 2009 Tokyo auto show, it makes our list for two reasons. First, it’s a Subaru, made by a company that specializes in legendary all-wheel drive. Second, its sure to be moderately priced. Look for this high-performance, green wagon (fully equipped with gull-wing doors!) to shake things up this year.

Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]

Read Original Article

Intel gave tech investors a present today as it announced revenues and earnings that beat expectations. The report has broader implications for the larger technology market, since Intel is the world’s biggest chip maker and is a bellwether for the computer industry.

For the fourth quarter, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company reported revenue of $10.6 billion, up 13 percent from the third quarter and 28 percent from a year ago (the largest percentage increase in more than a decade). Net income was $2.3 billion, up 23 percent from the third quarter and 875 percent from a year ago. Earnings per share were 40 cents, up from 33 cents in the third quarter and 4 cents a year ago.

Analysts had expected revenues of $10.2 billion and earnings of 30 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters. For the year, revenue was $35.1 billion, down 7 percent from a year earlier. Net income was $4.4 billion, down 17 percent from a year ago. Earnings per share were 77 cents, down 15 cents from a year ago. The quarter included a $1.25 billion payment to Advanced Micro Devices to settle an antitrust suit.

Intel also beat earnings goals last quarter.

Intel chief executive Paul Otellini said in a statement that the results reflect Intel’s investments in manufacturing and product innovation. Indeed, the chip maker continued to invest in factories and new manufacturing processes even during the difficult economic times.

The news should be welcomed on Wall Street. Last week, at the Consumer Electronics Show, Intel introduced 25 new microprocessors, including many based on its 32-nanometer manufacturing process. The only cloud on the horizon remains its antitrust troubles; the Federal Trade Commission, among others, has launched an antitrust case against Intel.

Intel closed the quarter with 79,800 employees, down from 83,900 a year ago. In a statement, Intel chief financial officer Stacy Smith said that consumer demand and inventory have returned to normal levels, after huge drops a year ago and in the first quarter of 2009. Average prices for microprocessors were up in the quarter, and the overall financial performance was one of the best quarters ever in terms of profits. Sales in all territories grew.

Sales of Intel’s Atom processors, which are used in netbooks (smaller than laptops, meant for web surfing), were up 6 percent from the third quarter.

For the first quarter, revenue is expected to be $9.7 billion, plus or minus $400 million. The midpoint of this range would be a decrease of 8 percent from the fourth quarter, which is consistent with the average historical seasonal decrease. Gross profit margin is expected to be 61 percent, plus or minus two points.

Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]

Read Original Article