David Lidsky's Blog, page 4549

GM: Chevy Volt Will Cost $41,000

The Chevy Volt, GM's much-hyped extended-range electric vehicle, has been plagued by rumored production problems since it was first announced. But now, finally, it looks like the car is ready for release at a price of $41,000 ($33,500 after a $7,500 federal tax credit). GM is also offering a  lease program with monthly payments of $350, based
on a 36-month term lease and $2,500 down. That also includes a
lease-to-buy option.

It's not a bad deal for the vehicle, which can squeeze out 340...

Foxconn Closes Mobile Accessory Plant in India After Pesticide Problem

Foxconn can't seem to get a break. It's shutting one of its factories down in India after a group of workers were poisoned by what appears to be pesticides. Coming, as it does, after months of attention surrounding its Chinese workers' health, this can only be bad news for the Taiwanese firm. 

The closure of one of its two Chennai plants has been prompted by what Foxconn is calling a pesticide-related incident that resulted in 250 workers being hospitalized. Fumigation is routine for a...

All You Need to Know About Apple's New iMac, Mac Pro, 27-inch Display

Apple has, as expected, lavished some upgrade love on several of its products: The Mac Pro, the iMac and the Cinema Display lineups have all been tweaked to improve their specs. The Mac Pro even got a 12-processor core option.

iMacs

Apple's all-in-one iMac stays pretty much the same from an exterior point of view, with Apple even tagging it as "beautiful on the surface, more powerful below it." That extra power comes from Apple's switch to supporting Core i5 and Core i7 chips from Intel, a new...

Apple Reveals Magic Trackpad Peripheral

The rumors were right: Alongside new Macs, Apple's revealed its newest gizmo--a Bluetooth trackpad. It's designed to bring the same sort of multitouch goodness that MacBook users have experienced for months to iMac or even PC folk.

The trackpad's been hinted at for months, and now we know it's real, it's Bluetooth, the leaked photos were exactly accurate, and it's going to cost you $69 for the privilege of adding its multitouch finger-dancing goodness to your desktop PC setup.

Apple explains...

What Breed Is Your CEO? Randy Komisar on Leadership and Management

In the life of a company, every dog has its day. So says Randy Komisar, a veteran Silicon Valley venture capitalist and entrepreneur who has spent the last 25 years launching technology startups. Komisar is a partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers where he specializes in working with technology entrepreneurs. "I'm not attracted to them because of the bottom line," he says. "I'm attracted to them to them because of the top line--they change they can make." His own pedigree: co-founder of...

Why The Most Interesting Man in the World Moves More Units Than Old Spice Guy

The experienced actor behind Dos Equis' viral ad campaign on popularity, influence, and saving endangered Siberian tigers.

Consider for a moment the manly purr of Old Spice spokesman Isaiah Mustafa's "Hello, Ladies" salutation. It's seduced the country social media-style: 94 million views on YouTube, 630,0000 Facebook fans, and an estimated 1 billion aggregate impressions in just one week. But wait. It appears consumers may have been too distracted by his glorious swan dives and monocle...

BP Well Plug Opens Door for Devastating Underground Blowout

Oil is no longer gushing into the Gulf, but the danger of the spill flowing freely once again remains. BP plans to take another stab at plugging the well permanently next week with the so-called "static kill" procedure--sending heavy mud down into the capped well--followed by a "permanent kill," which will hopefully seal the Macondo well permanently with mud, cement, and other substances deposited into a relief well. But not everyone is convinced that the static kill procedure will work...

iFive: BP Posts $17 Billion Loss, Wikileaks Fallout, Top CEO Remuneration, Tooth-Growing Gel, Lionfish Disturbs Atlantic Waters

While you were sleeping, innovation was rubbing gel on its teeth and marveling at its new saber-toothed look. Fierce!

1. So, Tony Hayward, who has released a resignation statement, is to step down from the top job "by mutual consent." The firm has set aside $32.2 billion to cover the oil spill--and all of this the day it posted its Q2 2010 results, putting the loss at $17 billion. Shares stayed steady on the news, while Greenpeace pulled a bit of a pathetic stunt, flipping the safety switches...

Apple Reveals Magic Trackpad Peripheral

The rumors were right: Alongside new Macs, Apple's revealed its newest gizmo--a Bluetooth trackpad. It's designed to bring the same sort of multitouch goodness that MacBook users have experienced for months to iMac or even PC folk. 

The trackpad's been hinted at for months, and now we know it's real, it's Bluetooth, the leaked photos were exactly accurate, and it's going to cost you $69 for the privilege of adding its multitouch finger-dancing goodness to your desktop PC setup.

Apple explains...

Microsoft Hohm Announces Blue Line Innovations as First Device Partner

At long last, Microsoft has announced that Blue Line Innovations' PowerCost Monitor will the first partner device for Hohm, a web-based energy-monitoring application that offers in-depth personal consumption data. Hohm already automatically uploads energy use data for customers of certain utilities, but the PowerCost Monitor allows anyone living in a single-family detached home to to keep track of power use.

Blue Line's PowerCost Monitor has actually been available for years, but the company...