IT for Manufacturing Executives
Commodity Prices, Energy Prices Fall
August 11, 2010 4:42 am | by Tali Arbel, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Industrial metals and energy pared their losses Tuesday after the Federal Reserve said it would buy government debt, signaling that it will act to support the economic recovery as needed. Gold prices settled lower before the statement, but shot up in after-hours trading. Commodities had been down more deeply earlier in the day as investors saw hints of a slowdown in demand in China and worried over a weakening economy in the U.
Worried About U.S. Economy, Fed Will Buy Debt
August 11, 2010 4:39 am | by Jeannine Aversa, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — As recently as two months ago, the Federal Reserve sounded optimistic about the economic recovery. Now the central bank is clearly more worried, and economists say there is not much more it can do to help. The Fed said Tuesday that it would spend a relatively small amount of money — about $10 billion a month, economists estimate — buying government debt.
Obama To Sign Key Manufacturing Bill
August 11, 2010 4:37 am | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama will sign a bill on Wednesday that will help U.S. manufacturers by reducing and suspending some tariffs on certain materials they must import to make their products. Obama is scheduled to sign the bill at the White House. The National Association of Manufacturers says it will help create jobs, cut costs for businesses and consumers and boost U.
Asurion Recalls BlackBerry Batteries
August 11, 2010 4:35 am | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Tuesday that Asurion has recalled counterfeit BlackBerry-branded batteries found in refurbished BlackBerry devices. The voluntary recall was made because the counterfeit batteries can overheat, causing risk of burns and fire hazards.
Raytheon Secures $450M Missile Deal From U.S. Air Force
August 11, 2010 4:34 am | News | CommentsTUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Raytheon Co. has won a lucrative missile contract from the U.S. Air Force. The company announced it was awarded $450 million to design, engineer, manufacture and develop a new air-launched, precision-strike missile that can defeat moving and fixed targets during bad weather.
Info Freedom At Center Of BlackBerry Debate
August 11, 2010 4:32 am | by Adam Screck, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The militants who carried out the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, India, used mobile phones and other handheld gadgets to coordinate an assault that left 166 dead. Cell phones with video cameras helped bring the world the iconic footage of a young Iranian woman dying of a gunshot wound in the midst of the country's 2009 "Green Revolution" — images spread rapidly on websites the government tried feverishly to block.
To Infinity And Beyond
August 10, 2010 10:20 am | Videos | CommentsNASA has developed an artificially intelligent robot astronaut that is expected to be sent into space in December. R2, as it is named, will join and work alongside a crew of astronauts as they travel to the United States space station. He is currently in the midst of "training," and he'll soon be ready for his first mission.
Improving Prospect-To-Revenue Processes
August 10, 2010 10:03 am | Articles | CommentsLearn how leading B2B manufacturers are accelerating sales cycles by taking the steps to integrate disparate data, improve quote accuracy, and increase customer response time. by Dana Henriksen, FPX, LLC During the last 20 years, B2B manufacturers have invested heavily in applications designed to improve the prospect-to-revenue business process which includes functions such as lead generation, contact and account management, opportunity management, contracts, financing, and order entry.
Seeing Clearly That Automation Works
August 10, 2010 10:02 am | Articles | CommentsIt is difficult to automate the loading of bottles into transparent cartons because of the need to orient the bottles so that the right part of the label is visible. In the past, a major beverage producer had 15 people dedicated to the task of manually orienting the bottles.
Saudi Arabia To Continue BlackBerry Service
August 10, 2010 4:37 am | by Abdullah Al-Shihri, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsRIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia's telecommunications regulator on Tuesday said it would allow BlackBerry messaging services to continue in the kingdom, citing "positive developments" with the device's Canadian manufacturer. The Communications and Information Technology Commission's announcement staves off, at least for now, a potential ban of Research in Motion Ltd.
Apple iPhone Exec Leaves Company Amid 'Antenna Gate'
August 10, 2010 4:36 am | News | CommentsCUPERTINO, California (AP) — An Apple Inc. executive whose responsibilities include iPhone hardware is leaving the company in the wake of antenna problems with the newest version of the smart phone. Apple was forced to offer a free fix after consumers complained and numerous media outlets reported a problem with dropped calls.
HP's Ex-CEO Gets A Payday As Investors Suffer
August 10, 2010 4:33 am | by Jordan Robertson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Whatever Mark Hurd did that cost him his job as CEO of Hewlett-Packard, the world's largest technology company, it wasn't enough to cost him a payday that could top $40 million. Meanwhile, with little still known about why an actress and HP contractor threatened Hurd with a sexual-harassment lawsuit, stockholders took a $9 billion hit Monday, and HP's 300,000 workers were left to wonder about its future.
Federal Reserve To Try To Stimulate Economic Growth
August 10, 2010 4:30 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — The dollar gained Tuesday as investors pared back bets that the Federal Reserve would announce new measures to keep the economic recovery going. The Fed is expected to announce Tuesday afternoon that it hold interest rates near record lows near zero to stimulate economic activity.
U.S. Business Leaders Label Obama 'Antibusiness'
August 10, 2010 4:27 am | by Tom Raum, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Labeled antibusiness by Republicans and some corporate chiefs, President Barack Obama mounted a campaign to show he wasn't. But his charm offensive has hit a rocky patch. Business leaders gripe about burdensome new financial and health care regulations, what they see as unfriendly tax policies and vast government spending.
Apple Warns That Older iPod Nanos May Overheat
August 10, 2010 4:25 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsTOKYO (AP) — After prodding from the Japanese government, Apple Inc. will post prominent notices on its website warning that some older iPod Nano music players may overheat. Sixty-one cases of batteries overheating have been reported in first-generation iPod Nano machines sold in 2005 and 2006, according to Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
