Zakim view showcased in Causeway condo unit

This updated condo on the 10th floor of Strada 234 on Causeway Street has a large outdoor terrace whose view of the Zakim Bridge will be maintained when a Lovejoy Wharf condo complex goes up in front of it.

Unit 1003, which has been completely updated within the past few years, is on one of the six stories added in 2004 to the former 1899-built Stop & Shop bakery whose top six floors hold 108 condos. The 12-story building at 234 Causeway St. is on the fringes of the North End near the Charlestown Bridge.

The center portion of the proposed Lovejoy Wharf condo complex will top out just below Unit 1003's 700-square-foot private terrace. But its side view of the TD Garden will be blocked by Lovejoy's 14-story end tower.

The 1,306-square-foot two bedroom unit has been completely updated in the past three years, with oak and cherrywood floors and crown molding, a kitchen with granite counters, glass mosaic backsplash and high-end appliances as well as two bathrooms redone in marble. It's on the market for $1,175,000.

Strada has a gray marble dedicated lobby and a second entrance it shares with commercial tenants that has a 24/7 concierge.

Unit 1003 is off a carpeted common hallway and opens into an oak foyer, with a large pantry closet to the left.

Straight ahead is the open kitchen/living/dining area with oak floors. The recessed-lit living room area features an electric fireplace with a stone mantel on one side and a custom-built oak cabinet built-in on the other. There's a wall of glass, including doors out to a large private terrace renovated three years ago with custom flower boxes and a water fountain that looks directly out at the Zakim Bridge.

Pendant lights were added over the dining area adjacent to a kitchen redone in 2010 with 20 custom cherrywood cabinets, brown granite counters and glass mosaic tile backsplash. A Fisher & Paykel dishwasher was added this year. The other stainless-steel appliances are also high-end, and include a large Jenn-Air refrigerator and a Viking electric stove.

Off the living room is an oak hallway with a closet holding a Bosch stacked washer and dryer added three years ago.

Straight ahead is the master bedroom suite, redone in 2010 with cherrywood floors, crown molding and custom blinds and shades. The bedroom is good-sized with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that look out onto Lovejoy's renovated headquarters for Converse. There's a walk-in closet with built-in shelving. The en-suite master bathroom was totally renovated and enlarged in 2010, and is furnished with white Carrara marble, including floors, a vanity top and a glass-enclosed steam shower with a marble bench.

The second bedroom, currently a home office, also has cherrywood floors and crown molding added three years ago. There's floor-to-ceiling windows and a closet with built-in shelving.

Across the hall, a second full bathroom was also gut renovated and enlarged in 2010 with Crema Marfil floor tile with inlay. There's also a wood vanity with a vessel sink.

The unit comes with one deeded garage parking space under the building with valet service. And there's also a large storage cage for the unit in the basement.

The condo fee includes heat and hot water in an all-electric building, with central air in the unit. Other amenities include a fitness room.

Broker: Jesse MacDonald and Stephen Tucker of Hammond Residential; 
617-337-9000

16.31 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stores eye green in black

Retailers are hoping to capitalize on the Black Friday frenzy and defy analysts' predictions of a lackluster holiday shopping season, despite fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.

Stores were buzzing yesterday as shoppers hunted for deals, and some retailers were offering aggressive discounts.

"It looked like a very promising Black Friday," said Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts. "I think the season's off to a good start."

Retailers will release official numbers beginning today, but analysts were forecasting only modest gains over last year's Black Friday sales.

"For some chain stores, this is make or break," said Chris Christopher, a retail analyst with Lexington-based IHS Global Insight.

IHS is expecting the weakest holiday season growth — 3.2 percent — since 2009. The National Retail Federation has pegged growth at 3.9 percent, while the Bay State retailers' group is predicting 3.5 percent.

And a calendar quirk also could hurt retailers — a late Thanksgiving means six fewer shopping days before Christmas.

"We're expecting store business to be down 10 percent, but we're expecting sales to be up 2.4 percent," said Bill Martin, founder of shoppertrak, thanks to online sales.

He said Black Friday and the remainder of this weekend will likely be a larger portion of the total holiday sales than usual because of the shorter time frame.

"The calendar's challenging," said Hurst.

Those timing difficulties are on top of shaky consumer confidence, largely due to the government shutdown in October.

Fourth-quarter same-store sales — a key benchmark because they measure sales at stores open at least a year — are forecast to climb a "lackluster" 1.1 percent, according to Swampscott-based Retail Metrics' SSS Index, and 1.5 percent when Walmart is factored in.

Still, Martin said yesterday was expected to be the largest shopping day for the 10th straight year, with a cool $10 billion in sales.

Many shoppers had no trouble finding what they were looking for.

Somerville resident Margot Hanson came to Legacy Place specifically to take advantage of the 50 percent off sale at the Loft.

"Then we impulse-bought at three other stores," she said.

Alex and Gabrielle Jean-Jacques of Hyde Park visited the Walpole Walmart twice yesterday — once early in the morning to watch the Black Friday crowds and again in the afternoon for shopping. "We figured there might have been deals left over," Gabrielle said. "Surprisingly, there was a lot on the shelves. I thought it would be wiped out."

16.31 | 0 komentar | Read More

Small Business Saturday puts focus on independent retailers

Mom-and-pop stores today are gearing up for a Small Business Saturday that they hope will top the bustle of Black Friday.

"(Today) for us is usually bigger — by double," said Philip Celeste, owner of On Centre, a specialty gift and accessory store in Jamaica Plain. "We're expecting to have a very good holiday season. Looking at November, we're already way ahead of last year."

On Centre opted not to have a sale yesterday or today, instead relying on their unique products and the know-you-by-name customer service that most big box stores and online retailers simply can't provide.

Down the street, at Boing! Toy Shop, Kim Mitchell and her staff gift wrap every purchase for free and have a loyalty program to reward frequent customers. "I'm also here, and I'm active, and if people have a question or a complaint, they know who I am," she said.

Still, many small business owners are acutely aware that their competition increasingly is not only big box stores but the Internet. So at Fire Opal in Coolidge Corner, Sue Stein has heightened her Web presence and advertises on social media. Stein also has the benefit of being located in a neighborhood that has a strong shop-local ethic.

"People should keep in mind that more than half of the money they spend in a small business stays in their town," said Jack Mozloom, a spokesman for the National Federation of Independent Business. "You're helping your neighbors, you're helping to create jobs in your community."

16.31 | 0 komentar | Read More

Some Black Friday deals are duds

Black Friday is where good technology goes to die. Doorbuster deals are dubious and an "exclusive" is code for an untested product made specifically to get you in the door on this day.

Exhibit A is every too-good-to-be true deal on an HDTV. On Black Friday, the big box stores are full of television brands you've never heard of before. There's a 32-inch LED TV listed for $98 that I would not pick up for free. To play it safe, stick with Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, Vizio and Sharp. And if there's no listing for a brightness or contrast ratio, the number of HDMI inputs and the resolution, you're likely dealing with a sea of motion blur and muted color.

This year features a special level of laptop mediocrity. The worst offenders are those laptops running the Windows 8 operating system without a touchscreen. Those may look tempting, with the lowest prices south of $200. But under no circumstances should you purchase a Windows 8 PC without the touchscreen. The system wasn't designed to be used with a static screen and mouse.

An array of Android tablets with impossibly low prices is another pitfall to avoid. No tablet should be priced below $150, which is the lowest it costs the manufacturer to produce a semi-respectable tablet. If you're looking for a value tablet, check out Amazon for sales on its excellent line of Kindles.

There is one notable exception to today's bleak tech outlook: Black Friday could be your last chance to purchase the universally sold-out Xbox One system before Christmas. If you're headed to the stores today in search of Microsoft's newest gaming system, expect long lines and possibly even waiting lists.

There are some deals worth noting. Though retailers can't slash prices on most Apple products, Target is offering generous gift cards, like $100 when you buy the new iPad Air. Another heartening Target deal is $99 for a Nikon L320 digital 16 MP camera, regularly priced at $229.99. And, Walmart's 70-inch Vizio E701i-A3E television, for $998 instead of $1,698, is worth a shout-out.

And I'll give props to Best Buy for slashing $200 off the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, on sale for $1,100.

16.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

Reclaimed lumber can be a renovator’s best friend

There's nothing more eye-popping than shimmering wood flooring.

It gives you that wonderful feeling of warmth and the natural beauty of the outdoors into your home or workspace. It's something homeowners and businesses are trying to capture when refining their surroundings while also using eco-friendly products.

One way to magnify the look is to use reclaimed wood - or wood that was used for another purpose.

Using reclaimed wood for renovation projects is an option that gives the old boards new life. It's a piece of the past woven into the present.

One Massachusetts company in particular has been providing premium quality reclaimed lumber to New England's top building professionals for more than 15 years. Based in Chelsea, the Jarmak Corporation has been catering to architects, designers and homeowners for years.

Founder Arnold Jarmak launched his company in 1998 while working with the Amish in Pennsylvania. He got into the trade first working for a demolition company before running a business that purchased lumber. In 2001 he opened an antique lumber sawmill in Lancaster, Pa., on an Amish farm.

With the Amish, he observed how they saved all they tore down. They didn't believe in a crushed-earth policy. They saved everything, the company notes on its website. "Saving building materials meant saving time and money," the company states. Since then, the Jarmak Corporation has been at the forefront of the reclamation industry.

They recenlty opened a wood shop and lumberyard in Oxford, which allows the company to service the entire Northeast providing reclaimed wood products for commercial, retail, dining, home, office spaces and more. It also gives consumers the ability to actually see the products they will use on their own projects first hand.

Their products include Antique Heart Pine, Antique Fir Timbers, Recovered Redwood, Boston Harbor Oak, Vermont Maple Flooring, and Antique Pine Timbers among others.

Think of this company as a junk yard for wood that takes something that's old, dirty and worn and repurposes it into something that's new, clean, warm and bursting with character and charm.

Whether it's wood from a century-old New England farmhouse or the pilings found sitting in the Boston Harbor beneath the old Jimmy's Harborside Restaurant, these guys will transform the product into something magnificent.

It's truly an amazing process that everyone should consider when designing their new home or business as it combines a new thing of beauty with the historical richness of the past in a product that is not only durable but eco-friendly and sustainable.

Charlie Abrahams is a licensed real estate agent in Boston who works with buyers and sellers and can be reached for any additional information at: Bostonrealestate@ charlieabrahams.com

16.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

Holiday shopping season begins on Thanksgiving

NEW YORK — Shoppers gobbled turkey, but saved the pumpkin pie for later on Thanksgiving Day.

As more than a dozen major retailers from Target to Toys R Us opened on Thanksgiving, shoppers across the country got a jump start on holiday shopping. The Thanksgiving openings come despite planned protests across the country from workers' groups that are against employees missing Thanksgiving meals at home.

More than 200 people stood in line at the Toys R Us store in Manhattan before its 5 p.m. opening.

Green Bryant was first in line at 10 a.m. The restaurant manager ended up buying a dollhouse for $129 — $30 off — a Barbie doll and a LeapFrog learning system. Bryant, 28, said she didn't miss Thanksgiving festivities but was going home to cook a Thanksgiving meal for her two children.

"It was worth it," she said. "Now I gotta go home and cook."

At a Target store in Brooklyn about 25 people were waiting in line at 2:50 p.m. for the 8 p.m. opening, an hour earlier than a year ago.

Theresa Alcantaro, 35, a crossing guard, was waiting with her 12-year-old son to buy an Xbox One. It wasn't on sale, but supplies have been scarce. She was missing a gathering of 40 family members but said she would meet up after shopping. She hoped to be in and out by 9 p.m.

"Honestly if I can get a good deal, I do not mind," she said about Thanksgiving shopping. "I see my family every day. They understand."

The holiday openings are a break with tradition. The day after Thanksgiving, called Black Friday, for a decade had been considered the official start to the holiday buying season. It's also typically the biggest shopping day of the year.

But in the past few years, retailers have pushed opening times into Thanksgiving night. They've also pushed up discounting that used to be reserved for Black Friday into early November, which has led retail experts to question whether the Thanksgiving openings will steal some of Black Friday's thunder.

In fact, Thanksgiving openings took a bite out of Black Friday sales last year: Sales on turkey day were $810 million last year, an increase of 55 percent from the previous year as more stores opened on the holiday, according to Chicago research firm ShopperTrak. But sales dropped 1.8 percent to $11.2 billion on Black Friday, though it still was the biggest shopping day last year.

"Black Friday is now Gray Friday," said Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, a retail consultancy. "It's been pulled all the way to the beginning of November."

Stores are trying to get shoppers to buy in an economy that's still challenging. While the job and housing markets are improving, that hasn't yet translated into sustained spending increases among most shoppers. Overall, the National Retail Federation expects retail sales to be up 3.9 percent to $602.1 billion during the last two months of the year. That's higher than last year's 3.5 percent growth, but below the 6 percent pace seen before the recession.

Shoppers' financial stress was apparent at the stores on Thursday. "I struggle a lot," said Adriana Tavaraz, 51, of the Bronx, who had spent $100 buying holiday decor on Thanksgiving at a Kmart. "Nowadays, you have to think about what you spend. You have to think about tomorrow."

The Thanksgiving openings are part of retailers' holiday strategy of trying to lure shoppers in early and often during the holiday shopping season. But the stores face challenges in doing that.

Some workers have petitions on change.org to protest against Target and Best Buy. The Retail Action Project, a labor-backed group of retail workers, also is planning to have members visiting customers at stores including Gap and Victoria's Secret in Manhattan to educate them about the demands on workers.

Wal-Mart has been the biggest target for protests against holiday hours. Most of the company's stores are open 24 hours, but the retailer is starting its sales events at 6 p.m. on Thursday, two hours earlier than last year.

The issue is part of a broader campaign against the company's treatment of workers that's being waged by a union-backed group called OUR Walmart, which includes former and current workers. The group is staging demonstrations and walkouts at hundreds of stores around the country on Black Friday.

Brooke Buchanan, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said the discounter has received "really good feedback" from employees about working the holiday.

_____

Follow Anne D'Innocenzio at www.Twitter.com/adinnocenzio

16.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hub fantasy sports contest co. raises $24 million

The meteoric rise of fantasy sports, especially football, has paid off big time for DraftKings, a Boston company that yesterday announced it had raised $24 million in Series B funding.

"We are really excited about the opportunity to grow both the team and the industry," CMO Paul Liberman said in an email. "We've generated strong results through a lot of hard work, and the large funding is a nice validation of our efforts."

The $24 million is one of the largest funding rounds for a consumer-focused company in Boston this year. The company also raised $7 million in May.

Liberman said the company, which offers users the chance to win money through fantasy sports contests, will use the funding to increase its marketing and hire more employees.

"Our employee base will almost double next year, with the vast majority based in Boston," he said.

The company said its users spend more than five hours per week on the mobile app and website and it has awarded more than 
$50 million in prizes.

Tom Dyal, a partner at Redpoint Ventures, which led the funding, said, "One of the most exciting aspects of venture investing is when we see a company that plays a role in creating a consumer phenomenon. DraftKings is just that sort of company."

16.31 | 0 komentar | Read More

Expert: Gaming panel will consider Revere casino

A leading casino expert predicts the state Gaming Commission will seriously consider a Suffolk Downs casino in Revere to keep competition for the sole Eastern Massachusetts gaming license alive, but a group of East Boston residents is vowing to fight such a project.

After yesterday's recount of the votes cast in Palmer's Nov. 5 referendum found that Mohegan Sun did lose, albeit by 94 votes, the Rev. Richard McGowan, a Boston college professor and gaming expert, predicted that Suffolk Downs will now entertain bids from Mohegan Sun, Penn National and Hard Rock — all casino operators that lost bids in other parts of the state.

"I am also fairly certain that Commissioner (Stephen) Crosby will encourage this in order to provide competition with (Las Vegas billionaire Steve) Wynn, especially if (the) Dec. 16 ruling on his suitability goes against Wynn" in his bid to build a casino in Everett, McGowan wrote in an email.

Last week, Crosby said he wanted to consult with the commission's lawyers to determine whether Suffolk Downs legally could shift the site of its proposed casino from East Boston, where residents voted down the project, to Revere, where voters approved it.

Yesterday, Celeste Myers of No Eastie Casino said the group would not rule out legal action if the commission permits the racetrack to build a casino in Revere.

"That's what we have our legal team looking at," Myers said. "We're going to pursue every avenue to fight this."

McGowan predicted that whether Suffolk Downs can build a casino in Revere ultimately will be decided by the courts.

"I don't think the law ever foresaw a situation like this," he said.

16.31 | 0 komentar | Read More

Asian stocks muted before Thanksgiving holiday

MANILA, Philippines — Asian stocks were muted Wednesday as funds switched to better performing markets and trading thinned out ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S.

Japan's Nikkei 225 was down 0.3 percent at 15,464.17. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 0.5 percent at 23,805.16 and China's Shanghai Composite added 0.7 percent to 2,198.17. South Korea's Kospi fell 0.2 percent to 2,018.40. Southeast Asian bourses were mixed.

Francis Lun of GE Oriental Financial Group in Hong Kong said some funds from Asia are being invested in the U.S. and Germany, where stock indexes are setting record highs.

"Fund managers are switching money out of Asia into Europe and America," he said. "That's why the Asian markets are underperforming."

On Wall Street, upbeat news from the housing industry and luxury retailer Tiffany & Co. nudged shares higher Tuesday.

Investors also got another market milestone when the Nasdaq composite closed above 4,000 for the first time in 13 years.

That followed two other round-number moments last week. The Standard & Poor's 500 closed above 1,800 for the first time and the Dow Jones industrial average finished above 16,000.

The Nasdaq jumped 0.6 percent to 4,017.75. The Dow rose less than a point to 16,072.80 and the S&P 500 index nudged up less than a point to 1,802.75.

In energy markets, benchmark crude for January delivery was down 23 cents at $93.45 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 41 cents to close at $93.68 on Tuesday.

The euro rose to $1.3591 from $1.3567 late Tuesday. The dollar rose to 101.56 yen from 101.25 yen.

16.31 | 0 komentar | Read More

Palmer recount on, Revere heats up

The Bay State's roller coaster casino ride shows no signs of leveling off, with a recount of Palmer's narrow rejection of Mohegan Sun set for today, even as the casino operator says it is moving on in talks with Suffolk Downs as it tries to cobble together a last-minute casino deal in Revere.

On Sunday, Revere Mayor Daniel Rizzo told the Herald an agreement "may be imminent." But yesterday, both Suffolk Downs and Mohegan Sun said they had no agreement to report.

"As we have said before, we have received strong interest in potential partnerships from a number of top-class gaming companies," Chip Tuttle, the track's chief operating officer, said in a statement. "We are aiming to enter an agreement with a new gaming partner soon."

Other casino operators who made failed bids in Massachusetts also could be in the running to replace Caesars Entertainment, which bowed out as Suffolk Downs' partner over concerns about debt and purported mob links.

Yesterday, Scott Butera of Foxwoods, which last week lost a referendum to build a casino in Milford, said: "We're looking for opportunities at this point." But he would not say whether he was talking to Suffolk Downs.

Even if the track cuts a casino deal before the Dec. 31 deadline, its chances of Gaming Commission approval are far from assured. Last week, commission Chairman Stephen Crosby said he wanted to consult with lawyers about the switch to a Revere-only project after voters in East Boston rejected it.

Mayor-elect Martin J. Walsh said in a statement yesterday, "The voters of East Boston said no to a casino, and I respect their stance. It's my responsibility as mayor to ensure that the best interests of Boston residents are protected, and I'll do everything in my power to advocate for Boston during this process."

16.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

The Ticker

Apple buys company that developed Kinect

Apple could be getting into the 3-D sensor game, as it has picked up a company used by rival Microsoft.

Apple confirmed that it has bought PrimeSense, the company behind Microsoft's Kinect sensor device.

PrimeSense also confirmed the sale, though the price has not been revealed.

Wal-Mart names new CEO

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said yesterday that Doug McMillon, head of its international business, will replace Mike Duke as chief executive officer when he retires as the world's largest retailer struggles to ignite growth at home and abroad.

McMillon, 47, will take over for Duke on Feb. 1, the Bentonville, Ark.-based company said. Duke, 63, will stay on as chairman of the board's executive committee, and McMillon will join the board immediately.

McMillon, who first worked at Wal-Mart as a summer employee in 1984, is grabbing the reins as the retailer tries to restore U.S. sales growth with Amazon.com Inc. and dollar stores luring away its customers.

Today

• Commerce Department releases housing starts for September and October.
• Commerce Department releases third-quarter gross domestic product.
• Standard & Poor's releases S&P/Case-Shiller index of home prices for September and the third quarter.
• The Conference Board releases the Consumer Confidence Index for November.

TOMORROW

• Commerce Department releases durable goods for October.
• Commerce Department releases personal income and spending for October.
• Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.
• Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates.

Kirkland Albrecht & Fredrickson LLC, one of the leading CPA firms in the Boston area, announces that Jennifer Frazier has joined the company as a staff accountant. In this role, she will assist with audit engagements, including bank reconciliations and the preparation of trial balances and financial statements.

L CVS Caremark announced that Helena Foulkes, recently chief of health care strategy and marketing officer, has been named president of CVS/Pharmacy effective Jan. 1.

16.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

Asian stocks trade sideways ahead of US holiday

MANILA, Philippines — Asian stock markets mostly traded sideways Tuesday after a lull in Wall Street's record-breaking run ahead of a U.S. holiday.

Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.5 percent to 15,546.26 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.2 percent to 23,735.29. China's Shanghai Composite Index was nearly unchanged at 2,186.40. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.4 percent to 5,371.30 and markets in Southeast Asia were mixed.

"There's very little macro data coming out and there's little news to drive the market one way or the other," said Andrew Sullivan of Kim Eng Securities in Hong Kong.

Wall Street has enjoyed seven weeks of gains, driven by the Federal Reserve's super easy monetary policy, signs of gradual improvement in the U.S. economy and rising company profits. But there was little company-specific news to digest Monday and trading was light before the Thanksgiving holiday later this week.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 7.7 points or 0.1 percent to 16,072.54. The Standard and Poor's 500 fell 2.28 points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,802.48. But the Nasdaq rose as high as 4,007.09, a level it hasn't seen since Sept. 7, 2000 during the dot-com bubble. The index ended up 2.92 points, or 0.1 percent, at 3,994.57.

In energy markets, benchmark crude for January delivery was up 31 cents at $94.40 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 75 cents to $94.09 on Monday.

The euro slightly rose to $1.3529 from 1.3526 late Monday in New York. The dollar rose to 101.49 yen from 101.40 yen.

16.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

Asia stocks lifted by Wall St winning streak, Iran

BANGKOK — Asian stock markets rose Monday after Wall Street posted its seventh straight week of gains and a nuclear deal between world powers and Iran boosted sentiment.

Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average rose 1.1 percent to 15,551.28 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.2 percent to 23,732.43. Seoul's Kopsi climbed 0.8 percent to 2,021.52 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.5 percent to 5,360.20.

Going against the trend was Thailand where the SET index fell 0.7 percent after anti-government protests on the weekend drew tens of thousands of people. China's Shanghai Composite rose 0.3 percent to 2,203.47.

Appetite for stocks was energized by Wall Street's string of milestones and an easing of political risk signaled by the first significant progress in years to curtail Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Iran on Sunday reached an agreement with the U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany to limit enrichment of uranium to 5 percent, far below the level needed for nuclear weapons. Iran got limited relief from sanctions that have hobbled its economy, but an embargo on its oil exports remains in place while negotiations continue for an enduring deal.

"Perhaps the Iran nuclear deal, effectively setting limits to Iran's nuclear program, has added to the buoyant risk mood," said Stan Shamu, market strategist at IG in Melbourne, Australia.

Wall Street continued to be lifted by the Federal Reserve's super easy monetary policy, signs of gradual improvement in the U.S. economy and rising company profits.

The Standard & Poor's 500 closed above 1,800 for the first time Friday, capping seven straight weeks of gains. The Dow also logged a seventh week of increase.

The S&P 500 rose 8.91 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,804.76. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 54.78 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,064.77 after Thursday passing 16,000 for the first time. The Nasdaq composite jumped 22.49 points, or 0.6 percent, to 3,991.65.

In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude for January delivery was down 83 cents at $94.01 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange as the nuclear deal made it more likely that the sanctions choking Iranian oil exports will eventually be lifted. The contract fell 60 cents to close $94.84 on Friday.

The euro was barely changed at $1.3543. The dollar rose to 101.75 yen from 101.29 yen late Friday.

16.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

Marty Walsh promises to retain, spur Hub’s innovation economy

Martin J. Walsh, known for his labor ties, State House experience and Dorchester roots, hardly made startups a signature issue of his campaign, but the soon-to-be mayor says the innovation economy will be a crucial part of his plan to continue Boston's growth.

"The beauty about that is it creates jobs," Walsh told the Herald. "They're an important piece to Boston."

"The plan for continued growth in the city of Boston is creating more opportunities," Walsh said.

A Kaufman Foundation report in August said high-tech startups are "a key driver of job creation."

Walsh's plan for the continued success and momentum of the startup ecosystem, while still light on specifics, places significant emphasis on keeping talent in Boston.

"I'd really like to keep these startups here in Boston," he said. "There's no pipeline to keep them here."

His plans include:

• Acting as a quasi-real estate agency to match growing companies with affordable office space that fits their needs.

• Focusing on the biotech and medical device industries as industries that could take off in Boston.

• Continuing Mayor Thomas M. Menino's Innovation District initiative, which the city says has added more than 5,000 jobs and led to the newly opened District Hall.

• Also making sure innovation in Boston is not contained to one area. "We have an opportunity to take innovation and spread it around the city of Boston," Walsh said.

Attracting a tech giant to anchor the city's growth is not a bad plan, Walsh said, though he prefers to create "our own team" of big-name companies.

"If we can attract a big name, we will, but it's really cultivating the businesses to stay here," he said. "Some of these startup companies become the Googles and Twitters of the world."

Startup leaders say Walsh seems to be on the right track.

"He's said the right things, so we're excited to see him engage with the community," said Tim Rowe, founder and CEO of the Cambridge Innovation Center.

John Harthorne, founder and CEO of MassChallenge, said his conversations with Walsh have been promising.

"I do think he recognizes it really is critically important to the growth and sustainability of Boston," Harthorne said. "It remains to be seen in practice, but I remain optimistic."

Harthorne said one of the key things Walsh can do for startups is to simply engage with the community.

"Come and speak when we have events, just to show up," Harthorne said. "That's part of recognizing that innovation is a priority."

16.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

PS4 no competition for Xbox

Microsoft's Xbox One is the biggest game-changer to hit the consumer electronics industry since the iPad, establishing the foundation for true multimedia integration between gaming, social media, television and more.

But because the new Xbox One ($499) debuted just days after Sony's widely anticipated PlayStation 4 ($399) hit shelves, most tech reviewers are throwing their backs out in an attempt to be "balanced," dutifully comparing and contrasting the two.

Not me.

Here's the straight dope: PlayStation is graphically a tad more powerful but it's just for gamers. The Xbox is for gamers and everyone else. Though it costs $100 more, that price includes the motion-sensing Kinect and a slew of exclusive features, including the following:

• Xbox is always listening. Walk into the room and awaken it with a simple phrase: "Xbox, on." Or just cut to the chase: "Xbox, go to Netflix." Rarely will you need your remote.

• Facial recognition. It knows the different members of your family. When someone walks into the room, that person's user name (aka gamer tag) appears on the screen.

• It's a wireless personal trainer. The Kinect will monitor your heart rate, and give you tips on how to step up your game. The Xbox fitness library is another story altogether, with workout stars like Jillian Michaels cheering you on and issuing official "achievements" and other incentives.

• Xbox is fully integrated into your technology, controlling everything except your DVR. There's no switching back and forth between your Xbox and TV anymore. Xbox is layered atop everything you already have. It simply adds features.

• It's a football-lover's best friend. Microsoft struck a five-year, $400 million deal with the NFL that will allow you to view and control your fantasy football league while watching live games side-by-side.

Like any evolving technology, however, the Xbox has hiccups. For instance, for the life of me I can't get it to recognize when I say "Xbox, turn off," though it does recognize the same phrase from my husband just fine. If you expect voice controls to be flawless, you will be disappointed.

Nearly all the cool features require a subscription to Xbox Live Gold, which is $5 a month. Because of the myriad movies and television titles provided by Xbox and its integrated apps, I'm now keeping my cable subscription around for the sake of one or two shows.

It's becoming harder and harder to justify.

What's more exciting than the current product is its potential. In the future, it may provide everything from virtual health care monitoring to salsa lessons.

For now, it's sure to be at the top of many a shopping list this holiday season.

16.30 | 0 komentar | Read More