Chery

Tony Blair's wife sues Murdoch company over hacking

Rupert Murdoch was so looking forward to the launch this weekend of the Sun on Sunday, when suddenly a little more bad news was tossed at his mood.

For Cherie Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, has decided to sue Murdoch's News International. Yes, she too believes that her phone was hacked by unscrupulous, prying journalists.

The Guardian reveals electronically that she is not only suing News International, but also Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator whom the News of the World allegedly employed to interfere with the telephony of many famous people--as well as of some … Read more

Lark's silent alarm wakes you, not your bunkmate

Alarm clocks are so primitive. At the appointed time, your device shrieks to life, rudely startling you awake--along with whoever is next to you.

Entrepreneur Julia Hu wants to bring modern sleep science into your bedroom with Lark, a vibrating, silent alarm buzzer you wear on your wrist. The device doesn't just buzz at the appropriate hour, though. It also beams data over Bluetooth to an iPhone app about how well you're sleeping, based on how much your arm moves. An Android version is coming soon.

The device will be sold in Apple stores starting June 14, and its available now on Lark's Web site for $129, plus an additional $60 to get the feature that shows you a seven-day personal sleep assessment based on the data the wristband collects. The sleep analysis is based on algorithms developed with the help of Harvard University sleep expert Dr. Jo Solet and professional sleep coach Cheri Mah.

"Sleep is the under-appreciated third pillar of health next to a healthy diet and regular exercise," Hu said.

In my own trial of the "Silent Un-alarm Clock" a few nights ago, Lark told me I got 6 hours and 28 minutes of sleep. It also said that it took me 32 minutes to go to sleep and that I woke up 5 times--none of which I remember. Yet apparently this level of nighttime activity is pretty good. It was worth an 8.9 out of 10 on the Lark scale of sleep efficiency. … Read more

U.S. plans fizzle for most Chinese vehicles

Plans by Chinese automakers to enter the United States have largely fizzled.

Chery Automobile, through a deal to assemble cars for Chrysler, stands a chance of entering the United States by 2011.

And Brilliance Jinbei Automotive, a small Chinese automaker, says it plans to sell cars in the United States in 2009.

But other Chinese import plans are in disarray.

Enthusiasm for Chinese vehicles was created mainly by hype from American promoters and wishful thinking from small Chinese automakers who were unaware of the difficulties of selling cars in the United States.

In July 2007, Tom LaSorda, then CEO of Chrysler, announced a deal in which Chery would assemble vehicles for

But since the announcement, Chrysler has revealed few details about its relationship with Chery. A major supplier to Chery says Chery has no definite timeline to begin exports to the United States for either Chery- or Chrysler-badged vehicles.

"We need small cars," LaSorda said in May. "Chery's cars are still not ready for that exposure into these markets." He said China-built cars probably won't be ready to meet U.S. safety and emissions standards for "three years or more."

Fiat, Chinese automaker intend to partner

A Chery red Fiat may soon be available to the Red consumer.

Fiat Automobiles and Chery Automobile, a Chinese automaker, have signed a "memorandum of understanding" to partner on a joint venture to sell and produce Fiat and Chery cars in China, according to a report from Forbes.

Among the cars planned for production and sale are Fiat's Alfa Romeo, as well as Chery's own brand of cars.

Production, if the partnership is completed, should begin as soon as 2009, with 175,000 cars a year planned to roll out of Chery's Wuhu auto production … Read more