SonoSite Inc., the Bothell-based maker of hand-carried ultrasound devices, introduced Monday a new model designed specifically for use by emergency room doctors. The S-FAST model has the same processing power of the M-Turbo, which SonoSite announced last week, but it has only a dozen buttons and dials for easier use. It also is designed to be mounted on an IV pole, wall or ceiling so it doesn’t use any floor space in the emergency room.
Auto workers may strike again
The United Auto Workers has set a deadline of 11 a.m. Wednesday to agree on a new contract with Chrysler LLC or workers could strike. The deadline, confirmed Monday morning by Chrysler spokeswoman Michele Tinson, gives negotiators less than 48 hours until a strike could be called. Bargainers returned to the table Monday morning after spending most of the weekend in negotiations. Just because a deadline has been set doesn’t mean a strike will happen, Tinson said. The union also could extend the contract hour-by-hour as negotiations continue, she said.
Google’s stock vaults over $600
Google Inc.’s stock price sailed past $600 for the first time Monday, extending a monthlong rally propelled by the lofty expectations surrounding the Internet search leader’s upcoming third-quarter earnings report. The Mountain View-based company’s shares traded as high as $610.26 before slipping back to $609.62, a gain of $15.57, or 2.6 percent. It marked the sixth time in the past 12 trading sessions that the stock has reached a new peak, indicating investors are confident Google’s third-quarter profit will be impressive. The results are scheduled to be released Oct. 18.
Board forces out Sprint Nextel CEO
Sprint Nextel Corp. Chairman and CEO Gary Forsee resigned Monday as the company’s board expressed disappointment with the financial results of the nation’s third-largest wireless provider. Sprint also lowered its financial forecast for the current quarter. The board said it was searching for a replacement for Forsee, who was also president. In the meantime, Director James Hance Jr. will assume the role of acting nonexecutive chairman, and Chief Financial Officer Paul Saleh will serve as acting CEO. Also Monday, Sprint Nextel said it expects to report a net loss of approximately 337,000 monthly subscribers in the third quarter.
TiVo, RealNetworks offer Internet music
TiVo Inc. is introducing music to its mix of entertainment services, offering owners of the company’s digital video recorders access through their TVs to RealNetworks Inc.’s Rhapsody music service. The new feature means TiVo subscribers with broadband-connected set-top boxes will be able to listen to music streamed over the Internet. Tivo and RealNetworks view their partnership as a way to cross-market to boost their subscriber bases. The deal also marks the latest in a string of features TiVo has added to promote itself as a premium service. TiVo has teamed with Amazon.com for movie downloads and with Yahoo Inc. for photo-sharing and for other services.
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