extra texture :: marketing news + trends

U.S. big-box store Wal-Mart announced plans to install solar panels and windmills at some stores, as well as the creation of its own electricity company. (more)

Is Google vulnerable? Four CEOs say so. (more)

One week. $1,600 in small mouse-marked bills. It smells like family vacation time. (more)

Apple’s gross margins may be closer to the 20 percent range than the originally estimated 50 percent; costs of the touch screen are a focus. (more)

The New York Yankees agree to send coaches, scouts and trainers to China to help boost interest in baseball, furthering a push by the major leagues into one of the world’s fastest-growing sports markets. (more)

Anheuser Busch Co. is taking its biggest U.S. brand into South America, where the owner of rival Miller Brewing Co. is making a significant investment in growth. (more)

A team of Polaroid veterans plans to make digital cameras more like classic Polaroids, with a device that fits in a shirt pocket and prints digital snapshots in seconds, without using ink. (more)

Viacom’s Nickelodeon is launching a virtual world called Nicktropolis, which will allow kids to play games, watch TV and interact with Nickelodeon characters as well as each other online. (more)

Marimekko’s success is fueled by women-power. (more)

The hunt for red wines is being helped by Sam Neill. (more)

Eos tips its hat to female drivers who used to flock to the Rabbit. (more)

Boeing has scrapped plans for a wireless entertainment system on its new 787 “Dreamliner,” about eight months before the plane’s first scheduled flight. (more)

Us Magazine claims Courtney Love has been in talks with the producers of American Idol. It’s unclear whether they want Courtney as an addition to the show or want her to permanently replace Paula. The latter seems to be the likely scenario. (more)

Mother of two uses humor as a way to get her kids to love reading. (more)

Avocado non-sequiturs and polar bear quips - where does it come from? (more)

The Eiffel Tower’s lights will be turned off for five minutes on Thursday as part of a campaign to save energy and draw attention to the plight of the planet. (more)

The news that Verizon Wireless, Apple’s first carrier choice, passed on the iPhone two years ago is generating immense chatter in the telecommunications community. (more)

Microsoft Corp. rolls out Windows Vista at retailers in 70 countries, delivering a new computer operating system that aims to better manage the explosion of digital media and protect users from the dangers of the Internet. (more)

Several Winn-Dixie employees’ positions were eliminated as the company released information about a realignment plan meant to streamline its operations. (more)

Whole Foods Market, the nation’s leading purveyor of healthy but typically pricier groceries, has launched a major expansion in Silicon Valley, including the construction of its largest store in the country. (more)

From new games to spas, Detroit’s three casinos are doing whatever they can to bring big spenders in the door. (more)

Toyota Motor’s gold-standard reputation for quality has been a vital ingredient in powering sales. But as Toyota overtakes its main U.S. competitors, its cherished status is losing a bit of luster. (more)

BMW of North America — maker of the Mini Cooper, launches its Motorby marketing campaign, which uses interactive billboards programmed to respond with messages as Mini drivers approach them. (more)

Imax is hoping that more cinema operators will embrace its big-screen format as it gears up to pitch its new joint-venture strategy, whereby it supplies the equipment for free in exchange for sharing box office revenue. (more)

In Tara Guber’s ideal world, American children would meditate in the lotus position and chant in Sanskrit before taking stressful standardized tests. (more)

Internet firm Google has again topped Apple for the highest spot in a global brand ranking that also sees YouTube and Wikipedia debut in the top five. (more)

Mercedes diesels are alluring for power and mileage but have some quirks. (more)

The Cleveland Cavaliers envision an arena full of cheering fans with no tickets in their pockets. (more)

Would you trust a robot to park your car? The question will confront New Yorkers in February as the city’s first robotic parking opens in Chinatown. (more)

Among all those maternity and baby goods selling well in China, a kind of dress supposed to shield pregnant women from radiation is selling hot. (more)