Windows 10 must lock in users

Next week's big Microsoft announcement is the software giant's last chance to convince the world that its legacy Windows operating system has any relevance to our innovation landscape.

The preview of its upcoming Windows 10 operating system is expected to be consumer-focused, and is being live-streamed starting at noon Wednesday.

Still fresh in the mind of its target demographic is Microsoft's disastrous, tone-deaf Windows 8, which left users frustrated by the absence of the familiar start button and desktop — and struggling with hidden mechanisms like so-called "charms" that were activated only by swiping the screen just so.

At first blush, Windows 10, which is expected to hit shelves by the end of the year, looks like the best of both worlds, with elements familiar to the widely used Windows 7, like the start menu, as well as elements from the newer system that were well-received by users, like live tiles.

The app store and core functions will be consistent across PCs, tablets and phones, Microsoft promises. A new so-called quadrant layout allows the user to easily snap apps to the screen for four-way multitasking, and the start menu is back as a space that can be customized and contains live tiles, or a quick status preview of apps and programs.

Not only does this new system need to be built to seamlessly integrate with smart-home innovation and wearable fitness devices, it also must help reclaim Microsoft's waning ownership of the Internet.

Recognizing this, the company has commissioned an entirely new, feature-rich way to surf the Web, code-named Spartan, which may also be unveiled at the event. Either way, the Internet Explorer browser is finally set to be replaced, and the new version released with Windows 10.

Within Microsoft, there's an enthusiasm around the new operating system that is very different than the rampant tamping down of expectations and at times, plain nervousness, that I recall prior to the Windows 8 unveiling about three years ago. Tellingly, the head of Microsoft's Xbox multimedia console publicly stated yesterday that Windows 10 could be the "best operating system we've ever created for gamers on PC."

That's big talk from the humble Redmond-based crew.

While it won't be hard to top Windows 8 — largely shunned by consumers and adopted by just one in five businesses — winning back the hearts and minds of software users will take a level of intuition that Microsoft hasn't shown in many years.

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Gillette sues ex-workers for sharing shaving secrets

Shaving giant Gillette is suing four former employees for allegedly sharing confidential information and trade secrets with Texas competitor ShaveLogic.

The Boston-based Procter & Gamble unit claims the four, who worked on or had access to Gillette's razor and shaving development, signed agreements prohibiting them from disclosing information about the technology, according to the Suffolk Superior Court lawsuit filed yesterday.

ShaveLogic, which also is named in the suit, received a patent in July for magnetic attachments for shaving cartridges which one or more of the employees worked on while at Gillette, the lawsuit states. It also has applied for other patents, including ones related to elastomeric pivots, another technology that Gillette was developing. ShaveLogic, which now employs the former Gillette workers, couldn't be reached for comment.

"Our investments have enabled us to invent some of the most popular shaving products in the world," Deborah Majoras, P&G's chief legal officer, said in a statement. "When it becomes necessary, we take action to protect the intellectual assets behind those investments."

While lawsuits against former employees for allegedly violating non-compete or non-disclosure agreements are common, what makes Gillette's case different is the alleged evidence against the former employees, said Jonathan Sigel, a Westboro labor and employment attorney for law firm Mirick O'Connell.

"They're looking to those patent applications, and they're saying based on what's there, these designs could only have come from us," he said. "Gillette is basically saying this company is raiding us."

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Toyota Camry doesn't toy with success

The changes in the redesigned 2015 Camry are sufficient to attract new buyers, yet subtle enough to appease Camry loyalists.

The new grille and wraparound headlights on its front end give the 2015 Camry a sleek, more aggressive appearance, and taillights that extend into the rear quarter panels echo the front. The overall body shape and roof line is the same, as function over form prevails with the Camry, but 17-inch alloy wheels with chrome paint helped my test sedan's unassuming silver metallic exterior stand out.

The new Camry has a smoother yet slightly stiffer ride as a result of tweaks to the suspension and electronic power steering. A 178-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine comes standard with the front-wheel-drive Camry. The base model starts at just under $23,000 but higher trim models, such as my XLE tester that tops out at $36,000, come with a much more powerful 268-hp, 3.5-
liter V6.

While other manufacturers have switched to the occasionally choppy, continuously variable transmission for improved fuel economy, Toyota sticks with a six-speed automatic transmission throughout the Camry lineup, perhaps due to its refined and uneventful shifting. My tester yielded 25 mpg in combined city and highway fuel economy. Toyota also offers a hybrid version.

The Camry's wide stance translates into a spacious and comfortable interior. A wide chasm separates driver from passenger and there's plenty of elbow and foot room to seat three in the back seat. Leather-trimmed seats and steering wheel along with a push-button starter gave my tester an aura of luxury.

The center console had a 7-inch multimedia screen that provided easy-to-use navigation. I appreciated conventional tune and volume control dials located on either side of the console. Both controls also are on the steering wheel along with hands-free calling. Connecting my iPhone was trouble-free, allowing me to seamlessly continue listening to an audiobook that I started in another vehicle.

A backup camera is standard across the Camry lineup. My tester also had optional safety technology features that included adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, a pre-collision system, blind spot monitors and rear cross-traffic alert.

Buying a mid-sized sedan is no longer a coin-toss decision between Honda's Accord and the Camry because there's an abundance of choices from other manufacturers, including better-looking sedans that offer more bells and whistles and better fuel economy. Chrysler, Ford, and Subaru offer all-wheel-drive with their mid-sized sedans, a feature absent from the Camry lineup.

But it's really hard to find anything to dislike about the Camry, and perhaps that's why the solidly built and reliable Camry has been a top-selling car in America over the past decade.

Obviously with Toyota's Camry, the phrase "don't mess with success" is universally understood.

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Enjoy top-floor loft in top location

This New York-style loft in downtown Boston sits on the top floor of a five-story building and has been recently upgraded from its original 2005 conversion.

The current owner of 289 Devonshire St. No. 5 has invested $12,000 in a new gas-fired heating and central air system, renovated the unit's two full bathrooms and added European-style LED lighting throughout.

The 1,564-square-foot one-bedroom loft, which has exclusive rights to a deck on a just redone rubber roof, is on the market for $999,000.

The building, which sits above the Viga restaurant, has four condos with direct elevator access to each floor-through unit.

The elevator opens into Unit 5's large, open living/dining area with nearly ­14-foot ceilings, along with exposed ductwork and LED recessed lighting. This space has three large-front facing windows and maple hardwood floors.

The area segues into the unit's kitchen, which features 15 maple cabinets and honed black-granite counters, as well as a bilevel ­island that seats four with new contemporary pendant lamps above. At the end of the island is a built-in wine rack.

Jenn-Air stainless steel appliances from 2005 include a refrigerator, dishwasher, gas stove and built-in microwave, along with a Kitchen Aid compactor.

Around the corner from the kitchen sits a built-in honed black granite desk with maple built-in shelving­ above.

Across the hall sits a full bathroom redone in 2012 with white Carrara marble floors and walls for a whirlpool tub and shower, along with a large white sink ­basin and sconce lighting.

Along the hallway to the bedroom is built-in loft storage space.

The unit's one bedroom is large, and could easily be converted into two decent-sized bedrooms. The bedroom area has maple floors, three large windows and 10-foot ceilings.

There's a walk-through closet with custom built-in maple wardrobes on either side leading into a master bathroom with radiant heated porcelain tile floors and porcelain walls for a glass-doored walk-in shower. There's also a contemporary double-sink with white quartz counters and dual mirrors above.

Outside the bathroom sits a closet with a stacked Whirlpool washer and dryer. And on the far side of the bedroom is a utilities closet with decent storage space.

The new rubber roof will support a 1,380-square-foot private deck reachable through a staircase next to the elevator.

The unit doesn't come with an on-site parking space, and with its metered downtown location, nearby garages are the best option.

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Charlie Baker official says Connector to be more transparent

The Massachusetts Health Connector will enter its busiest period of Obamacare enrollment next week as the Baker administration — vowing a new level of transparency — prepares to reveal just how much the agency's "wildcard" costs will add to a budget deficit expected to top $500 million.

"My staff has been working around the clock the past seven days to try to finalize the number," said Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore. "We're really close, and we should be announcing that very soon."

Baker has said he expects the state budget gap to be more than $500 million. Still unknown is the total cost of temporary health insurance that Bay Staters were transferred onto last year under the Patrick administration when the state's costly Obamacare website failed.

Lepore, in her first Health Connector board meeting as chairwoman after being sworn in last week, pledged at least one major change to the agency.

"Transparency is No. 1," Lepore said.

Meanwhile, Health Connector officials are racing to get the word out to Bay Staters in those temporary plans to sign up for insurance by Jan. 23 or risk losing coverage altogether.

"Our key continues to be this large group that has coverage that ends," said state Obamacare czar Maydad Cohen. "The critical thing we've really been pushing hard in our outreach and communication is the temporary Medicaid program, the Commonwealth Care program, those are ending for these people Jan. 31. There is no extension. They will have no coverage if they take no action."

Cohen said the Connector is expecting its busiest open enrollment period next week and will have more than 300 call center operators to process applications and answer questions.

The Connector's eleventh-hour outreach blitz also includes a radio ad Sunday during the New England Patriots AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts in which the Connector is sponsoring the "Connection of the Game," highlighting the best pass.

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Hot Property: Ride Currents to Waltham complex

Developer Hines Interests, best known for its large, big-city projects around the world, has just opened a stylish apartment complex on a former parking lot along the Charles River in Waltham.

The 200-unit Currents on the Charles takes advantage of views of a new park that stretches down to the river, connecting with a Charles River Reservation bike path that's a mile from Waltham center.

"Reduced construction and land costs out here makes it possible to create urban quality with a significant discount to downtown rents," said David Perry, senior managing director of Hines' Boston office.

The first 66-unit phase in the new complex is ready and has studios starting at $1,995, one-bedroom units at $2,055 and two-bedroom, two-baths at $2,575. There are seven studios, 102 one-bedrooms, 87 two-bedrooms and four three-bedroom corner units starting at $3,480. The apartments, which all have in-unit washers and dryers and loft-style windows, range from 609 square feet to 1,420 square feet.

"The amenities are superior to most new complexes in the suburbs and compete with those in the city," said Amy Medugno, regional portfolio manager of Bozzuto Management Co., which is managing the property.

Common spaces include the 10,000-square-foot River­ Club that combines a living­ room, WiFi/computer lounge, a catering kitchen with free Starbucks coffee, a dining room and a library. A double-sided gas fireplace fronts onto a large outdoor deck with views over the new park and the Charles.

There's a gym with a Fitness on Demand setup and yoga studio, a game room with an 80-inch TV, gaming consoles and shuffleboard, and even a dog-washing station.

Apartments wrap around two rear courtyards, one with an in-ground swimming pool and full outdoor kitchen with gas grills, the other with outdoor seating and a fire pit.

A parking space in a 400-car garage on the first two levels of the building costs $35 a month. Pets cost an extra $35 to $65 a month.

We took a look at two model units. Unit 105, a 774-square-foot one-­bedroom for $2,195 a month, and Unit 108, an 1,108-square-foot two-­bedroom for $2,860.

Both have kitchens with islands along with white quartz countertops, tile back­splashes, dark-stained cabinets and Whirlpool stainless-steel appliances. Carpeted bedrooms have walk-in closets and bathrooms with ceramic tile walls for walk-in showers or deep soaking tubs.

The two-bedroom unit's open living/dining space has a glass door out to the central courtyard with the swimming pool.

Hines has two other local apartment projects in development — 244 units at The Fuse, under construction in Cambridge's Alewife area, and 352 units in two buildings planned for Marina Bay in Quincy.

Currents on the Charles has leased 11 percent of its units, and is offering one month's free rent.

"I wish there was a little less competition, but as long as jobs are being created, we should be able to lease out all the apartment complexes coming on," said Perry. "But the leverage has swung toward the tenant."

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Heslam: New Boston.com editor needs cred

Boston Globe's beleaguered online sister site, Boston.com, is reeling from its latest viral blunder, and it's high time the rudderless ship finds an experienced captain.

Boston.com yesterday fired Victor Paul Alvarez, an associate editor who posted a story making fun of death threats against House Speaker John Boehner and accusing the Ohio Republican of being a heavy drinker with a "pickled liver" who could survive being poisoned.

Globe CEO Mike Sheehan wouldn't comment on Alvarez's ouster but said no other Boston.com staffers were disciplined over the site's latest mishap.

"It's onward and upward," Sheehan said.

Sheehan, who sent an apology letter to Boehner, said they are in the "final stages" of interviewing candidates to fill the Boston.com editor job, which has been vacant since the end of November.

Boston University School of Communications Dean Tom Fiedler said it's "prudent" that the next Boston.com editor have a strong journalistic background to "avoid the kinds of embarrassments" and "controversy that has come up in recent weeks."

It's also important, Fiedler added, that the next editor run Boston.com "in alignment with the journalistic values of the company in general."

Alvarez confirmed his ouster yesterday but said he was surprised by the firing. He declined to elaborate. As for Boehner, Alvarez said, "I'd like to apologize to the man in a way that is sincere, and I don't think a tweet would do it. He deserves more than that."

In an emailed statement, Boston.com's GM Corey Gottlieb said, "We do not comment on individual personnel matters. Any decisions made are far less about one employee than they are about the collective Boston.com team and maintaining and strengthening the standards and values they share."

Sheehan said he has "100 percent confidence" in Gottlieb leading the site.

Last month, then-deputy editor of Boston.com Hilary Sargent was suspended after hawking T-shirts that mocked a Harvard professor embroiled in a $4 flap with a Chinese restaurant owner — a story she doggedly covered. Sargent, now a senior columnist, also posted a piece that was quickly taken down that accused the professor of sending a racist email.

A contrite Alvarez took to Twitter to address his firing — and critics.

"The story I wrote was awful. Tasteless. Mean. Bosses felt it was inexcusable. They fired me," Alvarez wrote in a tweet. "I did not pine for murder. I made a tasteless joke that I clearly regret. Before I was fired and now."

Alvarez tweeted: "Also, in case it wasn't abundantly clear, I'm looking for a job. I doubt there will be any offers. But I am available."

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Google discontinuing first google glass wearables

Google is shutting down its Glass Explorer program and ceasing consumer sales of the $1,500 initial wearable devices on Jan. 19, as the Internet giant revamps its approach to the market.

The company announced the move in a post on Google+. The wearables project is exiting the Google X R&D group and will become a standalone unit under Nest Labs, the smart-home device company Google acquired for $3.2 billion in February 2014. Google Glass will continue to be headed by Ivy Ross, a former retailing exec and jewelry designer.

The Google Glass devices have a small screen embedded in the right lens to let users search the web, pull up maps, read text messages, snap photos and record video. That last feature concerned the movie industry: Last fall, the MPAA and the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) updates anti-piracy joint policy to prohibit recording by users equipped with Google Glass or other wearables in theaters.

Google, in its note to Google Glass beta users about the end of the Explorer program, said "we're continuing to build for the future, and you'll start to see future versions of Glass when they're ready."

The overall wearable-computing device market -- including glasses, smartwatches and fitness bands -- is expected to grow dramatically in the next few years. Retail sales of smart wearable devices are projected grow from $4.5 billion in 2014 to $53.2 billion by 2019, according to British research firm Juniper Research.

© 2015 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Judge won’t dismiss church bankruptcy

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge yesterday found insufficient grounds to dismiss Greater Love Tabernacle Church's bankruptcy case at the request of its mortgage holder, who cited the Dorchester church's inability to refinance its debt.

Judge Joan Feeney ordered the church to file an appraisal and report on its fundraising efforts toward a purchase of its property or mortgage refinancing before an April hearing.

The church, which filed for bankruptcy in 2013 with some $803,000 in debt after VFC Partners 118 LLC threatened foreclosure, owes its Texas lender approximately $700,000.

"What we're trying to do is come up with a combination of contributions and a new loan ... to pay off the existing debt, and we hope (VFC) will take that at a discount since they purchased the loan at a deep discount," said Michael Goldberg, the church's attorney. "Another option is to use the bankruptcy to restructure the existing note, lower the interest rate and stretch it out over time."

The church so far has raised $150,000 for its refinancing fund.

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Cambridge to get Charlie Hebdo mag

Cambridge's Out of Town News so far is the lone Massachusetts retailer slated to receive the "survivors edition" of Charlie Hebdo, the French satirical magazine that yesterday released its first issue since last week's deadly attack by Islamic extremists in Paris.

The Harvard Square newsstand will get five to 10 copies from the first print run of the edition, which features a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad on the cover, according to Martin McEwen, sales and marketing vice president at LS Distribution North America, the Montreal-based North American distributor for the magazine.

"We're trying to get them there for Friday, but it will be probably be over the weekend or Monday morning," McEwen said. "For the first distribution, there are only 300 copies going into the U.S."

The new issue of Charlie Hebdo, which had a press run of 5 million copies, sold out within minutes yesterday in France. Al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for the Jan. 7 attack on the magazine's offices that killed 12 people, saying it ordered the killings because it believed the weekly had insulted Muhammad.

LS Distribution has been inundated with calls from U.S. and Canadian outlets seeking copies of the magazine. "We're expecting additional copies when they do their second print run, but we don't have any confirmation on timings or quantities," McEwen said.

The owners of Out of Town News, which a worker said was slammed with calls yesterday, couldn't be reached. It's unclear if the copies that it will receive already are spoken for by customers. "Most of the retailers I've spoken with, all of the copies are reserved," McEwen said. "They have waiting lists."

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Buyers to make recon missions

GM president Charles "Engine Charlie" Wilson, chosen in 1953 to be secretary of defense for President Dwight Eisenhower, was famously misquoted as saying, "What's good for General Motors is good for the country."

In 2014, GM sold more than 2.9 million vehicles. It was good for the country.

And GM wasn't alone: Honda, Hyundai, Nissan and Subaru had record years, and Chrysler and Toyota posted big sales gains.

Against this backdrop, expect happy faces when the 58th New England International Auto Show gets underway today through Monday at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Manufacturers and franchised new vehicle dealers are obviously psyched; their annual party has a lot of promise.

Kelley Blue Book thinks sales could reach 17 million in the U.S. this year, closing in on the record 17.3 million vehicles sold in 2000. American consumers bought
16.5 million new vehicles last year, according to Autodata Corp., a 6-percent hike and a sign that the economy is picking up steam. It was the fifth consecutive year of improving sales.

Boston's auto show is an enthusiast's dream; 57 percent of show guests consider themselves "car fanatics." But almost a third are going to the show for more than just the fun of it — they're on a reconnaissance mission. Thirty percent of the show's annual attendees are thinking of making a vehicle purchase in the next three months.

It's a great time to buy. The more affordable cost of fuel, record-low interest rates and an improving economy have all kicked the buying climate into high gear.

The auto show gives prospective buyers a rare opportunity: They can scout choices from among 36 different manufacturers. Hundreds of cars and trucks will dot the BCEC floor and for five days, it will be the largest showroom in the world.

"It's a great opportunity for consumers to plan their next purchase," said Robert F. O'Koniewski, executive vice president of the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association. "A few hundred cars will be there."

Among those will be the newest models, such as the Honda HR-V Crossover and the Jeep Renegade. And the first East Coast showing of the new Audi A6 and A7, is expected to be among the big enthusiast draws.

Even better for some, four manufacturers — Ford, Kia, Scion and Toyota — will provide qualified show attendees the opportunity to take a test drive. Each manufacturer will also have numerous product experts working the displays to answer questions. And guests can also take home reams of product info.

Talk about one-stop shopping.

O'Koniewski says that prospective buyers may have a bit more urgency this year.

"The average age of a car on the road in Massachusetts is 12 to 13 years old," he said. "During the down economy, people focused on keeping what they had. So the last time someone bought or leased a car may have been awhile, and they are going to find that cars are better-made now. They're more fuel-efficient and structurally safer."

Enhancing the festivities will be fun and games. Contests give guests a shot to win a Nascar Driving Experience, a remote car-start system, a gas card, or tickets to a Celtics game, among other prizes.

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Massachusetts labor groups plan to outline priorities

BOSTON — Labor groups are planning to converge on Beacon Hill to outline their goals for the new two-year legislative session.

Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, said those priorities include better protections for vulnerable employees like temporary workers and day laborers.

She said labor groups, including the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, want to make 2015 a banner year for halting workplace deaths and injuries.

Also Wednesday, supporters of a $15 minimum wage in Massachusetts are planning to launch the first of what they say will be a series of protests on the 15th of every month to press for what they call a living wage.

The first protest is planned for Logan Airport.

The state's minimum wage just jumped from $8 to $9 per hour, the first increase since 2008.

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UMass Lowell receives $4M tech collaborative grant

Gov. Charlie Baker yesterday announced a $4 million Massachusetts Technology Collaborative grant to UMass Lowell to develop a printed and flexible electronics industry cluster, an emerging field with the potential to become a $76 billion global market over the next decade.

The new Printed Electronics Research Collaborative will position both large and small employers in Massachusetts to capitalize on the printed and flexible electronics field, which entails printing circuits on a base, or substrate, to create semiconductors and other electronics that are extremely thin, lightweight and flexible.

"Technical advances will enable us to generate 3-D drawings on the computer and directly print conductive and nonconductive components as easily as we now print with red, green and blue ink," said Julie Chen, vice provost for research. "We envision applications ranging from printed portable power and communications to novel drug delivery and diagnostic devices."

The four-year grant, which will be matched by $12 million in industry funding, will allow the Printed Electronics Research Collaborative initially to focus on supporting the state's defense cluster in printed electronics and branch out from there. Companies that have signed on include Raytheon of Waltham, MicroChem of Westboro and Rogers Corp. of Burlington, Chen said, and more are expected.

"The success of collaboration between the public and private sectors has been bearing fruit here for a number of years," Baker said. "This is exactly the sort of thing that should not only make us proud, but that we should do more of."

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The Ticker

Job openings climb in Nov.

Job openings climbed in November to the highest level in almost 14 years as the strengthening U.S. economy fueled demand for labor.

The number of positions waiting to be filled rose by 142,000 to 4.97 million in November, the most since January 2001, a report from the Labor Department showed yesterday. The pace of hiring cooled and fewer Americans quit their jobs.

Gains in hiring, waning dismissals and rising confidence underscore a vibrant labor market that in 2014 marked its strongest performance since 1999.

Seesaw Dow ends down again

Stocks swung from gains to losses and almost back again yesterday.

The U.S. market opened the day higher, getting a boost from encouraging news on hiring and small business confidence. The market then swooned in the afternoon as oil closed lower. The pendulum then swung back late in the day as oil gained in after-hours trading and stocks ended with small losses.

From peak to trough, the Dow Jones industrial average swung 425 points. The Dow fell 27.16 points, to 17,613.68. The Nasdaq composite slipped 3.21 points, to 4,661.50. The Standard & Poor's 500 index eased 5.23 points to 2,023.03.

Oil prices continue to tumble

Oil tumbled 5 percent to near six-year lows before recovering ground yesterday, and Brent briefly traded at par to U.S. crude for the first time in three months as some traders moved to take advantage of ample storage space in the United States.

Traders were searching to store the glut of oil, which has knocked prices down 60 percent in the last six months. So far this week, Brent has lost 7 percent and U.S. crude 5 percent.

Brent crude settled down 84 cents at $46.59 a barrel, after falling to $45.19, its lowest since March 2009. U.S. crude oil closed down 18 cents at $45.89, after hitting an April 2009 low of $44.20.

Today

 Commerce Department releases retail sales data for December.

 Commerce Department releases business inventories for November.

 Federal Reserve releases Beige Book.

TOMORROW

 Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.

 Labor Department releases the Producer Price Index for December.

 Freddie Mac releases weekly mortgage rates.

THE SHUFFLE

Re/Max Leading Edge, with offices throughout Greater Boston, has announced the appointment of Christine George to executive vice president of marketing and business development. George will be responsible for setting the overall direction of the company's marketing and business development strategy.

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Device makers pin hopes on pols

Massachusetts' medical device industry is banking on a now-Republican-controlled U.S. Senate to repeal a federal tax that costs Bay State companies hundreds of millions of dollars per year.

A bipartisan group of senators led by Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) filed long-expected legislation yesterday to rescind the 
2.3 percent medical device tax enacted in 2013 to help fund the Affordable Care Act.

"This is very important legislation to the medical device industry in Massachusetts," said Tom Sommer, president of the Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council. "We've seen workforce expansion plans stalled ... moves by companies offshore to less costly manufacturing venues and ... reductions in research and development spending."

Massachusetts has the nation's second largest concentration of medical device manufacturing after California. Medical devices are the state's No. 1 exported commodity, accounting for 14.5 percent of goods shipped from the state, according to the council. Some 24,000 employees work at 400 medical device companies, with another 75,000 employed in industry-related jobs.

Identical legislation filed in the last session of Congress passed the House but wasn't considered by the Senate. The legislation proposed yesterday also mirrors a bill introduced in the House last week by Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minnesota).

Hub think tank the Pioneer Institute estimated in a 2013 report that the tax costs the state's 19 largest medical device companies $425 million in annual levies. "If it were to be repealed, it would have pretty significant impact in Massachusetts," senior fellow Joshua Archambault said.

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Apple has patent to produce a rival to GoPro

Apple secured a patent to produce its own small mountable sports camera, causing GoPro's stock to take a significant tumble on Tuesday.

GoPro's stock lost 12% of its value, down $6.91 a share as news emerged from blog Patently Apple of details of the camera.

The device, which is designed to be attached to a helmet, handlebars or surfboards, used underwater and controlled remotely with a smartwatch, like the upcoming Apple Watch.

While Apple has not announced plans to produce a GoPro rival, just having a patent doesn't mean it ever will. Companies like Apple routinely secure numerous patents that doesn't result in products.

But the patent, issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and whose application was originally filed in 2012, specifically mentions GoPro, that clearly sent shivers up the spines of shareholders and traders on Wall Street.

In the documents, Apple notes how the design of GoPro's HD Hero2 camera creates "excessive wind resistance" that is "susceptible to damage" from vibrations when mounted.

The patent also includes another that Apple purchased from Kodak when the camera company went bankrupt in 2013.

As its brand continues to take off with sports enthusiasts and broaden into more of a full-fledged entertainment company, GoPro is facing increased competition from other consumer electronics manufacturers.

Sony used last week's Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, to promote its new Action Cam, which now records in 4K HD video, while LG and Polaroid have cheaper versions for non-pros.

GoPro's stock has lost half its value since its peak in October.

© 2015 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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The Ticker

Peabody man charged in $1M Apple tech theft

The director of technical and development operations at a South Boston-based media technology company was charged yesterday in connection with his alleged theft of nearly $1 million worth of iPads and other Apple products from his employer.

Michael S. Denning, 33, of Peabody was charged by U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz's office with mail fraud and filing false tax returns.

The U.S. attorney alleges that in late 2010, Denning began working at a South Boston-based media technology company where his job responsibilities included purchasing computer equipment, software and other technology-based products for use by employees.

Shortly after he was hired, Denning allegedly began ordering extra Apple computer equipment, primarily iPads, from a wholesale computer vendor. Denning then allegedly intercepted these packages and sold them for cash, initially on eBay and Craigslist, and later to eBay resellers.

116 Huntington Ave. bought for $152M

Atlanta-based real estate investment trust Columbia Property Trust Inc. has acquired the 274,218-square-foot, Class-A office 15-story building at 116 Huntington Ave. in Boston's Back Bay from Broadway Partners for a purchase price of $152 million, inclusive of capital credits. The 15-story building was built in 1991.

Philadelphia real estate co., Nordblom acquire office building in South End

Affiliates of Philadelphia-based Rubenstein Partners, in partnership with Burlington's Nordblom Co., have acquired 1000 Washington St., a 242,000-square-foot office building located in the South End, for $75 million.

The 11-story, 242,000-square-foot building — the former headquarters of Teradyne — sits across the street from the new Ink Block residential development. The 2-acre site includes a 300-car garage, penthouse cafeteria and lower-level fitness center.

Today

 Labor Department releases job openings and labor turnover survey for November.

 Treasury releases federal budget for December.

TOMORROW

 Commerce Department releases retail sales data for December.

 Commerce Department releases business inventories for November.

 Federal Reserve releases Beige Book.

THE SHUFFLE

The South Shore Chamber of Commerce, the region's largest chamber, has announced that Alan Macdonald director of public policy and community benefits officer with South Shore Hospital, has been named an officer of the chamber's board of directors.

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Business Protocol: People skills becoming a lost art

At a time when casual attire and casual dining are all the buzz, there is no such thing as casual manners.

Manners speak to who we are and where we came from. Moreover, those who have manners notice those who do not. Being well presented and demonstrating respect and courtesy sets you apart.

Next generation leaders lack interpersonal and communications skills, which eventually plagues them at hiring and promotion time and interferes in developing business and even social relationships.

Etiquette is more than just knowing which fork to use. Etiquette, knowledge of business protocol and displaying gestures of respect buoys social skills and helps build more successful relationships.

Showing you know "the difference" can lead to advancement in business and in life, and begs the question: What else do you take the time and make the effort to learn about and master?

Many years ago, David Chag, general manager of The Country Club in Brookline (the oldest country club in the United States), turned to my company for protocol expertise. I had visited TCC and remember saying I assumed the staff was "over the top" in terms of professionalism and personalized service.

"Precisely why I am calling, Judy … because other people expect us to be; it is my job to make sure we are," David told me.

It should be all of our "jobs" to make sure America's future leaders know — and are taught — technical skills, business expertise, leadership skills, social acumen, interpersonal communication skills and cross-cultural diversity.

People skills are required to succeed in our high-tech global business climate today, yet they are quickly becoming a lost art.

Given expectations of management and staff at all levels, companies have a responsibility to help shape leaders of the next generation.

And while a casual environment is acceptable here at home, if you want to compete globally, showing you know "the difference" will set you apart anywhere in the world.

Finely tuned people skills and specific nuances — both acquired and learned — will make a lasting impression. It's never too early (or too late!) to start, and regular reinforcement is key.

Judith Bowman is president and founder of Protocol Consultants International and author of "Don't Take the Last Donut: New rules of Business Etiquette" and "How to Stand Apart @ Work … Transforming "Fine" to Fabulous!" Email her at Judith@protocolconsultants.com.

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Sculptor sues Macy’s over frog display

A shiny bronze frog is now the subject of a federal suit.

David Phillips, the Medford artist who in 2003 created six frog sculptures in the Boston Common near Frog Pond, is suing Macy's for exhibiting a replica of his "Fishing Frog" at its Downtown Crossing store during the Christmas season.

"Macy's ... copied Phillips' Fishing Frog sculpture without permission or authority from Phillips, and it used a copy of said statue in a Christmas window display facing Summer Street in its downtown Boston store," Phillips' attorney wrote. "Such copying, use and public display of the 'Fishing Frog' sculpture without Phillips' permission or authority ... constitutes an infringement of Phillips' copyright for which he is entitled to damages."

Phillips is asking Macy's to refrain from using the fishing frog. He also wants "all gains, profits and advantages derived by" Macy's from its use of the frog. If Macy's willfully violated Phillips' copyright, he wants up to $150,000.

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Prospect of Chinese cars in US still remain years away

DETROIT — Another Chinese automaker is showing vehicles this year at the auto show in Detroit, raising the perennial question about when these companies might sell in the United States.

The answer: Years from now, according to carmakers and industry observers alike.

Chinese manufacturers have announced plans over the past decade to export to the U.S. only to postpone them when faced with passing U.S. safety and emissions tests and building a dealer network. They also must overcome big hurdles in convincing U.S. car buyers that Chinese cars have the quality they demand. Still, Chinese companies remain interested in eventually selling in the prestigious — and potentially profitable — market.

"The fact that they're showing in Detroit doesn't really signify that they're coming soon," said Michael Robinet, managing director of IHS's automotive group. "They're showcasing that they're in the game, looking to expand beyond the home market."

Any Chinese-made cars sold in the U.S. likely would come in at the bottom segment of the market for different types of vehicles, Robinet said, where they would compete in the already lively market for used cars. Buyers would need to decide whether it's better to buy a used car made by General Motors or Toyota, for example, or a new car from a company that just arrived on American shores.

John Humphrey, senior vice president of global automotive operations at J.D. Power and Associates, said the quality of Chinese-built vehicles has improved, but they still generally lack the fit-and-finish that U.S. car buyers expect. And consumers' experience with waves of Chinese-made products that they encounter daily at stores would color their expectations about new cars.

"There's a general perception of goods coming out of China, being fair or unfair, that they are relatively sub-par," Humphrey said.

Chinese companies are in their first decade displaying vehicles at the North American International Auto Show. In 2006, a lone Geely Automobile sedan sitting outside the main exhibit halls marked the first time a Chinese automaker showed a car in Detroit. Last year, the Chinese companies skipped Detroit.

This year, Guangzhou Automobile is showing vehicles including a fuel-efficient small SUV that will be sold in China starting in April and parts of the Middle East, Africa, South America and eastern Europe in late 2015. The company known as GAC said 2017 is a possible year it would like to enter the U.S. market, but there is no concrete timetable.

"Before entering the North America market, we'll have a full understanding of the culture and consumption features of the North America auto market and release according models," Wu Song, GAC Group general manager, said in an email interview.

In 2007, Chrysler and Chery Automobile, China's biggest independent brand, announced plans to produce a Chinese-manufactured small car for export to the U.S. as soon as 2010 under Chrysler's Dodge brand. They ended the venture due to the global financial crisis.

Other companies pegged 2009 as a year where Chinese-made vehicles would be offered for sale in the U.S., but that year passed without any coming on the market.

Elsewhere, Chery and brands including Great Wall Motors export sedans, minivans and SUVs to Russia, Algeria, Chile and other developing markets. Still, Chinese automakers mostly sell at home, where the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reports they had 41.2 percent of the market in 2014. They're being pressured in China by established global automakers, the same companies that dominate the U.S. market.

"They basically compete on price, and in the past several years have started to upgrade their design," said Yale Zhang, managing director of Automotive Foresight, a research firm in Shanghai.

Quality has improved but "it's not there yet to enter mature markets like Western Europe and the U.S.," Zhang said. In the U.S., challenges include setting up distribution in an unfamiliar market in which local laws prohibit direct sales to customers, Zhang said.

While Chinese-built vehicles have faced continued obstacles in the U.S., BYD Auto had success in its plans to put U.S.-built vehicles on the road. BYD, which stands for "Build Your Dreams," is a major battery maker and last year opened a California factory to produce plug-in electric buses.

Robinet said it's more difficult now than ever for automakers to make their first steps into a developed market such as the U.S. It's expensive to ship from China, he noted, and it took decades for South Korean automakers, for example, to fully establish themselves in the U.S.

"It's a massive undertaking and you can't get it wrong," said IHS's Robinet. "You might only have one chance."

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AP Business Writer Joe McDonald in Beijing contributed to this report.

___

Follow David Runk on Twitter: http://twitter.com/runkdavi

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Inspector Gadget: The Ubi is a good concept with bad execution

The Ubi: Voice of the Internet ($299, theUbi.com)

Ubi is short for "ubiquitous computer," which is what this device seeks to be. Billed as a voice assistant and smart-home add-on, Ubi connects wirelessly to certain home automation devices as well as your computer.

The good: What a great idea. A voice assistant that will tell me how many ounces are in a cup while I'm cooking or call my husband without having to pick up the phone.

The bad: If only it worked well. It's often a struggle to get Ubi to recognize commands, and this is more of a beta device than something that should cost $299 and be billed as a real product.

The bottom line: I'll definitely try the next iteration of Ubi because any company with a concept this good should eventually get it right. It just hasn't done so yet.

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Booting Up: LinkedIn isn’t connecting with its aspirations

LinkedIn's just-announced expansion of its publishing platform is a bid to become more than just a professional stalking tool. And it's a sea-change for a company that two years ago claimed its goal was to become "a digital representation of every economic opportunity in the world — temporary or full-time jobs."

That was a crock, and so are these new aspirations.

As someone who works in the social media and digital world, I'm supposed to embrace LinkedIn, keep it updated with recent writings, leave all manner of endorsements and recommendations for people I barely know and congratulate those same people every time they spend another year in a job they hate. 
I can't do it.

LinkedIn is a company that earned more than $500 million last quarter, compensates its CEO to the tune of $50 million a year and has 320 million members worldwide. Its public debut on Wall Street in May 2011 made a lot of people a lot of cash. Therefore, you might think this service — the largest professional network in the world, with a declared intention to be the planet's digital representation of economic opportunity — might try to connect with under-represented masses or the underdeveloped world. You might think LinkedIn would spin off a version of its app for unskilled workers looking for a shot, or give free job-seeker subscriptions to the unemployed.

You would be wrong.

Scratch below the surface of all those recruiting tools and subscription plans and you find a company that simply exists to make rich people richer.

My profile has been viewed by just 6 people in the last 15 days and my rank for profile views is down by 11 percent in the last 30 days. Apparently I have to pay $30 or $60 a month to "unlock the full list."

I currently have 436 connections to people I barely know and more than 100 requests to connect with people I know even less. More emails than I will ever read have piled up in my "InMail," including some that appear to be automatically generated by networking bots who do nothing all day but post on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn's earnings announcement for its fourth quarter and annual outlook was just set for Feb. 5. I expect the stock to soar after earnings beat expectations. I do not expect the company to do better at curating content, enabling offline meet-ups or reaching a lesser-skilled demographic.

My New Year's resolution was to stop detesting LinkedIn. But clearly, that's a job I just don't excel at.

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Foreign money floods Boston real estate market

Foreign investment in Greater Boston real estate has skyrocketed to record heights, more than tripling in the past year and bringing new ownership to some of the area's premier addresses.

Foreign buyers spent $4.2 billion in deals for office properties that included buyers from Canada, Norway, Japan, Chile, Switzerland, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore. That was up from $1.3 billion in 2013.

"My prediction is that more than half of the investment sales coming up this year will be foreign investors," said David Begelfer, CEO of NAIOP Massachusetts, a commercial real estate development trade group. "We've been discovered. Some of these larger deals are pension fund money, sovereign funds."

The proportion of foreign investment has nearly doubled in the past year: Foreign investors accounted for about 30 percent of the approximately $14.4 billion in real estate transactions that were $2.5 million or greater last year, excluding homes, according to Real Capital Analytics, a New York commercial real estate data firm. That's up from about 16.5 percent of the $11.02 billion in 2013 transactions.

Almost half the money spent on office buildings in 2014 was by foreign investors, accounting for 46 percent of the $9.17 billion in deals — up from 27 percent in 2013.

Among the biggest were a September trifecta by Oxford Properties Group, the real estate arm of Canada's Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System. Oxford snatched up three top addresses from Blackstone Group: 60 State St. for $817.49 million and 225 Franklin St. in Boston for $590 million, and Cambridge's 1 Memorial Drive for $405 million, according to Real Capital.

In October, Norges Bank Investment Management, Norway's sovereign wealth fund, paid $715.17 million to Boston Properties for 45 percent of 100 Federal St. and Atlantic Wharf in Boston. In July, Norges and MetLife had bought 1 Beacon St. in Boston for $562 million.

"It's becoming more costly for local buyers to buy property," Begelfer said. "The limited supply of properties to buy and a much larger demand from international players is pushing up the cost."

NAIOP Massachusetts will tackle the issue in a panel discussion tomorrow titled "From the Outside In: How Boston Is Fueled by Foreign Capital."

Boston's booming economy and job creation in biotechnology, technology, health care, research, education and financial services make it attractive to foreign capital, said Riaz Cassum, senior managing director of HFF in Boston, which arranges debt and equity capital for commercial real estate owners, developers and operators.

"It's viewed as a safe dollar-denominated investment," he said. "It has a good diversified economy, low unemployment rate, strong barriers to entry, and Boston's become more accessible just literally in terms of direct flights. ... It's always been attractive to European investors, and now it's expanding to the growing Asian and Middle East capital."

The increasing foreign ownership of properties has broad implications — not all positive, according to Begelfer, who likened the trend to the loss of corporate headquarters in Boston.

"Mayor Menino had … relationships with all the major property owners in Boston and could count on them civically and charitably," Begelfer said. "With this whole new influx of (foreign) buyers, we may not see as much money flowing into civic and charitable initiatives that the new mayor has and that the charities count on. We have some absentee owners who might not be concerned about being the good neighbor."

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Area pharmaceutical companies make acquisitions

Lexington's Shire said yesterday it will pay $5.2 billion to acquire NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc., which specializes in drugs for rare conditions.

The acquisition will expand Shire's portfolio of specialty drugs, medications for niche diseases and conditions that typically command much higher price tags than conventional medications. The best-selling medications of the Irish drugmaker — which bases its U.S. operations in Lexington — currently include the attention deficit disorder drugs Vyvanse and Adderall XR.

Shire Chief Executive Officer Flemming Ornskov said he would keep looking for more deals to grow the company into a biotech powerhouse.

"This is about growth and rare diseases, and it fits hand in glove with our strategy and our franchise," Ornskov said.

NPS currently has one drug on the market in the U.S. and Europe: Gattex, which is used to treat short bowel syndrome, a potentially life-threatening chronic condition that prevents patients from absorbing nutrients from food. The drug had sales of $67.9 million for the first nine months of 2014.

NPS is awaiting approval from the Food and Drug Administration for a second drug, Natpara, which is designed to treat a rare condition called hypoparathyroidism. The FDA is slated to decide on the Natpara application by Jan. 24.

The takeover continues the breakneck pace of deal-making in 2014 in the pharmaceuticals sector, as companies jockey for promising assets amid a wave of new drugs emerging from research laboratories.

Also yesterday, Cambridge-based Biogen Idec announced that it has agreed to acquire U.K.-based Convergence Pharmaceuticals. Biogen Idec plans to leverage Convergence's expertise in chronic pain research.

"Neuropathic pain is an area of significant unmet need and represents a natural complement to our current neurology portfolio," said Douglas Williams, executive vice president of research and development at Biogen Idec. "The team at Convergence has pioneered some of the most innovative science in pain management. We believe their industry-leading talent, capabilities and pipeline of candidates, starting with CNV1014802, will provide a strong foundation upon which to expand our neuropathic pain portfolio."

Under the terms of the deal, Biogen Idec will pay Convergence shareholders an upfront payment of $200 million. Convergence shareholders are eligible to receive additional payments up to $475 million contingent on future milestones. Convergence will continue to operate out of Cambridge, U.K.

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The Ticker

Southie housing
next to Doughboy

Evergreen Property Group has proposed a six-story contemporary glass residential building with 33 rental units and ground-floor retail space at 248 Dorchester Ave. in South Boston, on a lot next door to Doughboy Donuts and Deli.

Burlington to get 
Bauer hockey shop

Bauer Hockey, the leading manufacturer of ice hockey equipment and a subsidiary of Performance Sports Group Ltd. announced today that it will open its first-ever Bauer retail shops beginning this summer, with six to eight more opening in key markets, including Minneapolis. The shop will house an indoor ice rink.

TUESDAY

• Labor Department releases job openings and labor turnover survey for November
• Treasury releases federal budget for December.

WEDNESDAY

• Commerce Department releases retail sales data for December. L Commerce Department releases business inventories for November.
• Federal Reserve releases Beige Book.

THURSDAY

• Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.
• Labor Department releases the Producer Price Index for December.
• Freddie Mac releases weekly mortgage rates.

FRIDAY

• Labor Department releases Consumer Price Index for December.
• Federal Reserve releases industrial production for December.

Nathaniel Silver has been named assistant curator of the collection at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

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City eyes rules for Airbnb

Boston is turning its attention to Airbnb, scheduling a public hearing later this month to help determine what, if any, regulations are needed for the booming short-term rental service.

"This is a fast-growing industry here in the city of Boston; we just want to make sure it's operated safely and appropriately," said Jerome Smith, the city's chief of civic engagement, who will host the hearing. "The goal is information gathering. There are a lot of residents in the city of Boston who may use Airbnb."

Smith said it is unclear if the city will push for regulations after the Jan. 26 hearing.

"We're not saying that we're definitely regulating the industry; we're just saying that because it's a growing industry here in the city of Boston we should take a look at it," he said.

San Francisco-based Airbnb, which lets people rent out their homes nightly to strangers through its website, has steadily gained popularity nationwide and internationally. Between July 2014 and June 2014, Airbnb customers stayed in Boston homes 1,080 times, the company said.

"We want to work with leaders in Boston to make sure residents can continue to share their homes and the city they love with the world, while also creating sensible regulations that work for Boston," said Marie Aberger, an Airbnb spokeswoman.

San Francisco and Portland, Ore., have set up regulations to charge hotel taxes to private home rentals and Amsterdam last month penned an agreement with the home-rental service to collect a tourist tax. And New York's attorney general formed a city-state task force last year to investigate illegal hotels after he issued a report alleging that nearly three-quarters of Airbnb's listings in that state were illegal, a charge the company denied.

Boston has taken a more cautious approach to Airbnb, with Mayor Martin J. Walsh telling the Inspectional Services Department last summer not to fine people who rent out their homes through the service.

But City Councilor Salvatore LaMattina wants to take a closer look at Airbnb's practices after hearing complaints about apartments where people cycle through like through revolving doors. LaMattina said he refiled a bill for a hearing on Airbnb before the City Council.

"I really do think they need to be regulated, and we'll look at other cities across the United States and what they're doing to address the issues," said LaMattina. "They're not paying any hotel tax to the cities and towns, and I think there's something we really need to look at."

He said his biggest concern is potential investors buying homes or condos specifically to rent out on Airbnb.

Airbnb has also spurred the creation of Neighbors for Overnight Oversight, a national group pushing for regulation of the rental service.

"At this point we're just glad the city is having this hearing; it's an important first step," said Conor Yunits, a spokesman for the group. "The end goal will hopefully be some sort of oversight of this, so if people are abusing the laws with illegal hotels, that there's some kind of check on that."

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Wind energy shifts direction

With the Cape Wind project on the ropes, the industry's future in Massachusetts may rest on a federal wind power auction later this month for a sprawling area off Martha's Vineyard.

Twelve companies have qualified to bid Jan. 29 as the federal government auctions four commercial leases for 742,000 acres of sea roughly 14 miles south of Martha's Vineyard. The power generated, if leased and used by the industry, could provide electricity for about 1.4 million homes, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said.

The Massachusetts Wind Energy Area that is up for auction is farther offshore than Cape Wind's estimated $2.5 billion project to install 130 turbines in Nantucket Sound, but that's not enough to silence some critics.

"Offshore wind is a nonstarter. I can't imagine circumstances under which it would be justifiable from an environmental or economic standpoint," said David Tuerck of the Beacon Hill Institute, who's been a vocal opponent of Cape Wind. "There never was any economic justification for the Cape Wind project, and now with the falling fossil fuel prices, there's even less justification for those projects."

The auction comes as Cape Wind's $150 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy is in jeopardy after National Grid and Nstar backed out of their contracts with the company, saying it had missed a Dec. 31 deadline for the necessary financing and had not provided collateral to extend the deadline.

From the beginning, the Cape Wind project was fraught with criticism from environmental advocates and economists alike, who said that it would disrupt fisheries in the area and create higher energy costs for Massachusetts residents.

"Anyone who bids on these tracts and puts up money to obtain them must be assuming that they're going to be allowed to charge even higher rates than Cape Wind got National Grid and Nstar to charge," Tuerck said. "Because however expensive it was, these projects will be more because they're farther out to sea."

But Audra Parker, president of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound and a Cape Wind opponent, said both the lease area in question and the steps taken by the government to look out for the public's best interest already make this endeavor superior to Cape Wind.

"There's a right way and a wrong way of identifying areas. Cape Wind's fight was driven to maximize profit," Parker said. "This process has involved science and stakeholder input."

Although she said that it "does not address the high cost of offshore wind," it is still better "in terms of site and the process it's taken."

That process has involved tools like Coastal Marine Spacial Planning, used to avoid environmental and financial costs in ocean management, she said.

Christopher Boelke, field office supervisor for the national Marine Fisheries Services, said the lease area was reduced by a third in part to protect the fisheries. He added that people may view this project as "less intrusive" than Cape Wind, given that it's farther offshore in a lower-traffic area.

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Use an automatic battery charger when storing a car

I am the proud owner of a restored 1969 Pontiac GTO. This past summer I purchased a new battery from Sears. The salesman said for winter storage to remove one lead and leave it in the car. I have always believed in removing the battery and recharging it every so often. This year I left the battery in the car with one lead off and purchased an automatic battery charger that monitors the battery and keeps it at full charge with a display showing its condition. What do you think about these chargers and storage method?

For a minute there, I thought I was reading a question I wrote! Like you, I've followed the "old school" method of battery preservation by disconnecting, removing and periodically charging the batteries from my summer cars and recreational vehicles.

But the older I get the lazier, eh, make that more efficient, I am. So, I now have several Battery Tender automatic battery chargers connected to the disconnected batteries in my seasonal-use stuff. I've had no issues doing this over the past four years.

Well, make that one issue. My C6 Corvette has electric door locks, so when I carefully prepared it for storage, my final step was to disconnect the battery, hook up the charger and close the hood. Sounds perfect, eh? Except for the fact that with the doors, hood and rear hatch closed and the battery disconnected, there was no way to unlock the doors!

Here's the funny part. I never even thought about the issue until I tried to unlock the doors the next spring! Thankfully, the owner's manual with the little black plastic emergency key was in the house. It unlocked the rear hatch, where I could lean in and pull the emergency driver's door release so I could open the door and unlatch the hood to reconnect the battery. Live and learn.

I have a 2003 manual-transmission Honda CRV with about 100,000 miles. Ever since I bought it used with 90k it has high idle RPM when it starts up. The engine idle RPM hunts between 2,000 and 3,000 until the engine warms up. Then the idle drops to below 1,000 RPM. Any thoughts?

Whenever trying to diagnose a driveability issue, apply the KISS principle first — keep it simple. Start with the basics, which in this case is to check carefully for any type of vacuum leak in the induction system. Any air entering downstream of the MAF sensor (mass air flow) is not metered and can create a lean air/fuel ratio. Until the engine warms up to the point of switching to "closed loop" operation where the air/fuel ratio is monitored and trimmed by feedback from the oxygen sensor, the idle speed can be high and fluttery/unstable.

The IAC (idle air control) regulates air entering the induction system. If it is sticking or binding it may be contributing to this issue. And a scan tool check for DTC fault codes might help pinpoint the problem.

My 2010 Chevrolet Colorado will not start all the time. When I put the key in the ignition all accessories light up and the radio plays but the starter will not engage. Turn key off, take key out of ignition, wait 10 minutes, try again, and it will start. This has happened in all weather, approximately 10 times since May. The dealership could not find anything wrong. Can you help with this problem?

Your vehicle is equipped with a vehicle immobilizer system which will not allow the engine to start until and unless the BCM (body control module) sees the correct voltage through the ignition key resistor circuit. If the voltage generated through the resistor in the key doesn't match, the engine won't start.

Try your spare key first. Have the dealership scan the BCM for fault codes. And again, remember the KISS principle. Check the battery and starter/solenoid cables and connections.

Paul Brand, author of "How to Repair Your Car," is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race-car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn., 55488 or via email at paulbrand@startribune.com. Please explain the problem in detail and include a daytime phone number. Because of the volume of mail, we cannot provide personal replies.

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