AM signals: wireless homes, wind-gust generator, ‘program hiring’
Yahoo may sell off its Internet businesses and is looking to maximize its stake in Alibaba, reports the Wall Street Journal. The company’s capitalization is $31 billion, with its stake in Alibaba and Yahoo Japan valued at $32 billion and $8.5 billion, respectively. “That would mean investors are valuing Yahoo’s core business at less than zero if the Asian assets were spun out tax-free,” the Journal writes.
Nearly half (47.4%) of American homes had only cellphones during the first half of 2015, according to a report issued yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s up 3.4% over the first half of 2014. More than two thirds of adults aged 25 through 34 live in cellphone only households; the percentage drops to 19.3% for those 65 and over. The report notes, “Compared with adults living in landline households, wireless-only adults were more likely to have their health status described as excellent or very good, more likely to have met the 2008 federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic activity (based on leisure-time activity), and less likely to have ever been diagnosed with diabetes.”
A wind gust generator at the Aircraft Research Association in Bedford, UK, can simulate gusts at cruising speeds to help optimize aircraft designs for smoother flights, reports ElectronicsWeekly.com. The generator employs 1,800 solenoid valves that switch with millisecond precision.
Apple is looking to add a feature to Apple Pay that will allow people to send money to friends. BloombergBusiness reports that person-to-person payment schemes haven’t been profitable because transaction fees are low, but Apple may be looking to increase Apple Pay adoption in stores.
Some companies are hiring recent college graduates even though they don’t have positions to fill. “Recruiters say so-called ‘program hiring’ helps companies scoop up promising talent ahead of competitors and ensures their newest workers can stand a little uncertainty,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
