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Wal-Mart wants in on China's credit

By TIMES WIRES
Published October 25, 2006

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and General Electric Co.'s finance arm are joining the race for a share of China's growing consumer credit market by issuing their own credit card this week. The card, part of the Visa network, is to be formally launched Friday and can be used for purchases in China and abroad, said Jonathan Dong of Wal-Mart China. Wal-Mart's partners are GE Money and China's Shenzhen Development Bank Ltd. The new card from Wal-Mart and GE will be dual-currency, meaning holders can charge purchases in China's currency, the yuan, or a foreign currency such as the U.S. dollar, Dong said.

Buy a computer, get a Vista coupon

People who buy certain Windows personal computers this holiday season will be offered free or heavily discounted coupons to upgrade to Microsoft Corp.'s new operating system, Windows Vista, under a program designed to spur sales despite Vista's delay. Vista is to be released to consumers sometime in January. It's also scheduled to be released to big business clients in November, although exact launch dates for both versions haven't been made public. The coupon program begins Thursday and runs through mid March.

Big surprise: iPod will still dominate

Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod will dominate the digital media device market in the next 12 to 18 months even as Microsoft Corp. introduces a competing music player, says a JupiterResearch report. The iPod won't lose "significant" sales among U.S. portable media device users, who will grow from 37-million this year to 102-million in 2011, JupiterResearch said. The company forecast the total number of players in use in the United States to rise to 196-million in 2011 from 62-million.

Be a fan to the end - and beyond

In the heat of passion, many crazed baseball fans have said they would die for a championship. But are they willing to take that devotion to the grave? With a new venture that will put Major League Baseball team logos on urns and caskets, the league and Eternal Image, a company that makes funeral products, will find out just how many fans want to be decked out in their team colors and logos for eternity. Starting next season, fans of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers will be able to have their ashes put in an urn or head 6 feet under in a casket emblazoned with their team colors and insignia.

[Last modified October 25, 2006, 00:35:26]