From AppleInsider:

Apple briefly sat atop the list of US music retailers in January before surrendering that position back to Wal-Mart the following month, a new report reveals.

Citing a congratulatory email containing NPD market research data that was circulated amongst some Apple employees, ArsTechnica reports that the iTunes operator garnered a 19 percent share of all US-based retail music sales one week in January, good enough to temporarily push it past industry leader Wal-Mart, which captured a 15 percent share for the same period.

The sudden surge to the top was likely fueled by iTunes holiday gift card redemptions, because a few weeks later Apple would relinquish that lead back to Wal-Mart.

Still, landing firmly in the No. 2 position was a crowning achievement for the Cupertino-based company, as was duly noted in a February press release. That’s because prior to gift card run-up it had only managed to muster up enough sales to rank No. 3 behind both Wal-Mart and Best Buy.

What’s of particular interest from Ars’s report, however, is that it includes an NPD chart of the top 10 music retailers from that one week in January with their associated share of the market. NPD declined to release those specific share percentages back in February when Apple definitively claimed the No. 2 spot.

Not only does the chart reveal Amazon to be a distant fourth in the rankings behind Apple, Wal-mart, and Best Buy with its 6 percent share, it more importantly shows the approximate level of separation between the top three players.

written by Jose Castillo

Dubai is the Tetsuo of cities, expanding so fast it’s on the verge of creating of its own universe. And architecture that looks like it’s from the 22nd century only adds to the sheer grandeur of its growth—this bridge, envisioned by NY architecture firm Fxfowle, will be the largest and tallest arch bridge in the world, at one mile long and 670 feet tall. Construction starts next month and is due to wrap up in 2012 after running some $817 million dollars. World’s first vacuum tube mass transit system will launch in Dubai shortly thereafter.

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written by Jose Castillo

LOS ANGELES - The Walt Disney Co. said on Friday it has signed Chief Executive Robert Iger to a new five-year contract that will pay him an annual salary of $2 million plus bonuses and stock awards that could be worth millions more. Under terms of the deal, Iger could receive an annual incentive bonus of $10 million or more, along with an annual equity award valued at $9 million or more, if Disney meets certain performance goals, according to a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The deal also calls for the executive to receive a stock option grant for the purchase of 3 million shares of Disney common stock at the exercised price of $29.50 a share. In addition, the compensation package includes perks and benefits in line with what Disney gives other senior executives, according to the filing. The executive’s previous contract was set to expire Sept. 30, 2010. His new contract runs through Jan. 31, 2013.

In a statement, the Burbank, Calif.-based company’s board of directors praised Iger’s job performance, noting the executive has presided over record revenues, net income and earnings per share since being named CEO on Sept. 30, 2005. “Bob is a talented and visionary leader, under whom Disney has posted increases in growth and profitability that have consistently exceeded expectations,” said John E. Pepper Jr., Disney’s chairman.

Disney, which operates film studios, theme parks, TV cable channels and other businesses, ended fiscal 2007 on an upswing, posting annual profit of $4.69 billion, or $2.25 per share, compared with $3.37 billion, or $1.64 per share, in fiscal 2006. Its revenue rose to $35.51 billion from $33.75 billion in the same period. Iger, who also holds the title of president, received a compensation package in fiscal 2007 valued by the company at $27.7 million, according to an analysis of documents by The Associated Press. Iger received a salary of $2 million, non-equity incentive plan compensation of $13.7 million, other compensation of $745,177, and profits from stock and option awards that had an estimated value of about $11.2 million when granted. Disney shares rose 82 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $30.66 on Friday. The stock has ranged between $26.30 and $36.79 over the past 52 weeks.

[Via WDW News Today]

written by Luke Manning

Euro Disney, who operates Disneyland Resort Paris, announced a 20 percent jump in first-quarter revenues bringing it closer to being profitable. The park has reported a strong growth in visitor numbers, guest spending and hotel occupancy. The opening of new attractions have been credited with the improvements.

[Via Times Online & Netcot]

written by Luke Manning

 After years of development, Nanosolar has announced today that they have shipped their first batch of inexpensive solar panels to the site of their first real-world deployment, a megawatt solar plant being built on the surface of a landfill in eastern Germany.

Nanosolar’s innovative process for “printing” thin, inexpensive solar panels has attracted several high-profile investors, including Google’s co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. By simplifying the manufacturing process and eliminating pricey silicon, many see the new process as the breakthrough needed to drive cheap solar power into the mainstream.

The first production panels to roll off the assembly line are getting special attention—one’s being exhibited at Nanosolar HQ, another is heading for the Tech Museum in San Jose, and a third has been put up for auction on eBay. The current going rate for a piece of green tech history is $1,095—get your bids in now!

[Via Popsci.com]

written by Jose Castillo