Amazon.com has announced Kindle for Mac, a free Mac version of its Kindle software that lets Kindle users read Kindle books on their Mac computers. Kindle books can now be read on the Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, PC and Mac. Amazon.com also said in its press release that readers will also be able to soon read Kindle books on Apple's upcoming iPad. Amazon.com must be expecting Apple to allow a Kindle for iPad app.
Here are some of the features of Kindle for Mac:
Purchase, download, and read hundreds of thousands of books available in the Kindle Store
Access their library of previously purchased Kindle books stored on Amazon's servers for free
Choose from 10 different font sizes and adjust words per line
Add and automatically synchronize bookmarks and last page read
View notes and highlights marked on Kindle, Kindle DX, and Kindle for iPhone
Read books in full color including children's books, cookbooks, travel books and textbooks
There is a new virus is stealing passwords from Facebook users. McAfee says the virus arrives in an email that tricks people into clicking on an attachment by telling them their Facebook passwords have been changed. The attachment downloads malware onto the person's computer. McAfee has an image of what the email looks like here.
Reuters reports that the Facebook.com site is a big target for spammers and fraudsters because it has so many users.
Dave Marcus, McAfee's director of malware research and communications, said that he expects the hackers will succeed in infecting millions of computers.
"With Facebook as your lure, you potentially have 400 million people that can click on the attachment. If you get 10 percent success, that's 40 million," he said.
Facebook.com's traffic recently topped Google.com's according to Hitwise.
Macy's Ending Gift Wrapping Service at Many Stores
Chain Store Agereports that Macy's is ending gift wrapping service this month at its Cincinnati-area department stores. Cincinnati stores will be among many locations nationwide where Macy's phases out gift wrapping. Macy’s spokesman Jim Sluzewski told Chain Store Age that only five Macy's flagship stores will keep a gift-wrapping department. These five stores include Herald Square in New York City, State Street in Chicago,; Union Square in San Francisco, South Coast Plaza in Orange County, California annd Dadeland Mall in Miami.
Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH) announced today that it will acquire Tommy Hilfiger B.V. from Apax Partners for about $3 billion in a cash and stock deal. The news confirmed earlier rumors. Tommy Hilfiger will no longer have a management role, but he will remain as the brand's principal designer and visionary for the Tommy Hilfiger brand. Fred Gehring will continue as CEO of Tommy Hilfiger and add the responsibility as CEO of PVH's international operations. Gehring will also join the PVH Board of Directors.
PVH said it will maintain and strengthen Tommy Hilfiger's relationship with Macy's, the exclusive wholesale carrier of Tommy Hilfiger merchandise in the U.S.
Tommy Hilfiger said, "This is the next phase in the global evolution and expansion of the Tommy Hilfiger brand. I am confident that Manny Chirico and the PVH organization will provide Tommy Hilfiger with the support and investment to allow my great partners in the Tommy Hilfiger organization to do what is necessary to take our brand to new heights. I look forward to remaining actively involved in the business and believe that PVH is the ideal partner to help us achieve our goals."
Pictured above: Emanuel Chirico, Chairman and CEO, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation; Tommy Hilfiger, Principal Designer and Visionary, Tommy Hilfiger B.V.; Fred Gehring, CEO, Tommy Hilfiger B.V.
MAC Cosmetics has partnered with Liberty of London, known for its kaleidoscopic prints and bohemian chic, for a new makeup collection. The Spring 2010 makeup line includes Britannia compacts, lipsticks, ee shadows, powder, blush, bail lacquers, make up bags and a scarf. You can find the new collection here on MAC's website. You can also view items from the new collection here and here.
ITN News reports that architect Bryan Berg has broken his own Guinness World Record for the largest playing card house built from free-standing playing cards. 218,792 playing cards were used to make the house. It took 4,000 decks of playing cards. The card house is a replica of the 1.2 million square-foot Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. Take a look:
You can find out more about Bryan Berg on his website and on his Twitter account, @Cardstacker.
Madonna's Material Girl Junior Collection to Debut at Macy's This Fall
Madonna will be debuting a junior collection at Macy's this fall. MG Icon, a newly formed joint venture between Madonna and Iconix Brand Group, announced its first license agreement with Macy's for the Material Girl collection. Material Girl is a newly created, fast-fashion junior collection that will launch exclusively in approximately 200 Macy's stores and online at macys.com in August 2010 in time for the back-to-school season.
The Material Girl collection was inspired and designed in collaboration with Madonna and her daughter Lourdes, along with Iconix Brand Group's in-house fashion department. In addition to the back-to-school apparel collection, Material Girl will also include footwear, handbags and jewelry. Items in the collection will retail from $12 to $40. The strategy for growth will include additional categories in the lifestyle and beauty sectors, including fragrance, beginning 2011 as well as a rollout into additional Macy's stores.
"We believe that Material Girl will be a dynamic exclusive brand for Macy's, and we look forward to working with Madonna, Lourdes and the Iconix team. Madonna is a fashion icon who can bring a new dimension to our juniors customer," said Jeff Gennette, Macy's chief merchandising officer. "Material Girl will enhance the excitement of fast fashion at Macy's."
The band OK Go has come up with another entertaining music video. The band's label appears to allowing video embedding with this video, which is a change from its policy for its other music vides. The video for "This Too Shall Pass was directed by James Frost, OK Go and Syyn Labs. The video was filmed in a two story warehouse in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. The crazy contraption inside the warehouse was designed and built by the band, along with members of Syyn Labs, over the course of several months. The song is from OK Go's latest album, Of the Blue Colour of the Sky. Take a look:
Macy's Announces New Fashion Brands and Home Line Expansions
Macy's announced it will roll out four new fashion brands and two home line expansions this spring. The new collections will begin arriving in select stores in March and April. The new collections will include:
Ellen Tracy – women's sportswear line
Threads & Heirs – men's casualwear featuring a capsule collection by couture designers Ruffian
Kouture by Kimora – of-the-moment looks for young trendsetters
mstylelab – jewelry and hair accessories for the young contemporary shopper
Vida for Espana by Eva Mendes – brand extension to casual Latin-inspired dinnerware
Martha Stewart Collection – brand extension to mattresses with styles in multiple comfort choices
Photos: Ellen Tracy (top), Kouture by Kimora (bottom)/Macy's
Macy's and Kenneth Cole to Launch Men's Sportswear Line
Macy's and Kenneth Cole announced today that they will launch a men's sportswear collection in fall 2010. Macy's will be the sole department store retailer of the new Kenneth Cole men's sportswear line in the U.S. The new men's sportswear collection called Reaction will focus on denim, graphic tees, and woven shirts. Reaction will be targeted at a young male demographic and will be less expensive than the Kenneth Cole New York collection.
Kenneth Cole's Reaction line also includes footwear, outerwear, pants, dress shirts, ties, bags, luggage, jewelry, sunglasses and fragrance. The new collection will launch September 2010.
"I am honoured and excited to be chosen as a judge on Britain's Next Top Model," Macdonald said today. "I hope my passion and experience within the industry can help create a show that is both realistic and fun, but more importantly, find the new face that can grace our catwalks."
The show is a British version of the America's Next Top Model reality show. Elle Macpherson is taking over for the former host, Lisa Snowdon.
Report: Madonna Launching Fashion Line to be Sold at Macy's
WWDreports that Madonna is reportedly in talks to launch an apparel and footwear line that would be sold at Macy's stores. Iconix Brand Group Inc. is reportedly handling the negotiations. WWD says the names being considered are Material Girl for the apparel line and Truth or Dare for the lingerie line. The rumor has not been confirmed by Madonna, Macy's or Iconix.
Walgreen Expands in New York City With Duane Reade Purchase
Bloombergreports that Walgreen is expanding in New York City with its acquisition of Duane Reade Holdings. The company has 257 locations in New York City.
"It's the only way Walgreen is going to get a powerful position in New York because Manhattan real estate is very difficult to get," said Howard Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz & Associates Inc., a New York-based retail consulting and investment banking firm.
Duane Reade makes Walgreen the biggest drugstore chain in New York's five boroughs, ahead of Rite Aid Corp. and Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based CVS Caremark Corp., which is second in the U.S. in stores and retail sales. Walgreen operates more than 7,100 stores, including 70 in the New York area.
On the @DR_DuaneReade Twitter account a tweet was posted that read, "Today's news is big - and happy. Understand that we'll still be Duane Reade -- just now, WAG has got our backs. We're not going anywhere!" The Wall Street Journal Deal Journal says Walgreen has no plans to change the name of the Duane Reade name.
John DeLucie Shares Ultimate Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
John DeLucie, executive chef of New York City's The Waverly Inn, gave Harry Smith some tips on how making the ultimate baked macaroni and cheese. Some of the ingredients in John DeLucie's homemade mac and cheese include Monterey Jack, Cheddar, milk, butter, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and truffles. You can find the recipe here. Take a look:
Wiredreports that HP has partnered with Stratasys to create a line of 3D printers that will cost around $15,000. The 3D printers will be marketed to businesses, designers and architects.
"This is the boldest step we have seen so far in 3-D printing," says Scott Summit, chief technology officer for Bespoke Innovations, a company that creates 3-D artifacts for medical use. "A lot of people want to do 3-D printing but it is a mysterious world. With HP embracing it, it is likely to demystify the idea to many consumers."
HP's printers will be manufactured by Stratasys, a company that specializes in 3-D printers.
The printers have long been used by designers and architects in computer aided design (CAD) to create prototypes before finalizing on the design for larg-scale production. But these printers cost many thousands of dollars and have been popular with only a select group of specialists.
At $15,000 the printers will be out of the price range for most hobbyists. Wired says there is a do-it-yourself 3D printer kit called Makerbot that hobbyists can purchase for around $950. You can read more about Makerbot here.
Eventually 3D printers will get cheaper and they will do much more. People will be able to download molding patterns from the Internet and create products like toys, cups, plates, vases and other products at home with their own 3D rapid prototyping machine. Some believe technology like this could revolutionize several industries.
There is a new virus is stealing passwords from Facebook users. McAfee says the virus arrives in an email that tricks people into clicking on an attachment by telling them their Facebook passwords have been changed. The attachment downloads malware onto the person's computer. McAfee has an image of what the email looks like 
Chain Store Age 
Madonna will be debuting a junior collection at Macy's this fall. MG Icon, a newly formed joint venture between Madonna and Iconix Brand Group, announced its first license agreement with Macy's for the Material Girl collection. Material Girl is a newly created, fast-fashion junior collection that will launch exclusively in approximately 200 Macy's stores and online at macys.com in August 2010 in time for the back-to-school season.
Vogue UK 
Bloomberg 
