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PAGE C1 MADERA TRIBUNE Saturday, January 12, 2013TAKING CARE OF BUSINESSWENDYALEXANDER/THEMADERA TRIBUNEJordanChavira ofFast TrackCar Washcollectstowels andfills the windowcleaningbottles.JULIE JACOBSON/AP PHOTOAn industry affiliate tests out Ford’s SYNC connection and entertainment system inside a FordFusion at the Consumer Electronics Show on Wednesday in Las Vegas. Ford’s SYNC connectsthe car stereo and navigation system to a user’s mobile device.Carmakers let app developersdrive automotive innovationBy Ryan NakashimaTHE ASSOCIATED PRESSLAS VEGAS — It’s notwise to Google the nearest gasstation, compose email, or useyour smartphone to check thelatest sports scores while driving.But many Americans do.Drivers have grown so accustomedto their on-the-gotasks that automakers are increasinglytrying to makethose things easier to pull offwith both hands on the wheeland both eyes on the road.As General Motors andFord commissioned ideasfrom app makers this week,the possibilities for what youcan do with your vehicle’ssteering wheel buttons, microphone,speakers and internalTHE ASSOCIATED PRESSNEW YORK — Oil pricesfell Friday on concerns thatChina’s government could limiteconomic stimulus measuresbecause of higher inflation.Benchmark oil dropped 26cents to finish at $93.56 a barrelin New York. A day earlier,a report showing a rebound inChina’s trade growth boostedoil because it suggested a possiblerecovery in global demand.Friday’s data showed China’sinflation spiked to a sixmonthhigh in December.gauges are quickly expanding.How would you like tochoose your favorite tune bysimply uttering the song’s title,turn your car into a mobileWi-Fi hotspot, or respond toan ad you hear on the radiowithout lifting a finger?At the International CESshow, General Motors andFord launched programs thatwill open their designs to developers,inviting them to createsoftware applications forfuture car models. It’s a relativelynew strategy for carmakers, but one that manygadget manufacturers employ,including Apple, which did itfor the original iPhone in2007.The programs free the automakersfrom having to keeppace with new technologies bytying the functionality of theircars’ internal systems to advancesin smartphones.Ford Motor Co.’s app developerprogram, called SyncAppLink, “is a way for (thecompany) not to worry aboutthe next big app,” said productmanager Julius Marchwicki.General Motors Co. said itsframework “gives developersa whole new sandbox, withwheels.”In some ways, though, thecurrent systems inside carshave a long ways to go to providethe functionality thatsmartphones have offered foryears.SEE INNOVATION, PAGE C2Ford’s dividend could lure new investorsBy Paul HarloffTHE ASSOCIATED PRESSFord may get a longer lookfrom curious investors afterrolling out a more muscular,souped-up dividend on Thursday.The nation’s No. 2 automakeris doubling its quarterlypayout to 10 cents, justnine months after paying itsfirst dividend in more than fiveyears.The dividend increase marksanother milestone in Ford’scomeback. It has strengthenedits image with customers alongwith its balance sheet. Ford isexpected to report its fourthconsecutive annual profitwhen it releases earnings in afew weeks. In 2011, the companyposted its largest profitsince 1998.Analysts who cover FordMotor Co. quickly raised theirexpectations for the stock, sayingthe higher dividend couldmake it more attractive to investors.Ford shares rose 2.7percent to $13.83 Thursday,their highest closing pricesince July 2011.Ford’s dividend yield, ameasure of how much a companypays out relative to itsstock price, will rise to 2.9 percent,which is higher than theaverage 2.2 percent amongcompanies in the Standard &Poor’s 500 Index. MichaelRawson, a financial analyst atMorningstar, said that couldentice income fund managers,who look to generate dividendincome for their clients. Individualinvestors, unhappy withthe current low rates on Treasuriesand certificates of deposit,might also take Ford fora spin. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was 1.9percent Thursday.Because of historically lowinterest rates and tepid economicgrowth, investors areshopping around for reliabledividend income. “InvestorsSEE FORD, PAGE C2Oil slips as China inflation picks upHigher inflation could hamperBeijing’s ability to support thecountry’s economic recovery.Reports that Saudi Arabiaproduced 9 million barrels ofcrude oil in December,500,000 barrels less than theprevious month, kept pricesfrom falling further. Officialfigures will be released nextWednesday in OPEC’s monthlyoil market report.In the U.S., average pumpprices remain around $3.31 agallon, up about 2 cents in thepast week.Brent crude, used to price internationalvarieties of oil, fell$1.25 to end at $110.64 perbarrel on the ICE Futures exchangein London.In other energy futures tradingon Nymex:— Wholesale gasoline fell 5cents to finish at $2.74 a gallon.— Heating oil lost 5 cents toend at $3.01 a gallon.— Natural gas rose 13 centsto finish at $3.33 per 1,000 cubicfeet, its second day ofstrong gains after starting theyear with a decline of about 7percent.Fast Track Car Wash is at 127 Pine Street.Gill Chrysler-Dodge-JeepGill Buick-GMC-Cadillac$29 .95+ TaxIncludes Multi-point Checkup.Up to 6 qts. conventional oil. Synthetic oil, dexos1 oil, diesels & hemi’s extra. 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