Call it Solyndra on Wheels: Fisker Automotive, one of the biggest green-energy investments by the Obama administration, seems to be skidding quickly down the path to oblivion.

The latest blow came today with word from founder Henrik Fisker that he has resigned as executive chairman, citing "several major disagreements" with top management on business strategy, according to an email he apparently distributed to several major news organizations.Continue reading...

Apple fans camp overnight to buy new iPhone 4S, with co-founder Steve Wozniak first in line.

Etsy's revised privacy policy includes increased use of real names.

Gap to shutter one in five U.S. stores while expanding abroad.

Google beats expectations with strong earnings despite weak economy.

Hulu stops looking for a buyer.Continue reading...

Amazon launches tablet skirmish against Apple with Kindle Fire.

Darden targets sluggish performance of Olive Garden brand.

DreamWorks may take over distribution of its own films.

Electronic Arts will feature romping Sports Illustrated models in new video game.

Family Dollar keeps expanding.

Ford considers adding 10,000 jobs and moving Fusion production to the U.S. from Mexico, Bloomberg says.

Gas Station TV gets to distribute Bloomberg news content at the pump.Continue reading...

Major economies try to reassure investors with joint statement, but markets continue to swoon.

HP defends hasty hiring of Meg Whitman as CEO, as Whitman hits the ground running.

Chanel files sweeping Internet trademark suit in Nevada.

Boeing plans a celebration for long-delayed delivery of Dreamliner.

Alibaba gets major investment from abroad.

Apple opens fifth (and largest) China store, in Shanghai.

Borders name and IP sale to Barnes & Noble blocked by judge.Continue reading...

Pepsi returns to musical roots in spots for tonight's debut of The X Factor on Fox, while the UK version of the show copes with criticism over treatment of contestant. Meanwhile, analysts say that PepsiCo shareholders could reap big gains if the company executes a strategic split-up.

SABMiller gets Foster's to accede to a deal.

Burger King's post-King advertising clicks with consumers.

AOL needs Patch to turn a profit.

Apple schedules Oct. 4th press conference, presumably for iPhone 5 reveal.

CBS scores huge ratings for first episode of Two and a Half Men with Ashton Kutcher, including setting a Canadian TV record.

Chipotle sees strong growth potential from ShopHouse Asian eateries.

Chrysler seeks to keep lid on UAW pay through 2019.Continue reading...

Chipotle soft-launches ShopHouse Kitchen, a Southeast Asian fast casual restaurant concept, in Washington, D.C. (prompting Seattle's Shophouse eatery to rebrand to Little Uncle).

Yahoo and AOL may be planning an ad sales partnership.

Kenmore may be next brand 'farmed out' by Sears.

Bing introduces "adaptive search" to personalize results.

Eterniti teases luxury 'supercar' at Frankfurt Auto Show.

Facebook expands social ads push, delays IPO to late 2012.

Google buys more than 1,000 patents from IBM.

Louis Vuitton names next CEO, opens first airport store.

Marni and Estee Lauder partner on perfume collection.

Solyndra bankruptcy and loan become a bigger embarrassment for the Obama administration.

Toyota steps up research to make driving safer.

& Advertisers and retailers move up Halloween promotions earlier this year (on both sides of the pond).

Post Carol Bartz ouster, Yahoo may look for next leader in advertising as site retains financial advisers and mulls sale.

President Obama is expected to seek a $300-billion jobs package in his address to Congress tomorrow night.

AT&T could cut price of buying T-Mobile if regulator demands become too onerous.

BP casts about for new growth strategy.

Bank of America executes major shakeup of leadership.

Benetton unveils sexy image overhaul.

Borders is sued over layoffs.Continue reading...

When you're the president and Exhibit A in one of your centerpiece economic-development plans turns into a huge disappointment, the fallout is likely to be intensely negative. And we're not talking here about the $800 billion economic-stimulus program that President Obama launched in 2009.

Instead, it's the president's much-vaunted "green-jobs" strategy. And the brand under fire in this situation is Solyndra, a California-based solar-panel manufacturer that last week shut its doors and is now filing for bankruptcy protection despite receiving a $535-million federal loan guarantee and about $1 billion in venture capital.

The company, based in Fremont, Calif., was the first to receive funds under the Energy Department's loan-guarantee program for the clean-technology industry. Last year, President Obama visited Solyndra (its biggest US solar-panel contract: PepsiCo's Frito-Lay plant in Modesto, Calif.) and touted it for creating jobs. But facing competition from larger panel-makers, including some in China, Solyndra began to shrink almost before its new factory was built.Continue reading...