Spring break is around the corner and you?re ready to chill. But while you?ve been slaving away to pass your midterms, you haven?t made any plans ? and you don?t have much money.
Don?t worry, we?ve got you covered.
A good spring break doesn?t require a ton of cash: a place to go, a way to get there, somewhere to stay, cheap food, and ? for those of proper age ? perhaps a drink or two.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A senior Republican senator said he will vote to confirm Chuck Hagel as defense secretary, a major boost for President Barack Obama's nominee just days before a showdown vote.
Five-term Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama told the Decatur Daily that while he has concerns about Hagel, he plans to support his fellow Republican and the former two-term senator from Nebraska.
"He's probably as good as we're going to get," Shelby said.
Jonathan Graffeo, a spokesman for Shelby, said Thursday that barring any unforeseen surprises between now and an expected Senate vote on Tuesday, the senator will back Hagel.
Obama's choice to succeed Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has faced strong Republican opposition, and last week the GOP succeeded in an unprecedented filibuster of a nominee for Pentagon chief. Shelby joined most of his Republicans colleagues in voting against moving ahead on the Hagel nomination.
With another vote slated for next week, Shelby now stands with two other Republicans who have indicated their support for Hagel -- Thad Cochran of Mississippi and Mike Johanns of Nebraska. The GOP support -- combined with 55 Democratic votes and two other Republicans opposed to delaying tactics -- would give the nomination the requisite 60 votes out of 100 necessary to move ahead.
Republicans have criticized Hagel for his past statements and votes, contending that he hasn't been sufficiently supportive of Israel and has been too tolerant of Iran. They also have challenged his support for reducing the nation's nuclear arsenal and his opposition to the Iraq war after his initial vote for the conflict.
His nomination also has become entangled in GOP demands for more information from the Obama administration about the deadly assault on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, last September that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.
(Copyright (c) 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
If you thought stunning images of nebulous gas clouds in space couldn't get any prettier, think again. Finnish astrophotographer J-P Mets?vainio has combined art and science to make these stunning 3D-esque animated GIFs of nebulae. More »
Barnes is a wonderful location for families and the perfect compromise between country and city
Country-at-heart families forced to live in town will find the perfect compromise in Barnes. The area was once home to Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth I's cunning secretary, and later became a fashionable destination for boating parties. London gobbled it all up in the 19th century, when Hammersmith Bridge and the railway linked the village to the bustling city. Nonetheless, Barnes remains a corner of glorious countryside in the heart of London. Green and pleasant land
What sets Barnes apart from the rest of London are its wideopen spaces. Life still revolves around pretty Barnes Green, where flocks of noisy ducks swim in the small pond, and locals like to lift their spirits with a refreshing walk on the leafy common. A big loop of the River Thames forms most of the area's boundary, and a stroll along the towpath often reveals herons, grebes and seabirds, as wellas all manner of boats.
Just off Queen Elizabeth Walk is the London Wetland Centre, where four redundant reservoirs have been converted into a 100-acre nature reserve visited by hundreds of bird species. Next to it, the Barn Elms Playing Fields and Rocks Lane Multi Sports Centre combine verdant vistas with a wide array of sport facilities-including an athletics track and a smallfishing lake. Much wilder is Barnes Common, which stretches along the village's southern borders. The rough beauty of this patch of dry grassland and natural woods makes it the ideal place to gather your thoughts, take in the morning mists or simply walk the dog.
Schools
Together with the extensive green spaces, schools are Barnes's greatest strength. On Lonsdale Road, St Paul's (with its prep, Colet Court) is one of the best boys' schools in the country, and one of the finest girls' schools, St Paul's Girls, is just across Hammersmith Bridge. Both have notoriously tough admission tests, but there are plenty of excellent alternatives for those who don't make it into this Holy Grail of academia. The Harrodian is also on Lonsdale Road and the local State school, Barnes Primary School on Cross Street, is excellent.
Notable residents
Barnes has long attracted artistic types. Among the first to move to the area were Handel, who, in 1712, lived for a time at Barn Elms, and Henry Fielding, who stayed at the grand Milbourne House, facing the green, in 1750. In the 1920s, Dodie Smith, author of I Capture the Castle and 101 Dalmatians, lived in Riverview Gardens.
Parish church
Grade II*-listed St Mary's, on Church Road, is very familyfriendly. Informal services suitable for small children take place once a month and a lively Sunday Club keeps the little ones engaged during the regular service.
Architecture
?The Lion Houses are a hallmark of Barnes,' says Donovan Kelly of Winkworth, referring to a cluster of imposing Edwardian houses just off the green, whose gables and gateposts are topped by lion statues. The Terrace has elegant Georgian houses and Little Chelsea has neat rows of cottages in pretty pastel colours.
Butcher, baker, candlestick maker
J. Seal, at 7, Barnes High Street, sells organic chicken, beef and delicious sausages. A few doors down, the Barnes Fish Shop is a proper fishmonger that gets fresh fish from Cornwall every day, and The Real Cheese Shop is a tiny space crammed with Tomme de Savoie, Roquefort and Raclette, plus British treats. Mr Kelly is a fan of the greengrocer at 85, Church Road (Two Peas in a Pod) and of Bees of Barnes, selling mouthwatering honey at 15, Vine Road.
Top shops
Beyond food, antiques are the things to buy in Barnes, and White Hart Lane has especially good shops. At number 62, The Dining Room Shop stocks vintage china, glass and table linen, as well as antique and bespoke furniture. At number 68, Tobias and the Angel carries a range of antique fabrics, plus unusual furniture and accessories.
Pubs and restaurants
The White Hart, opposite The Terrace, is a favourite for a quiet pint with riverside views. More brasserie than pub, The Depot (Tideway Yard, Mortlake High Street) serves juicy steaks and crispy fries to accompany the magnificent views of the Thames. On Church Road, Riva, which has been going for decades, is one of London's best Italian restaurants
Afternoon tea Shabby-chic furnishings and delectable cakes make the Orange Pekoe tearoom on White Hart Lane a favourite with yummy mummies, but the tea is a real draw, too, with a well designed? list that includes single estate leaves as well as easy drinking blends.
Village fairs and markets
The Barnes Community Association runs a popular fair on the green on the second Saturday in July. Two food markets take place every week: the country market, held on Friday morning at Rose House (70, Barnes High Street) and the farmer's market, which is held on Saturday mornings in the grounds of the Essex House Surgery.
Out and about
The Bull's Head (373, Lonsdale Road) is Barnes's answer to Ronnie Scott's. This period pub started featuring live jazz in 1959 and hasn't stopped. The great and the good of the jazz world have all made an appearance here, but the pub is also committed to helping fledgling performers build a following.
Local market
?Barnes is a very school-driven market,' explains Sandra Carline of Savills. Buyers-many of whom come from central London-often look to move into the area to be close to St Paul's, but also appreciate the rural atmosphere and great community spirit, as well as the easy access into the City. As a result, activity in the prime property bracket is robust, and lately has lengthened beyond the traditional spring months. ?The last quarter of 2012 has been surprisingly strong, with unexpected but highly sought-after properties coming to the market for the first time in 10-20 years.'
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Dream home
Station Road, ?6.25 million This 16th-century, Grade-II-listed house with six bedrooms is right in the heart of the village and retains a strong period character. Savills (020-8939 6900)
Family house
Elm Grove Road, ?1.495 million This four-bedroom Victorian house features large reception rooms with stone fireplaces. Winkworth (020-8255 0088)
Bolthole
Lonsdale Road, ?549,950 You can hardly get closer to St Paul's than with this two-bedroom apartment, which enjoys views across the school's playing fields. Hamptons (020-8658 7344)
All the talk in recent days has been about the potential "Star Wars" spin-off films and which of the old characters could come back, ..
Now those folks who actually writing the new trilogy seem more focused on what comes next in so far as the big picture is concerned
Screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan ("The Empire Strikes Back," "Raiders of the Lost Ark") tells The LA Times:
"I?m trying to start fresh. There are certain pleasures that we think the saga can bring to people that they?ve been missing, and we?re hoping to bring them that, and at the same time, have them feel that it?s all new."
Meantime Simon Kinberg ("Sherlock Holmes," "X-Men: Days of Future Past") is more circumspect, telling IGN:
"As a fan, I wouldn't want to know too much? I understand the excitement, and I'm happy that people are interested, obviously. But I'd rather people have something left to discover when they go "
J.J. Abrams is going to direct "Star Wars: Episode VII" at Disney/Lucasfilm.
Oscar winner Michael Arndt ("Toy Story 3," "Little Miss Sunshine") is writing the script for the ?Star Wars: Episode VII The draft is said to include Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo in their later years, which may mean those early rumours of Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher being interested in returning could be true. No word yet if Mark Hamill could be tempted to return as Luke Skywalker... And Might Vader Return?
Writers Lawrence Kasdan and Kinberg will pen the final two instalments of the new "Star Wars" trilogy
Kasdan and Kinberg would also join the projects as producers with Kathleen Kennedy.
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This weekend's MacUpdate Promo offers 49% savings on NetShade - Anonymous Proxy & VPN 5.2. "For added security, the latest version of NetShade includes a year of VPN service for encrypting all of your traffic and keeping it safe from prying eyes. Protect your data and your privacy like never before with NetShade."
Is it true that Tim Cook never wanted to sue Samsung?
Cast your vote in "Today's Poll..." in the left column below or go straight to the results here.
Weekend Highlights: Reuters explores Apple's complicated relationship with Samsung in Frenemies for life; The New York Times is back with the curved glass iOS watch rumor; Over at Fortune, Philip Elmer-DeWitt considers Apple's erroneous analysts as prisoners of momentum; The Macalope considers the Microsoft Surface Pro and MacBook Air in Just Asking; While everyone is focused on Apple's future in China, another sleeping giant awakes: India, where iPhone sales are reported to have grown 400% in three months ? reports aplenty in our Apple/Macintosh, and Op/Ed sections; meanwhile, hedge fund wizard suing Apple to unleash cash hoard to investors, Apple releases statement, saying preferred stock is under consideration, coverage in our Apple/Macintosh, and Finances sections; The Motley Fool's Marcus Vilkas thinks he knows how Apple's TV "will transform the industry"; Forbes' Hadyn Shaughnessy says Apple has an innovation problem, that of finding "a new category-busting product like the iPhone"; on Thursday, Apple, Adobe release emergency patches for Flash Zero Day security hole; what to do with buggy play counts and smart playlists in iTunes?; would an iCloud server give Apple a leg up in the private cloud space?; StatCounter data drops Nokia from first place to third behind Apple, Samsung; one by one e-book defendants settle with the DOJ, the latest being Macmillan, leaving Apple alone to fight; AppleTell wraps up 2013's Macworld/iWorld conference; jog down memory lane to the pre-fashionable Apple; Woz warns Apple falling behind Samsung; new report suggests iPhone 6 will feature 5G WiFi chipset, and rumors suggest it'll be a 5" model; and more rumors predict iPhone 5S will arrive along side the bigger iPhone 6 in 2013.
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"Friday Q&A: Restricting Time Machine's Size"?TechRadar UK?2/9
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"Q&A: MacFixIt Answers/This week, readers sent in questions on topics including inability to boot and how to test a nonfunctional external DVD player."?CNET Reviews?2/8
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"Apple IPads Neutered for U.S. Government in CACI Mobile Push: CACI International Inc. has altered 'thousands' of Apple Inc. iPads so they can be used securely by the U.S. government, according to Dan Allen, CACI's chief executive officer."?Bloomberg?2/8
"Home Depot abandoning BlackBerry platform in favor of Apple's iPhone and iOS"?AppleInsider?2/8
"iPhone 5 fails to boost Apple's market share in China: Lenovo became one of the world's top five smartphone vendors because of high shipments in China"?Macworld UK?2/8
"Apple and Samsung devices displace Nokia worldwide for first time in terms of Internet usage, says StatCounter"?DigiTimes?2/8
"Digitimes Research: Global tablet shipments to suffer 20% drop in 1Q13"?DigiTimes?2/8
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"Google Drives into web hosting: Google Drive has turned on a feature that lets the cloud storage service become a limited web host."?The Register?2/8
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"Ditch Your Mac And Roll iPad Only?We'll Tell You How On Our All-New CultCast"?Cult of Mac?2/8
"Moshi shows off Versacover for iPad mini at Macworld|iWorld 2013"?iMore?2/8
"Macworld 2013 ? Other World Computing's Super-Protective iPhone Case and Newest SSD"?MacVoicesTV?2/8
"Some iPhone Users Complaining Of iOS 6.1 Battery Drain Problem"?Forbes?2/8
"iPhone users, U.K. carrier report bugs after iOS 6.1 upgrade: Battery drain and problems with Microsoft Exchange, plus 3G service on one European carrier, are causing headaches for iPhone users."?CNET News?2/8
"iPad 5 rumour rollup for the week ending 8 February: The most recent iPad 5 rumors draw fresh hope from newly announced Apple patents, from unnamed industry sources, and from pure wishful thinking"?Network World?2/8
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"iPhone 5S and 5-inch iPhone 6 reportedly spotted at Apple supplier"?iDownload Blog?2/8
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AppleCare/Helps
"Vodafone: Don't upgrade your iPhone 4S to iOS 6.1"?Tracy and Matt?2/9
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"Uber Racer 3D -Sandstorm For iPhone and iPad Is Temporarily Available For Free (Normally $0.99)"?Apple Sliced?2/9
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"Word of the Rings For iPhone and iPad Is Free Today (Was $0.99)"?Apple Sliced?2/9
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"These Weird Searches Make Google Return Nothing But Porn"?Gizmodo?2/9
"Freebie Friday: Get a 50GB Box cloud account for free/This is quite possibly the best cloud-storage giveaway ever. What's the catch? I'll let you know when I find one."?CNET Reviews?2/8
"Goodbye Surface RT, hello Surface Pro: I won't miss getting work done again"?ZDNet?2/8
"BYOD--the trojan horse to make you work more"?ZDNet?2/8
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"This Week's Must-Have iOS Apps: Mailbox, AudioBox, Beastie Bay & More"?Cult of Mac?2/9
"MoneyControl Pro 4.0 - Keep track of the Family Budget via iPhone/iPad"?prMac?2/9
"Big iPad game 'Infinity Blade: Dungeons' delayed again/Epic Games has shut down the in-house studio put in charge of the upcoming iPad title that Apple showed off as a tech demo last year."?CNET News?2/8
"Mophie juices iPhone 5 batteries as new Belkin keyboard turns iPad mini into notebook"?AppleInsider?2/8
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The Winter 2013 issue of Columbia Business School's Graham & Doddsville is out and it features interviews with JANA Partners' Barry Rosenstein and Scott Ostfeld, where they talked about their investment style.
Also featured in the newsletter:
Daniel Krueger of Owl Creek givesan intriguing interview on investment process and pitches Leap Wireless (LEAP).
Frank Martin of Martin Capital Management on his top-down approach and the importance of limiting losses.? He also has two books, Speculative Contagion and A Decade of Delusions.?
Russell Glass of RDG Capital on his private equity oriented style and the influence of Carl Icahn.
Jon Friedland of Amici Capital on how he finds investment ideas.
Highlights From JANA Partners' Interview
On important lessons Rosenstein's learned:? "But from Asher (Edelman), I probably learned more important skills.? These had more to do with taking risks while not blinking and remaining fearless.? I give him a lot of credit.? He wasn't the most technically savvy guy, but he had great instincts and he never showed fear, even if he felt it at times.? That was important lesson."
After experience in private equity, Rosenstein founded his hedge fund and his first investor was Lee Cooperman (of Omega Advisors).? JANA started with $17 million and by 2007 it had over $8 billion under management.
On how activist investing impacts portfolio construction:? "Our highest conviction ideas are the ideas where we have the most impact on the outcome. Those are our activist ideas which tend to be our largest and highest returning posi- tions in the portfolio. You?re also, frankly, doing a lot of work on these posi- tions, so you want to bene- fit from that work by mak- ing it a large position. So our portfolio can be a bit more concentrated."
On JANA's approach:? "In our approach, we're extremely disciplined. I don't want to be only an activist because then you force things and the quality of your ideas is diluted. We don't ever have to be an activist here. We can just invest in event-driven situa- tions. For something to be an activist play, all of the criteria have to be present for us. We came up with this rubric we call V-cubed, which is Value, Votes, and Variety of ways to win. Basically, we have to be comfortable buying in at a valuation that provides us with a margin of safety, irre- spective of any activism we will attempt to initiate and that may be unsuccessful. We have to be comfortable that if it really came down to a vote that we would have shareholder support. And variety of ways to win ? you want to make sure that there's more than one lever you can pull in case circumstances change.? In my experience, if you have all three of those checked off, you're guaranteed victory.? If you're missing one of them, there's a good chance you're going to lose.? We're extremely judicious."
On mistakes Rosenstein's learned from: "I?ve made so many mistakes I can't even think about it. I'll give you one thing that's not an investing concept, but something that I've come to realize that might be helpful. Being po- lite to people and treating people with respect is good business. It's not just a good thing to do, it actually inures to your benefit as well."
Advice from Ostfeld:? "A hypothetical 'A' in the investing world, the point at which you are performing at the highest level, only requires being right more than half the time. The truth is investing can be very frustrating, diffi- cult, unpredictable, and gru- eling. So you should only pursue the career if you have the passion, if you?re intellectually curious, and if you?re committed to it, be- cause at every turn, you can be very quickly humbled. That?s the nature of the business."
Embedded below is the Winter 2013 issue of Columbia Business School's Graham & Doddsville newsletter:
For past worthwhile interviews from the newsletter, we posted up Joel Greenblatt's interview in Graham & Doddsville as well as interviews with Jim Chanos and Julian Robertson.
In a YouTube clip, Christian Dawson explains the purpose and function of the Internet Infrastructure Coalition.
The Internet Infrastructure Coalition, the organization created by hosting providers to represent the needs of the industry to the US government on matters of public policy, is planning an event at the capital designed to educate lawmakers on the role that internet infrastructure providers play in powering the economy.
I2C board chair Christian Dawson posted recently on the organization?s blog, saying that while details are still being finalized, members from the coalition?s roster will visit congress on February 27 in an effort to educate lawmakers on how the internet works in general.
?Our goal for Internet Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill is simple,? says Dawson, in the blog post. ?We aim to educate legislators and members of the press about the Internet industry and the importance of supporting legislative and regulatory strategies that promote Internet growth and innovation. We understand the significance of collaboration and cooperation between those who understand and build the Internet and our elected leaders to find the best policy solutions.?
Founded in July of 2012, a part of the movement of Internet-interested parties to fight against the passing of the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act, the i2Coalion launched at HostingCon last summer, to a strong show of support from businesses in the hosting industry. Following the defeat of those bills (as a result of a large and Internet-wide effort), the i2C has continued in its efforts at education.
According to the post, the group planning to participate in person with the event includes representatives from coalition members AiNET, Arvixe, Black Lotus, Cheval Capital, Firehost, Gandi.net, Green Olive Tree, Handy Networks, Hedgehog Hosting, Jumpline, LeaseWeb USA, ServInt, Studio 1337 and WiredTree.
Along with the hosting industry representation, Dawson says Senators Jerry Moran and Ron Wyden have confirmed that they will be involved in the day. Both Moran and Wyden have been supportive of the group?s work, and were early opponents for SOPA and PIPA.
Dawson says in the post that he plans to issue an update once the plans for the February 27 event are finalized.
Talk back: Are you involved with the i2Coalition, or familiar with its efforts? What do you think about the Internet Advocacy Day? Let us know in the comments.
About Liam Eagle
Liam Eagle has worked as a contributor to the Web Host Industry Review since its inception in 2000, and as editor since 2003. He has been editor of the WHIR's print magazine since its launch. His daily involvement in the gathering and reporting of Web hosting news and his regular interaction with Web hosting leaders gives him an uncommonly broad appreciation of the issues and tends facing the business. Through his WHIR blog, Liam spots Web hosting trends and offers opinions on the industry-wide impacts of major developments and the motivation behind big announcements. Follow him on Twitter @liameagle
After a year of studying up close the symbiotic relationship between a mosquito-sized bug and a fungus, a Simon Fraser University biologist has advanced the scientific understanding of biological diversity.
Jeffrey Joy has discovered that symbiosis ? a relationship between two or more organisms that can be parasitic or mutualistic ? is as much the mother of biological diversity as predation and competition.
The Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series Bjournal has just published the post-doctoral researcher's findings online. They advance Joy's previous doctoral work under SFU biologist Bernard Crespi that led to a paper, in the same journal, about the remarkable diversity of plant feeding insects.
Joy's latest paper is Symbiosis catalyzes niche expansion and diversification.
After comparing the niche and species diversification of two categories of gall-inducing flies, Joy has concluded that prolific diversity can be a hallmark of symbiotic relationships. No bigger than a speck of dust on your fingertip, these flies (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) are ubiquitous worldwide, with more than 6100 species.
Joy found one group (617 families) of these flies was in a symbiotic relationship with a fungus called Botryosphaeria. Another, much larger control group (2809 families) had no such relationship with the fungus.
Scientists are not yet certain how the fly and fungus came together in the first place. But Joy has discovered that their relationship has evolved at least four different times, since the two first saw symbiosis ? as opposed to love ? at first sight.
Flies involved with the fungi have developed the ability to pick up the fungi, store them in biological pockets and deposit them on plants. There, the flies use the fungi to turn plant tissue into food inside a gall, a tumour-like structure that the flies cause on the plant.
"The flies are like pirates," explains Joy. "They use the fungi as boats to float across a genomic sea and board a plant that is genetically far removed from what they would otherwise be able to feed on."
The fungus, which is a broad-feeding plant pathogen, allows the flies to feed on a greater variety of plants compared to their non-symbiotic brethren.
"Symbiotic lineages of these flies have undergone a more than seven-fold expansion in the range of plants they can feed on relative to the lineages without such fungal symbionts. Also, one genus of gall-inducing flies utilizing fungal symbionts is 50 per cent more diverse than its brethren without the symbiotic relationship."
Joy is as excited about discovering how symbiosis between flies and fungi advances evolutionary theories as he is about discovering the relationship itself.
"The goal of this work was to test predictions of evolutionary theories of diversification and symbiosis," explains Joy. "The theory I observed in action is that the evolution of symbiosis catalyzes niche expansion ? an organism's use of more resources ? and diversification ? increased species in lineages.
"These findings expand our understanding of how biological diversity is generated and how processes, such as symbiosis, lead to some remarkable examples of biology, such as the symbiotic mutualism between clownfish and sea anemone."
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Simon Fraser University: http://www.sfu.ca
Thanks to Simon Fraser University for this article.
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Paul A. Eisenstein , The Detroit Bureau? ? ?6 hrs.
You don?t get to be number one by sitting on the sidelines. Yet, since rolling out the original T100 more than two decades ago, Toyota has largely been left on the bench in the U.S. full-sizemarket. It remains the only major segment where the world?s largest automaker has repeatedly failed to become a significant, if not dominant player.
But Toyota is nothing if not patient. It took a series of tries to get on the boards in the once-thriving minivan market. And the Japanese maker is betting that it will eventually come up with the right formula for a full-size truck.
Like the one it is showing off in Chicago this week, an all-new version of the Toyota Tundra that has clearly been designed to correct past mistakes. The third-generation Toyota truck features a bolder, more rugged design, a bigger and quieter cabin, and a number of what the maker claims to be truck segment firsts, including Blind Spot Monitoring and Cross-Traffic Alert.
Whether that will be enough to take on the dominant domestics in one of the U.S. market?s largest and most profitable segments, however, is far from certain ? especially with all of Toyota?s Detroit competitors digging in to maintain their current ranks. And the Japanese maker will soon face new competition from home as Nissan prepares a redesign of its own, slow-selling Titan.
(For more on the next-generation Nissan Titan, Click Here.)
?Toyota prides itself on listening to its customers and the development of the 2014 American-born Tundra is a perfect example,? contends Bill Fay, group vice president and general manager, Toyota Division.
Toyota has rapidly expanded its U.S. design and engineering operations in recent years, and the maker is billing the 2014 Tundra as ?American-born.? No surprise, perhaps, considering this is a distinctly North American segment, with only marginal sales of full-size pickups beyond U.S. borders.
Development of the third-generation Toyota truck was largely handled through the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan while design work was the purview of the Calty Design Research centers in Newport Beach, California and Ann Arbor, Michigan. The truck will be assembled at Toyota?s San Antonio, Texas plant, appropriate considering the size of the Lone Star State?s pickup market.
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But pickup sales across the U.S. are showing strong signs of revival after the devastating economic downturn. Trucks are closely linked to the housing market which is just beginning what could be a solid upturn over the next several years ? making it all the more critical for Toyota to get things right with the 2014 Tundra.
The outgoing truck tried to distinguish itself with a design that wasn?t a me-too clone of the domestic competition. If anything, Toyota is moving more in line with the shape of Detroit sheet metal, something that may be more comforting to buyers in this most traditionalist of segments.
The chrome grille is 1.6-inches taller, the vehicle has a broader, more planted stance. With truck buyers, you can talk ?bold,? but there?s a need to make your truck look rugged, durable and able to handle whatever you throw at it without complaint.
Perhaps the place the truck market has been changing most is in the interior. The new Chevrolet Silverado is a good example, opting for an evolutionary exterior design revision but a much more dramatic rejigging of the interior. Toyota appears to be following a similar philosophy.
The cabin of the 2014 Toyota Tundra is, it claims, bigger and more lavishly outfitted. A first glance suggests the maker has trimmed back on the cheap plastic parts and panels that have saved it money but cheapened the look of a number of models over the last decade. The maker claims it has put an emphasis on ergonomics ? the driver?s reach for climate and audio controls has been trimmed by 2.6 inches, for example.
Meanwhile, each of the five individual grades gets its own distinct look and feel, something that Ford pioneered with the best-selling F-Series pickup. The Tundra SR5, the volume model in the line-up, will feature a ?professional gear? theme, with metal accents and contrasting fabrics in a cabin divided into distinct driver and passenger modes.
The Platinum edition, meanwhile, accents ?an urban, contemporary edge,? according to Toyota division General Manager Fay, ?appealing to a new generation of buyers.?
If there?s a surprise in the details Toyota has revealed about the new 2014 Tundra it?s the maker?s decision to stick with its existing powertrain line-up, though it claims to have made some tweaks ?to improve performance.?
There will still be the three familiar engine options, starting with a 4.0-liter DOHC V-6 making 270 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque. It?s paired with a 5-speed automatic.
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The midrange engine is a 4.6-liter DOHC V-8 turning out 310 horsepower and 327 lb-ft, while the heavy lifter is the 5.7-liter V-8 churning out 381 hp and 401 lb-ft. Both V-8s are paired to 6-speed automatics. The 5.7 gives the Tundra a maximum 10,400 pounds of towing capacity in the 4?2 regular cab configuration.
With competitors offering a range of new, high-mileage alternatives, notably the popular Ford turbocharged EcoBoost V-6, and with word that General Motors and even Nissan could follow with standard-duty diesels, that raises the question about whether Toyota has more still in the development stage.
CEO Akio Toyota has often suggested he?d like a hybrid for just about every possible model. Could one eventually follow for Tundra? And in a conversation with TheDetroitBureau.com, Toyota division chief Fay suggested one might come out of the Japanese maker?s new joint venture with Ford. The two have teamed up to develop hybrid systems for larger vehicles that could include future truck models.
Innovation has become an increasingly important factor in the pickup market, whether it comes in the form of creative storage nooks or more high-tech features. There?ll be Bluetooth connectivity, of course, and on the safety front the new 2014 Toyota Tundra will be the first full-size pickup to get such features as the aforementioned Blind Spot Monitor and a standard-issue back-up camera. It will also feature eight airbags.
But there are still some things missing from the list. While the new Tundra will come in three cab styles, two-door Regular Cab, four-door Double Cab and four-door CrewMax, all of them offered with either 4?2 or 4?4, that still leaves the third-generation truck lacking the broader range of body styles of key Detroit competitors. And there?s nothing in the way of mid- and heavy-duty models.
Those are significant gaps, some observers caution. Could Toyota have bigger plans yet to come? That?s quite possible, certainly if it has ambitions to generate more than just incremental sales growth. Then again, the maker might have to wait until it does an even more complete tear-up of the Tundra platform later this decade.
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It will certainly help that the overall full-size market is making a comeback after sliding to ?just? 1.1 million units in 2009, its worst year in decades. Volume rebounded to 1.6 million last year, ?and we see it hitting 1.6 million by 2015,? forecast Fay.
Toyota?s share, however, has been miniscule, U.S. sales reaching only 100,000 last year, or less than what Ford sold in under two months.
?We?ll probably not get a whole lot of (additional) volume this year,? cautioned Fay. ?We?ll get a lift next year,? Toyota hoping 2014 will see Tundra sales climb to 130,000, still a marginal level.
The new Tundra, backed by Toyota?s marketing muscle, could make some further inroads longer-term but it remains to be seen whether the Japanese giant will finally move from the bench into the front line.
Country-at-heart families forced to live in town will find the perfect compromise in Barnes. The area was once home to Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth I's cunning secretary, and later became a fashionable destination for boating parties. London gobbled it all up in the 19th century, when Hammersmith Bridge and the railway linked the village to the bustling city. Nonetheless, Barnes remains a corner of glorious countryside in the heart of London.
