Google (GOOG) unveiled its long-planned music service Tuesday, but it will likely need deals with the recording industry to reach its full potential. Called “Music Beta by Google,” the service lets users store their tunes remotely and access them from any compatible device, including mobile phones, tablets and computers. Google’s music service comes just six weeks after Amazon.com announced a similar offering. A big hurdle has been getting deals with major record labels. Google did not mention any agreements. The tech giant has been in discussions with record labels over licensing deals.
Energy
San Ramon-based Chevron has struck a deal to sell liquefied natural gas to Japan-based JX Nippon Oil & Energy for a portion of the LNG that Chevron develops at its Gorgon Project in the ocean off Australia. Under the deal, JX Nippon Oil will receive 300,000 tons a year of LNG from the Gorgon Project for 15 years. Following the lethal earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan and some nuclear plants, some analysts believe LNG supplies could be a viable replacement for the lost energy production in the quake-ravaged nation.
Water
San Leandro-based Energy Recovery has been selected to provide equipment for an expansion of a seawater reverse osmosis project in the Bahamas. Energy Recovery’s systems are expected to reduce the cost and energy required to produce drinking water from the ocean for the island of New Providence in the Bahamas. The system will provide 4.9 million gallons of water a day for the island’s inhabitants.
Jobs
Emeryville-based Jamba plans to hire 2,500 young people ages 16 to 24 as part of a summer jobs initiative. The people would be hired at the company’s Jamba Juice stores. The hiring program is part of a federal plan to mitigate youth unemployment during the summer.
Food
Pleasanton-based Safeway has recalled at all of its company-owned stores the “Eating Right Veggie Party Platter” due to possible salmonella contamination of grape tomatoes. In the Bay Area, the product is being removed from the supermarket chain’s Safeway and Pak N’ Save stores. No illnesses have been reported. Safeway says it’s participating in this voluntary recall as a precautionary measure.
Compiled from staff and wire reports.
Got Bay Area business news? Reach Drew Voros at 925-943-8099 or dvoros@bayareanewsgroup.com.
