Strictly Business

From Business Today:

Three-dimensional TV's have yet to capture the hearts of American viewers, but manufacturers think they may have the problem fixed: smaller glasses. That's right, TV makers think buyers have been put off by the bulky glasses needed to make the TV's appear in three dimensions. Hmmmm... It may be that 3-D television is the next big thing, and maybe someday all TV's will be 3-D. But not with glasses, bulky, sleek or otherwise.

Are companies really hiring? An optimistic report by a payroll firm suggests the labor market has really picked up. Automatic Data Processing says it figures companies added nearly 300,000 jobs in December, more than twice the number the government is expecting. The report has been too optimistic in the past, but even if it's mostly correct, things could be looking up for job seekers.

Wi-Fi has been the next big thing for a while, and Qualcomm wants a bigger piece of it. The maker of cell phone technology is buying Wi-Fi chip maker Atheros for $3.2 billion. The company is betting the growth of iPads, other tablets and smart phones will need more Wi-Fi parts to make things work.

Delaware North, the Buffalo-based global hospitality powerhouse, has added another contract in Europe. The company will rebuild and operate restaurants in the airport in Glasgow, Scotland. It already operates food service in Heathrow, Gatwick and Edinburgh airports in Great Britain.

Astronics of East Aurora has landed a nice contract to build in-seat power systems for Iberia Airlines for its economy class seats. The local company had a great 2010 and led the Buffalo area stock index, and it looks like 2011 is off to a flying start.

Who is getting hired, promoted or honored?

For TV fans...