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Roundup: Google offers unlimited free storage of photos, videos; JPMorgan to lay off 5,000 employees across firm; more | TribLIVE.com
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Roundup: Google offers unlimited free storage of photos, videos; JPMorgan to lay off 5,000 employees across firm; more

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In this Oct. 18, 2010 photo, an Amazon.com package awaits delivery from UPS in Palo Alto, Calif. Amazon on Thursday, May 28, 2015, said it will offer free same-day delivery service in some cities to its Prime loyalty club members.

Google offers unlimited free photo, video storage

Google is willing to store and organize all of the world's digital photos and videos for free.

The online photo service announced Thursday is the latest example of Google's desire to wrap its tentacles around virtually every part of people's lives.

Google will provide unlimited storage of all photos up to 16 megapixels and high-definition video up to 1080p.

The service, called Google Photos, will be available as an app on Android and Apple devices, and on a website. It's a variation of the photo-management tool on Google Plus, a social networking service that has struggled to compete against Facebook since its 2011 debut.

Apple has a photo service that offers up to 5 gigabytes of storage for free. Yahoo's Flickr service offers 1 terabyte of storage for free.

Report: JPMorgan to cut 5,000 positions across bank

JPMorgan Chase & Co. will cut about 5,000 jobs over the next year, as the bank closes branches and slims down its operations, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing anonymous sources.

A representative for the New York bank declined to comment.

The job cuts will come from across the bank, but particularly from the consumer bank. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, at an investor conference this week, said the average Chase branch would lose one employee — mostly through attrition.

JPMorgan executives said in February that they expect to have 300 fewer branches over the next two years — roughly 5 percent of its network — because more customers were doing everyday banking transactions online or on their smartphones. The bank had 5,570 branches as of the first quarter.

Teva will pay $1.2B in drug-delay settlement

Federal regulators announced Thursday that Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries will pay $1.2 billion to settle charges that one of its subsidiaries illegally blocked the introduction of low-cost generic versions of the blockbuster sleeping pill Provigil.

The settlement is a major victory in the federal government's campaign against a common drug industry practice known as “pay-for-delay” deals.

Drugmakers have long maintained that the deals help resolve costly patent litigation between branded drugmakers and their generic competitors. But Federal Trade Commission officials have argued for over a decade that the agreements keep cheaper forms of medicines off the market, driving up costs for consumers and the nation's health system.

Amazon to offer free same-day delivery to Prime club members

Amazon wants to make your impulse buys even more impulsive. The e-commerce powerhouse will offer free same-day delivery service in some cities to its Prime loyalty club members.

Amazon says that starting Thursday, more than 1 million items — including books, electronics and vacation gear — will be eligible for same-day delivery in 14 metro areas, including New York, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Atlanta. Orders over $35 are eligible for the service. They need to be placed by noon and will be delivered by 9 p.m.

Pending home sales jump to strongest level in 9 years

Americans signed contracts to buy homes in April at the fastest pace in nearly nine years, evidence that steady job growth is strengthening the real estate market.

The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index climbed 3.4 percent to 112.4 last month. It's the fourth consecutive monthly gain. The index now stands at its highest level since May 2006.