Aug 16, 2018

Best Buy to acquire GreatCall in expansion of Assured Living unit

Photo: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images

Best Buy has agreed to buy GreatCall, a San Diego-based provider of Jitterbug smartphones and other health and emergency response electronics for seniors, from buyout firm GTCR for $800 million in cash.

Why it matters: America's aging demography — and corresponding care spend — is pushing tech companies to develop products for seniors, whereas they've traditionally focused more on younger, earlier adopters.

The backdrop: GTCR acquired the company just 14 months ago and wasn't looking to sell, but managing director Dave Donnini tells Axios that Best Buy reached out and was "very persistent."

The bottom line: "The GreatCall devices will be part of Best Buy’s new Assured Living unit, which sells networked products like smart doorbells and bed sensors in 21 markets to remotely monitor the health and safety of aging Americans." — Matthew Boyle, Bloomberg

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Axios

Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 30,782,337 — Total deaths: 957,037— Total recoveries: 21,032,539 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 6,764,962 — Total deaths: 199,258 — Total recoveries: 2,577,446 — Total tests: 94,211,463 — Map.
Politics: In reversal, CDC again recommends coronavirus testing for asymptomatic people.
Health: The dwindling chances of eliminating COVID-19.
World: Guatemalan president tests positive for COVID-19 — The countries painting their pandemic recoveries green.

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The positions of key GOP senators on replacing Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell talks to reporters on Capitol Hill last Thursday. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

With President Trump planning to nominate his third Supreme Court justice nominee by next week, key Republican senators are indicating their stance on replacing the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg just over six weeks out from Election Day.

The big picture: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) has vowed that "Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate." But Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) told Alaska Public Media, "I would not vote to confirm a Supreme Court nominee. We are 50 some days away from an election."

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Updated 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

ActBlue collects a record $91 million in hours after Ginsburg's death

A makeshift memorial in honor of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 19. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

ActBlue received a record $91.4 million in the 28 hours following Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, the Democratic donation-processing site confirmed to Axios late Saturday.

Why it matters via the New York Times: "The unprecedented outpouring shows the power of a looming Supreme Court confirmation fight to motivate Democratic donors."