Apple delivers a highly satisfying online shopping experience not only to desktop visitors but also to mobile customers, according to a new study. In fact, Apple tops the list when it comes to mobile shopper satisfaction, edging out online shopping heavyweights like Amazon and eBay. Read more »
In a meeting of analytics minds, Birst and ParAccel are putting Birst’s graphical reporting gloss atop ParAccel’s analytics database.
Deals like this are the latest proof that big data is important but the ability to put that data into a useable format is also key. Read more »
Amazon has now broken out its touch-friendly shopping experience for the iPad from its Kindle Cloud Reader product, in an effort to make it easier for everyone to buy books from the Kindle Store, and quickly read those purchases in Amazon’s native iPad Kindle app. Read more »
Samsung spent most of its CES press event explaining how it will expand its app and media ecosystem to every screen in the house and going out the door. Perhaps that’s why Samsung has a smartphone or tablet available in practically every possible screen size. Read more »
As usual, a big chunk of the news out of the Consumer Electronics Show this year revolves around bright-and-shiny devices. But this time out, those devices are acting as the Trojan horses for the hardware makers’ cloud vision. The battle’s all about cloud services now. Read more »
A common New Year’s resolution is getting more organized, and email is often very much in need of organization. I’ve long been a fan of the “Inbox Zero” philosophy. It’s easier than you think to accomplish, and these simple tips will help you get there. Read more »
Netflix wants to recover from a disastrous few months by launching in the U.K. and Ireland — but the company will have to overcome many obstacles to achieve success, not least competition from broadcasters who have very different priorities from their American counterparts. Read more »
IAC-owned video site Vimeo is going mobile in a big way, with the release of apps for Android, the Kindle Fire and Windows Phone marketplaces. Those new apps are designed to let users upload, share and view videos on their mobile devices. Read more »
Now it’s official: Netflix launched in the U.K. and Ireland Monday morning, promising to bring unlimited streaming of popular movies and TV shows through PCs as well as connected and mobile devices to both countries. But for Brits, Netflix isn’t the only choice. Read more »
Akamai is rolling out new capabilities to its HD Network for video distribution that will make it even easier for content owners to securely distribute content to nearly any device. Targeting new UltraViolet services, Akamai hopes to simplify distribution while adding more security features for customers. Read more »
Sony remains one of the most important brands in the world, synonymous with quality rich media and the devices that present it. The problem is that, despite a tagline that states “make.believe,” the company is, in a sense, simply playing make-believe with its business. However, the ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
The wave of M&A activity swelling the cloud services sector won’t stop with in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) arena. Internap’s $30 million purchase of Voxel, announced early this week, signals a land rush for cloud services, with many smaller, capable cloud providers now in play. Read more »
Turnstiles have been slowing at domestic theaters for much of the past decade, with only a brief respite in 2006 and a short-lived spike in attendance in 2009 due to the release of Avatar, the highest-grossing film of all time. Ticket-price inflation and the introduction of ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
While cable operators and networks continue to downplay the effect of cord cutting, in Deloitte’s State of the Media Democracy survey, the firm reports that 9 percent of respondents have already canceled their cable subscriptions, with another 11 percent saying they are considering doing so. Read more »
Much has been written about the U.S. government’s plan to shutter 1,200 data centers. There’s been considerably less chatter about the fact that some of the remaining, revamped federal data centers are now leasing out excess capacity to other government agencies. Read more »
Amazon is hiring techies for a new digital media services push. The company seeks senior development managers and developers for a “brand new team,” although their work will grow out of an existing AWS digital media offering, according to a job post. Read more »
According to reports circulating Monday, Apple could be hosting a special media event in January. The event won’t be about Apple’s next iPad if reports are correct, however. Instead, Apple will be talking directly to the publishing industry, and the time for that talk is ripe. Read more »
In today’s crowded world of e-commerce, it’s not easy to make a name for yourself. That’s why it’s so impressive that Wayfair, a relatively little known website dealing in home furnishings and decor, is set to make more than $500 million in top-line sales for 2011. Read more »
With its new Elastic Network Interfaces, created by separating IP addresses and some key attributes from EC2 storage instances, Amazon is making its Virtual Private Cloud more flexible for companies that want to bring legacy applications to Amazon’s cloud computing infrastructure. Read more »
Netflix had a rough year ever since it announced a major price hike and an ill-advised plan to spin off its DVD-by-mail service. That’s led to a massive decline in customer satisfaction, as the once high-flying company saw its rating drop to its lowest ratings ever. Read more »
Rapid price spikes are effecting buyers on the Amazon Spot Market, where users are bidding extremely high prices for scarce compute capacity. These price spikes are new, and they call into question assumptions that many users have made about how the auctioning of computing resources works. Read more »
While Hulu has mostly built its audience by featuring popular new programming, it’s also building a recommendations system to introduce viewers to new content. It’s leveraging those recommendations with a new set of ads aimed at getting users hooked on shows they didn’t known about. Read more »
Good news for fans of streaming media who also like low-cost tablets: Plex has ben approved for sale in the Barnes & Noble Nook Store. The app should be downloadable for Nook Tablet and Nook Color users sometime within the next 24 hours, according to Plex. Read more »
If Amazon opens an office in the Boston-Cambridge area as reported, it would boost a high-tech community that often feels overlooked and undervalued compared to Silicon Valley and Seattle. Amazon is recruiting engineers for an as-yet-unannounced Boston area venue slated to open in 2012. Read more »
“Cloud first” markets — those where companies’ first serious engagements with information technology are in the form of cloud computing — are beginning to emerge. For the BRIC economies in particular, this might mean a chance to adopt low-cost solutions that will give companies a clear ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Earlier this week, I grilled Amazon for attempting to control web browsing activities on its Kindle Fire as the device was blocked from browsing Google’s Android Market website. With the new Kindle Fire software update, Amazon no longer blocks access, which is the right move. Read more »
Amazon updated its Kindle software for the iPad and iPhone/iPod touch on Tuesday, introducing new features that ensure its app stays on the top of the e-reader pile, even now that it has its own tablet platform available in the Kindle Fire. Read more »
Amazon’s promised software update for its Kindle Fire is now live and rolling out to devices over the air. If you can’t wait and you’re not near a computer to download the software, no worries: You can do it all directly on the Kindle Fire. Read more »
Archos announced on Tuesday an updated 7-inch slate, called the Archos 70b, calling it the first Google Android Honeycomb for under $200. That may not be enough to sway consumers from the $199 Kindle Fire with its custom user interface and broad media ecosystem. Read more »
Amazon’s successful 7-inch tablet, the Kindle Fire, is locked down more than people might think: browser requests to Google’s Android Market are redirected to the Amazon AppStore. Imagine buying a new car and then being told you that it can only be driven on certain roadways. Read more »
News of a rumored smaller iPad made the rounds on Friday as Asian supply channels indicate a 7.85-inch model will arrive in late 2012. With iPhone sales rising, there’s less of a need for the iPod touch line, paving the way for less expensive Apple tablets. Read more »
In the past few years we have seen accommodation-sharing company Airbnb grab a valuation of over $1 billion and car-sharing leader Zipcar squeak into profitability sooner than expected. Those developments, among others, suggest the share economy is alive and well, but how can this space continue ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Ebay’s recent purchase of Hunch illustrates how social media has leveled the playing field for e-commerce recommendations engines. Mixing human-powered reviews with algorithm-powered recommendations will be a key driver of social ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
