E-Commerce

Amazon on Tuesday began rolling out Amazon Local Services, which lets customers purchase professional assistance for setup, installation and repair work. Service providers will be covered by Amazon's guarantee. They will be licensed and insured, and they will have to pass a background check. The ide...

Apple has removed the word "free" from download buttons in its iOS and OS X app stores, replacing it with "get." European regulators recommended the action to Apple and Google earlier this year. In July, Google removed the "free" label from games that could be downloaded without cost -- but required...

Amazon reportedly plans to introduce a new ad-supported streaming video service early next year. The new service will be separate from Amazon's Prime membership offering, which already includes a video-streaming component. That Amazon already has a presence in the streaming video market is almost be...

Nintendo on Friday released what is expected to be its biggest title for the upcoming holiday season, and it also made a play in the collectible toy market with a line of interactive figurines. Since the release of its Wii U console, the company has found itself in much the same position as its sign...

Google on Friday unveiled Contributor, an experimental service that lets users make a donation to support the websites they visit instead of viewing ads. Currently available only by invitation, Contributor begins by asking users to set a monthly contribution amount between $1 and $3. Then, when they...

Mozilla on Wednesday announced that Yahoo would replace Google as its global default search option, in a move that has set the tech media abuzz. Pointing out that Google has been the Firefox global search default since 2004, Mozilla painted the move as seizing the opportunity to review its competiti...

Mobile advertising is booming. Revenues increased by 92 percent to $19.3 billion in 2013 over 2012, based on global figures IAB, IAB Europe and IHS Technology released this summer. More and more marketers are eager to engage with consumers on the devices they use for just about everything these days...

IBM on Tuesday introduced Verse, its entry into the reinventing email derby. Verse, which will be available in both enterprise and freemium editions, integrates the many ways people communicate with each other every day -- email, meetings, calendars, file sharing, instant messaging, social media and...

Nokia on Tuesday announced the N1 Android tablet, the first offering under its own brand since Microsoft's acquisition of its mobile phone business. The N1, slated for Q1 2015 release in China, will be made by Foxconn. Microsoft also offers a tablet under the "Nokia" brand, which raises the question...

Facebook is preparing to plunge into the office collaboration and communication space with something it's calling "Facebook At Work," according to a Monday report. The new offering will be similar to the consumer version of Facebook, but it will allow workers to chat with each other, connect with ...

Ubisoft on Friday released a second patch for Assassin's Creed: Unity, in an effort to quell the uproar that has arisen over problems with the game. The first patch was released earlier this week. Ubisoft has been the target of harsh criticism from gamers and game reviewers alike for releasing Assas...

Facebook on Thursday announced Privacy Basics, a set of interactive guides to answer the most commonly questions about how users can control their information on its site. It also aired proposed updates to its terms, data policy and cookies policy; improvements to ads based on the apps and sites mem...

Amazon and publisher Hachette on Thursday made peace after months of slugging it out toe to toe over e-book pricing, which split the authors' community and saw Amazon pulling some Hachette authors' books off its promo list and slowing delivery of others. Neither company disclosed the specific terms ...

Nov. 11 is Singles Day in China -- aka the "11.11 Shopping Festival" -- and the country's millions of unhitched celebrated the event by spending some quality time with online retail giant Alibaba. So far, the event has generated $9.3 billion in sales and 278 million orders shipped, the retailer repo...

It's no secret that online shopping is becoming an increasingly lucrative avenue for retailers. More shoppers are turning to websites as a way to connect with brands and make purchases, and companies are investing heavily in their online presence to ensure that they are delivering a top-notch experi...