Tag Archives: Kevin Chen

McDonald's Veteran Returns As Global Chief Brand Officer

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

McDonald’s  has elected Steve Easterbrook as its new executive vice president and global chief brand officer. The 18-year McDonald’s veteran returns to the company following a stint as the CEO of Wagamama, a U.K.-based Japanese noodle restaurant chain.

Easterbrook will be responsible for global marketing, menu development, and consumer and business insights. He replaces Kevin Newell, who recently assumed the new role of chief brand and strategy officer for McDonald’s USA

A U.K. native, Easterbrook became CEO of McDonald’s U.K. in 2006. By the end of 2010, after serving as corporate vice president and chief brand officer, he was promoted to president of McDonald’s Europe, a role in which he was responsible for around 7,000 restaurants in 39 countries. He left McDonald’s the following year to become the CEO of U.K. chain PizzaExpress, and from there he took the reins at Wagamama.

“Steve has demonstrated dynamic leadership and creative thinking within the restaurant industry and throughout his previous career at McDonald’s,” said McDonald’s President and CEO Don Thompson. “I’m thrilled to welcome him back to the Golden Arches and confident that with his expertise, we will reach customers in new and innovative ways.”

Easterbrook will report to Thompson and will be based in Oak Brook, Ill.

The article McDonald’s Veteran Returns As Global Chief Brand Officer originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of McDonald’s. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don’t all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';

From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/14/mcdonalds-veteran-returns-as-global-chief-brand-of/

eBay Upgrades Magento E-Commerce Platform

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

eBay’s Magento e-commerce platform has released a new edition of Magento Enterprise in an effort to keep growing merchants on its platform.

The company has updated the software to improve four functions to ease any stumbling blocks retailers have as they continue to expand their businesses, especially as they begin to feature more than 1 million product SKUs.

According to the company, the new version includes: 

  • Optimized indexing to deliver faster, full catalog reindexing for 1 million products. According to InternetRetailer.com, Magento customers previously have had to completely reindex their site when adding products, changing prices, or updating images.
  • Improved caching performance to support greater traffic, or customers.
  • Streamlined checkout flow to improve page load times. Customers can now browse retailers websites 20%-35% faster and immediately access newly added products.
  • Improved tax recommendation engine to provide greater accuracy when calculating tax rates. The new version supports global merchants with more than 3,000 tax rate zones.

Magento also introduced two, new PayPal functions to help retailers offline. “Order Ahead” lets customers purchase products from the PayPal mobile application, and then pick up the product at a set time. With “In-aisle Selling” integration, merchants can integrate their Magento stores with PayPal Here to let customers complete transactions anywhere in the store.

Along with these new releases, Magento has begun some spring cleaning. So far, Magento has removed 20% of the extensions on Magento Connect — its community for developing and sharing Magento-related, software applications.

link

The article eBay Upgrades Magento E-Commerce Platform originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends eBay. The Motley Fool owns shares of eBay. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;

From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/12/magento-releases-platform-upgrades-to-magento-ente/

Alibaba Promotes Finance Officers in Leadership Change

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Alibaba Group will appoint Maggie Wu — who has been with the company since 2007 — as chief financial officer, effective May 10. At that time, the e-commerce giant’s current CFO, Joe Tsai, will become executive vice chairman. 

After joining Alibaba in July 2007 as CFO of Alibaba.com, Wu became deputy CFO for all of Alibaba. She is credited with helping institute the financial systems and organization that led to Alibaba.com going public in November 2007. She also led the company’s privatization of that subsidiary last year. Since then, she has been responsible for Alibaba’s finance organization — from operations finance and reporting to internal control and tax. In her new role, Wu will be responsible for overseeing corporate finance and audit in addition to her current duties.

Tsai will continue to oversee Alibaba’s strategic investments and share responsibilities for maintaining external relations with financial and other key constituents.

While working as CFO, Alibaba says, Tsai drove every round of the company’s private financings — from early rounds of venture funding to Yahoo!’s $1 billion investment in the company in 2005. More recently, in 2012, he led $2.5 billion of debt and equity financing to take Alibaba.com private. He has also worked on bigger company deals in the past, like repurchasing $7.6 billion of its shares from Yahoo!. Tsai is one of Alibaba’s 18 co-founders and a member of the board of directors since the company’s inception.

The new reorganization comes with a change at the CEO level. On May 10, Jonathan Lu will take over the CEO position from Jack Ma.

link

The article Alibaba Promotes Finance Officers in Leadership Change originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){

From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/11/alibaba-promotes-finance-officers-in-leadership-ch/

Nokia Launches New Phone in India: Nokia 105

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Nokia  has launched the Nokia 105 in India, marking the end of only black-and-white screens for simple voice-and-text phones in India.

The Nokia 105 features a full-color display, a built-in flashlight, and a speaking clock. Basic features are also included like FM radio, pre-loaded games, and multiple alarm clocks. As Nokia’s most affordable phone, the Nokia 105 is priced at around $20 (or 1,249 Indian rupees).

Given the phone’s price range and standby time of up to 35 days, the Finnish company hopes to make inroads in developing countries. In addition, Nokia says the phone will make a great back-up for higher-end customers.

To attract customers, the Nokia 105 takes design concepts from Nokia’s Lumia smartphone line. The phone comes with rounded edges and is available in black and the “iconic” Nokia cyan. The changes should provide consistent branding across the company’s phones.

In the company’s blog, Nokia India‘s Viral Oza said the Nokia 105 is “the ideal handset for first time buyers to enjoy the benefits and experiences of mobility.”

India Times reports that the phone is the successor to the Nokia 1280, which has sold more than 100 million units to date. 

link

The article Nokia Launches New Phone in India: Nokia 105 originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Nokia Launches App for Jazzing Up Camera-Phone Self-Portraits

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Nokia  has launched “Glam Me,” a camera app for taking and editing self-portraits on all Nokia Lumia smartphones running Windows Phone 8 in an effort to capitalize on what it calls the “selfie” phenomenon, the love of taking self-photos with phones.

The app allows a “slick range of beauty enhancing effects, such as teeth whitening and skin smoothing.” Users can also alter their self-snapshots with visual effects that include making them look like a sketch, an oil painting, or a magazine cover.

Nokia says selfies are “a true phenomenon” among young people in Asian countries — especially China. Developed in Beijing, Nokia hopes that Glam Me will appeal to the “young, social, and design-conscious” everywhere. Glam Me also lets users compare photos before and after editing.

In developing Glam Me, Nokia focused on providing  accurate face detection, camera effects, and beauty enhancement features.On Nokia Lumia phones, Glam Me can be launched as its own stand-alone application or selected through the viewfinder.

Once finished taking a picture, Glam Me lets users send photos via email, SMS or through social networks like Facebook or Weibo in China.

link

The article Nokia Launches App for Jazzing Up Camera-Phone Self-Portraits originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Groupon Names New Senior Vice President of Engineering and Operations

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Groupon  has appointed Sri Viswanath as its senior vice president of engineering and operations. He will report to interim CEO Eric Lefkofsky.

Previously, Viswanath served as vice president of research and development for mobile computing at VMWare. Prior to VMWare, he worked at Glam Media as the senior vice president of engineering and as general manager of its publisher products group. He had also worked at Sun Microsystems, where he led development of a number of open-source and business-to-business products.

In Groupon’s press release, Lefkofsky said, “We are extremely excited to add someone of Sri’s reputation, talent and vision. Technology is at the center of our mission to surprise and delight consumers every day with unbeatable deals when they are out and about.”

link

The article Groupon Names New Senior Vice President of Engineering and Operations originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends VMware. The Motley Fool owns shares of VMware. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | <a target=_blank href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/10/groupon-announces-sri-viswanath-as-senior-vice-pre/#comments" title="View reader comments

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Is Amazon Becoming the Facebook of Books?

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

E-commerce giant Amazon  recently bought Goodreads, the seventh-largest social network on the web today, thereby bringing the total number of Amazon’s social media efforts around books to a total of three. So are these signs that Amazon may soon build out a bigger social networking effort to transform itself into a Facebook  of books? 

Not likely.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen thinks that social media networks thrive on hype. Modelez International-owned Oreo best understood that as it demonstrated social media prowess on Twitter during the Superbowl blackout. Unfortunately for Amazon and Goodreads, books are meant to be long and engrossing.

So if it’s not possible for Amazon to become the next Facebook, what is the e-commerce giant trying to do? Well, in the video below, Kevin discusses how Amazon is really mimicking Google . Just as some Googlers like to say that Google Plus is a “social layer,” so, too, will Amazon and its Goodreads acquisition add a social layer to book recommendations.

To learn more on what Amazon has in store for Goodreads, watch the video below.

Everyone knows Amazon is the king of the retail world right now. But given its sky-high valuation, most investors are worried the company’s share price is due for a correction. The Motley Fool’s premium report will tell you what’s driving the company’s growth, and fill you in on reasons to buy and reasons to sell Amazon. The report also has you covered with a full year of free analyst updates to keep you informed as the company’s story changes, so click here now to read more.

var FoolAnalyticsData = FoolAnalyticsData || []; FoolAnalyticsData.push({ eventType: “TickerReportPitch”, contentByline: “Kevin Chen“, contentId: “cms.30078”, contentTickers: “NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:AMZN, NASDAQ:FB, NASDAQ:MDLZ”, contentTitle: “Is Amazon Becoming the Facebook of Books?”, …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

40 Million Reasons to Buy Baidu Today

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Looking for a reason to buy Baidu today? In the video below, Fool contributor Kevin Chen fills you in on why Baidu is his top stock pick for April.

In the recent past, threats from competitor Qihoo 360 , China‘s slowing economy, and the economics of mobile have driven Baidu shares down. It seems like the company and its stock price may not recover anytime soon; not only does the company hover around its 52-week low, but it’s been that way for several weeks now!

The reality is that, on a P/E basis, this is perhaps the best opportunity investors have had to buy Baidu in years. 

In the video below, Kevin addresses why Qihoo’s growth may be slowing, and also examines overblown economic fears. Most importantly, he explains why “40 million” is the reason investors should be bullish on Baidu. Click the video to hear more about Baidu’s promising long-term future.

Even if you think Baidu’s competitive and economic threats are serious hurdles, there may still be an opportunity in Baidu. In our brand-new premium report, The Motley Fool team breaks down the dominant Chinese search provider’s strengths and weaknesses. Just click here to access it now.

var FoolAnalyticsData = FoolAnalyticsData || []; FoolAnalyticsData.push({ eventType: “TickerReportPitch”, contentByline: “Kevin Chen“, contentId: “cms.30052”, contentTickers: “NASDAQ:BIDU, NYSE:QIHU”, contentTitle: “40 Million Reasons to Buy Baidu Today”, hasVideo: “True”, pitchId: “23”, …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

J.C. Penney Ousts CEO, Rehires Former Chief

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

J.C. Penney‘s board of directors has rehired Myron E. (Mike) Ullman III as the company’s CEO, effective immediately. Ullman has also been elected to the board. Ron Johnson has stepped down and will leave the struggling retailer.

Chairman Thomas Engibous is optimistic about the decision. Ullman had served as CEO of J.C. Penney until 2011. In the announcement, Engibous touted Ullman’s “proven experience and leadership abilities” as assets that will help J.C. Penney face and “take steps to improve the Company’s performance” and briefly thanked Johnson for his contributions. 

The article J.C. Penney Ousts CEO, Rehires Former Chief originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned, and neither does The Motley Fool. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Why Amazon Bought Goodreads

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

The best place to buy books online has recently acquired the best place to review books online. But was it necessary for Amazon to acquire Goodreads?

Founded several years ago, Goodreads has built out a social media company for people to discover and share books. In doing so, the start-up has amassed a growing number of quality-driven reviews, which seemed to threaten Amazon’s core competency when it comes to e-commerce book sales. And that would be a huge blow to the e-commerce website. 

How big? Currently, Forrester Research estimates that the e-book market may grow to $13.6 billion by 2017 — and that’s just in the U.S.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen thinks that’s only half of the story. While Goodreads could have taken on Amazon, it could have also done so as part of Amazon’s competitors: Apple  or Google . Both companies have not only entered the e-book market, but they have also tried to build out their own social platforms in the past — with mixed results. So, it’s very possible that they could have acquired Goodreads. And in that case, Amazon would be in a far worse position today.

To learn more about Goodreads and why Amazon needed to make this acquisition, click on the video below.

Everyone knows Amazon is the king of the retail world right now. But given its sky-high valuation, most investors are worried the company’s share price is due for a correction. The Motley Fool’s premium report will tell you what’s driving the company’s growth, and fill you in on reasons to buy and reasons to sell Amazon. The report also has you covered with a full year of free analyst updates to keep you informed as the company’s story changes, so click here now to read more.

var FoolAnalyticsData = FoolAnalyticsData || []; FoolAnalyticsData.push({ eventType: “TickerReportPitch”, contentByline: “Kevin Chen“, contentId: “cms.30070”, contentTickers: “NASDAQ:AAPL, NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:AMZN, NASDAQ:FORR”, …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Facebook Answers Questions About "Home" and Privacy

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

After recently launching Facebook Home, Facebook  released a statement answering questions that Facebook and Android users had about the new product:

  • It won’t change users’ privacy settings on Facebook.
  • Its privacy controls work the same as they do on Facebook.
  • Users don’t have to use Home to access Facebook on Android. It’s an option that customers can access by downloading it from the Play Store or by buying a phone with Home preinstalled.
  • It can be used without setting it as a phone’s locked screen, and it can be turned off.
  • It collects information not only from users’ likes, comments, and messages, but also from the apps they use through the Home app launcher. Facebook stores identifying information for 90 days to “improve how [the service] works.”
  • For devices that come with Home preinstalled, Facebook does collect system and app notifications that display on Home, but it doesn’t collect the content of the notification itself. For example, Facebook can see that users have launched a map application, but it won’t see what directions users have searched for, or any other activity within the app itself. Facebook also stores this information in identifiable form for 90 days.
  • Facebook collects location-based information similar to how the current Facebook app does. As with the app, users can turn off location preferences.
  • Facebook-enabled apps, which share app information with Facebook, should notify users of any new privacy updates.

Facebook says users can learn more online by reviewing the company’s Data Use Policy.

The article Facebook Answers Questions About “Home” and Privacy originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Facebook. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don’t all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Google India Launches Google Business Group (GBG)

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

To help business owners learn about the benefits of web technologies, Google  (NAS: GOOG)  has created Google Business Groups (GBGs) in India. Through GBGs, Google looks to increase online access for India‘s small to medium-sized businesses. By doing so, the company wants to help businesses access the global marketplace and increase productivity.
 
As a community-led program with local chapters, Google envisions that GBGs will hold gatherings, workshops, online hangouts, and larger events and activities so that business professionals can connect and learn how Google products can contribute to their businesses’ success. At the same time, GBGs are entirely independent from Google, the corporation. Organized by a local volunteer (a GBG manager), each GBG has the freedom to create its own opportunities.
 
Currently, Google is looking for community organizers (a.k.a. GBG Managers) to start 30 chapters in the following cities: Hyderabad, Cochin, Chandigarh, Delhi, Mysore, Hubli and Dharwad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Madhurai, Coimbatore, Agra, Mangalore, Patna, Kochi, Ludhiana, Surat, Bhopal, Kanpur, Nagpur, Pune, Jaipur, Indore, Nashik, Vadodara, Bhubhaneshwar, Vishakapatnam.
 

The article Google India Launches Google Business Group (GBG) originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Google. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

<p style="clear: …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Groupon to Exclusively Launch New ASUS Tablet

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Groupon  (NAS: GRPN)  has partnered with ASUS to launch the new ASUS MeMO Pad.

Starting on April 6, the ASUS MeMO Pad, bundled with a Wilsons leather case, will be available exclusively on Groupon Goods. To celebrate this exclusive deal, Groupon is featuring a range of ASUS products this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. That includes products from tablets, laptops, and accessories.

In Groupon’s press release, Steve Chang, president of ASUS Computer International, said:

Groupon is a very well recognized and respected company in the world and we are proud to be their partner. Today, consumers want innovative and compelling mobile products. We’re excited to partner with Groupon as we focus our combined energies serving customers with industry-leading notebook and tablet solutions. The business relationship represents a powerful opportunity for ASUS to expand our presence in the U.S. market and the potential is limitless for both companies.

As part of the Groupon.com website, Groupon Goods features a varied inventory — from jewelry and sunglasses to mattresses and toys.

The article Groupon to Exclusively Launch New ASUS Tablet originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned, and neither does The Motley Fool. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

<p style="clear: both;padding: 8px 0 0 0;height: 2px;font-size: 1px;border: 0;margin: 0;padding: …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

LinkedIn Improves Discussions With Mentions

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

LinkedIn (NYS: LNKD) has launched Mentions to help users engage with connections and companies online.

By typing the name of a connection or company in the status box or comment field, customers can now select a list of parties that they can choose to mention. Of course, the person or company mentioned will also receive a notification alerting them.

Currently, customers can only mention first-degree connections or other parties who have engaged in the LinkedIn conversation. The feature is only available to English-speaking members, but will roll out to global members soon.

Source: Start a Conversation with Mentions on LinkedIn .

The article LinkedIn Improves Discussions With Mentions originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of LinkedIn. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Starbucks Appoints New Global Chief Strategy Officer

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Starbucks   (NAS: SBUX)  has appointed Matthew Ryan as its global chief strategy officer.

Starting in May, Ryan will report to CEO Howard Schultz and serve on Starbucks’ senior leadership team. He will lead the company’s long-term strategic planning process; improve the monetization of its retail, channel, and emerging brands; and strengthen the company’s relationship management and loyalty capabilities. Starbucks’ global customer insights and strategy teams will report to Ryan.

Moreover, Ryan will serve on Starbucks’ Global Brand Leadership Team, which is responsible for integrating its regional brand and marketing initiatives. He will partner with Sharon Rothstein, its recently appointed global chief marketing officer, to bring customer insights and analytics to the company’s brand expression and customer experience.

Previously, Ryan was the senior vice president of global brand, franchise, and customer relationship management for Disney. He provided customer input into the company’s long-term strategic planning, oversaw the development and cultivation of character franchises, and led development of customer relationship management programs. Before joining Disney in 1998, Ryan held senior strategic planning roles with several advertising agencies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and literature from Harvard University.

Howard Schultz, Starbucks’ chairman, president, and CEO, said of the appointment:

Matt’s innovative approach to customer analytics, market segmentation and brand optimization will bring a new level of insight and imagination to Starbucks and our significant brand ambitions.

The article Starbucks Appoints New Global Chief Strategy Officer originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Starbucks. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Amazon Customers to Receive Free MP3s on Vinyl Purchases

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Amazon.com  has expanded AutoRip to vinyl records purchases since 1998. 

Introduced in January, AutoRip provides Music Store customers with free digital copies (MP3s) when they make a CD purchase. Similarly, customers who now buy a vinyl record will also receive a free digital copy added to their Cloud Player libraries. This extends to all Amazon customers who have bought from the Music Store since 1998. Moving forward, prospective customers can receive free MP3s by looking for the AutoRip logo.

As part of the AutoRip service, customers can stream the MP3s on Kindle Fire, Android phones and tablets, iOS devices, Samsung TV, Roku, Sonos, and Ford SYNC Applink-equipped vehicles. Furthermore, customers will receive free storage and backup on all AutoRip MP3s. 256 Kbps MP3

The article Amazon Customers to Receive Free MP3s on Vinyl Purchases originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Amazon.com and Ford. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | <a target=_blank href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/04/amazon-customers-to-receive-free-mp3s-on-vinyl-pur/#comments" title="View reader …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Yahoo! Mail Partners With Dropbox

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Yahoo! Mail has partnered with Dropbox to make it easier for people to send, receive, and manage attachments, the company announced yesteday.

The integration allows customers to access files from their Dropbox account and share them through Yahoo! Mail. Currently, Dropbox is available within Yahoo! Mail in English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian. 

The new partnership comes after CEO Marissa Mayer announced a newer version of Yahoo! Mail in December. Redesigned to get customers through their email faster, the company says Yahoo! Mail now has a consistent experience across the Web, Windows 8, iPhone/iPod touch, and Android.

In March, Dropbox announced it had bought the privately held email management app company called Mailbox.

link

The article Yahoo! Mail Partners With Dropbox originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

eBay's Magento Gets a New VP

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

eBay‘s commerce developer platform, X.commerce, has hired Glenn Hasen to manage day-to-day operations of the sales organization for Magento, eBay’s e-commerce software.

As VP of global sales and channels, Hasen will oversee merchant adoption, successful customer adaptation, and customer retention. He has more than 25 years of experience in sales, business development, services, and channels in areas such as big data, the cloud, applications, and mobile. He’s served as president and CEO of several technology software companies.

In the press release, Magento co-founder and CEO Roy Rubin said: “We are delighted to welcome Glenn to the Magento family. The depth of experience that he brings to the sales team will help us foster greater collaboration between our key stakeholders as we double down on our commitments to merchants, partners, and developers

The article eBay’s Magento Gets a New VP originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of eBay. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don’t all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | <a target=_blank href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/03/30/ebays-magento-gets-a-new-vp/#comments" …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Nokia Launches Transportation App for Asha Phones

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Nokia  has launched its Transit app on its full-touch Asha phones, allowing users to search for public transportation stations and addresses, choose directions from multiple routes and across various transportation systems (buses and trains, for example), and save their favorite destinations. Favorites can be viewed without an active connection.

So far, the company says the app works with the Asha 305, 306, 308, 309, and 311. 

According to the company’s Q4 2012 earnings report, Nokia saw a total smartphone sales volume of 15.9 million units; Lumia sales comprised 4.4 million of the sales, while the Asha full-touch smartphone made up 9.3 million. Moreover, the company saw quarter-over-quarter volume growth in its phone devices. Driving the growth were its lower-priced devices, but the company’s more mid-priced phones, such as the Asha, also contributed. 

The article Nokia Launches Transportation App for Asha Phones originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen and The Motley Fool have no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don’t all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | <a target=_blank href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/03/30/nokia-transit-now-available-for-full-touch-asha-ph/#comments" title="View reader comments …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Youku Tudou to Add 33 U.S. TV Shows By Year's End

By Kevin Chen, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Youku Tudou  will add 33 popular American TV dramas and variety shows to its international library by the end of 2013.

With shows from ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, CW, and WB, Youku Tudou is looking to continue to grow its American TV content as Chinese viewership has seen explosive growth over the past years. From 2011 to 2012 alone, Youku Tudou has seen about a 400% increase in the content category. Each episode averages as many as 2.5 million people.

Included in the deal are such TV shows as Vampire Diaries,” “Modern Family,” and “2 Broke Girls.” These new shows join American Idol, Scandal, and the more than 20 hit TV shows Youku Tudou has imported since 2010. Youku Tudou has chosen these TV shows according to in-house content metrics and analysis. 

Youku Tudou‘s foreign TV expansion comes after the company struck an exclusive partnership with Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited (“TVB“). Announced last week, the deal sets the stage for Youku.com and Tudou.com to host more than 2,500 hours of popular TVB content each year for the next two years.

The article Youku Tudou to Add 33 U.S. TV Shows By Year’s End originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Kevin Chen has no position in any stocks mentioned, and neither does The Motley Fool. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance