On Friday, Chicago real estate brokerage Dream Town Realty launched a week-long deal on Groupon, hoping to tap the popular social buying model to attract clients. Get the full story »
Filed under: Internet
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FatWallet.com’s move to Wisconsin is on
A Rockton, Ill., Internet retailer is moving its headquarters across the border to downtown Beloit, Wis., Friday to escape Illinois’ recently enacted Internet sales tax. Get the full story »
FCC orders ‘reasonable’ data roaming rates
U.S. regulators on Thursday adopted data roaming rules that would allow smartphones to access the Internet in areas across the country not covered by their wireless carrier. The rules set by the Federal Communications Commission in a 3-2 vote would force wireless carriers like AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless to offer “reasonable” roaming rates. Get the full story »
YouTube aims for living rooms in overhaul
Google Inc. is working on a major overhaul of YouTube as it tries to position itself for the rise of televisions that let people watch online video in their living rooms, according to people familiar with the matter. Get the full story »
Groupon launches deals for home, garden
Crain’s Chicago Business | To broaden its reach, Groupon has launched targeted daily deals with the first in the home and garden category. The category specific deals last more than a day, a departure for the coupon site.
April 6 at 12:58 p.m.
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Filed under: Autos, Internet, Technology, Telecommunications, Wireless Toyota, Microsoft team up on in-car digital services
Microsoft Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled a plan Wednesday to work together on bringing Internet-connected services to Toyota’s cars. Get the full story »
Nightlife deals site Poggled gets $5.6M to grow
Poggled, a Chicago startup that provides deals on nightlife and bars, has raised $5.6 million in a round of funding that will let the company expand into new markets and build additional features for its mobile applications. Get the full story »
PrepMe app lets teachers tailor courses to students
Tech Crunch | PrepMe, the Chicago-based online test prep company, has introduced Coursification, a Web-based application that allows teachers to tailor lessons to each student based on his performance and learning schedule. It will compete with similar platforms such as Blackboard, Instructure and Moodle.
Planned Internet wireless network threatens GPS
A new, ultra-fast wireless Internet network is threatening to overpower GPS signals across the U.S. and interfere with everything from airplanes to police cars to consumer navigation devices.
The problem stems from a recent government decision to let a Virginia company called LightSquared build a nationwide broadband network using airwaves next to those used for GPS. Manufacturers of GPS equipment warn that strong signals from the planned network could jam existing navigation systems. Get the full story »
Consumer Reports: AT&T U-verse, Verizon FiOS tops
A new Consumer Reports survey rates AT&T U-verse and Verizon FiOS as the top choices for customers looking to buy bundled telecom services. Get the full story »
Feds probe data collection by smartphone apps
Music player Pandora's smartphone app for both iPhones (above) and Androids transmitted information about a user's age, gender, and location. (Reuters/Joe Skipper)
Federal prosecutors in New Jersey are investigating whether numerous smartphone applications illegally obtained or transmitted information about their users without proper disclosures, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The criminal investigation is examining whether the app makers fully described to users the types of data they collected and why they needed the information — such as a user’s location or a unique identifier for the phone — the person familiar with the matter said. Collecting information about a user without proper notice or authorization could violate a federal computer-fraud law. Get the full story »
Deal puts American back on Expedia
AMR Corp.’s American Airlines said it has reached an agreement with Expedia Inc. to restore its fares to the popular online travel agent after a dispute kept them off the site for months. Get the full story »
April 4 at 1:56 p.m.
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Filed under: Consumer electronics, Consumer news, Internet, Litigation Court dismisses challenges to ‘open’ Net rules
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia dismissed on Monday challenges to an “open” Internet order adopted by the Federal Communications Commission last year.
The court said the challenges filed by Verizon Communications Inc. and MetroPCS Communications Inc. were premature, knocking down the companies’ claims that the rules would modify wireless licenses they hold. Get the full story »
Walgreens, Chase, TiVo warn of email breach
A data breach at one of the world’s largest providers of marketing-email services may have enabled unauthorized people to access the names and email addresses for customers of major financial-services, retailing and other companies.
While no financial information was compromised, the major concern is that the emails and names could be used for “phishing,” that is, phony emails asking unsuspecting consumers to divulge information such as account numbers, log-ins or Social Security numbers. Get the full story »
LivingSocial expands Family to west suburbs
Daily deals provider LivingSocial has launched its Family Edition in Chicago’s western suburbs, offering discounts on kid-friendly activities. Get the full story »
