groupon

Hold the canned laughter, it's true -- Groupon is the focus of a new sitcom.

CBS has just ordered the sitcom for next season, and it's about two friends who moved to Los Angeles to work at Groupon, according to Vanity Fair. (Disclosure: CBS owns CNET.)

"Friend Me" is the name of the TV show, which is sure to kick up some controversy with social-networking giant Facebook. Just a couple of months ago Facebook revised its Statement of Rights and Responsibilities saying that account holders cannot use the word "Book" because it will be … Read more

Groupon's first quarter results were carried by massive growth outside the United States as international revenue surged. CEO Andrew Mason touted technology innovation, Groupon's mobile progress, governance improvements and the aim to be "the operating system for mobile commerce."

The company reported better-than-expected first quarter results and surprised a few observers. After all, Groupon's post-IPO performance has been sketchy and the company recently had to restate earnings for the fourth quarter amid accounting snafus. As a result, Groupon added board members with accounting and banking experience. Groupon's goal: Shed the tag … Read more

Embroiled in shareholder lawsuits, its stock plunging, and still headed by a CEO criticized as unpredictable, Groupon has found things a bit hectic recently. Which may explain a minor board shakeup that looks a lot like an attempt to put some grownups in control of things.

Financial veterans American Express CFO Daniel Henry and Deloitte vice chairman Robert Bass are to join Groupon's board.

"With their deep financial, accounting, and operational experience, Dan and Bob will provide invaluable expertise to the Board going forward," Groupon Chairman Eric Lefkofsky said in a statement.

Henry joined the board April … Read more

Every weekday afternoon, CNET Update delivers the top tech stories of the day. The show keeps a close eye on emerging trends, hot devices and new apps. And it's all in less than three minutes.

In today's show, Microsoft's got the hots for Nook, LG has its head in the cloud, and we're battling pigs in space! (space! space! space!):

Microsoft is investing $300 million in a new Barnes & Noble subsidiary that will handle digital and college business. With this investment, expect the Nook to become a stronger player against the Kindle and iPad.

A … Read more

The original Groupon platform might have set the stage, but Groupon Now has gotten off to an even better start.

Groupon today announced that Groupon Now needed just one year to sell 1.5 million deals. The original Groupon platform needed 15 months to hit that milestone. The 1.5 millionth purchase was made at CiCi Nails in Chicago, where a person bought a $42 manicure and pedicure for $30.

Groupon Now is designed as a real-time, location-based offers service for those who want to immediately redeem a coupon. Merchants can customize the instant deal through a dashboard and manage … Read more

Every weekday afternoon, CNET Update delivers the top tech stories of the day. The show keeps a close eye on emerging trends, hot devices and new apps. And it's all in less than three minutes.

In today's show, we speculate on Spotify, shop online with cash, and crack open a beer to look mature:

It seems the controversial cyber security bill CISPA (short for Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act) is on shaky ground. The White House threatened to veto the bill, saying it endangers the privacy of Americans and gives Homeland Security too much power.

Groupon's … Read more

Groupon's CEO lectured his employees today about the need for his company to grow and shake off its difficult adolescence -- all while blaming the beer he was drinking for difficulty speaking.

Andrew Mason told employees at a town hall meeting that the daily deals site didn't have "any margin for error," according to The Wall Street Journal, which observed the meeting via Webcast. Mason, 31, drank from a bottle of beer while laying out the company's priorities for the next six months, including the buttressing Groupon's financial controls and staffing.

"We're … Read more

Travelzoo might just be putting itself on the market. This 14-year-old Internet company, which helps travelers find deals on flights, hotels, and vacation packages, has seen a dismal past few months and therefore could be getting ready to sell itself, according to Reuters.

Prospective buyers include Google, Amazon, and online travel Web sites, according to Reuters. These tech companies might want to get their hands on Travelzoo because of its 24 million subscriber-base, its share in the daily deal world, and its advertising-generated revenue stream.

Currently the New York-based company has a market value of $336.1 million and once … Read more

GrouponLive has a new feature designed to give event-goers the chance to get to the entrance much sooner than they can right now.

Dubbed G-Pass, the new GrouponLive feature lets users skip past the will call window or box office line and head right to their seats on event day. After purchasing a ticket to an event, users will be given their ticketing, seating, and barcode-scanning on their GrouponLive voucher.

Groupon launched GrouponLive last May as part of a joint venture with Live Nation. Users of GrouponLive are offered deals on sporting events, concerts, theater shows, and other live events. … Read more