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Fred Wilson states the obvious. "Web is flattish. But mobile is growing like a weed," he wrote in a recent post on his blog.

Smartphone subscriptions worldwide were about 700 million in 2011 and are expected to grow to an estimated 3 billion in 2017, according to a recent report from Ericsson (PDF). Add in mobile PCs and tablets with cellular connections, and the numbers grow from 850 million in 2011 to 3.8 billion in 2017.

But Wilson, a venture capitalist from Union Square Ventures, with investments in hot startups such as Foursquare, Tumblr, Twitter, and Zynga, … Read more

June is the perfect time for backyard barbecues, lemonade and tablet warfare:

Microsoft is taking tablets into its own hands with the Surface. And next week, so will Google. It's expected that Google will show off the Nexus tablet at its developers conference that begins next week. And some reports have Google's tablet launching in July -- which will likely be before the Surface hits stores.

The Surface boasts solid hardware, a kickstand and a cover that also serves as a keyboard. But how much will it cost? All we know is that the light version, using Windows … Read more

After replacing credit-card machines, cash registers, and cash, Square is moving on to customer reward punch cards.

The company launched its loyalty rewards program feature today with updates to its Square Register and Pay with Square apps.

Square COO Keith Rabois said the new feature will helps merchants and customers forge a relationship without the need of a physical hole-punched card. Coupled with the seamless Pay With Square transaction, customers will only have to give their name to buy something, receive a receipt, and accumulate points automatically. The app will let customers know when they are due for that free … Read more

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- I'm at a crowded tech schmoozefest, and Tim Rowe, the pied piper of local startups, is giving me a serious talking-to about my blase attitude toward the local tech industry.

"I'd like you to think about what you're saying and look at the facts," Rowe says with growing intensity. "I think you're going to see your perception and the facts don't add up."

No startup culture? Look around here in the Cambridge Innovation Center in Kendall Square, ground zero for New England startups, Rowe says. There are about … Read more

Foursquare offers a new interface in version 5 that has been completely reworked to a much cleaner design so you can get to what you want quickly using only three tabs across the bottom of the screen (the former design had five buttons across the bottom). The Friends tab (which used to be only about checking in) now offers big photos you can swipe to browse along with tips, lists, and places your friends have saved. From here you can "Like" or comment on activity by touching a button for each. The new layout seems much better organized … Read more

In a bid to further integrate cloud-based platforms with its more conventional offerings, Intuit said yesterday that it plans to combine QuickBooks Point of Sale, its offering for retailers, with its 3-year-old mobile-only GoPayment platform.

If you're unfamiliar with GoPayment, it's a service that allows small and medium-sized vendors to process debit or credit cards using an Apple iPhone -- no proprietary point-of-sale hardware necessary. The app and hardware are free, and Intuit makes its money from transactions (2.7 percent per swipe) or a monthly membership fee ($12.95/mo.) of sorts.

It's the kind of … Read more

Business owners looking to turn their mobile devices into credit card machines can now purchase the Square Card Reader at Walgreens, Staples, and FedEx stores across the U.S., according to a Market Wire press release.

The card reader enables anyone with a mobile device, like a smartphone or a tablet, to accept credit card payments.

Square, the company that makes the Square Card Reader, announced today that the technology is now sold in more than 7,000 Walgreens stores, 1,500 Staples stores, and 1,500 FedEx Office stores, making the product available at more than 20,000 retail … Read more

LightSquared's end is near.

The company filed for bankruptcy today, according to Bloomberg, marking an unglamorous end to its attempt to create an upstart provider of super-fast wireless service.

LightSquared was designed as a neutral wholesale provider of 4G LTE service, injecting additional competition into the industry and giving companies an alternative partner to work with. Despite its network in constant jeopardy, it had lined up an impressive list of partners willing to ride on its network.

LightSquared, in a statement, said the company plans to continue its normal operation through the process, and still plans to build its … Read more

Online-payment company PayPal and Japanese telecom and Internet firm Softbank announced this evening a joint venture, PayPal Japan, meant to create "the premier digital wallet for online, mobile, and offline transactions" in the Asian country -- one of the world's largest economies.

As a first step, the companies said Japan would be the fifth nation to get PayPal Here, a Square-like service that lets small businesses accept credit and debit card transactions -- and PayPal payments -- through a smartphone.

PayPal Here was unveiled in March, in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong. A week … Read more