partnership

The strange and inglorious history of tech boutique retailers

Last year, nearly as many people visited Apple's retail stores as went to Disneyland parks. That's something to marvel considering Disney has been in the amusement park business since 1955, and Apple's gadget stores are barely 12 years old. Apple's stores are also light on the cotton candy, fireworks, and bathrooms.

While there are plenty more differences between the two, one major similarity is that both companies have relied on these institutions as the ideal experience for interacting with their products.

In that same vein comes Samsung's latest foray into the retail business. Today, the company announced plans … Read more

Aereo said to be talking partnership with AT&T and Dish

The upstart live-TV streaming service Aereo is said to be in partnership talks with AT&T and Dish Network, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Aereo's antenna/DVR technology allows consumers to watch live, local over-the-air broadcast television on certain Internet-connected devices for a fee. If it partners with television and Internet providers it could greatly increase its reach.

This news is likely to be much to the chagrin for several major broadcasters, which are suing the company for copyright violation. ABC, CBS (the parent of CNET), Fox, NBC Universal, and Telemundo, all alleged in a lawsuit filed … Read more

Yahoo, NBC Sports team up to share broadcast sports, news

Yahoo and the NBC Sports Group announced a content and promotion partnership this evening that combines the Web company's sports reporting with NBC's television presence and digital resources.

The alliance will include original video content that will appear on both Yahoo Sports and NBCSports.com, live streams of events such as "Sunday Night Football," and adoption of Yahoo Sports' fantasy platform as the exclusive game provider for NBC Sports' news and information site Rotoworld.

Financial details of the deal were not revealed. The two will maintain separate Web sites and newsrooms but will collaborate on big … Read more

Facebook adds job-search tool

Wednesday's CNET Update is working overtime:

Need a job? Log on to Facebook. The social network launched a jobs board with the Social Jobs Partnership app. It pulls in job listings from several services, including BranchOut, Jobvite and Monster. Facebook says half of U.S. employers are using the network during the hiring process.

Also in today's tech news roundup, Pinterest is letting existing profiles be turned into business accounts. Companies will be able to promote their content with the added benefit of verification badges and widgets for sharing.

There's a rise in malware disguised as daily deal e-mails. … Read more

Sony invests $645 million into ailing Olympus

Sony has decided to help out Olympus.

The Japan-based companies announced today that Sony will acquire over 34 million shares in Olympus through a third-party allotment to the tune of $645 million in cash. The deal, which both sides are calling a "capital alliance," is designed to help keep Olympus afloat following a scandal that has brought the company to its knees.

To consumers, Olympus is best known for its cameras. But the company also produces optical equipment for medical, scientific, and industrial uses.

Olympus' troubles started -- on paper, at least -- last year when its dismissed … Read more

Microsoft expects 44 retail stores open by mid-2013

Microsoft will have 44 retail stores in place by the end of its fiscal 2013, which means by the end of June 2013, officials said today

A year ago, Microsoft officials said that it planned to open 75 new Microsoft Stores in the subsequent two to three years. Apple currently has more than 300 retail stores worldwide.

Microsoft Stores sell Windows PCs, Windows Phones, Microsoft, and third-party software, games, peripherals, and more. Microsoft also is going to sell its recently announced Surface PC/tablets through its Microsoft Stores in the U.S. and through select online Microsoft stores, as well.… Read more

Yahoo, CNBC form content-sharing partnership

Yahoo and CNBC have formed a new partnership to jointly distribute content and programming across their networks, the companies announced today.

The deal will give Yahoo Finance greater access to real-time financial reporting as well analysis and interviews from CNBC, TV's biggest business news channel. The two companies will also partner on creating co-branded, original videos that will appear on Yahoo Finance and CNBC.com.

Together, the companies aim to reach an unduplicated online audience of more than 40 million U.S. viewers each month.

"Our mission is to create the richest and most powerful experiences for users … Read more

Barnes & Noble, Microsoft ink $300M deal on e-reading

Barnes & Noble and Microsoft at one time couldn't get along. Now, they're partners.

The companies announced today that Microsoft has invested $300 million into a new Barnes & Noble subsidiary, known as Newco until the company can come up with a name. The $300 million investment will give Microsoft a 17.6 percent equity stake in the firm. Barnes & Noble, which assumed a $1.7 billion valuation on the subsidiary, will retain 82.4 percent ownership.

Newco will combine Barnes & Noble's digital and college businesses, meaning the retailer's Nook operations and its Nook … Read more

Instagram clicks with Hipstamatic

The popular photo apps Hipstamatic and Instagram seem to have drawn a little closer.

Instagram has 17 filters to choose from for touching-up and enhancing photos before sharing, while Hipstamatic's free features include four lenses, three types of flash, and three kinds of film. The point here is this: there's a lot more people can do with photos using Hipstamatic, but there's been no one-step way to share them.

Until now, judging by a Hipstamatic tweet today:

Sharing is about to get easier! Tag Facebook friends & upload to multiple networks, incl. @Instagram http://bit.ly/yQunPt (@… Read more