pinterest posts on CNET

Lawsuit alleges that stolen ideas underpin Pinterest

Pinterest and one of its early investors have been sued by a man who alleges that the investor nicked his ideas -- including the concept of boards -- and handed them to the now hugely popular Web site.

The suit alleges that the plaintiff, Theodore F. Schroeder, of Ocean City, N.J., developed a site called RendezVoo, which started as a place where users could share their locations but evolved into a site where people "meet to share opinions, views, items, and tastes on a variety of subjects -- product, services, events, politics, economics -- nearly anything of human … Read more

Facebook expands Collections, adds new retailers

Facebook started testing another version of its Pinterest-like Collections feature today, adding more retailers and testing out a few more buttons.

In addition to buttons for "collect" and "want," Facebook is testing the words "save," "add," and "Wishlist." Users will see different words depending on which test group they are in. A Facebook spokeswoman said the company is using the latest test -- which follows one in October that debuted the feature for businesses -- to understand how people interact with and share the items from a Collection to their … Read more

Police Down Under rescue Apple map users

Monday's CNET Update shoulda taken that left turn at Albuquerque:

It's no secret that Apple's Maps are bad. But using the app could be hazardous to your health. Australian police had to rescue several people who were stranded in the wilderness after being directed 70 kilometers off-course by Apple's directions on iOS 6. Police have urged residents to use other mapping apps in the meantime.

Today's tech news roundup also looks into the continued drama between Twitter and Instagram. You'll no longer see a photo automatically load inside of a tweet -- you have … Read more

White House to debut on Pinterest with holiday social

President Obama is increasing his administration's social media presence by moving the White House onto Pinterest.

While the president already has a Pinterest account in his own name, used primarily to support his re-election campaign, the White House account will be used to post images and information relating to life inside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

"It's the 'People's House,'" First Lady Michelle Obama said in a WhiteHouse.gov blog post. "It's a place that is steeped in history, but it's also a place where everyone should feel welcome. And that's why my … Read more

A Katie Couric Thanksgiving: Pinterest jumps on holiday bandwagon

Pinterest is getting into the holiday spirit -- and holiday marketing -- today by launching a calendar that features a new holiday-themed board for the next 30 business days.

The calendar, dubbed "30 Days of Pinspiration," will run through the New Year. First up is TV show host and journalist Katie Couric with a board sharing her Thanksgiving traditions. It's all very warm and fuzzy.

"Every year for Thanksgiving, Katie and her family put together a great spread to celebrate their time together and give thanks," according to the Pinterest blog. "Katie's taken … 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

Pinterest's new offer: It's business, not personal

"It's business, not personal."

That's the message from Pinterest today. Taking another step to cash in on its growing popularity, the company began allowing users to transfer their existing accounts to business accounts.

As Liz Gannes points out smartly, this represents a change in the company's terms of service. But it's hardly a shocker given the company's blistering growth. In September, Pinterest made it onto Comscore's monthly ranking of the 50 most visited Internet sites as it surpassed 25 million visitors for the month.

The company's moves are an invitation to … Read more

Limits of using Square at Starbucks

Thursday's CNET Update has a tall order:

Today's tech news roundup explains how to pay with Square Wallet at Starbucks and how it's different from the Starbucks app. Small businesses have been taking hands-free payments with Square Wallet for several months. But Starbucks, which recently invested in Square, is still requiring you to scan your phone screen at checkout. Also in today's show:

- Pinterest users can finally pin in private. Users can create three "Secret Boards" for personal use, or to share with select users.

- Amazon uncorked its wine store, delivering to … Read more

Pinterest lets you make boards private with Secret Boards

For the holidays this year, Pinterest is giving its users a gift that's rarely found on the Internet: more privacy.

The social-bookmarking site today began testing private boards that can be seen only by you and whomever else you choose. It's one of the company's most frequently requested features, Pinterest Software Engineer Evrhet Milam wrote in a blog post today.

The test is rolling out gradually to all Pinterest users and lets each user create up to three of these "Secret Boards," which can be set up on the Web and on mobile.

These boards … Read more

Shopping site Fancy pokes at rivals, touts mobile success

Social-media and e-commerce site Fancy may not have Pinterest's 25.3 million users or even Fab's 8 million users, but what Fancy lacks in user numbers, the company says, it's making up in mobile traffic and, most importantly, sales.

Fancy, which recently raised another $26.4 million from investors, released some new numbers and announced its new gift card offerings today, touting its mobile success while taking the opportunity to ding its competitors.

Fancy has more than 2 million registered users now, and while that's much less than wildly popular social-media site Pinterest or growing e-commerce … Read more