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Google eyes smaller players after Groupon

Groupon CEO Andrew Mason. (Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune)

Google is in talks with smaller players in the online discount coupon market after Groupon turned down the web giant’s $6 billion buyout offer, the New York Post said, citing a source close to the situation.

Groupon’s smaller rivals LivingSocial and BuyWithMe may now be on Google’s radar after Groupon deal fell through, the Post said.

BuyWithMe interim President David Wolfe, who declined to comment on whether he was speaking to Google, told the Post that he believes Google needs to enter the coupon advertising market. Get the full story »

Google TV faces delays amid poor reviews

From the New York Times News Service | The Consumer Electronics Show next month in Las Vegas was meant to be the great coming-out party for Google’s new software for televisions, which adds Web video and other computer smarts to TV sets. Although Google already has a deal with Sony for its Internet TVs, other television makers — Toshiba, LG Electronics and Sharp — were prepared to flaunt their versions of the systems.

But Google has asked the TV makers to delay their introductions, according to people familiar with the company’s plans, so that it can refine the software, which has received a lukewarm reception. The late request caught some of the manufacturers off guard. And it illustrates the struggles Google faces as it tries to expand into the tricky, unfamiliar realm of consumer electronics, and drum up broad interest in a Web-based TV product that consumers want. Get the full story »

Trade panel to take up Xbox patent dispute

Bloomberg News | The International Trade Commission has agreed to review a patent and licensing dispute between Motorola Mobility and Microsoft that could result in an import ban on the latter’s  Xbox game system.

First glimpse of new Motorola tablet?

From Geek with Laptop | Google’s Andy Rubin appears to have shown off one of the 10-inch tablet computers Motorola plans to launch next year. Sanjay Jha, Motorola’s CEO, basically that Motorola will also launch a 7-inch tablet at some point next year,.

Rubin was showing off the new Nexus S phone at the “Dive into Mobile” event and whipped out a nameless prototype Motorola slim line tablet running Android 3.0 otherwise known as Honeycomb, a version of Android that is supposedly more suitable for tablet computers than previous versions. Get the full story>>

Motorola Mobility, Solutions to start trading Friday

Motorola Inc. isn’t officially breaking into two companies until Jan. 4, but shares of the two successor companies will start trading Friday on the New York Stock Exchange on a “when issued” basis.

The company is splitting into Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc., which will take the cell-phone and set-top-box manufacturing businesses, and Motorola Solutions Inc., which contains the more government- and corporate-facing parts of the company. It  makes things such as police radios and bar-code scanners. Get the full story »

RIM sees 3Q profits rise 45% on Torch strength

Research In Motion reported results that mostly beat expectations Thursday, and the BlackBerry maker forecast strong profits for the current quarter, pushing its shares higher in after-hours trade.

RIM said net profit jumped 45 percent in its third quarter, which ended Nov. 27. It said results were boosted by strong sales of its flagship Torch smartphone, a new product that combines a touch screen like Apple’s iPhone with RIM’s trademark mini keyboard. Get the full story »

Groupon founder performs at Second City

From the Chicago Sun-Times | Groupon CEO Andrew Mason reminded everyone that he was a music major in college during an improv charity event late Tuesday at Second City. Accompanied by a singer, guitarist and saxophonist, the Northwestern alumnus, who was once part of a Billy Joel tribute band, sat at a grand piano and played “Movin’ Out” and “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” Get the full story>>

Google to delay ultra-high-speed broadband test

Google Inc. said it is not quite ready to decide where it will build an experimental, ultra-high-speed broadband network that will provide Internet connections that are 100 times faster than the connections most Americans get from their phone and cable companies. Get the full story »

Sales of 3-D, Web-enabled TVs fall flat

New features such as 3-D screens and Internet connectivity have not inspired  U.S. television shoppers, dashing a hoped-for recovery in the global consumer electronics industry.

TV manufacturers such as Sony Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. and Sharp Corp. are learning that features such as razor-thin LED TVs are not enough to stage a comeback in the United States. Get the full story »

France steps up Europe’s scrutiny of Google

France’s antitrust regulator on Tuesday put Google on notice not to abuse what it said was its dominant position in online search advertising.

In the latest sign of growing regulatory scrutiny of Google in Europe, the watchdog said Google’s market power was not necessarily bad or illegal but its practices needed to be monitored to avoid anticompetitive impact. Get the full story »

Chevy ships first 160 Volts to dealers

Five trucks carrying Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric cars left General Motors Co.’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant Monday, marking the first shipment to dealers after nearly four years of expectation.

GM said it expected 160 Volts to ship this week to its initial markets: California; Austin, Texas; New York City; and Washington, D.C. Get the full story »

Gawker breach spreads to Twitter

A spam attack on Twitter shows why it’s wise to use different passwords for Internet accounts.

Twitter said Monday that hackers broke into an unspecified number of accounts and sent spam promoting acai berry drinks. Twitter says the passwords came from a  breach at Gawker Media, which runs Gawker, Gizmodo and other technology and media sites. People who used the same passwords for both sites were vulnerable. Get the full story »

Deadline set for Google’s Wi-Fi network data

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal on Friday demanded that Google provide access to data the company said it accidentally collected from public Wi-Fi networks.

Grain rally forces large specs to cover shorts

Large speculators cut back on their bearish exposure to U.S. grain futures as an unexpected holiday season rally forced traders to cover short positions. Get the full story »

Maker of ‘Angry Birds’ app unveils billing software

Finland’s Rovio Mobile, known for its Angry Birds puzzle video game, unveiled on Friday payment software that gives mobile telecom operators a chance to win a share of booming app store business.

Mobile operators have struggled to grab a piece of the mobile applications market — worth $4.1 billion last year, according to research firm Chetan Sharma — as consumers pay with credit cards directly to Apple Inc or Google Inc.

Rovio said it would start to roll out its payment solution in early 2011 for Android phones sold by Finland’s top mobile carrier, Elisa, for purchasing additional features in Angry Birds. “This gives operators some revenue, compared to none. We are going to open it up to all other developers,” said Peter Vesterbacka, head of Rovio’s business development in North America. Get the full story »