Business - E-business latest news

Digital billboards and digital signage networks in retail are driving the rapid expansion of outdoor/out-of-home advertising, rivaling the Internet as the fastest-growing advertising medium. What's fueling this growth? The ability to reach the elusive consumers while they are out of home, and especially while they are shopping.

A host of companies are progressing with efforts to develop and prove 4G wireless technologies. Eagerly anticipated, what exactly constitutes 4G is yet to be determined. Though this process is driven in the main by international industry associations, no one group's efforts span all the evolving technology and international definitions and standards that will go into defining and applying it.

One of the hallmarks of CRM is that its footprint keeps expanding. I think part of the reason is that we have taken to lumping everything that is not a back-office application area into CRM. In fact, some people are even using front office interchangeably with CRM these days, myself included.

Through the partnership, TiVo will display menus with links to Amazon's online store, inviting viewers to use their remote control to purchase products.

The towering role of Steve Jobs at Apple was underscored this week when concerns about his health contributed to a sudden plunge in the company's stock. Apple shares recovered significantly on Tuesday, but wall street's worries spotlight the enormous importance of Jobs to Apple and spur questions about the company's responsibility to address the recurring rumors regarding his health.

Security firm offers tool that vets e-tailers during search process, uBid announces fixed-price site to launch next month and iPhones continue to ring the virtual cash register.

Google launched Knol, a user-generated online encyclopedia,similar to Wikipedia.

Apple said a server problem has knocked out e-mail for some of its MobileMe subscribers, and said it has been working since Friday to bring the system back online.

VeriFone Holdings Inc. said Wednesday it was awarded a multi-year dollar contract valued at up to $10 million to provide the U.S. Postal Service with electronic payment capabilities. (PAY)

Yahoo disappointed shareholders with its second quarter earnings report, posting declining profits that missed wall street's expectations. Its quarterly net income fell to $131 million, or 9 cents per share, from $161 million, or 11 cents per share, a year ago. Excluding certain charges, Yahoo realized earnings of $139 million, or 10 cents per share, falling one cent short of analyst expectations.