Google CEO Larry Page discloses vocal-cord condition as company plans music-streaming service.

Apple is being investigated for its role in e-book pricing.

Burger King rolls out BK Rib to bust McRib by McDonald's.

ABC tests expanding Nielsen ratings to mobile and plans to consolidate Dancing with the Stars to Monday evenings.

Amy's Baking Company goes rogue after Kitchen Nightmares rejection, shows what brands shouldn't do on social.

Bloomberg terminal-use issue highlights stress in corporate culture as Wall Street firms begin to regard it as competitor.

Dell will miss profit estimates.

Dollar General looks to hire 10,000 new employees this month.Continue reading...

One comic book hero (Spiderman) was inspired by creator Stan Lee watching a spider climb up a wall. Another (The Incredible Hulk) came about when Lee combined the story of Frankenstein with The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Now comes one that is based on a coffee-swilling businessman who has no superpowers but managed to create one of the world’s most well-known brands.

Howard Schultz: The Man Behind Starbucks chronicles the life and times of the brand’s CEO as he takes the company from a hippiefied java joint in Seattle's Pike Place Market to a global behemoth in just 32 pages—or the time it takes to consume a venti skim latte and a cinnamon swirl coffee cake.

"After reading (autobiography) Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul by Howard Schultz, I thought he would be a great subject for a comic book,” Darren G. Davis, the head of publisher Bluewater Productions told Ad Age. “I love telling stories of people who are inspirational like Schultz and have a great back-story."Continue reading...

Google CEO and co-founder Larry Page said in 2004, "Imagine your brain being augmented by Google." It’s no longer imagination.

Google has released its second teaser video for its augmented reality specs rumored for release later this year. Shot from the POV of the Google Glass wearer, the video shows skydivers, ice skaters, ballerinas, skiers and pilots enjoying the augmented-reality and photo-capturing capabilities of the glasses. 

While the first video, released last year, followed everyday errands on a New York City day, the latest one showcases the functionality and feeling of Google Glass, which accompanied by a small suspended screen shows images, messages, translations, mapping information and video chats as users snap photos, record video or broadcast a live video feed of what's in front of their eyes—with the capability to add spoken messages as well.

Now Google is opening up its explorer testing program for its wearable high-tech specs to anyone (within the U.S.) who impresses the company with their application and has $1,500 to spare. Looking for "bold, creative individuals who want to join us and be a part of shaping the future of Glass,” Google will extend invitations to the top 8,000 applicants with the highest scores.Continue reading...

Google has just launched a new amalgamated search engine, What Do You Love, as its Google+ platform is setting a land-speed record for fastest social launch.

WDYL.com lets users explore their passions (food, movies, film, monkeys) and pulls in results from Google’s various search products: photos, video, books, maps, blogs, groups, news, patents.Continue reading...