Adidas releases spot featuring David Beckham, Lionel Messi, Derrick Rose, and Katy Perry, whose single ("Part of Me") is the featured soundtrack.

Apple products can now be found in half of all U.S. households.

Charles Barkley cross-dresses in new Weight Watchers campaign.

Facebook stops secondary market trading ahead of May IPO.

Jeremy Lin meets with ESPN employee fired over racist headline.

JetBlue's unhinged pilot charged with a criminal complaint.

Netflix appears to follow through with Qwikster plan after all.

News Corp. said to plan sports network to rival ESPN.Continue reading...

“Netflix will be sold by Easter,” Porter Bibb, managing partner at Mediatech Capital Partners, told Bloomberg News. "I am hearing very serious rumblings from inside Verizon that they are very serious about either Netflix or something similar."

A deal with Verizon would put sorely needed cash in Netflix’s pocket as international expansion is on hold while the company staggers to regain profitability, reeling from a disastrous 2011, which saw a number of mishaps for the video rental/streaming brand.

After hiking subscription rates 60% in July, a customer revolt led to an ill-fated attempt at restructuring their DVD and streaming plans with the planned (then abandoned) launch of Qwikster, which sent nearly one million subscribers into exile; so they un-restructured but still lost close to 800,000 customers.Continue reading...

Our most-read blog posts of the week include Air France's new logo, Motorola's new RAZR, Sony's new PSP, and more:

#1 Take This Lollipop Spooks Facebook Users

#2 Toby Keith Late to the Party with Solo Red Cup Anthem

#3 Air France Logo Gets Makeover

#4 Steve Jobs and the Evolution of the Apple Logo: "Don't Make it Cute"

#5 Netflix Quashes Qwikster and Gets On With It

#6 Ikea App Uses Facebook Profiles to Design Dream Bedrooms

#7 Footloose Product Placement Stays Loyal to Original, Almost

#8 Hyundai Taking Lead in Automotive Brand Loyalty

#9 Motorola, Aiming for Cutting Edge, Revives RAZR Brand

#10 Sony Sets PS Vita Release, But Are Gamers Game?

Netflix abruptly abandons plans to rent DVDs and kills Qwikster brand before it launches.

Disney CEO Bob Iger announces he will step down in 2015.

American Apparel finds new fans in Europe.

Apple iPhone pre-sale orders sell out, while overall iPhone sales may not be so rosy.

Chrysler plans to pare minivan offerings as part of brand rationalization and product-portfolio streamlining  as the company winds up talks with UAW.

Conde Nast to develop video and online content.Continue reading...

Amazon launches YoYo portal for kids toys.

American Express buys virtual currency monetization platform for $30 million.

Angry Birds is poised to expand as Rovio works with Starbucks and other brands to expand footprint.

Apple's stock closes at all-time high.

Braun announces theme for 2012 BraunPrize.

CNN opens first CNN Cafe, in Seoul.Continue reading...

The stock of Netflix has dropped nearly in half and thousands of subscribers have jumped ship since the company that essentially put video stores out of business announced that it would have a price increase two months ago.

On Sunday night, CEO Reed Hastings posted a mea culpa blog post and video (above) that stated "I messed up," adding, "It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming, and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology."

Prices are returning to to what they were. Instead, the company’s DVD-by-mail service is going to be spun off and called Qwikster, which Hastings said wouldn't change the 12-year-old DVD service other than to create a distinct brand and website, Qwikster.com.

The Qwikster news comes as Facebook, where Hastings is a board member, is getting ready to announce a new media platform, according to the New York Times, which "will allow people to easily share their favorite music, television shows and movies, effectively making the basic profile page a primary entertainment hub."Continue reading...