Microsoft announces the departure of Windows chief (and Ballmer's heir apparent) in wake of Windows 8 launch.

LG breaks through with new smartphone.

Hostess Brands starts closing plants as workers strike.

Acura brings Dr. Phil and Suze Orman into its Christmas promo campaign.

Apple finally gives in on employee perks.

Bojangles recruits American Idol winner Scotty McCreery for campaign.

Cadillac shows design chops in China.

Callaway Golf drives buzz on Twitter for new high-tech driver.Continue reading...

During the season finale of American Idol last week, host Ryan Seacrest hit one of the few sour notes of his ten-year tenure on the show. In a segment in which Seacrest announced the giveaway of Ford vehicles to finalists Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina, as well as to each singer’s favorite hometown educator, Seacrest couldn’t resist calling his  guests “hot teachers.” And he also said something about the ladies primping themselves for being on the show.

But that was a little thing and understandable for a host who almost always has been light on his feet and dead-on in tone despite many verbal tangles with Simon Cowell and others’ jokes about Seacrest’s less-than-towering stature.

And it’s about the only thing Seacrest has done wrong lately, judging by the one-man entertainment conglomerate that he has become.Continue reading...

Last year, after the departure of Simon Cowell as the acerbic judge and the face of the show, American Idol confronted a fateful moment: How would the FOX mega-property fight a long-term slide in ratings without its fascinating bad boy and its most compelling personality – especially one who was going to create a competing show that would debut on the same network this fall?

Idol producers succeeded handsomely, bringing in Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler as judges to join holdover Randy Jackson, and making the show’s narrative about really developing really good talent instead of allowing not-so-good singers into the final ranks and then savaging them when they performed down to their level.

Viewership for Wednesday night’s finale was 29 million people, up about 18% from last year’s according to Variety. Votes cast for the two finalists, winner Scotty McCreery and runner-up Lauren Alaina, totaled well more than 100 million, easily a record for the show (thanks largely to its addition of online voting to the old-fashioned phone medium). Inevitably, Idol questions about how long it can keep going, now arise.Continue reading...

American Idol viewers crowned a new winner: Scotty McCreery.

AT&T expands 4G network.

Ashton Kutcher invests in Airbnb, his biggest social investment to date.

Carven, the French fashion brand, mulls possible IPO.

China widens lead in renewable energy ranking.

Diageo reorganizes business units.

DoubleTree by Hilton launches year-long global rebranding.

Facebook's Zuckerberg says movies, TV and music are next social frontiers as site announces music service with Spotify.Continue reading...