Brands to Watch: Wal-Mart, Bing, GOP

Wal-Mart  is focusing on smaller-format stores, bringing back "Action Alley" — wide aisles filled with palettes of discounted merchandise — and offering same-day pickup for online purchases in an effort to jumpstart sluggish U.S. sales.

Apple shares pass $300 for first time on promise of iPad, China expansion.

Bing is adding a social layer to its search results, with a little help from Facebook.

Bit.ly now generates QR codes in addition to short URLs.

Domino's unveils first new pizza since reformulating its recipe.

Facebook Credits payment options expand as it becomes a global virtualcurrency

GM is working with Michigan electrical utilities to install more than 5,300 home and workplace electric-vehicle charging stations.

Kaplan releases SAT prep game app for iPhone and iPad.

Nation-E reveals all-electric Hummer H1 with a 60 kW battery that serves as a mobile charging station for other vehicles, construction sites, or even buildings.

Perez Hilton promises to clean up his act and end celebrity insults.

Republican Party groups launch $50 million ad blitz ahead of U.S. midterm elections.

Reuters adds online video "morning show" in a YouTube partnership.

Vanguard tops new J.D. Power survey of investors who make solo investment decisions.

W+K expands into magazine publishing with Motherland, a bimonthly "New Yorker for India."

YouTube Symphony Orchestra project heads to the Sydney Opera House.

More than 10 million Americans watched CNN, Fox News and MSNBC when the first miner, Florencio Avalos, was pulled to the surface in Chile.

All 50 U.S. states sign on to mortgage foreclosure investigation.