Holiday Sales Forecast: E-Commerce Growing Like Gangbusters

Forcaster Comcast expects an 11% increase in e-commerce sales this holiday season. They attribute the increase to an improving economy and the ability for newly thrifty shoppers to compare prices on the Internet. See Holiday Sales Forecast: E-Commerce Growing Like Gangbusters.

Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction

Are computers and cell phones interfering with focusing and learning? Are young students, used to constantly switching between technical distractions, unable to concentrate on school work? The New York Times explores the affect of technology on students. See Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction.

Resisting the Online Tracking Programs

Worried about all those cookies on your computer? Privacy advocates tell us we should be. The NYT reviews some options for more private browsing. See Resisting the Online Tracking Programs.

Facebook Offers New Messaging Tool

Facebook hopes its new Messages tool will transform it from a social networking site to a communications site. Facebook describes it as "a new unified messaging system for Facebook that allows people to communicate with one another on the Web and on mobile phones regardless of whether they are using e-mail, text messages or online chat services." See Facebook Offers New Messaging Tool.

Facebook Offers Local Deals for Mobile Users

Facebook's new location feature, called Places, lets businesses push coupons and deals to mobile users at their location. The feature will alert you when you are near a business with a deal. Once you "check-in" at the location, you show your phone screen to the business to claim your deal. The Places feature is only available on the iPhone app. Facebook Offers Local Deals for Mobile Users.

Learning in Dorm, Because Class Is on the Web

Public universities are offering online courses to their on-campus students as a cost-cutting measure. For example, the University of Florida web-casts an economics course to 1,500 enrolled students. While the college spends less to deliver the course, both students and professors struggle with the results. See Learning in Dorm, Because Class Is on the Web.