Content about Computing

DENVER — Ibotta on Friday officially launched its free mobile application for iPhone users that gives consumers a new way to earn as much as $40 in cash each time they shop. With Ibotta, consumers earn cash rewards for answering a trivia question, watching videos and/or providing feedback on their favorite products, then buying the products in major national retailers, such as Walmart, Target and Walgreens.  

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart maintained an optimistic outlook for the holiday season despite a 1.5% third-quarter comp increase that reflected a modest deceleration in sales momentum seen earlier this year.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Shoppers at CVS/pharmacy can now wirelessly upload images from their mobile devices to a Kodak Picture Kiosk, to create such photo products as photobooks, personal greetings and calendars at CVS/pharmacy Photo Center locations nationwide.

NEW YORK — Unilever’s Simple facial skin care brand has teamed up with AOL to announce the winners of a nationwide search for extraordinary women driving positive change in their communities. The search is an extension of Makers, a multiplatform video experience that honors trailblazing women, including Sandra Day O’Connor, Hillary Clinton and Diane Von Furstenberg.

TORONTO — Towers Watson on Tuesday announced that it has selected Loblaw Companies as the preferred pharmacy services provider for its Towers Watson Canadian Rx Coalition, a collaborative network of private sector drug plan sponsors. 

The arrangement with Loblaw is expected to improve employers' ability to offer their employees access to a robust range of drug store health resources and support overall health and wellness needs while enabling long-term sustainability of their benefits programs in the face of rising costs. 

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Starting this month, more than 2,000 CVS/pharmacy stores will have special in-store kiosks that showcase the latest trends and innovations in nail care, the retail pharmacy chain said Thursday.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — iHealth Labs on Tuesday announced that its latest suite of products will be available for purchase at major retailers and online later this month. The iHealth wireless blood pressure wrist monitor, wireless blood pressure monitor and wireless body analysis scale are already available at Best Buy and iHealthlabs.com, the company added. 

Retailers are facing challenges in a rapidly changing photo-processing category. One huge shift has been in category leadership. One dominant brand is no longer directing — and pouring advertising dollars into — the category, so retailers need to take a more active role in marketing 
photo processing. 


Another challenge is what to market. Consumers are still ordering prints, but they are increasingly viewing, manipulating and saving their photos online.


WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Nordic Naturals on Wednesday announced the launch of its mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android users. 

“Nordic Naturals is an omega-3 industry leader,” stated Joar Opheim, CEO of Nordic Naturals. “We are pleased to lead the way in offering the convenience of a mobile app to consumers.”

LOS ANGELES — With the holiday shopping season approaching, one group has released a guide to goods produced domestically.

The Made in USA Foundation announced the latest edition of the "All-American Holiday Gift Guide," which shows readers how to buy American-made Christmas and Hannukah gifts, ornaments and cards, with sections on toys, jewelry, games and other items for men, women and children. Co-published with Made in USA Certified, the 115-page guide also includes food-related items, such as chocolates, blenders and stoves.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Kerr Drug has broadened its services with a new mobile pharmacy application.

Powered by mscripts, the solution enables Kerr Drug customers to refill prescriptions, and receive pickup and dosage reminders through the convenience of their mobile phones. Smartphone users can access the store locator, weekly specials and do a quick refill by scanning the QR code on prescription bottles. A text messaging option for non-smartphone users enables patients to receive many of the same benefits.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — European regulators have approved U.S. drug maker Watson's acquisition of Switzerland-based Actavis, Watson said.

Watson said the European Commission had approved its $5.6 billion purchase of the drug maker, formerly based in Iceland, which Watson announced in April 2012.

Watson expects the transaction to be finished by the end of this year, subject to regulatory approval by the Federal Trade Commission. The acquisition is expected to create the world's third-largest generic drug maker.