Today's headlines

Microsoft has ambitious goals for its Windows 8 operating system, including making it one of the big players in the mobile space, and the company is taking big strides to achieve that with a recent overhaul of its app store, which intends to improve application discoverability.

Registration is open for the second annual Mobile FirstLook: Strategy 2013 conference Thursday, Jan. 17 featuring speakers from Coca-Cola, Sephora, Nissan, Museum of Modern Art, Citi, MillerCoors, NHL and JetBlue. Must-attend event for brands, retailers, agencies and publishers.

Please register for the free annual webinar at 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 6: “Mobile Outlook 2013: Up, Down or Flat?” Panelists include execs from Caesars Entertainment, Burt’s Bees and Hipcricket.

When used correctly, push notifications can help mobile application developers double their four-month user retention rates, while significantly driving engagement, according to a new report from Urban Airship and Wave Collapse.

Consumers shopping on smartphones and tablets will make this a record-breaking year for mobile, according to a senior executive at software, services and mainframe giant IBM Corp.

NEW YORK – Superstorm Sandy did not stop brands such as Pepsi, MasterCard and Jaguar Land Rover from attending last week’s ad:tech 2012 conference and discussing the critical role that mobile continues to play in their marketing efforts.

Mobile Commerce Daily today - Free shipping offers lure in mcommerce shopping, while mobile-driven offers grow; What works: REI or Dick’s Sporting Goods take on loyalty-driven mobile apps.

4Info and Truste have partnered together to protect consumer privacy when delivering mobile ads.

Luxury Daily today - Cadillac targets business-minded consumers via mobile ads; Louis Vuitton eyes the masses with first TV commercial.

By Tobias Dengel

The iPad Mini is not the first of its kind, but Apple's release may mark the beginning of significant growth in the 7-inch tablet market. The implications for those of us deploying tablet experiences are potentially significant.