malls

Complaints on Facebook get mall Santa fired

If you thought that Santa was immune from social media's self-righteous stare, then you must still believe he's real.

This has been conclusively proved at the Maine Mall in Portland, where Santa didn't seem to be having a great day.

Well, if you've got snotty, self-centered kids crawling all over you, shrieking like circus parakeets, wouldn't you get your baggy pants in a twist occasionally?

As the Daily Dot has it, this Santa (yes, there really are more than one) might have taken the "n" out of the middle and placed it at … Read more

Google and Boingo to furnish malls with free Wi-Fi

From urban to suburban, Google and Boingo continue to work on their nationwide free Wi-Fi project. The two companies announced today that free hotspots are coming to eight malls in the U.S, according to GigaOm.

It's not yet clear which malls will get the service, but Google and Boingo did say that at least four will be in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tampa, and Seattle.

This news comes on the heels of the Google and Boingo partnering to bring free Wi-Fi to several of New York City's subway stations as well as to 200 other above-ground hotspots … Read more

Cell-phone tracking mall operator has second thoughts

It seems that the Cleveland mall operator who last week declared it was tracking mall shoppers in California and Virginia via their cell phones has had a change of, perhaps, heart.

CNN reports that Forest City Commercial Management might have been encouraged to change its mind, heart, and attitude by a phone call from the office of Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY).

The phone call might have directly relayed the substance of a press conference the senator gave on Sunday.

In it, he suggested that perhaps a more polite way to go about these things was to ask shoppers if they'… Read more

eBay launches virtual outlet mall for U.S.

Hoping to tap the expanding online fashion market, eBay this week launched Fashion Outlet, a virtual U.S. outlet mall that lets brands and designers connect directly with eBay customers. Think of that outlet mall in the boonies without the drive down some random highway.

The launch of the fashion outlet follows the debut of eBay outlet sites in the U.K. and Germany. The fashion items sold through the "Buy It Now" feature are priced at 20 percent to 65 percent off retail price, making them comparable price-wise to items found at outlets, Miriam Lahage, eBay's … Read more

STOP WRITING IN ALL CAPS!

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Netflix gets licensing rights to stream Disney and ABC TV shows and movies

Google shows off a much-needed update to Google Groups

YouTube is holding a popularity contest for musicians

Forthcoming notebooks running Google's Chrome operating system seem to be missing the caps lock key

Bing Maps now help you navigate the local mall

A new study shows that Android users hog up more data than other smartphone users

And don't forget to visit CNET TV today to see our review of Google's new flagship phone, the Nexus S

Bing now maps the inside of your mall

Malls are, by their very nature, quite large, and while that lends itself well to a diversified retail experience, it can also be overwhelming, if you're visiting one for the first time (like in a new city) and don't know the layout.

To that end, Bing now maps out which stores are inside of malls instead of just placing a map marker on the building itself. Similar to satellite imagery when viewing Bing Maps on a mobile device or in the Bing Maps beta, the mall layer pops up only when you're at a certain zoom level. … Read more

Get extra cool with the hot Camaro computer

"Transformers" fans, I've just run into something at Chevy Mall that probably won't get you Megan Fox but will likely make your nerdy friends envious, nonetheless. It's a personal computer that's a replica of the hot Chevy Camaro.

The computer starts at around $1,240 and comes in a variety of colors, including the same color as the car used in the movie: bright yellow. The machine is relatively loaded, with two USB ports on the grille of the car, a slot-load DVD drive at the front bumper, and two more USB ports on … Read more

Stupid cell phone accessories

One of the best things about flying is the chance to leaf through the Skymall catalog. Indeed, there's no better celebration of our nation's obsession with consumerism. Where else can you find a tacky table-and-chairs set that's disguised as a bookcase or a quirky baking pan that ensures everyone gets an end piece?

Gadgets have also made their way into Skymall in the past. We've seen a floating speaker for your swimming pool, and last year the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 graced the cover of the February issue for $799. But even gadgets and absurdity can … Read more

Three free iPhone apps that make shopping easier

Shopping is supposed to be fun, dangit! But it's invariably a hassle-filled experience, especially at this time of year.

That's why I never walk into a store without these three iPhone apps at the ready. They're all free, and they make shopping faster, easier, and sometimes even a little less expensive.

CardStar Newly updated with an improved interface and support for 75 additional merchants, CardStar replaces various discount, reward, and membership cards in your wallet. To digitize a card, just enter a merchant name and your barcode number. When you get to the checkout, pull up the … Read more