Footwear manufacturer Toms is driving home the impact of its donation policy in which the brand gives away a pair of shoes for every pair purchased through a virtual reality push in partnership with AT&T that follows the effect of the charitable project. A 360-degree video on YouTube and a mobile application shows the impact of purchases made from Toms, taking viewers to Colombia and featuring some of the children receiving the shoes. The video, in partnership with AT&T, helps put a more real perspective on the program and hopefully will drive home the positive sentiment of the Toms brand. 

Honeywell International Inc. and Google have settled a four-year-old patent lawsuit that centered on Google's Nest Labs, which made an internet-connected thermostat that Honeywell said infringed on its patents. The two companies announced a long-term licensing deal late Thursday that "fully resolves pending patent litigation" between Honeywell (NYSE: HON) and Nest. Terms weren't disclosed. Morris Plains, N.J.-based Honeywell, whose home-automation unit is based in Golden Valley, sued Nest in 2012, claiming the startup's "smart thermostat" infringed on years-old Honeywell patents related to user interfaces and controlling a thermostat from a remote location. Nest's early thermostat won critical plaudits for being able to adjust a home's …

The internet of things (IoT) is already beginning to change how consumers shop and how consumer and packaged goods (CPG) companies do business. The industry is using the IoT to streamline manufacturing processes and supply chain management as it seeks new revenue opportunities. Brands are also exploring ways to build upon these efforts and use the IoT to deliver more personalized customer experiences. Whether it’s monitoring the supply chain, tracking how products are used or gaining more insight into shopper preferences, the IoT is ushering in an era in which “smart” things can seamlessly collect, share and analyze real-time data. In …

Consider the number of the packaged products in the world, and that the possibility that each could be interactive either within the supply chain as part of the manufacturing process or as a retail product that interacts with the retailer and/or consumer. All of a sudden the size of the Internet of Things (IoT) becomes unimaginably big and adding way more packages as well. And right now, UPS and FedEx still leave you a ratty Post-It Note to let you know they missed you. Enter Finland’s Magic Add – they enable packages to communicate with people. Readwrite spoke with CEO Samuli Manninen about …

Ford said Thursday it is investing $182 million in Pivotal, a Silicon Valley-based software development company, to gain access to cutting-edge software-development expertise that the automaker admits it would struggle to develop on its own. Ford’s investment is part of a $253 million financing package for Pivotal that also includes funding from Microsoft, GE, EMC and VMware. Ford's software engineers are adept at creating software to manage and control engines, transmissions and braking and other automotive hardware but said the automaker needs to be able to quickly develop software used by consumers, Fields said.

Time Inc. is joining the over-the-top video fray with the People and Entertainment Weekly Network, featuring long-form TV-style programming on connected televisions and other devices set to debut this fall. The company also is announcing a video-only brand dedicated to covering digital stars on YouTube, Vine, Snapchat and other platforms, and “Life VR,” a new app that will serve as the hub for Time Inc.’s virtual-reality content. It unveiled the new initiatives, along with a slate of new shows, at its Digital Content NewFronts presentation to ad execs Thursday in NYC. In addition, Time Inc. announced a pact with NBA legend Kobe Bryant for a short animated film based …

1-800-Flowers.com is partnering with Amazon.com to make the digital ordering process even easier. The specialty floral gift retailer will allow customers to place orders using the Amazon Alexa voice-activated artificial intelligence platform via the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Tap smart home devices and Fire TV streaming media player. 1-800-Flowers shoppers will be able to give Alexa basic ordering instructions, and the retailer will then process the order and arrange delivery. 1-800-Flowers is the first third party e-commerce retailer to utilize this technology on Alexa-enabled devices.

Many smart city proponents speak in vast generalities. They talk about the ways that Internet of Things sensors and big data will improve life for citizens while conserving water and energy resources and reducing traffic congestion. Not so Bob Bennett, the recently installed chief innovation officer for Kansas City, Mo. He's a combination of CIO, city planner and futurist with a quick grasp of technical details about what smart city technology can do. Bennett arrived at his job just four months before the city's planned opening on Friday of a shiny new downtown streetcar line offering free rides and the …

Coca-Cola’s latest mobile innovation transforms bottles into a remote control for Spotify playlists via an application that registers products using smartphone cameras and curates music collections representative of common summer experiences.  The Play a Coke campaign, happening in Canada, is tapping various summer experiences and making them even more special by providing a soundtrack for themes such as Chillin’ by the Fire, First Kiss and Road Trip. Users can access the soundtracks by downloading Coke’s mobile app, which leverages augmented reality technology to allow customers control of their music play by moving the product. 

Britain’s Bentley Motors is the latest automaker to enable Apple Watch connectivity, but how important are smartwatches to the industry? Bentley’s new mobile application, entitled Bentayga TSR, synchronizes with the vehicle’s Touch Screen Remote to allow Bentayga passengers to control or monitor vehicular functions. However, the new technology has still not proliferated, raising questions about what it means to be an early adapter when benefits are minimal.