U.K. information technology professionals with mobile commerce experience are among those receiving the biggest salary increases, according to Robert Half Technology. Salaries of IT pros with experience in big data, mobile commerce, web design and security are forecast by Robert Half to increase by 4 percent or more this year, compared with an average UK IT salary increase of 2.5 percent. In terms of roles, chief information security officers are expected to receive salary increases of 3.5 percent this year, compared to CIOs who are expected to see a 2.3 percent salary increase, chief technology officers at 1.5 percent, chief …

According to the results that have been published from a recent Canadian smartphone trends survey, owners of these devices have been using them to do everything from checking the weather, completing their banking tasks, and even ringing in the New Year. Almost half of the people in that country feel that virtual communication will replace interactions in person. The survey was conducted online by Ipsos and it focused on Canadian mobile trends, as well as those from 26 other countries around the globe. It asked 19,000 respondents about the apps that they use the most frequently. When it came to …

Skinny Cow is asking consumers to make the brand a part of their New Year's resolutions via a mobile, social contest. The daily giveaway is taking place throughout the month of January and will give consumers prizes such as purses, pedicures and Skinny Cow candy and ice cream. To enter, consumers must purchase a Skinny Cow product and type in the bar code from the box or six-digit game code from the wrapper to see if they are a winner.

While General Electric's latest sweepstakes is running across both desktop and mobile, the experience for the latter is not as robust, a discrepancy the company hopes to address in future campaigns. The contest is running until January 7 and invites consumers to find the Artistry brand's mascot, Artie the Dalmatian, on GEappliances.com for a chance at winning prizes. Consumers can enter via mobile, but the mobile site does not reflect the interactive scavenger hunt that the desktop counterpart provides.

Monitise, a developer of mobile payments technology, has announced that it has secured a partnership with a leading bank in the United Kingdom as well as extending a commercial contract with one of the country's leading financial organizations. The company notes that the demand for mobile payments technology has been growing dramatically over the past year. With 2013 over, many retailers and other businesses have been exposed to the benefits of mobile commerce and these organizations are showing their eagerness to embrace the mobile space in 2014. Mobile payments are not only growing more popular among businesses. Consumers have become …

Square, the mobile commerce platform that was founded by Twitter's Jack Dorsey, recently unveiled a thinner Square Reader. This little gem enables entrepreneurs and small business owners to start accepting payments via their mobile device, and also brings the ability to track inventory and trends through Square Register. Square has announced today a partnership with Griffin that solidifies their strength into the growing mobile transaction space with the "Merchant Case." This is a "protective case optimized for a Square Reader," costs $20, is made of silicone and is compatible with the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s. The Merchant Case is …

If only to pique reader interest, Forbes is asking whether Snapchat is a “$3 billion disappearing act,” while suggesting that the social startup’s young founder was less than smitten with Mark Zuckerberg when the latter came calling about a potential acquisition. Short lived or not, Forbes currently believes that “Snapchat represents the greatest existential threat yet to the Facebook juggernaut.” Yet, according to one top venture capitalist, that doesn’t equal the $3 billion that Facebook reportedly offered to buy the company. 

Intuit's Mint.com is kicking off 2014 with a sweepstakes that rewards consumers for setting up budget goals through their smartphones, tablets and desktops. Mint.com is giving away four $500 gift cards throughout the month of January. The goal of the campaign is not only to help consumers set up a personal budget for 2014, but also stick with it by logging in regularly to the company's mobile and Web properties. "The beginning of the year is naturally the time when people resolve to do all kinds of things, including getting their money in shape," said Julie Miller, spokeswoman at Mint.com, …

The Oregon chapter of the Children's Heart Foundation has launched a holiday fund-raiser via a mobile-optimized Facebook application called CafeGive Social. The chapter hopes to raise $5,000 to support research for children with Congenital Heart Defects, the most common birth defect in the United States. Through Jan. 31, consumers can find the campaign online and via mobile to donate towards the cause.

Luxury marketers who focus on beauty product lines have taken notice of how affluent consumers prefer to shop via mobile by continuing to incorporate digital touch points into campaigns and through in-store interactions. Beauty brands can benefit immensely from introducing interactive digital features to campaigns as a way to engage consumers both remotely and within boutiques. Digital touch points allow beauty brands to enhance engagement through exploration, often accompanied by a knowledgeable sales associate.