A new technology-driven trend is emerging in the real estate business. Buyers now can be alerted via their mobile devices when they are in range of actively listed properties. Daniel Island Real Estate is using the technology. Small, portable “beacons” are placed on homes or properties listed for sale, and they emit signals that trigger push notifications on compatible smartphones or tablets that pass within a few feet to up to 100 feet away. The notice then directs users to specific online content about the listing.

Positioning-based in-store marketing is something more commonly found in Walmart and Apple stores than in bookstores. Using small, inexpensive, battery-powered beacons that rely on Bluetooth to transmit messages to smartphones, or LED lighting with location-based software that works much like beacons, large retailers and even sports arenas are marketing directly to customers when they walk in the door. Since the beginning of the year, several independent booksellers have begun experimenting with beacons or will soon participate in pilots. As one of eight stores testing Facebook’s Place Tips Service, Strand Book Store in New York City became one of the …

With hackers seemingly running rampant online and millions of users compromised, efforts for stronger online identity protection -- mainly using biometrics -- are gaining momentum. Biometrics, which can include fingerprints, iris scans, facial or voice recognition and other methods, got a major boost with Apple's introduction of its iPhones with Touch ID. Samsung followed with its own fingerprint scanner and Qualcomm recently unveiled its 3D fingerprint technology incorporated in the chips used in many mobile devices. From major tech firms such as Google, Microsoft and Yahoo to US cybersecurity officials, consensus is growing that the simple password, often the weak link in …

Department store chain Barneys New York is investing in its consumers’ online experience with the redesign of three of its Web sites with a mobile-first strategy. The retailer claims to be the first luxury retailer to use responsive design to more fully integrate content and consumer feedback into the ecommerce environment. Barneys looks to be at the forefront of digital within luxury, bringing its in-store experience to consumers regardless of where they are located and how they choose to connect.

Apple Pay has come under scrutiny because of apparent credit card fraud, but multiple sources say a fix is in the works in the aftermath of a flood of news stories on an apparent security flaw. The problem is simple. With stashes of millions of stolen credit cards details harvested in the recent breaches atTarget, Home Depot and the others, thieves have realized that an iPhone can, in effect, be transformed into a credit card substitute by loading it with a stolen number. Before, those criminals could only shop at online retailers. Now, with an iPhone, they can walk out of retail stores with merchandise …

Ryan Mclnerney, global president of Visa Inc, speaking at this morning’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) keynote on digital transactions and social interactions, said the huge effort involved in helping Apple Pay get off the ground has put it in a position to help others, including mobile operators, launch rival mobile payment services. “We are the payment engine underneath Apple Pay, and we had 700 people working on it for 18 months before its launch last year,” said Mclnerney. “We wanted to build a platform and system that would be scalable, reliable and safe – but not just for Apple Pay, …

Samsung executive vice president Young-hee Lee has revealed the company’s smartwatch strategy moving forward: Don’t release any. Speaking with theWall Street Journal at Mobile World Congress, Lee explained Samsung’s new strategy regarding watches simply: We’ve been introducing more devices than anybody else. It’s time for us to pause. We want a more perfect product. Lee isn’t exaggerating about how many smartwatches have come out of Samsung over the last couple of years. After diving into the wearable space with the first Galaxy Gear in September 2013, Samsung went wearable crazy. The next year saw the release of the Gear 2, …

McDonald’s much anticipated global mobile app goes live this summer though will not have all its features open to users in an attempt to work out whether its focus is mainly promotional or commerce. The restaurant has been scrambling to get its marketing ship shape over the last 18 months and the app’s imminent arrival will mark its bow as a digital marketer. While it has dedicated significant resources to catch up in the digital arms race, the company will bide its time with the app’s rollout in order to pull away from the pack.

Wagamama, a British pan-Asian casual restaurant chain, is teaming up with MasterCard to let customers use a mobile application to pay for meals, adding speed and convenience to the dining experience. The Qkr! app with MasterPass will let customers who are in a hurry pay as soon as they wish. The app, now available to use in 112 wagamama restaurants in the United Kingdom, points to the mobile mind shift’s role in raising consumer expectations for the service industry.

Ticketmaster’s focus shift to ticket management on mobile has paid off, as the brand saw more visitors to its mobile site than desktop in 2014’s fourth quarter, suggesting that mobile tickets have considerable traction behind them. As part of parent company Live Nation’s earnings statement, Ticketmaster revealed its renewed spotlight on event discovery and purchase. With many consumers turning to mobile devices for both browsing and purchasing services and products, Ticketmaster is hoping to tap into the massive growth opportunities on mobile for traffic and conversion.