With a mobile device in every hand, consumers now take the power for local search with them wherever they go. And as voice search technology becomes more sophisticated, and more search engines and directory-assistance players join the market, ad-supported free directory assistance or voice search will move to the fore.

It appears women really do like curling up with a good book. And during the day, they seem to prefer real people over online buddies just a tad more than men do. So says a study that explored the online and offline habits of men and women, from the University of Southern California Annenberg Center for the Digital Future.

I'm sick to death of turkey and roasts and all the trimmings. The kids have already broken half of their new toys. Cyber Monday is a distant memory. January returns are in full swing. The meter has been set back in the red in anticipation of another Black Friday in another 10 months. Code locks have been lifted so we can defy death and start SEO again, and I'll bet this is the weekend I finally take down my Christmas lights.

Take a look at the results of studies focusing on the factors that influence purchase decisions. Turns out, the most influential influencers of all are those nearest and dearest: family and friends. True, the influence of social media - blogs, forums, product ratings - is gaining ground, but it still carries less weight than our social circles.

It was a dark and stormy night in Rodanthe when Diane Lane and Richard Gere gazed longingly into each other's eyes and realized that being middle-aged doesn't mean you're not still hot. This romantic tearjerker is an iconic example of the meme of the empty nester: a couple with no responsibilities and enough money to do what they want in whatever romantic location they want to do it in. (See also: innumerable ads for pills to get all those gorgeous and eager silver-haired men into motion when they're in the mood.)

In 2005, before the feds cracked down on it, the online gambling market in the United States alone was estimated at $6 billion, nearly half of global revenues. And there's little overlap between those who game online and those who travel to casinos to play, according to analyst firm River City Group.

"PUBCON attendees with badge can get free admin to LAX at Luxor. Ask for Roq at door." Then, "@VegasConcierge: Cool!" Insider info about hot clubs and freebies comes in a steady stream of tweets from VegasConcierge. This Twitter channel is at the very edge of the interactive juggernaut that is the interactive marketing program of MGM Mirage. The owner of 10 top Vegas resorts also offers a YouTube channel and a desktop widget, the Vegas Valet, which feeds news, photos, info about special events and deals from its resorts.

Encouraging people to associate your brand with user-generated video mashups of nearly naked women is a risky move that would make most brands very nervous, but Procter & Gamble's Gillette was feeling frisky, and it had a new razor to launch. The brand let consumers draw their own connections between copious amounts of smooth bare skin and the Gillette Fusion Power Phenom.

If only this magazine had speakers, reader, we'd welcome you with the warm tones of a disc jockey. Think back to those old am radio days. Remember Murray the K introducing the hits of the day - those infectious grooves that had us all rushing to the record shop to slide our dimes across the counter in exchange for vinyl 45s?

Transforming the way agencies plan, buy and manage online ad inventory, Havas Digital is making the practice far more dynamic, and analogous to the way Wall Street trades equities, commodities and options. (But don't worry, they know what they're doing.)