In its first ever forecast for the tablet segment, Yankee Group projects revenue from tablet sales worldwide will nearly triple from to $46 billion in 2014 from $16 billion in 2010. U.S. tablet sales will reach more than $7 billion in 2015 while unit sales will roughly triple to 30 million from 8 million in 2010. While North America will account for 37% of tablet revenue in 2010, that proportion will shrink to 17% in five years as China grabs more than half (58%) of the global market. …

Business is booming at Family Dollar Stores: The Matthews, N.C.-based chain says sales for its fiscal first quarter jumped 9.5% to $1.99 billion, compared to $1.82 billion in the same quarter a year ago. And net income rose 9.9% to $74.3 million, from $67.6 million in the comparable period. Comparable-store sales rose 6.9%, which it says is the best first quarter result it's had in twelve years. Sales gains were strongest in food and candy items. As a result, the company is raising its financial forecasts, and now expects a sales gain of between 8 and 10% for the fiscal …

Lacoste, the sportswear company best known for its preppy little alligator, is breaking a new "Unconventional Chic" campaign this spring, with models in sequins and tuxedos sporting its classic white polos. The campaign replaces the "Un Peu d'Air sur Terre" campaign, a concept that ran for 10 seasons, often with cavorting models leaping through the air, flinging around inner tubes, or wielding croquet mallets. "We are going through a very strong move in fashion: we are feeling that well-being and elegance, and also the desire to be unconventional, are what primes," the Paris-based company says in its release. …

Mobile Content Venture, a group of 12 major broadcasters formed last year, has announced partnerships with MobiTV, Nagra Kudelski and phone makers Samsung and Dell in connection with its effort to launch a mobile digital TV service in late 2011. Using MobiTV's technology on mobile DTV-capable devices, users would be able to access video services and program information for both live broadcast television and streaming video. Samsung and Dell have committed to creating compatible devices with  DTV tuners to receive live broadcast signals for MCV programming. Nagra Kudelski will …

When it comes to men, it's OK to judge a book by its cover: A new survey from Men's Wearhouse reports that 91% of Americans think that a man who dresses well seems more attractive than he really is, while 83% of women think a snazzy dresser is sexier than one with lots of dough. And in what will surely come as a wakeup call to all those 30-somethings running around in skater shoes and ballcaps, 65% of those polled believe you can measure a man's maturity level by what he has on. "It is time to get back …

Long-time TV research exec Horst Stipp is leaving NBC Universal to join the Advertising Research Foundation as executive vice president-global business strategy, a new position signaling the foundation’s goal of building a global presence. Stipp, who most recently was senior vice president-strategic insights & innovations at NBC U, has most recently focused on changes in media use and the impact of advertising in the digital age.

Continuing its approach as a resource for consumer electronics shoppers, Sears has begun a social media initiative enlisting well-regarded bloggers to follow and comment on CE announcements, events and activities throughout the year. The five members of the "Blue Blogger Crew" will begin work at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The initial bl, ggers include Andru Edwars, of GearLive.com; Kris Cain, tech editor of Mom Blog Magazine; Kelly Clay, technology writer for Lockergnome.com; Jenna Hatfield, lead blogger at Stop, Drop and Blog; and Barbar Rozigonyi, lead blogger for WiredPRWorks.com. "The Sears Blue Blogger Crew allows …

On the surface, it looks like the cell phones tethered to so many of us may have finally delivered a knockout punch to true love: The latest survey from Staples says that 60% of small-business owners admit that they spend more time holding their phones than they do the hands of their loved ones. But the good news is that the majority of them feel technology also gives them the freedom to go home more, and better equips them to juggle both work and family. Some 56% say they spend less time at their desk than they used, 52% …

Audience targeting platform [X+1] has closed a $10 million second-round of venture financing led by Intel Capital and including participation from existing investors Advanced Technology Ventures, Blue Chip Venture Company and Hudson Venture Partners. The New York-based company said it will used the new funding to support initiatives centered on its digital marketing system. [X+1] has raised about $28 million to date. Read more here.