Apple easily beat analyst forecasts for its second quarter results reported Tuesday, but sales of its popular tablet computer fell below expectations. The tech giant shipped 4.7 million iPads in the quarter ending March 26, while analysts had projected about 6 million. Still, that disappointment hardly slowed Apple’s overall business, which generated revenue of $24.7 billion and earnings per share of $6.40. Analysts who follow Apple expected the company to report a profit of $5.37 a share on sales of $22.4 billion. In the quarter, Apple sold 3.8 million Macintosh computers and 18.7 million iPhones, both figures above expectations. …

When Verizon Wireless introduced its own version of the iPhone in February, analysts and others had concerns about the impact it would have on AT&T iPhone sales. Judging by AT&T’s first-quarter results at least, not much. The carrier’s iPhone activations increased by a million from a year ago to 3.6 million and AT&T sold a record 5.5 million smartphones overall during the quarter. Nearly half (46%) of AT&T’s 68.1 million contract customers now own smartphones, up from 34.7% a year earlier. Nevertheless, the carrier added only 62,000 contract customers in the first quarter compared to 512,000 a year ago. …

Mobile barcode technology company Scanbuy has raised another $5 million from Motorola Solutions Venture Capital, Hudson Ventures and current private investors. To date, Scanbuy has raised about $26.5 million. The heart of the company's offering is the ScanLife mobile app, now loaded on more than 35 million devices and generating millions of 2D and 1D barcode scans each month. The average active user scans 3 to 5 times a month. New York-based Scanbuy has struck recent partnerships with major brands such as Home Depot, Miller/Coors and Bloomingdale's and boasts 10,000 business accounts overall. It has also expanded internationally into markets …

A new survey from NPD Group reports that 60% of consumers say they are cutting back on driving, as gas pushes the $4 gallon mark. The Port Washington, N.Y.-based market researcher says its Motor Fuels Index, which tracks fuel purchasing behaviors and attitudes, shows that gallons purchased are down 1.2% from a year ago. "If the current uptick in gas price is sustained, we can expect consumers to begin implementing some key changes like reducing or consolidating shopping trips, taking more mass transit, and carpooling," it says in its release. In 2008, when gas reached $4.16 per gallon, NPD says …

Benefiting from revived brand advertising, Yahoo Tuesday reported first quarter earnings of $223 million, or 17 cents a share, beating beat Wall Street analysts’ earnings expectations by a penny. Net revenue of $1.06 billion was in line with expectations, but down 6% from the year-earlier period. Gross revenue of $1.2 billion was down 24% from a year ago. Display ad spending, excluding payments made to partners, increased 10% in the quarter to $471 million. As expected, search revenue continued to decline in the wake of Yahoo’s search alliance with Microsoft, falling 19% from a year ago to …

RadioShack is running an electronics trade-in tied to winning a new eco-friendly car. AAA is offering greener driving trips. Nickelodeon is hosting the Big Help Earth Day, and even Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaners is pronouncing itself extra environmentally friendly. But as thousands of companies try and link their marketing messages to Earth Day, scheduled this year for April 22, a new study from OgilvyEarth finds that the vast majority aren't having any impact on consumer behavior. While 82% of Americans have "good green intentions," only 16% are dedicated to fulfilling them. And the 66%--or "the Middle Green"—are pretty …

Mobile marketing agency Briabe Media has secured funding of more than $2 million from mobile technology investment firm Stochasto Holdings AS of Norway.  The move will allow the Los Angeles-based Briabe to adopt Stochasto's mobile marketing technology platform and create a joint venture with the company. The agency, which focuses on the U.S. Hispanic, and African- and Asian- American consumers, will continue to offer a full range of mobile ad solutions while integrating new offerings in the areas of mobile CRM, location-based services and live-event messaging campaigns. Briabe's clients include Ford, Amtrak, American Airlines, Verizon, Colgate and The …

Organic Inc. has been named digital agency of record for Kimberly-Clark's Pull-Ups brand following a review.  Organic is also the digital AOR for Kimberly-Clarks’s U by Kotex, Kotex, Depend, Poise and GoodNites brands.

United Continental Holdings, Inc. , the parent company of United Airlines and Continental Airlines, will donate $1 to help Protect an Acre with its global nonprofit partner Conservation International for every customer who uses a mobile boarding document on Earth Day, April 22. For customers who use the Continental Mobile App for Android or iPhone, the company will double the contribution to $2. Conservation International's Protect an Acre program works to curb tropical deforestation, a leading cause of climate change, while preserving the livelihoods of local communities and the natural habitats of threatened species. More than 10 …

Luxury-lovers are shopping again, with LVMH reporting a 17% jump in revenues to 5.2 billion Euros in the first quarter of this year, or about $7.2 billion. Building on a sales pickup that started in the final quarter of last year, the Paris-based luxury conglomerate says it is seeing increases in the U.S., Europe and Asia, and that all its business groups recorded double-digit sales gains for the three-month period. Watches and jewelry showed the biggest jump, with revenues climbing 20% in organic growth. Earlier this year, the company formed a strategic alliance with Bulgari, and says it made …