Foursquare means business . The 1-year-old startup now has a huge brand — Starbucks — using its platform to test out an experimental customer rewards program. Starting today, frequent Starbucks visitors who check in at retail locations using Foursquare will earn customer rewards. Although there’s no financial incentive or free coffee to begin …

This post is part of Mashable’s Spark of Genius series, which highlights a unique feature of startups. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here . The series is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. Name: Scordit Quick Pitch: A social site where you share the …

We had a chance to step into MySpace HQ for a chat with new Co-Presidents Jason Hirschhorn and Mike Jones, who preside over the News Corp.-owned social network from a shared desk in Beverly Hills. The joint office speaks to how closely Hirschhorn and Jones are working together to…

We just finished watching Google’s live announcement of the launch of the Google App Marketplace . Keep reading for information on what they’re offering users and developers. Oh, and know that the Marketplace is live today . Updating. The event is called “Google Campfire One” and it’s all about how easy it will be to …

Google’s call for medium-sized cities to pilot its high-speed broadband network has attracted the marketing wit of another locale: Greenville, South Carolina. Citizens of Greenville have launched the “ We Are Feeling Lucky ” campaign –- an obvious play on Google’s “I’m Feeling Lucky” button — an effort that will…

The blogosphere was literally split down the middle in terms of online buzz around the 82nd Academy Awards Best Picture nominees. Both Avatar and The Hurt Locker each maxed out with three quarters of a percent (.75%) of blog post buzz across the web. The data in question comes from The Nielsen …

The Real Results series is supported by Gist , an online service that helps you build stronger relationships. By connecting your inbox to the web, you get business-critical information about key people and companies. See how it works here . Whether you’re looking for your first job, exploring a career change, …

Remember the Pantless Knights of “ I’m on a Mac ” fame? Well, they’re back today with a new vid titled “ The New Dork ,” a parody of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’s “Empire State of Mind” that pays tribute to social media adherents and hipsters alike. With shoutouts …

It’s a bit funny to hear Microsoft referring to any other company as the “Goliath,” but when it comes to the business of search, there’s no doubt that Google has managed to overshadow Microsoft’s efforts, which prompted Microsoft to ditch Live Search and start anew with Bing . …

Tumblr , one of the simplest blogging platforms around, is doing really well. Situated between WordPress , which requires a bit more effort to create and organize content, and Twitter , which requires almost no effort but also doesn’t offer many features, Tumblr is the perfect tool for users who want to have a blog with…