For years we have heard some version of the now almost clichéd phrase "Email is dead." However, the need for having an email account has barely diminished. Recently many tech companies have been investing in making the email experience better than what it has been traditionally.

Simplicity helps lower the barrier to entry for mobile programs like Starbucks, Belly, and Front Flip, but the convenience of having it all readily available on your phone really takes it over the top. Read more to learn how mobile apps are changing reward programs for the better.

Acquisition budgets for technology organizations are going up, and deal numbers are reaching heights not seen since the dot-com boom. It is the collective responsibility of the whole industry—businesses being acquired and those doing the acquiring—to ensure the landscape is competitive yet healthy.