By Alistair Barr

(Reuters) – The owner of interactive television pioneer OpenTV sued Netflix Inc on Wednesday, alleging the company infringed on patents that cover technology underpinning the fast-growing Internet video sector.

Switzerland-based Kudelski SA, which owns OpenTV, said in its lawsuit that Netflix infringed on seven U.S. patents covering aspects of over-the-top TV technology (OTT), including: the use of viewer information to make recommendations; digital rights management; and video playback.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – The future of retail came to Jamie Nordstrom not in a dream, but though his email inbox from Amazon.com Inc, the online retailer that Nordstrom now targets as his biggest rival.

The 40 year-old, great-grandson of Nordstrom Inc founder John W. Nordstrom and president of Nordstrom Direct ordered a fishing tackle box from Amazon last year. And then he received emails from Amazon about other tackle boxes for five straight days.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 14 (Reuters) – Wal-Mart Stores Inc
said on Friday that it began selling Apple Inc’s
flagship iPhone 5 smartphone at a big discount in
thousands of its stores.

Wal-Mart said it is selling the 16 GB Apple iPhone 5 for
$127, versus an original price of $189.97. The price is valid
with a two-year contract from wireless carriers Verizon,
Sprint and AT&T, the retailer added.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – VeriFone Systems Inc (PAY.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Thursday it will pull out of the hot business of signing up small merchants to accept credit card payments, reducing competition for start-up Square Inc and other companies that jumped into the space recently.

VeriFone, a leading provider of card readers and payment processing services, unveiled SAIL in May, a service that lets small and individual merchants accept card payments through devices that plug into smart phones and other mobile devices.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – VeriFone Systems Inc (PAY.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is set to pull back from the hot business of signing up small merchants to accept credit cards payments, reducing competition for start-up Square Inc and other companies that jumped into the space recently, according to two people familiar with the situation.

VeriFone, a leading provider of card readers and payment processing services, unveiled SAIL in May, a service that lets small and individual merchants accept card payments through devices that plug into smart phones and other mobile devices.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 13 (Reuters) – VeriFone Systems Inc
is set to pull back from the hot business of signing up
small merchants to accept credit cards payments, reducing
competition for start-up Square Inc and other companies that
jumped into the space recently, according to two people familiar
with the situation.

VeriFone, a leading provider of card readers and payment
processing services, unveiled SAIL in May, a service that lets
small and individual merchants accept card payments through
devices that plug into smart phones and other mobile devices.

PARIS/PALO ALTO, Calif, Dec 12 (Reuters) – Apple’s
stock may be sliding as investors fret about growing
competition, but store visits and interviews with smartphone and
tablet shoppers in 10 cities around the world suggest consumers
share little of that negativity.

With tablets and other mobile devices the gadgets of choice
this holiday season, Reuters canvassed over 70 shoppers and
store employees across Sydney, Seattle, Palo Alto, Shanghai,
Bangalore, Singapore, Paris, London, Mexico City and Boston for
insight into what does and doesn’t beckon.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 6 (Reuters) – Gilt Groupe said on
Thursday it hired board member and Citigroup Inc Internet
executive Michelle Peluso as chief executive as the e-commerce
company prepares for a possible initial public offering next
year.

Peluso will replace Gilt founder and current CEO Kevin Ryan
in late February. Ryan will become chairman of Gilt and the
company’s current chairman Susan Lyne will be vice chairman, the
company said.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Noted short seller David Scially of Kingsford Capital Management LLC is retiring at the end of this year, after more than a decade running the investment firm with partner Mike Wilkins, according to two people familiar with the situation.

Scially decided to leave to spend more time with his family, after taking a break this summer to consider his plans, one of the sources said.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 29 (Reuters) – Andrew Mason will remain
CEO of Groupon Inc, a company spokesman said on
Thursday after the board of directors decided to retain the
company co-founder as head of the struggling online marketer of
daily deals.

Shares of Groupon, which fetched $20 in its Wall Street
debut last year, slid almost 4 percent to $4.36 in after-hours
trade. The stock had jumped a day earlier, when Mason said he
would fire himself if the board decided on that step at its
regular Thursday meeting.