Groupon Aims for $540 Million IPO, Verizon Reports Solid 3rd Quar

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Welcome to this morning’s edition of “First To Know,†a series in which we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the digital world. We’re keeping our eyes on four particular stories of interest today.

Groupon to Raise Up to $540 Million in IPO

Groupon hopes to raise $540 million in an initial public offering, less than previously planned.

Verizon Reports Solid Third Quarter

Verizon " target="_blank">reported third quarter earnings of $3.54 billion, or 49 cents a share, on revenue of $27.9 billion.

Microsoft Stock Declines After Earnings

Shares of Microsoft fell slightly after the company reported fiscal first quarter earnings, which were in line with estimates.

Facebook Announces Jobs Initiative

Facebook is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Labor and three employment-related agencies in an attempt to decrease the country’s 9.1% unemployment rate using social media, a project that may eventually include a Facebook jobs posting system.

Further News

• Details of the forthcoming, authorized biography of Steve Jobs have begun to appear.
• Google Reader will get a new look and integration with Google+ next week. Gmail is also getting an overhaul.
• Hulu Plus is coming to the Wii and 3DS by the end of this year, says Nintendo.
• Google’s Android movie rentals service has launched in the UK with more than 1,000 titles.
• A study from Copenhagen’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health found no evidence that cellphone use causes cancer.
• First lady Michelle Obama sent her first tweet Thursday.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59

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