New look: The Baton Rouge Marriott Hotel on Corporate Boulevard wrapped up its more than $25 million renovation last Thursday, capping a year of construction to upgrade and modernize the hotel. Improvements include expanding and renovating the hotel’s 299 guest rooms, remodeling the lobby and ballrooms, and adding restaurant space for Stinky’s Fish Camp, which opened earlier this year. AVR Realty Co. of New York and Dimension Development Co. of Natchitoches purchased the Baton Rouge Marriott in 2014. See a recent Business Report Design feature on the hotel renovations.
Tracking children: Thousands of free, popular children’s apps available on the Google Play Store could be violating child privacy laws, The Washington Post reports, citing a new, large-scale study, highlighting growing criticism of Silicon Valley’s data-collection efforts. Seven researchers analyzed nearly 6,000 apps for children and found that the majority of them collected the personal data of children younger than 13 without a parent’s permission, a violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Act. Some of the apps in question included Disney’s “Where’s My Water?,” Gameloft’s “Minion Rush” and “Duolingo,” a language learning app. The Washington Post has the full story.
Expanding reach: Amazon is expanding its dominance globally by giving overseas customers access to more than 45 million items via its app. The online powerhouse also announced this morning that it’s teaming with rival Best Buy on new Fire TV Edition smart TVs. Amazon’s “International Shopping” will be available through a mobile browser or app and goods will be shipped globally from the United States. There’s five languages to choose from and Amazon is accepting 25 currencies. Customers can also choose from different shipping options and delivery speeds. The Associated Press has the full story.
