With the recent passing of Steve Jobs, Apple is on the minds of millions of people who have been touched by the incredible breakthroughs he spearheaded over the past three decades. Chief among these, especially for retailers, are mobile devices, which are currently in the process of transforming stores. But does Apple have a lock on mobile devices in retail or are competitors emerging as business-friendly alternatives? RIS has the answer.

What do you get when you execute a kick-butt project that helps drive your company to category leadership, delivers high-performance business results, and pushes the envelope of technology innovation? Hopefully, more than just a hearty pat on the back. Four retailers were honored with 2011 Fusion Awards for kicking butt in cross-channel operations that successfully fused business strategies with outstanding IT execution. Here is a look at the winners and also highlights from the just completed Cross-Channel Retail Executive Summit.