HP

Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ), the world’s biggest computer company, reported third-quarter financials after the market close Wednesday, taking a record charge of $10.8 billion that resulted in a net loss of $8.9 billion, or $4.49 a share.

Shares of Dell (Nasdaq: DELL), the No. 3 PC maker, plunged more than 5 percent after the company reported poor second-quarter results and issued a forecast for lower sales ahead. In pre-market trading, shares fell as low as $11.72, down 62 cents.

Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ), the world’s biggest computer company, has nowhere to go but up. Scheduled to report third-quarter financials after the market close Wednesday, investors and technologists will be watching for signs that its restructuring and massive write-offs are over.

Don?t say technology companies aren?t enormously profitable. An IBTimes review of the cash and investment holdings of 11 of the top technology leaders shows they are sitting atop nearly $375 billion in cash and investments ? or about 24 percent more since the last survey nine months ago.

After enjoying a record-breaking quarter earlier this year, Apple posted yet another milestone on Monday, this time for its stock. With its stock reaching $660.73 a share early Monday morning, Apple finally surpassed Microsoft as the most valuable publicly-traded stock ever, achieving a market capitalization of $619.37 billion, the largest cap ever recorded.

Before the curtain falls on this earnings season, investors will hear next week from several more major players, including Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lowe's and Best Buy.

China’s Lenovo Group (Pink: LNVGY), the No. 2 PC maker, reported first-quarter net income jumped 30 percent , ahead of estimates, as global revenue rose 35 percent – far better than performance for its U.S. rivals, Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) and Dell (Nasdaq: DELL), the No. 3 PC maker.

Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO) reproted fourth-quarter results that exceeded analyst estimates.

Wall Street powerhouse Standard & Poor’s lowered its opinion of Dell (Nasdaq: DELL), the No. 3 PC maker, because it’s becoming “more bearish of the PC industry in general,” the ratings agency said Wednesday. It trimmed its 12-month target price for Dell shares to $14 from $15.

Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO), the No. 1 provider of Internet gear, is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results Wednesday that are expected to be much better than last year’s when CEO John Chambers said the company was overmanned and was in the midst of layoffs and retrenchment.

Technology may have a good second half of 2012 after all, despite all the fears of economic collapse, lower demand for PCs and other worries. After Computer Sciences reported better-than-expected results on Wednesday, Hewlett-Packard said third-quarter results would be stronger, too.

Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ), the No. 1 computer maker, raised its estimates for third-quarter earnings to $1 a share from 94 cents apparently because of higher demand as well as the initial impact of firing 27,000 employees to shave costs.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has been winnowing his picks for Vice President in private, with most handicappers suggesting nominees who’ve held public office. How about Margaret (Meg) Whitman, CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ), one of his fondest supporters?

Today "Harry Potter" author J K Rowling turns 47, and she has some exciting news for her fans. Rowling will participate in a live webcast on October 11, The Mary Sue reports, answering questions from young fans about Mr. Potter and the wizarding world she created with her seven book series.

Internet users and investors were heartened last week when Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO), elected Marissa Mayer, 37, as its third CEO in less than a year. A hedge fund gets part of the credit but not all hedge funds score as well in the tech sector: how about Eastman Kodak (Pink: EKDKQ)?

Heating up the so-called smartphone patent war, HTC has filed two counterclaims against Apple in the Southern District of Florida, claiming that the iPhone-maker has infringed on two HP patents it acquired in December last year.

Banking on software, services and cost controls, International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), the No. 2 computer company, is expected to report improved second-quarter earnings despite a decline in revenue.

Intel (Nasdaq: INTC), the No. 1 chipmaker, Tuesday reported decent second-quarter financials but spooked investors and Silicon Valley with the dreaded news: third-quarter sales will be worse than expected.

Here is a list of the top 10 players under thirty who are shaping the next generation of champion golfers.

Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) narrowly retained its spot as No. 1 in global PC sales but China?s Lenovo Group (Pink: LNVGY) is within striking distance, market researcher Gartner Group (NYSE: IT) reported.

As action heats up in the tablet market with news of Apple gearing up to launch iPad mini in response to competition, it appears that Google's Nexus may well take home some neat profits as there is a good difference between cost of manufacture and sale.