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International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) may report lower backlogs for its fourth quarter, hurt by challenging business conditions at its software and systems units.

The $190 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry is about to begin its annual winter extravaganza in Las Vegas, where the latest toys, gadgets, smartphones, video games, TVs, cameras, tablets and laptops will be unveiled - some not to be available until late in 2012.

The $190 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry is about to began its annual winter extravaganza in Las Vegas where the latest toys, gadgets, smartphones, video games, TVs, cameras and laptops will be unveiled – some not to be available until late in 2012.The real story may be in improving people's lives.

Has the U.S. stock market's gyrations left you feeling a little perplexed? Then consider the stocks of large-capitalization companies with demonstrated business models. And here are five.

IBM said it was honored by the European Commission for 27 data centers that reduce energy consumption “in a cost-effective manner” without lowering mission-critical capabilities

A new decline in the value of the Euro could hit major U.S. technology exporters which dodged the bullet in the fourth quarter. Companies included HP, IBM, Oracl;e and Cisco Systems.

Major U.S. technology companies, which derive the majority of their revenue from abroad, with between 25 percent and 33 percent overall from Europe, have warned about potential fallout from the Eurozone crisis since last July.

Google's patent portfolio just got stronger. The software corporation managed to acquire over 200 patents from IBM Corp.

Shares of troubled BlackBerry developer Research in Motion leaped as much as 9.3 percent Tuesday on reports the company would elect an outside director as chairman.

For the 20th consecutive year, Intel was the world’s biggest chipmaker, with a commanding lead over No. 2 rival, Samsung Electronics, market research firm Gartner estimated.

With the proliferation of cheap and fast video streaming, passionate fans, and eager corporate sponsors, electronic sports may be poised to become a standard ingredient in the global entertainment mix -- although the budding industry still faces a few challenges.

Technology companies appear likely to resume battle in 2012 on three major fronts of the patent wars: smartphone designs, operating systems and semiconductor chip sets. Despite passage of copyright reform under the America Invents Act in September, technology lawsuits persist and experienced lawyers worry that little will change.

Steve Jobs famously left Apple for nearly a decade in the 90s, but when he returned, he not only helped revive the company he founded, he also donated a trove of Apple documents and photos to Stanford University's Silicon Valley Archives. In 1997, Stanford took charge of what was to become an Apple museum, and turned two truckloads of books, software, videotapes and more into Stanford's Apple Collection.

As 2011’s mediocre stock market returns become final, what should technology investors seek for U.S. initial public offerings of technology companies for 2012?

IBM, the No. 2 U.S. computer services provider, inked a 10-year services contract with Spain’s biggest savings bank, La Caixa, valued at 2 billion Euros (US $2.6 billion).

Investors didn’t get rich owning generalized technology stocks but they fared well with some of the traditional winners with good management and proven technology.

Despite the weak economy, Americans are ever willing to splurge especially with e-commerce making waves this year.

Shoppers found a mixed bag of bargains and so-so deals on Monday, as a day off for many Americans lured some out for what was likely to be the third-busiest shopping day of the holiday season.

Investors in Oracle, the No. 1 enterprise software vendor, had their worst day in three years as shares closed down nearly 12 percent, chopping $17 billion from the company’s market value.

Technology shares slumped on Wednesday and pushed the Nasdaq down 1 percent after Oracle reported results that cast doubts on the sector's health, even as broader markets closed mostly flat in a thinly traded day.

To be sure, it's not a U.S. stock market for rookies, or the squeamish -- it's a market that also can bring out the reactive in even the most experienced investor. Hence with the above in mind, here are 5 time-tested axioms that every investor should keep close by.

S&P 500 stock buybacks increased for the ninth consecutive quarter. As share count begins to decline, some earnings-per-share impacts are expected for the fourth quarter.

Shares of Oracle, the biggest enterprise software developer, fell more than 15 percent Wednesday after the company missed second-quarter estimates for earnings.

No doubt 2011 was a major year for technology in part because it touched everyone differently. Following are some of the highlights and lowlights of the year:

At the start of the 20th century, inventors Thomas Alva Edison and Nikola Tesla clashed in the "war of the currents." To highlight the dangers of his rival's system, Edison even electrocuted an elephant. The animal died in vain; it was Tesla's system and not Edison's that took off. But today, helped by technological advances and the need to conserve energy, Edison may finally get his revenge.

Oracle, the biggest enterprise software developer, is scheduled to report second-quarter results late Tuesday. Here are some expert tips on what to watch in the announcement.

Here are some items to watch when Oracle reports: earnings, Europe outlook, cash, deferred revenue, third-quarter earnings forecast

EU antitrust regulators accepted concessions offered by International Business Machines Corp to end an antitrust investigation and avert a possible fine, the European Commission said on Wednesday.

The turbulent stock market may throw up obstacles in front of two initial public offerings on tap, including on-line game site Zynga as well as workplace social networking developer Jive Software.