WebOS

If you think 2011 was a wild year for technology, just wait until you see what 2012 has in store for you. Here are three tech trends that will undoubtedly grow in relevance -- and investor profitability -- in the year ahead.

Why was Netflix appealing for help with lobbying Congress to its alienated users? Why did Carmax report lower-than-expected results when its business model is made for hard times? Why were sick people and dead fish turning up around a JinkoSolar plant in China? And why is HP laying off hundreds of employees if it wants to find a buyer for Palm?

The parent company of Liberty Tax picked an awful time to announce its IPO, a day after rival H&R Block announced weak quarterly returns. But JTH Holdings' taxing dilemma wasn't last week's only head-scratching news. Here are some of the week's other biggest surprises, blunders, and just flat out boneheaded maneuvers.

Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) will enter the smartphone market in early 2011 using the webOS software it acquired as part of its $1.2 billion purchase of Palm. "You will see us coming early next year with new phones," Senior Vice President Eric Cador said, according to Reuters. Sponsored Links Candor...

Apple is the current standard bearer for innovation and now the biggest tech company in terms of market value. Paradoxically, Apple is succeeding even as it faces an unprecedented series of missteps, snafus and just plain bad luck.

In a few short weeks Sprint and Palm will launch the new Palm Pixi, a smartphone that hopes to capitalize on the popularity of the Palm Pre which is powered by the same acclaimed WebOS software. There's no doubt that the Palm Pixi smaller and newer than the Palm Pre, but is the newest cell phone...