tablet computers

If Amazon.com wants a price war, Barnes & Noble is ready to play. The struggling real-world bookseller announced this week that it's offering an 8-gigabyte version of its Nook tablet for the same $199 price point as Amazon's Kindle Fire. Meanwhile, Apple is widely expected to unveil the iPad 3 early next month.

Apple will never tell you what I'm about to tell you: The iconic iPad tablet will be cheaper next year. We're now just a couple of months away from the likely release of the iPad 3. The original iPad hit the market at price points between $499 and $829. The iPad 2 hit the market at the exact same price. Why should the third time be the charm? Because right now it's raining tablets.

'Tis the season to buy tech products -- almost. If you're looking to upgrade, it's probably best to wait till Black Friday. Computers, high-end smartphones, HDTVs and tablets will see sharp discounts for the holidays.

The gradual addition of extra fees to your cellphone bill can be a bit like gaining weight -- you don't keep track of your habits, until one day you open your bill and experience "bill shock." The FCC thinks you deserve advanced warning, and starting soon, your cell provider will have to give it to you.

Consumers can expect a holiday shopping season heavy on promotional offers as stores offer sweet bargains on all manner of products amid a still-sluggish economy -- good news for buyers of tablet computers, smartphones and video games, all predicted to be big gift items this year.

Firecracker remnants may still dot the nation's sidewalks, but retail forecasters are already talking about back-to-school shopping season -- and they're happy to do so. The improved economic environment is setting the stage for sales gains in everything from tablet computers to bold-colored jeans.

Microsoft used to be the most valuable tech company in the U.S. based on market capitalization. Apple took that crown away last year. Now, IBM has dropped the Redmond, Wash., giant into third place. So what's IBM doing right, and what's Microsoft doing wrong?

Amazon (AMZN) boss Jeff Bezos doesn't take the usual approach to sales, technology or even competition. At this week's ShopSmart summit, he spoke with candor about his idiosyncratic strategies, growth opportunities, and how digital technology is still reshaping retailing.

Investors have abandoned Research In Motion, which may finally make it a good investment again. Twenty months ago, the smartphone company's shares traded at $85. The stock now changes hands at around $49. But there are good reasons to expect that it won't stay that low for long.

The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer debuts Tuesday, and for the many folks in the corporate world already armed with BlackBerry phones, the addition of a PlayBook may make sense. But there are a host of reasons why the average consumer may find the device not quite ready for the spotlight.