technology sector

Tech layoffs came to just under 47,000 last year, according to employment-services firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Better still, during the next 10 years, the sector is forecast to have one of the fastest paces of job creation of any industry.

Under the agreement, Dell will pay Compellent investors $27.75 a share in cash. Problem is those investors had bid up the stock to above $34 in anticipation of a much a better offer. If they ultimately reject Dell's deal, it'll be another black eye for the computing giant.

Oracle Corp. (ORCL) wants to buy semiconductor companies and the makers of industry-specific software, CEO Larry Ellison said. Oracle has bought more than 65 companies in the last five years. Adding chipmakers would help the company develop its presence in the market for computer hardware....

The smartphone of the future will be able to react to your moods, Intel Chief Technology officer Justin Rattner predicts. The phone of the future could use microphones, cameras and heart monitors to measure a user's moods and offer advice, Rattner said at a conference in San Francisco.

Polycom is a big player in a small but growing tech market: corporate videoconferencing systems. It develops and makes video-, voice-, data- and Web-conferencing equipment systems. But what adds spice to the stock is its potential as an attractive takeover target.

Technology company Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) will purchase utility storage company 3Par Inc (PAR) for $2.35 billion or $33 a share. The agreement between the two companies ends 3Par's merger agreement with chip-maker Dell Inc. (DELL), with 3Par agreeing to pay Dell $72 million as a termination fee....

Tech stocks are on sale these days, giving buyers a chance to pick up shares at impressive discounts. The sale isn't due entirely to market jitters. A good sex scandal helped to create opportunity as did less-than-rosy earnings forecasts.

After PC buying stalled during the recession, it's time again to replace those old machines. Such buying kicked in during the second quarter, and it's buoying expectations that Dell's sales and earnings growth will regain badly needed vigor.