Spotlight Features

At first glance, tech stocks may appear to have missed out on the great stock market rally of 2007. When the Dow Jones Industrial Average set a new all-time high on Oct. 2, the Nasdaq would have had to gain more than 100 percent to match its best level ever. Still, for a lot of reasons, 2007 was a s...

Though opinions are mixed, industry experts and economists expect a reasonably good holiday retail sales season this year despite an economy struggling with higher oil and import prices, decreasing home values and the after-effects of mortgage market problems. Online holiday sales, in particular, s...

Consumers are enamored with HD entertainment devices. What consumers abhor, however, is the quagmire of cabling that tethers their HDTVs, high-def DVD players, gaming consoles and surround sound systems together. Hudson, Mass.-based Radiospire Networks is banking on consumers clamoring to its breakt...

The holiday shopping season is upon us. Import prices are up as the U.S. dollar continues its descent, oil prices are hitting record highs, and the American economy is still struggling to absorb shocks from mortgage market problems, falling home values and tighter credit conditions. Given a backdrop...

The video gaming industry has seen huge growth over the past few years with the emergence of the massive multiplayer online model. These video games, examples of which include "World of Warcraft" and "Everquest II," allow thousands of players to interact simultaneously over the Internet in a persist...

The holiday season may bring joy to consumers and retailers alike, but hand in hand with that joy comes the inevitable pain of post-holiday returns. Gift returns can be a hassle for consumers, but for retailers they pose a daunting logistical challenge, requiring speedy adjustments throughout the pi...

As the Internet and digital technologies continue to play an ever-increasing role on the business side of the music industry, big-name recording artists have begun to turn their backs on their labels and opt instead to strike out on their own. Part 1 of this two-part series described what longstandi...

After the initial warranty period has expired on a desktop or laptop computer, consumers, SOHO users and SMBs may find themselves stranded when computer woes strike. Without costly warranty extension plans or an IT department, there is little to do but pay up. An alternative to costly local repair s...

Considering putting an e-mail disclaimer at the end of the e-mail that says, in effect, "Hey, don't read this!" is every bit as effective as a park flasher telling you not to look -- how much protection does that overly verbose threat actually carry? "The e-mail disclaimer is more of a back-up plan ...

More than 300 completely new medicines, vaccines and treatments for more than 150 conditions have entered the U.S. market since 1990, with a raft of benefits for consumers. The need for many surgeries has been reduced; survival rates are higher; quality of life has improved. Indeed, between 1986 and...