Mobile chips leader Qualcomm (QCOM) is planning to launch a variety of 'augmented reality' software for use in different consumer applications, according to Bloomberg/Businessweek.

Qualcomm wants to drive demand for its powerful processors that can handle high speed computing tasks for mobile devices. To do that, it intends to promote processor intensive augmented reality applications. Augmented reality aims to aid consumers with what they see. By pointing the phone's camera to objects and scanning them, the application can then identify them in the database, and find relevant material.

The first Chinese hybrid car, the F3DM, will hit U.S. showrooms next year from BYD Co. Ltd. (BYD). BYD, which stands for Build Your Dream, sold 240,000 F3DMs last year and Warren Buffet likes the company so much that Berkshire Hathaway invested $230 million in BYD in 2008. In fact, the latest BYD model will be on display at Berkshire's big meeting in May, as reported in New York Times.

BYD is a diversified energy company. In addition to its hybrid models Its products include solar panels, solar shaded parking systems, home energy storage systems and charging equipment and LED lighting. BYD plans to open showrooms in the Los Angeles area.

Since 2006, the number of registered users on Facebook has seen near 100% annual growth. We estimate that the number of registered users has increased from around 10.5 million in 2006 to around 595 million in 2010 and has since continued its upward climb. From the time Facebook decided to allow any user above the age of 13 to create an account, the website's number of registered users has seen a meteoric rise.

General Electric Company (GE) is promoting a new standard in LED lighting for consumer use. Although the new LED technology from GE may be expensive for now, the company could be, once more, changing how the world looks at light bulbs.

According to GE, this new LED technology produces a quality of light similar to that of the old incandescent light bulbs, but which is so efficient it has been awarded Energy Star designation. No other similar LED light bulb has yet accomplished that. Better yet, the new GE LED bulbs contain none of the harmful lead which makes today's compact florescent light bulbs rather undesirable.

In a breakthrough for tech firms, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) approved a plan to open unused TV channels for wireless broadband. FCC chairman, Julius Genachowski said the move would offer "unique opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs."

Companies like Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT) and Dell (DELL) have been pushing the FCC for this decision. The unused TV channels are called "white spaces" because signals can carry long distances and through buildings.

It's been tough for small cap IPOs. Yet Convio (CNVO) was able to pull off an offering today. The company priced its deal at $9 per share, which was below the $10-$12 price range. And while the shares are up 12% in today's trading, investors should be cautious.

Convio develops on-demand software for nonprofit organizations, such as helping with raising funds and building relationships with donors, volunteers, alumni and so on. In all, the company serves 1,300 organizations and even handles 29 of the 50 largest charities.

Last year, Riverbed Technology (RVBD) wound-up as the number two company on the Forbes America's Fastest-Growing Tech Companies list. Based on its latest earnings report, it looks like the company will maintain it top ranking.

Riverbed develops sophisticated networking technology -- called wide area network (WAN) optimization -- that helps with collaboration within companies. The solution is affordable and often has a quick payback.

The announcement came at the 2010 New York auto show that Ford Motor Co. (F) and Microsoft (MSFT) are creating a partnership to exploit the blossoming new world of plug-in electric automobiles. The team is undertaking an effort to assist power utility companies and consumers in dampening the anticipated power demand surges on the electric grid by consumers plugging in their cars for charging.

Consumer Reports indicates that the new partnership plans to employ Microsoft's Hohm software to assist in the efficient charging of plug-in automobiles. This software will use data, including the consumer's driving schedule, the affected power utility's demand cycle and the automobile's charging needs, to calculate and then enable the optimum charging times for a particular vehicle.