MAJOR PAPERS:

• Merger talks between UAL Corporation's (NASDAQ: UAUA) United Airlines and US Airways Group Inc (NYSE: LCC) have been put off for now, the Wall Street Journal reported. United is reportedly close to an alliance with Continental Airlines Inc (NYSE: CAL).
• Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS) is for sale and the company has begun to hear from interested parties, the Wall Street Journal also reported. Harris is looking for $75 to $80 per share. Speculation about the bidders includes General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE: GD) and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC).

OTHER PAPERS:

• The Charleston Gazette reported that Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK) has decided not to build its Eastern Division headquarters in Charleston, West Virginia in the wake of a West Virginia Supreme Court ruling on May 22.

WEB SITES:

• AppleInsider reported that Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) is expected to announce a back-to-school deal soon that will encourage students to buy new Macs by offering some of the largest incentives in the history of the company.

Investors following Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) are well-aware of the huge potential in the iPhone and the breathtaking success of the iPod, but are they underestimating the humongous potential of the company's computer segment? Fortune's editor-at-large seems to think so and, speaking from personal experience, I agree wholeheartedly that the company's computer business has done incredibly well in recent times and should continue to do so. Mac computers are gaining market share, visibility, and trust in the difficult U.S. computer market.

Apple computers are much easier to use and much more appealing to the eye than other mainstream computers (Dell, HP, etc.). Their size, seemingly fail-proof Airport Wireless programming and ease of use are especially appealing to students. As a result, Mac computers are quickly becoming the computer to have for high school and college students.

Mac users have much more loyalty than most computer brands. I don't know one person who has ever permanently switched away from their Mac. In fact, I bought a Mac laptop about six months ago and couldn't be more pleased with its performance. I guess the saying should go, "Once you go Mac you'll never go back!"

Mac computers are becoming incredibly popular where it matters -- consumers who are going to be buying the products for many years to come. College students, Generation Y, and hipsters are a very attractive market and Apple has captured them in the MP3 player, computer, and cell phone market.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) today posted record quarterly profit, easily beating Wall Street estimates

Profit was $818 million, or 92 cents per share, compared with $472 million, or 54 cents, a year earlier. Revenue rose to $5.4 billion. Wall Street had expected profit of 72 cents and sales of $5.28 billion. These figures are better than the 66 cent profit and $5.1 billion in sales that Apple istelf had projected, according to the Associated Press. Click here for the Bloomberg News story and here for the company's earnings press release.