Technology sector specialist Mark Mowrey sees upside in two stocks poised to benefit from increased LCD TV sales. Here, the editor of The Prudent Speculator TechValue Report looks at AU Optronics (NYSE: AUO) and Corning (NYSE: GLW).

"Showing big gains in the world of video, LCD TV panel maker AU Optronics reported revenue of $4.5 billion in its first quarter, marking a 12.1% quarter-over-quarter decline that seemed to square with normal seasonality, even as it was negatively affected by the weaker U.S. dollar.

"Earnings thus came in at $1.12 per U.S. ADR, vastly improved from the loss of $0.02 per ADR in the same quarter last year. Looking forward, management says sales of TVs yet have not been impacted by the slowdown, though they are cautiously watching the markets for signs of weakness.

"Pleased with the positive report, we remain buyers of the shares, which trade at just about 6 times the consensus average for earnings per ADR now showing on Reuters Estimates.

"Now 157 years old, Corning (NYSE: GLW) has come from window making to sit at the forefront of two of the fastest-growing segments of the technology space: flat panel TVs and fiber-optic," says tech expert Mark Mowrey.

In The Prudent Speculator TechValue Report, the advisor explains his bullishness on Corning, which has shown a "long-time commitment to future-focused research and development."

"For both its TV and fiber optics markets, the company supplies glass. We're not talking dinnerware, though. Rather, the company is the leader in selling flat panel display glass and fiber-optic cabling. is testament to

"In addition Corning maintains an Environmental Technologies business, which develops emissions and pollution control products, and a Life Sciences business, where the company makes lab glass and drug testing products.

"For the past three quarters, revenue has been growing at a double-digit pace overall, hitting $1.58 billion in the final quarter of last year, as both the Display Technologies and Telecommunications businesses made up for relative weakness in Environmental Technologies.

"Yet, the stock's forward earnings multiple has trended steadily downward, we suppose, as fears increase that both those markets eventually will prove less profitable as competition increases. On the contrary, we think end-market growth will hasten, while Corning's technological lead expands.

"It's not so easy building an airplane; harder still to develop a new one from scratch and then build it in various pieces around the world to be shipped to one place for final assembly," notes technology expert Mark Mowrey.

The editor of The Prudent Speculator Tech Value Report explains, "No surprise, then, that this month's new buy, aerospace giant The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA), has fallen behind schedule on the 787 Dreamliner." Here is his bullish review.

"Delays aside, the plane remains the most elegant, sophisticated and efficient carrier-class planes in the world, one for which we bet customers are willing to wait.

"We believe the company will move beyond pre-launch troubles this year and continue to innovate along the gamut of its aerospace endeavors, and find the stock's valuation a compelling entry point.

"In addition to a just-identified 3-unit addendum to an existing order for six Dreamliners from Fiji-based Air Pacific, Boeing has racked up orders for 817 of the 787s from 55 different carriers around the globe.

"The airlines were attracted to the advantages the Dreamliner's nearly half composite (instead of a similarly strong, though heavier aluminum and titanium) structure which should utilize 20% less fuel for a given load and range.

Technology stock expert Mark Mowrey finds the server virtualization market of recent IPO VMware (NASDAQ: VMW) attractive, but as a strict value and growth manager he is not interested in the highly-valued shares.

"So how about a company that sells VMware's software?" he asks in his industry-leading The Prudent Speculator TechValue Report. Here, he looks at Wayside Technology (NASDAQ: WSTG), which does meet his value criteria and is poised to benefit from VMware's growth.

The advisor recalls, "As we watched shares in VMware soar after they made their IPO, we wondered how we might take advantage of the tremendous growth in server virtualization solutions." He explains, "These servers allow tech managers to more efficiently use the massive computing power of modern servers by running multiple virtual computers on one system, potentially reducing overall hardware needs."

Wayside Technology, he notes, has grown in part because of VMware's top-line surge, and, he adds, should continue to do so as an important distributor of the latter's software. Indeed,the stock earns the advisors 'Cash is King' designation for its financial strength. He notes, "WSTG shares also sport an attractive dividend yield."

While many may question the ability of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) to maintain a leadership role in the digital media world, technology expert Mark Mowrey says "Yes, we could easily could fault Microsoft for its missteps. But let's give them a break, huh? Ever watch a cruise ship turn around?"

In The Prudent Speculator TechValue Report, the advisor explains, "It would seem, that much of the tech world awaits with great expectation that day when Microsoft implodes from its inability to evolve."

Indeed, he points out, "Much ado was made about the Xbox console's deficiencies.; the Zune portable media player launched to no fanfare, and rightfully so. Then there are the TV initiatives, which have hit a rosebush-worth of snags on the road to the living room. Vista was late-and late again. And its efforts to gain relevance in online search have failed, at least according to market share numbers."

The tech world view, he suggests, is that these missteps are just the "beginning of the end" and that the market is evolving toward one in which software doesn't reside on the PC. And, he adds, many tech observes believe that at the end of that transition, Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) will be "the one to plunge the knife into Microsoft's heart to end its great dynasty."

Not so fast, the advisor argues. He states, "We would suggest readers go on over and check out Google Docs and Spreadsheets first hand. Relish in their simplicity. Bask in their get-anywhere accessibility. Just don't try to do too much with them." Indeed, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Linux, he believes, pose more of a competitive threat.

Last December, over 100 stocks were featured in our Top Picks for 2007 report. Now, at mid-year, we turn to the 20 advisors whose picks showed the strongest gains to get an update on their previous picks, as well as a new favorite stock for the second half of the year.

Mark Mowrey, editor of the Prudent Speculator TechValue Report, chose Cogent Inc. (NASDAQ: COGT), which rose 41% as of June 1, 2007. Although he maintains a $24 price target for those who own the stock, he no longer is recommending purchase.

For his new top idea, Mark looks at United Online Inc. (NASDAQ: UNTD). The advisor explains, "For as many reasons to be wary of the company, we find more to like about this net-centric company.

"Founded as Juno Online Services in May 1995, and formed via the merger of that company with fellow dial-up Internet services provider NetZero in June 2001, United Online is one of a select few surviving early Net access players.

"As UNTD milks the dial-up business for cash flow, management hopes to transition as many of those paying customers as they can to a new broadband offering. Still, revenue from the communications segment is declining at a rapid clip, falling 13 percent in 2006 to $375.9 million.

"So what is there to like about a company with declining revenue in its core business, the only savior for which is entry into an even more competitive space? The general answer is the provision of services folks utilize once they're already on the Net.

Each year Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, surveys the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is part of his 24th annual Top Picks Report.

Cogent Inc. (NASDAQ: COGT) is a top speculative idea from Mark Mowrey, editor of the Prudent Speculator TechValue Report. He explains, "Cogent's identification technology emphasizes the uniqueness of the human fingerprint as the best method for identifying its owner.

"Other potentially more reliable technologies exist, such as retinal, facial, voice, and vascular identification, but none has proved as long-term successful in the field as fingerprint matching. Applications include the obvious, like law enforcement and access restriction, and the not so obvious, such as laptop security and fingerprint-based payment systems.

"Revenue peaked in 2005, the bulk coming from two primary customers: the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Electoral Council of Venezuela. Work continues with both agencies, but orders have become less predictable.