The Wall Street Journal reports that Hewlett Packard (NASDAQ: HPQ) will spend $12.8 billion to buy Electronic Data Systems (NYSE: EDS). While this combination would make HP the second largest, behind International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM) in computer services, this may not be a good way to spend $12.8 billion.

That's because EDS and HP would under perform in services when it comes to profitability. EDS's bigger business earned a 1% net profit margin in the first quarter. But HP's services business generated a far higher 9% estimated net margin. Unfortunately -- for reasons described below -- the combined company will probably have lower margins.

Meanwhile, IBM's profit lagged HP's slightly -- it made an estimated 7% net margin in the first quarter in its services business. But IBM is and will remain a much bigger player. Combined, EDS and HP's services business will control 5.3% -- lagging IBM. That's because IBM controlled 7.2% of the tech-services market in 2007 while EDS was a distant second at 3% and HP was fifth, with a 2.3% share.

"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.

"The more I look at Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and its new iPhone, the more I consider it to be, perhaps, the most innovative and transformative company in mobile computing today," notes wireless sector expert Nikhil Hutheesing.

The editor of The Forbes Wireless Stock Watch explains, "Put simply, iPhone is a game-changing product, and we are now making the case for investors to buy the stock."

"When Apple first announced its move into the wireless PDA business - in January 2007 when it introduced its iPhone - there was skepticism over whether it would be able to grab market share from incumbents like Research In Motion, which makes the BlackBerry smartphone and Palm which makes Treo handhelds.

"Nobody is doubting Apple today. Steve Jobs' iPhone is in the hands of over four million people and it is now the number two smartphone in the business with a 28% market share. It has surpassed Palm and is nipping at the heels of RIMM's BlackBerry.

"Until recently, iPhone, like Apple's Mac has been a fairly 'closed' universe. It was a great consumer device but it had little presence among large corporate users, the so-called enterprise market. That all changed in March.

As investors debate over the iPhone from Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) vs. the BlackBerry from Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM), growth stock guru Toby Smith sees room for both in his ChangeWave Investing portfolio. Here's his latest.

"Apple recently took a big step out of its consumer-oriented world and into the corporate realm, one dominated by Research In Motion.

"Apple is teaming up with Microsoft to make the iPhone more 'businessy' for corporate users. Obviously, when the iPhone was launched, it was a huge success with consumers. Now, Apple is opening up the platform and making it more appealing to businesses.

"With its much-awaited iPhone software developers kit, Apple is banking on third-party software to differentiate the iPhone from the BlackBerry. The biggest challenge for Apple will be overcoming concerns about security, e-mail synching and the iPhone's high price.

"Undoubtedly, this shift into the corporate realm will take time, and it will likely be the small- and medium-sized companies that are the first to adopt the iPhone for business.

With the Booyah man himself all but throwing in the towel on technology stocks, his frustration is understandable but his conclusion is off. As I have posted, I actually think that tech will lead the broader market higher.

As Cramer admits, earnings have been strong for much of the sector. Companies like IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) had great reports. So what if the stocks haven't spiked? The whole market has been a disaster. There are tons of stocks that have put up nice earnings and yet barely moved. All the more reason to buy into these tech names. Once we get a sustainable rally -- and we will get one eventually, I promise -- these stocks will soar, as investors will want to get into the strong growth names.

It may well be that the big tech names that had huge moves last year, like Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), will be soft but investors should keep their eyes on smaller tech companies, as those are really poised to make a run. Why? The first reason is because of strong earnings. The second reason is because of potential M&A. With many of these smaller companies seeing their values halved during the recent market rout, larger companies are going to move in and try and buy these companies on the cheap.

Jim, a little patience my friend, a little patience.

Aaron Katsman is the lead Portfolio Manager and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. and Senior Editor of IsraelNewsletter.com. DISCLOSURE: Writer has no positions in any stock mentioned as of 1/29/08

In recent weeks, the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) has lost considerable ground on an absolute basis and relative to the S&P 500 index.

Interestingly, if you graph the relationship between the large cap, technology-heavy bellwether and the broad market index going back to 2002, the pattern of recent months looks vaguely familiar.

In fact, it seems to be a mirror image of the false breakdown that occurred in the summer of 2006. After that particular "head fake," the ratio staged a major upside reversal, and technology shares outpaced the S&P 500 index by a wide margin over the course of the following 12 months.

Executives at big tech companies say that they see no recession, at least in their businesses. They seem to have at least some support for their thinking. According to the FT, "Tech executives also point to their broader diversification. While emerging markets represent 10-15 percent of the revenues of most big tech companies, they have come to account for a far larger part of their growth."

IBM (NYSE: IBM) turned in strong results. So did enterprise software company SAP (NYSE: SAP). But a quarter does not a trend make, even if forecasts for next year are good. A forecast is only as good as the next quarter.

Business in Asia is not immune from a slowdown. It may not be evident today, but there are already some signs. After tremendous increases last year, stock markets in China are not rising much now. Investors in that market are sending signals that their outlook may not be rosy.

A sharp slowdown in the US and Europe is bound to hit Asia because exports from those countries into the developed world will drop. China's economy is built to "hyper-growth" so a step down in expansion could bring financial, real estate, and economic markets there down with a crash.

Asia will grow until its doesn't. That may come sooner that many tech executives believe and would leave their growth plans in the mud.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

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.

NightHawk Radiology Holdings (NASDAQ: NHWK) is the top speculative idea from Cory Janssen, editor of the Investopedia Advisor.

He explains, "Founded in 2001 and publicly traded for less than one full year, NightHawk took an otherwise run-of-the-mill component of the medical services industry, emergency radiology, and carved out a valuable niche for itself. Here's the diagnosis:

"Traditionally, hospitals and radiology clinics needed to have qualified radiologists on staff during all hours of the day; unfortunately, highly skilled employees prefer to work daytime hours. This makes it difficult for hospitals and clinics to meet their night-time radiology needs.

"Nighthawk recognized this logistical problem could be solved. It established radiology worksites in Sydney, Australia, and Zurich, Switzerland, providing on-demand immediate radiology services for hospitals and clinics all across the U.S. Its customers send the results of their radiology scans to NightHawk and its American-trained radiologists respond with detailed analysis, usually within 20 minutes or less.

"NightHawk's customer base continues to expand, and its full-year sales revenues surged by over 60% during 2005, tallying $64.1 million compared to $39.3 million in sales from 2004. The company's valuable business model has not been lost on the market, as it currently trades at a hefty forward P/E ratio of 37.5.

"This isn't a stock for the faint of heart, as it will surely see its ups and down in the quarters ahead. As with any company that is literally forging its own industry, NightHawk doesn't offer investors very clear forward visibility, and it's not possible to determine if or when its competitive advantages could become commoditized.

"However, for those willing to tolerate the stock's ups and downs in the short-term, NHWK shares offer an outstanding opportunity to capitalize on an emerging industry, which by all accounts should grow to become the dominant business model for the after-hours radiology industry in the years to come."

Disclaimer: Cory Janssen currently owns shares in the stock mentioned in this article. To see Cory's favorite conservative stock for 2007, click here.

Yahoo! closed today at $30.82, lurching down 70 cents. Again, this is somewhat surprising considering that Yahoo! still has some strong recommendations out there going for it. CNN Money today discussed Yahoo! as one of their sexy summer picks, noting that as advertising continues to heat up there is plenty of the advertising pie for both Yahoo! and Google.

But Yahoo! wasn't the only one to tumble today in the technology sector thanks to comments by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke (oh my, I almost typed in Greenspan by sheer reflex!) and his strong stance against inflation, a statement that hints at possible interest rate adjustments. That little gem had everyone a bit jittery...