Investing in our future

Those interested in technology shouldn't be the only ones keeping up with Google's (GOOG) developers conference happening this Wednesday through Friday. Anyone interested in where the future of computing will go needs to stay on top of Google I/O this week.

Mobile gaming, wearable computing, tablets, and the smartest phones will be on display and investors with a sharp eye will be able to making more informed decisions about where tech will be trending for the rest of this year and the next.

While there will be plenty of exciting hardware being discussed during the conference, the important thing to remember is that Google's target audience here is software developers. Every technology presented this week will have huge potential to change the tech world, but the most successful will be the ones developers want to create the next killer app on.

Not just playing around (HAS) Hasbro

Although Hasbro's (HAS) Q1 earning's report showed a loss of $0.05 a share, or $6.67 million, their total revenue went up 2.3% which led to the stock opening higher on Monday and is now at a new high for the year. The loss is reportedly due to restructuring costs, a weak U.S. and European economy, and the rise of mobile and high-tech gaming.

However, this did not stop investors from being bullish about the toy making company. While Hasbro suspects it may need to trim it's workforce over the coming year, and the outlook for it's products such as G.I Joe and Transformers looks pessimistic, there is still potential for major growth if they can diversify into the electronic gaming market.

Best way to invest in technology

What is the best way to invest in technology that is growing and changing rapidly? Perhaps the case is not at all, as the massive dip in Microsoft (MSFT) share price might indicate. Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows 8, has been met with mixed reviews and tepid sales.

However, the company's woes may actually stem from larger hardware trends in the personal computer market and mobile computing. Ten years ago, a desktop PC needed to simply be replaced after so many years. The hardware simply wasn't keeping up with the newest software.

Today, the most popular software comes in the form of mobile apps, Youtube, and video streaming. Computers today don't need more power than they did a few years ago, and if they do, a lot of the computing power can simply be offloaded onto the cloud. The PC market has slowed dramatically, but only because our need for what they do is also handled by other devices or servers connected to on the Internet.

JC Penny Seeks to Raise $1 Billion

There is more bad news for J.C Penney Co. (JCP) as Ron Johnson was ousted from his short-lived position as CEO and Myron Ullman was brought back in to help rebuild the funds necessary for the company to make it through the next year. They have also hired bankers from Blackstone LP for advice on how they can fundraise the $1 billion needed to continue on to 2014. J.C. Penney's market capitalization is currently $3.3 billion, but that figure is weighed against the $3 billion in debt it's holding.

Exxon Mobile (XOM) and the story of Oil

Although oil prices in the United States edged down slightly last week, all eyes are on Exxon Mobil (XOM) and the messy spill in Arkansas. 

The Pegasis pipeline, carrying thousands of barrels of Canadian Wabasca Heavy crude, ruptured near Mayflower, Arkansas and forced forty homes in the area to be evacuated. Though the pipeline rupture has since been patched, the cleanup and the other inevitable consequences are still being dealt with. In Arkansas, two local residents have filed a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil for the spill, claiming the rupture happened because the capacity was increased in 2009 but wasn’t adequately maintained. 

On Wall Street, the share price dipped dramatically on Friday and hasn’t shown any bounce back. And finally in Washington D.C., some environmentalists are pointing to the spill of the Pegasis pipeline and warning that the proposed Keystone XL pipeline could potentially cause the same problems.