Can a tech company surpass big oil?

Recent discussion as to the battle of Apple and Exxon Mobil for the top spot in global company size by market cap has been heating up recently. It's not much of a surprise to many that Exxon Mobil has been at the top for awhile, with the global dominance in energy and oil, and a market cap near half a trillion dollars. But with the rise, especially in the past decade, of Apple's clout on the tech market, many believe Apple can take the top position. Despite the passing of the iconic Steve Jobs, the culture and mindset of the Apple ecosystem can and will continue to dominate innovation, content creation, sales and distribution, and tech device market (including both and hardware & software) for many years to come. The question is if the company is truly worth beyond half a trillion dollars, and if so, what is the true valuation of Apple?

Augmented Reality to drive Machine Learning

http://www.silicon.com/technology/software/2011/02/08/augmented-reality-machine-learning-and-the-cleric-39746937/

An interesting article on how the growth of Augmented Reality will further advancements in machine learning. As we demand more from AR applications, computers will need to get better at understanding more about our very unstructured world. Right now AR can layer information over our field of view to help us find the closest subway station or tell us more about a specific monument but tomorrows AR using screens embedded in our glasses or contact lenses will be able to apply a digital layer over many more things that we come in contact with. Imagine looking an interacting with a AR-enabled movie poster, or seeing someone Facebook profile when meeting him. These are examples of the types of AR applications we have to look forward to. And as our appetite for a more interactive environment grows so will the computational capabilities of computers needed to provide these future technologies.