Most of us know the reasons: It helps us regain a sense of control, it shakes up our sense of time in a good way, it acts as a kind of therapy, promoting flexible and imaginative thinking and stimulating new ideas, and it can expand our cultural horizons.

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The idea that someone can have a virtual me out in the world quickly, and without my permission, keeps me up nights thinking about a whole new kind of identity theft.

FORBES: Is it time for Virtual Reality to get Real?

Today, any company thinking of producing a new kind of digital device must seriously consider the risk that such a product's functionality can be matched by smartphone-resident apps and a potential accessory (a lesson more recently learned by mobile e-mail appliance maker Peek, which has refocused its business on software and cloud services for other handsets).

ENGADGET: Switched On: When the smartphone giveth, Part 2

What is needed is a new kind of stock exchange, designed to trade in the stocks of companies that are organized to sustain long-term thinking.

FORBES: Is "Long-Term Shareholder Value" The Answer?