For color images, each pixel contains 24 bits of information, meaning that, uncompressed, even this very grainy picture would take up an entire megabyte of computer memory.

FORBES: Technology briefing

An entire trading floor crammed into a suitcase-size computer: That's the future of exchanges, and Nasdaq was there first, having been all-electronic--floorless, that is--since its inception in 1971.

FORBES: About Robert Greifeld

In April it began selling the iPad, the first successful touch-screen tablet computer, and created a market for an entire new category of consumer electronics.

CNN: What's all this #CES business about?

That was followed by the explosive growth of available mutual funds by which investors could swap an entire portfolio with just one phone call, and later just a click of a computer mouse, with no transaction cost if handled directly with the mutual fund, and only one small commission if handled through a discount broker.

FORBES: Stock Market Becomes Short Attention Span Theater Of Trading

Founded by computer scientist and Stanford professor Sebastian Thrun, tech startup Udacity has built an entire business model around the concept of free education in math, science and technology.

FORBES: How Alternative Education Can Help Bridge The Skills Gap