By urging the industry to develop common standards for the application of streaming video and audio in wireless internet applications and television set-top boxes, Apple stands to at least hold its ground if the playing field is leveled.

FORBES: Streaming meemies

Plenty of tech companies, including Facebook and Twitter, allow voters to interact with politicians via computer and mobile applications, and one of the hallmarks of the Obama presidential campaign was its success in harnessing Internet donations.

FORBES: Business In The Beltway

The company sells ads alongside its Internet search results and helps place ads within mobile-device applications such as game.

WSJ: Google to Release New 'Nexus' Phone

Earlier this month, RIM said it was preparing to launch an applications store and consumer Internet services in China as part of its push into the world's top mobile market.

WSJ: U.A.E. Says BlackBerry Is a Security Risk

Hurd says HP could end up competing with Google, which plans to offer applications software over the Internet and could move into corporate videoconferencing via its recent YouTube acquisition.

FORBES: Companies, People, Ideas

Part of the reason for 6to4's high profile is that its authors are two IETF heavyweights: Brian Carpenter, head of the Internet Architecture Board, and Applications Area Director Keith Moore.

CNN: New protocol sneaks IPv6 traffic over the 'Net

But the key to NetWare 5--and the thing that makes it especially attractive to corporate IT types--is its greater support for Internet applications.

FORBES: Net gains