SAP, had their eyes off the ball, still complacently enjoying the sales windfall that preparation for the millennium had brought them.

ECONOMIST: Oracle

And as at SAPPHIRE, expect SAP at TechEd to show off the apps it is developing in-house, such as in the areas of field service, retail, and human resources.

FORBES: The Mobile Developer's Preview of SAP TechEd (and Sybase TechWave) 2011

What must SAP do to pull this off?

FORBES: How SAP is Betting Its Growth on Partnerships

In an attempt to fend off a growing group of challengers, SAP has been investing heavily in acquiring cloud companies including recently Ariba and SuccessFactors, as well as building out a global cloud infrastructure, which it plans to offer its enterprise customers.

FORBES: The Art Of Reinvention: SAP Puts Its Weight Behind A Better, Faster And Stronger Cloud Computing Strategy

This is the period of time that the cicada nymphs remain underground, feeding on sap from tree roots until their biological alarm-clocks go off.

ECONOMIST: The 17-year cicadas are about to emerge in force

The line is based on antioxidant-rich green tea, bamboo sap, and red ginseng, which the company cultivates at its own farms on Jeju Island off the coast of Korea.

FORBES: Connect