AuthenTec, Inc. stock was upgraded from “Outperform” to “Strong Buy” by Raymond James Financial on Thursday (June 12th). The announcement fueled a rapid appreciation of 12.3 percent for the day.

AuthenTec itself has been growing by leaps and bounds, seeing a 67 percent revenue increase in the first quarter of 2008. In a recent conference call held to discuss the quarter ended March 31st, the company expressed the belief that 2008 revenues will only continue to grow. It is estimated that earnings for the second quarter will total more than $17.2 million, as a result of large-volume shipments of the company’s “AES 2810″ PC fingerprint-authentication product. It has also been reported that Intel’s Montevina laptops will come equipped with the AES 2810 sensors, to begin shipping in the second half of 2008.

In addition, AuthenTec has announced its intent to step up research and development efforts in a play for an

Storage capacity is a key limitation of modern electronic equipment. Though we have come a long way since the days when computers would fill entire rooms, the size, weight, and capacity of a hard disc continues to restrict laptop features. Moving parts are other important drawbacks of modern consumer devices: they require relatively frequent servicing, and can develop faults rather quickly.

The flash memory feature has fuelled important consumer values in recent times. It reduces weight and other physical dimensions, while allowing instant access to voluminous electronic data. Solid state drives will take flash advantages fast-forward, with revolutionary potentials for all portable and mobile computing devices.

Many skeptics scoffed at the single-minded focus of this small-capital upstart from Santa Ana, CA. The company even divested a profitable and investor-friendly consumer business in order to free resources for the development of solid state drives. However, the benefits of this cutting-edge technology have

When Americans first celebrated Memorial Day, our nation was split in two — North and South.

Similarly, our planet today is divided in two separate worlds — East and West.

They’re not at war. But in the never-ending battle for economic wealth and hegemony, the chasm between them couldn’t be deeper: China and much of Asia, growing by leaps and bounds; the U.S., sinking into recession.

Coincidentally, one year ago, Tony Sagami and I debated this very topic.

We both are American and both love this country. …