MANILA, Philippines — Surges and downfalls, they come together like salt and pepper, or vinegar and garlic.

So it is with the consumer technology market. A most exciting industry, consumer tech has created some of the biggest excitements that humans can enjoy with their clothes on. Moreover, all these advances in technology, manufacturing, and design in the IT sector somehow help us forget the nasty and cruel things that humans sometimes, and increasingly more often, do to each other.

While we should never turn a blind eye to despotic leaders who wage war against their peoples to hold on to their power, to government leaders who put amassing wealth of questionable origins above and ahead of their sworn duty to serve the people, nobody can and should hold it against us if we rewarded ourselves by focusing once in a while on the tech industry's uplifting and inspiring breakthroughs.

And we can tell all those corrupt, good-for-nothing leaders from all government branches: Off with your heads and to Dante's place with you all! Of course, we'd be saying that with prayerful concern for their spiritual and intellectual well being.

Apple Overtakes Samsung

Aside from posting record revenue and profits in the fourth quarter of 2011, Apple also overtook Korea's largest consumer electronics vendor Samsung for the lead in the smartphone race. Record sales of the iPhone (35.5 million units compared with Samsung's 34 million) empowered the Cupertino company to grab a 23.8-percent share of the market, which grew 47 percent from year-ago level to reach 149 million units in sales worldwide.

While Google's Android mobile OS ran on more than 50 percent of all smartphones sold in 2011, Apple's iOS-powered iPhones grabbed both bragging rights and profitability leads.

U.S., EU OK Google's Motorola Buy

Online search giant Google has received the green light for its acquisition of Motorola Mobility from United States and European regulators. Watchdog agencies from both sides of the pond, however, have vowed to keep a watchful eye on the Internet giant to ensure that it holds on faithfully to its "do not be evil" credo.

This early, this corner thinks that Google's purchase of Motorola Mobility and its wide range of patents will reinforce the online search leader's ability to engage in a "biblical" tit-for-tat copyright war with Apple and similarly minded patent owners.

Hmm. Motorola owns some 17,000 patents and 7,500 patent applications. We might be seeing a bloodier patent war soon.

Samsung Adieus LCD Business

Korean electronics giant Samsung announced its plan to spin off its liquid crystal display business as it seeks to enhance profitability and streamline operations. Last year, Samsung's LCD unit saw its sales decline 10 percent. Samsung said it plans to focus its attention on more advanced (and potentially more profitable) technologies.