The Internet, and the prospect of demand for interactive services, gives the cable companies an advantage over both satellite television and the telecoms companies.

ECONOMIST: Hot wires

As well as dearer funding and lower leverage, the investment banks face the prospect of weakened demand for their services.

ECONOMIST: Investment banking: Is there a future? | The

For everyone else, there is the dangerous prospect of the TouchPad fire sale soaking up any demand for non-iPad tablets.

FORBES: HP's TouchPad Flip-Flops Cement Apple's iPad Dominance