Tablet computers are becoming the tool of choice in multiple industries, adding convenience to simple tasks such as note taking, to more complex operations such as tracking sales. Tablets haven’t replaced laptops yet, but sales trends favor the handheld devices.

Developers looking to build in the Capital Region are finding cash in emerging green-financing products.

At a conference in China in November 2010, Harris Lewin and Richard Michelmore approached Jian Wang, the president of global genetics company BGI, with an informal question: Could they interest the world’s largest genomics research institute in building a lab at UC Davis?

If a civil engineering firm were to measure a section of a busy street in the Capital Region for an upcoming project, they could survey the road — even during rush hour — with ease, using an advanced laser scanner. With this new technology, an engineer can capture every detail of the street and even take measurements as if the traffic had disappeared.

If Rick Wylie were cast in a Chevy commercial, the director might pair him with a rugged pickup truck. It makes sense; Wylie worked his way up from sheet-metal apprentice to president of a construction company. In the real world, however, Wylie drives a Volt, pearl white with black trim.

High-speed trains linking Northern and Southern California have been a point of contention for more than a decade. For some, such “bullet trains” are the ideal solution to growing transportation needs; for others, they represent a boondoggle with enormous economic risk.

Check out the license plates of your fellow motorists the next time you are out for a drive, and you may notice more dealer tags than usual.

When it comes to financial planning, Cesar Lopez knows his stuff. He can write up an annuity, help with investment and tax strategies and give advice on insurance needs. Just don’t ask him to fix his own computer.

It’s a case of David versus Goliath. A tiny, privately held Rocklin company is taking on multimillion-dollar competitors with a lightning-fast technology that’s more sophisticated than the competition’s.

Bill Mueller, 47, is CEO and managing partner at Valley Vision. One of four partners in the regional Next Economy initiative, Valley Vision serves as the project manager of the Capital Region’s latest economic development effort.