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You can't get an international warranty for your mobile phone.

Think about that for a minute. The electronic gadget that you are certain to take with you when you go abroad doesn't have a worldwide guarantee. And that cool new cellphone you buy when you're on vacation won't be covered if it breaks as soon as you get home. That's the situation in much of the world for phones from Nokia, Motorola, Sony-Ericsson, and other vendors.

Global market blunts razor-and-blades model

Prices for printer ink have been slashed by up to 70 percent as manufacturers struggle to get to grips with greater competition and more price-aware consumers. The most dramatic price cuts are so far affecting only regional markets, but insiders believe it is inevitable they will spread worldwide, shaking the $100bn-a-year imaging supplies business to its foundations, and bringing huge savings to heavy printer users.

Could a common component used in consumer electronics lead to eyestrain, headaches, disturbed sleep, and even increase the risk of cancer? It sounds alarmist, but in fact the first three of these claims are accepted as fact by experts in relevant fields – the last, the risk of cancer, is unproven.

In 2006, a beauty contest for female bloggers became front page news in China. The contest was criticized as "sexist" and "immoral" because some contestants posted nude photographs on their blogs. The organizers were accused of turning a blind eye to immorality, as long as it generated web traffic.