The entrance to an Apple store in New York.(Photo: John Taggart, Bloomberg)Don't expect Apple to launch a hybrid computing device blending the MacBook and iPad. CEO Tim Cook dismissed the idea of a combination device during a recent interview.Let's look at tech stocks to watch Monday:Apple[1]. In an interview with the Irish Independent[2], Cook says consumers don't want a converged MacBook and iPad device, similar to what Microsoft is doing with its Surface line of Windows devices. "We want to make the best tablet in the world and the best Mac in the world," Cook tells the website. "And putting those two together would not achieve either." Last week, Apple launched the iPad Pro, which will support accessories including a keyboard and Apple Pencil.Facebook[3]. Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen has sold 73% of his stake in the social network over the past two weeks, reports Re/code[4]. The sell off comes as Facebook closed last week at an all-time high above $109.Best Buy[5]. Shares of the electronics giant are down 1.7% in pre-market trading after receiving a stock downgrade from RBC. According to CNBC[6], RBC cites "deterioration" in the electronics market. The downgrade arrives as Best Buy braces for the all-important holiday shopping season, starting next week with Black Friday.Microsoft[7]. The tech giant delayed the launch of a tool that would bring apps from Google's Android operating system to Windows 10. According to CNet[8], Microsoft did not comment on whether the project has been just delayed or cancelled.Cisco[9]. Ericsson AB is dismissing a report the networking company is the target of an acquisition by Cisco. Marketwatch reports[10] Ericsson says no talks of a merger have taken place. Last week, Cisco announced it would partner with Ericsson to create the next generation of networks focused on mobile enterprise.Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23[11].Read…

Hank Williams, founder of Platform(Photo: CNN)Supporters of increasing diversity in the technology industry are mourning the loss of a veteran entrepreneur at the forefront of the issue.Hank Williams, 50, a resident of New York City, died Sunday at Newark (N.J.) Beth Israel Medical Center after a weeklong hospital stay. He was being treated for complications from pneumonia and myocarditis, which can be caused by a viral infection of the heart. He is survived by his wife and daughter.Williams founded Internet music company Clickradio in 1998 and cloud storage and data management platform Kloudco in 2008. In 2012, he founded Platform.org[1], a non-profit group aimed at increasing the interest and participation of blacks, Latinos and women in the tech industry. Platform's annual event, first held at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Mass., has been hosted by Morehouse College in Atlanta over the past two years."He was a really passionate person. He was always happy," said Angela Benton, founder of NewME[2], a tech accelerator platform based in San Francisco. "Not just about his work in the technology space but about diversifying technology and equality in the industry."Benton and Williams were among eight entrepreneurs who lived together in Silicon Valley for nine weeks in 2011 as part of the first NewME accelerator program, founded by Benton and Wayne Sutton. CNN chronicled their experience the special Black In America: The New Promised Land -- Silicon Valley four years ago."A real leader and kind human being," was how Soledad O'Brien, who anchored the special, characterized Williams on Twitter Sunday.One of the few early African-American tech executives, Williams encouraged tech companies to recognize the lack of diversity within their operations and to find ways to improve, not just because it was the right thing to do but also because it was good for business. "Diverse…

We've seen foot-operated washing machines[1] and washing machines that can fit inside your purse[2], but we've never seen a manually operated dishwasher. When you think about it, though, it makes sense. The Circo dishwasher requires zero electricity and less water per wash than a standard dishwasher. (That means it's also more efficient than hand-washing[3] your dishes.) It uses a mere 0.7 gallons of water per load, compared to the 2.2 gallons used by a typical dishwasher. Here's how it works: You fill the base tray with water, then add a sodium acetate tablet to help heat the water up, and finish it off with some soap. A hand-cranked centrifuge sprays the water throughout the interior of the machine, cleaning your dishes. According to Gizmag[4], a full load of dishes only takes a minute to clean. As to the efficacy of the actual wash, your guess is as good as ours. We imagine it's not going to do much against baked-on protein stains like you'd find on a casserole dish. For that, nothing can match the power of good old-fashioned elbow grease. Dish capacity is also a concern. The Circo isn't exactly counter-depth, so you shouldn't expect the thing to outright replace your installed dishwasher[5]. That said, the concept should work well with small batches of everyday items like cereal bowls and glassware. Circo also points out that the machine can actually replace your drying rack, too. Once a cleaning cycle is finished, you can let your dishes sit there to air dry. The Circo is currently in the final prototype stage, and its designer, Chen Levin, is actively looking for investors to bring the nifty little gizmo to market. References^ foot-operated washing machines (laundry.reviewed.com)^ fit inside your purse (laundry.reviewed.com)^ more efficient than hand-washing (dishwashers.reviewed.com)^ Gizmag (www.gizmag.com)^ installed dishwasher (rssfeeds.usatoday.com)...