By Martin Hutchinson

If 2011 taught us one thing, it’s that currency investing can be a dangerous business.
For instance, the euro – the simplest of hedges against a declining dollar and the U.S. Federal Reserve’s expansive monetary policy – has run into difficulties, losing billions for even the most sophisticated Wall Street banks.
But that’s not all. The Brazilian real, which was one of the best performing currencies of 2010, has dropped back sharply in 2011.
Still, if you harness the lessons of 2011, you can take advantage of the new opportunities set to emerge in 2012. In particular there are three currencies every investor should own.

I’ll get to those in a moment. But first, I’d like to fill you in on what currencies to avoid.
This is just as important – maybe even more so.

Currency Traps

Obviously, the euro is not to be trusted. If its problems were confined to Greece and Portugal, they would be surmountable.  But they’re not.  The extension of problems to Italy and Spain, which are both too large to bail out, makes the Eurozone liable to explode, split in two, or simply witness a mass default of several of its countries and much of its banking system.
Certain individual European shares may be a good buy. And German government bonds may be a good buy, since the German currency would explode upwards if the euro split.  But the euro itself? No thanks.
The Japanese yen isn’t safe either.
Unlike most other currencies, the yen has risen more than 50% against the U.S. dollar since 2007 and is up another 6% since the beginning of 2011. In short, it has done what President Obama would like China’s yuan to do.
Needless to say, Japanese exporters are suffering at these levels, and the country’s government debt, over 200% of gross domestic product (GDP) and all denominated in an appreciating yen, has become a serious worry. While the yen could rise further, it must be regarded as very unsafe.
The pound sterling is equally unsafe, but for different reasons.
The British government is running a budget deficit as large as that of the United States, while the British economy is highly dependent on the very unstable and overblown financial services sector.

The pound has some upward potential, and Britain’s balance of payments deficit is currently modest, but the Bank of England (BOE) has announced a $430 billion (275 billion pounds) “quantitative easing” program – equivalent to a $2 trillion program here in the United States. So if the United States gets in trouble, Britain is likely to be in even more trouble.

The Australian dollar and Swiss Franc both have safe haven potential, but both currencies ran up a long way in 2011 and the Swiss National bank is determined to print money in order to stop its rise against the euro.

Avoiding these currencies is the first step toward a profitable 2012. The second step is to load up on the currencies that will weather any potential economic downturn and soar should the global economy recover.

Three Must-Own Currencies

To that end, the three must-have currenciesof 2012 are as follows:

1. The Canadian Dollar (CAD): Canada is a close neighbor, but distinguished from the United States in having a sound banking system, a much smaller budget deficit, and huge energy and mineral wealth. The Canadian dollar had risen as high as $1.06 in the early part of 2011, but has since drifted back down to about 98 cents. At that level, it has further to rise and is an excellent hedge against any severe problems in the U.S. economy.
2. The Chilean Peso (CLP): Like the Canadian dollar, the Chilean peso benefits from rising resource prices. Better still, Chile is by far the best-run country in Latin America, with a Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index rating better than that of the United States. The next election is not until December 2013, so political stability is assured. The peso has fallen about 8% this year on fears about emerging markets, but Chile’s current account deficit is less than 1% of GDP. It has virtually no government debt and a large trust fund to cushion against shocks (such as last year’s earthquake, for example).
3. The South Korean Won (KRW): The won is a hedge against problems in the United States, but also against a collapse in commodity prices. Contrary to the Japanese yen, the won has fallen about 20% against the dollar since 2007, and is flat on the year. However, even with high commodity prices, Korea runs a substantial current account surplus. It also runs a budget surplus with the lowest amount of government spending in the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) group of rich nations. So it is fabulously strong economically. The only potential weakness comes in the form of an election next April, but even the opposition in Korea is thoroughly pro-market and should cause few problems.

So there you have it. These are the three currencies investors must own in 2012. Stick with them and avoid the likes of the dollar, euro, yen, and pound. If you do, you’ll be set for a far more rewarding year in 2012.

The Three Must-Own Currencies of 2012 is a post from: Daily News

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What most of us don’t see, though, is the products that Samsung has to offer on other markets, like Japan, Korea and China. Just recently, they’ve announced a pretty unique smartphone, the SCH-W999, which will only be available in China, so most westerners won’t see it, ever, and that is a shame – at least we can marvel at it and its impressive specs from afar.

The W999 is a flip smartphone, sort of – it flips all the way to 180 degrees. The reason for that is the dual display configuration. Samsung has pulled a weird one on this phone – it has equipped it with a numpad, D-pad and the usual Android navigation keys, as well as two 3.5 inch capacitive touch Super AMOLED screens, each with a resolution of 800×480 pixels. It’s not a “two screens transform into one” phone, either, as you can only use one screen at the time – one with the keyboard below it and one in “full touch” mode, with the keyboard on the back (like the Motorola Backflip). The back cover also has the same HyperSkin as on the Galaxy Nexus for a better grip and anti-smudges.

An interesting decision to say the least and I really don’t see the point of it, unless it’s meant for two people watching a video at the same time. Regardless, it looks pretty unique, and the internal features also match its dual personality. The phone is equipped with a dual core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8660 processor, two radios (CDMA and GSM, which is very impressive, actually) and two SIM card slots (in the best Chinese traditions). Performance won’t be a problem, as you can tell, especially since there’s 1 GB of RAM inside (too bad it isn’t 2, though).

Of course, all the other features are also there – Wifi N, Bluetooth 3.0 EDR, GPS, one 5 megapixels camera that can be used for video calls, as well as a HD video recorder or point and shoot, a micro SD card slot for storage space, USB port, but sadly there’s no HDMI out capability. The phone runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and it will probably be updated to Ice Cream Sandwich, as well.

You might think that the battery life will suffer from two displays, but actually, you can only use on display at a time, so you’re not losing hours off the work time, it just makes the phone thicker and “dual mode”.

The price is also double that of a phone equipped with one Super AMOLED display – at $1400 for an unlocked, contract-free unit, this has got to be one of the most expensive phones in China. Perhaps it is aimed at businessmen – the two radios and two SIM card slots practically guarantee that it’ll work anywhere in the world, and that’s pretty important for traveling professionals.

Samsung SCH-W999 – available only in China is a post from: Daily News

By William Patalon III, Executive Editor, Money Morning

When you think of “mobile” or “connected” devices, you probably picture that new smartphone you just bought, and maybe your Apple Inc.  iPad2.
Well, I’m here to tell you that you’re thinking too small.
Way too small.
By 2020, there will be 50 billion connected devices in use worldwide.

That’s not a typo. And it’s not a “hyped” estimate that we came up with internally. In fact, the estimate was made by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, one of the largest telecommunications companies on the planet, in the research report “More Than 50 Billion Connected Devices.“

That creates a lot of significant risks. But for savvy investors, it creates one hellacious profit opportunity. And there’s one company in particular that’s poised to profit.
Still need to know more?

Well, consider a “connected future” in which:

The “connected” shoes of the elderly, or patients with health problems, can be monitored to make sure those folks are getting proper exercise.

Connected vehicles can be remotely controlled to maximize fuel efficiency and to minimize traffic jams.

You can use your phone to cool off your house via your connected air conditioner – as you drive home from work.

A connected vending machine can signal when it needs to be replenished, saving the vendor from unnecessary visits.

Your mobile device can be turned into a virtual wallet, or even a bank.

And connected trees can signal a lumber mill, which monitors them to nurture a better crop, and a more-timely harvest.

Business, consumer electronics, healthcare, government … they’ll all be affected, and in a huge way.

And the 50 billion estimate could actually be low, Ericsson says. By 2020, for instance, there will be:

3 billion subscribers with the means to buy information on a round-the-clock basis – either for a lifestyle improvement, or for personal security. In “mature” markets, these subscribers will typically have between five and 10 connected devices each.

1.5 billion vehicles in existence worldwide, many of them connected. And that doesn’t include buses or railroad trains.

3 billion utility meters (water, natural gas and electricity).

And a cumulative 100 billion processors shipped – each capable of being connected.

So, as a now-intrigued investor, how do you play this? Well, there are several possible paths to pursue.
You could, for instance, invest in the component makers. Or you could invest in the companies that make the actual devices. But the hottest opportunity is going to be security.    Cybersecurity is one of the biggest growth areas for business in the years to come.

And with 50 billion connected devices, that opportunity is going to explode. Just think: How do you protect the networks, the devices themselves, and the bank accounts and credit cards that supposedly sit behind those billions of gadgets – which you know present a “target-rich” environment for scammers, hackers and those friendly letter writers from Nigeria.

Yes, for investors like you, security is where the action figures to be.
And while much of this growth is still down the road and in the future, there are actually several companies that are already very well positioned to benefit.

Invest in the One Technology That Will Dominate the Planet is a post from: Daily News

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GPS Tracking Technology

The technology that is used in tracking people, automobiles, objects located anywhere on the earth is Global Positioning System (GPS). The know-how uses satellite signals to locate the distance between the object and the satellite and the time when the measurement was done.

Although invented for US Defense team, the concept has found immense use in the mobile phone tracking system. As the signal used in GPS methodology can go through tangible and opaque objects, it is simply effective way to locate cell phones that may be kept in a pocket, suitcase, or wrapped up in a cloth.

Different Tracking System

Different handsets are compatible with different mobile phone tracking system. For instance, there is network-based GSM Mobile Phone Tracking System that uses the network of the mobile service provider to locate phones. A handset-based GSM Mobile Phone Tracking System would use the handset’s identification, strength of its signals, and latitude-cum-longitude of the earth’s axis to locate objects. Hybrid GSM Mobile Phone Tracking System has the capacity of using both network and handset tracking system to track the mobile phone.

Uses of Mobile Phone Tracking Know-How

Locating a mobile phone is the most essential use of a mobile phone tracking system. One can find out the phone and consequently, its user through GPS technology. However, this is not the only utility of the tracking system. Other benefits include capturing of photos, videos of a memorable holiday trip.

In fact, many holiday enthusiasts use the mobile phone tracking system to find out locations of trips using Google Earth and 3D maps. You may also share data while you are traveling through GPS mobile phone tracking utility.

Today, mobile phone tracking system is used even in corporate sector where the management intends to know the exact location of a worker. It is quite effective, affordable, and efficiently manageable. When one needs to save time and reduce work pressure, mobile phone tracking tool is a wonderful means to make this effort a reality.

Future

GPS-enabled mobile phone tracking system has a bright future. It has already made its way into the tracking system for serious and recreation works. If the tool is picked up from an excellent firm, it can be unique in itself, reliable to the users, and effective in users’ requirements.

So, next time your child goes for an excursion or trekking trip to a remote area, don’t lose your sleep. Track your child with the mobile phone tracking system. Similarly, you can also find out what your sales guy is up to during an outdoor session.

Be sure to get all this and much more – through mobile phone tracking system.

Why Mobile Phone Tracking is an Effective Way to Track People is a post from: Daily News

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There are already over 100,000 apps on the Android marketplace – a mind-boggling number, really, considering that only about 1 percent of them will ever be used by the big majority of Android phone owners. It’s certainly good to have a choice, though.

Android is a great operating system, which can easily rival the iOS and the new Windows Phone 7, and can do anything the user wants it to do. The possibilities are very extensive, and you could probably accomplish anything you can do on your desktop PC with an Android device.

With that in mind, I’ve made a list of some of the best apps for different purposes that you simply must have on your Android smartphone for the best experience. Here they are:
Dolphin HD Browser. While the default Web browser is pretty good, Dolphin HD simply blows it out of the water. It has so many more features that you’ll start to wonder how you could live without it before. It has excellent tabbed browsing, support for Flash inside the browser, support for plugins (which can extend its functionality by quite a lot) and themes, and much more. You should definitely use it instead of the default browser, as it’s simply so much better!

Google Maps. Google Maps is a must on any smartphone running Android. Why it still doesn’t come as a default app on a lot of phones is a mystery, but thankfully, you can always install it from the Android Market. With Google Maps, you can always know where you are and how to get to your destination. You can use it while walking, using public transport or inside your car. The latest version also features vector maps, which means that the street maps take much less time to load and the navigation can work even if you’re disconnected (a vector map of a whole state can have the same size as a usual city map in Google Maps!).

Winamp. Winamp is simply the most advanced and yet easy to use music player for Windows and now Nullsoft, the company behind it, has released an Android version, which is better than most other players by a mile, especially considering it’s free. With Winamp, you can listen to all of your songs (a library of 1000 songs loads in a few seconds!), sort them by artist, album, song name, playlist and other factors. The search and queue features work very well in conjunction when it comes to finding and creating a playlist of only a handful of songs. In short, Winamp is the best player for Android, period.

Advanced Task Killer. While multitasking is great in Android, sometimes it can be a bit problematic, especially if you have a few dozen apps running at the same time. Android manages them pretty well, but if you want more control or performance, you’ll have to manage the running apps and processes manually. Advanced Task killer allows you to do just that.

Facebook. Of course, no smartphone should come without an app for the biggest social network. The official app works very well and allows you to easily do everything you want on Facebook, including playing games on Android 2.1 and 2.2. If your phone doesn’t have it by default and you’re using the network, be sure to install this app!

Top five must have Android apps is a post from: Daily News

Google pretends to be a harmless lamb, but chose a full-size model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex as its mascot. Beware the T-Rex in sheep’s clothing. Google has acquired far more information, both public and private, and has invented more ways to use it, than anyone in history. Information is power, and in Google’s case, it’s the power to influence and control virtually everything the Internet touches.

Google’s power is largely unchecked, unaccountable and grossly underestimated. Google is the Internet’s lone superpower, the new master of the digital information universe. And Google’s power depends almost entirely on the blind trust it has gained through masterful duplicity.

Google routinely says one thing and does another. Cleland proves the world’s #1 brand untrustworthy. He exposes the unethical company hiding behind a Don’t Be Evil slogan. He uncovers Google’s hidden political agenda. And he reveals how Google’s famed mission to organize the world’s information is destructive and wrong. Cleland is the first to critically examine where Google is leading us, explain why we don t want to go there, and propose straightforward solutions.

Google’s unprecedented centralization of power over the world’s information is corrupting both Google and the Internet, a natural result of unchecked power. Google is evolving from an information servant to master, from working for users, to making users work for the Internet behemoth.

Search & Destroy conclusively demonstrates that Google’s goal is to change the world by influencing and controlling information access. Ultimately, Google’s immense unchecked power is destructive precisely because Google is so shockingly-political, unethical and untrustworthy.

Search & Destroy: Why You Can’t Trust Google Inc. is a post from: Daily News

Hot Tea is the first book in the Tea Series.

This book is about two sisters, Cara and Teagan. They are part of a large Irish family of eight children, and while we hear about the other siblings the story revolves around these two.

Cara has quit her job and is trying to find a new career. The story starts with her deciding to solve a murder to collect the reward money and goes through a series of decisions that are a little bit zany.

If you were within arm’s reach of thirty, had a few dollars in the bank, and were just a little bored, what would you do?  Cara O’Flynn decided to quit her job, find herself an entrepreneurial endeavor, and with the help of her sister Teagan, become wildly successful.  A little cliché perhaps, but sometimes it’s best to take a breath and trust the plan.

The problem – Cara didn’t plan for three careers in as many days.  Nor did she anticipate the new guys that dropped in her lap.  Worse things could happen.  So, of course, the did.

When you’re Irish, all things, good and bad, come in threes.  It’s inevitable.  She should have remembered not to forget that part.

Cara and Teagan bring laughter, intelligence, and family tradition to every experience they encounter.

Hot Tea is the first novel in this series, followed directly by Sweet Tea.  The Tea series is a hybrid of the traditional novel and the serial novel.  Hot Tea is a full-length novel (approximately 64,500 words) and leads directly into Sweet Tea.

Hot Tea

Hot Tea is a post from: Daily News

The 4400 (continuation) is a post from: Daily News

Overall, I highly recommend this book. This book is not written as a completely autobiography. Yet, it provides rich details on many things people would find interesting and engaging.

Idea Man: A Memoir by the Cofounder of Microsoft is a post from: Daily News

Morris combines lively interviews with archival footage to create wonderfully engaging movies that prove, again and again, that the truth can be both elusive and deeply, deeply weird.

At first it kind of leaves you speechless in the best possible way and then you’ll find yourself talking about it to all your friends. Forget all expectations except one: You’re going to have fun!

Tabloid.

Tabloid. Released on: 2011-11-01 is a post from: Daily News