Apple - Killing Me Softly, the Verizon version

from endgaget....

Holy hot Androids, a lengthy list of upcoming Verizon devices has leaked and it looks like we are in for a whole heap of Android over the next 6 months. The list reveals a total of six new Android devices to be hitting Big Red and doesn’t skimp on the details. It looks like Motorola will continue to pound the competition with two new handsets and their oft-rumored Stingray tablet while HTC, Samsung, and LG with what could be it’s first worthy Android round out the list. Read on for a breakdown of the devices in question:

Samsung SCH-i400 Continuum: This is the handset we just got a look at this morning and is lined up for a late October release. The phone features a 1GHz processor and two OLED screens.

Motorola Venus: This handset is said to be similar in design to the Motorola Charm and due out in October, featuring a Blackberry stile keyboard perched just below its touchscreen. Unlike the Charm, the Venus will feature a 1GHz processor, CDMA and Gsm/HSPA radios, and Android 2.2.

Motorola Droid Pro: Given that the Droid 2 World Edition shows up nowhere on this list, we are still inclined to believe that the Droid Pro will be an upgraded version of the handset when it hits shelves in late October/early November. It should feature a processor clocked to 1.3GHz, Froyo, and global radios. It is also rumored to replace the Droid 2 outright once it hits shelves.

HTC Merge/Lexikon/Lexicon: Call it what you will, but anyway you slice it this handset that goes by three names for the time being will feature a slide-out QWERTY keyboard with global radios and a 1GHz Snapdragon inside. Expect it in stores come late October/early November.

LG enV Pro: LG hasn’t quite hit one out of the park with Android yet, but this could be just the ticket. Maintaining the form factor of the LG Voyager/enV Touch series of phones, the handset features a 1GHz processor and a global radio.

Motorola Stingray tablet: This is the tablet we have been hearing so much about lately and it’s still pegged for a Q1 2011 release. Specs revealed include a 10-inch screen, Android 3.0 Gingerbread, 16GB of on-board storage, and the super popular NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset. The tablet is said to be launching with CDMA inside, but much to our delight is said to be “hardware upgradeable to LTE.” How exactly one will upgrade to LTE remains to be seen.

So there you have it. Six new devices to speculate and salivate over. Something about the fact that there is no device on this list that could be dubbed “low-end” gets me a little giddy. Oh, Motorola Droid you have served me well but one of the above handsets might just have to take your place. HTC Merge and enV Pro I’m looking at you. Which do you guys want?

[via Engadget]

Bernanke Testimony

We could see a strong advance on Wall Street Thursday provided that nothing blows up. Ben Bernanke goes to the Senate banking committee for some give and take and old fashioned testimony (yes, the charade that the Fed is accountable to politicians). My cynical view is that the powers that be won't tolerate any sort of a selling binge while Bernanke tells us the usual little lies (great Fleetwood Mac tune). Up 100, 200? Who knows, but I sense the stars shall be favorably aligned. If the market falls apart it would be an "OMG" sort of happening. Underneath Bernanke's nice suit is an outfit with a cape and the words "Captain Economy" emblazoned on it. Bernanke will tell the lawmakers that he and his cadre of flying monkeys at the Fed will do what it takes to prop up an ailing Mr. Economy. Dom Deluise would be proud.

EDIT: 9/30... THE IDEA WORKED ONLY UNTIL ABOUT 9:50. MARKET HAS SINCE FADED.

Dollar decline

Before we all have an "it's a cookbook!" (Twilight Zone) moment over the state of the U.S. dollar and collectively freak, let's keep in mind that the dollar index is still well above its 2008 lows.  Yes, it's declining from a triple top formation, but let's wait until 71 is pierced before picking out the dollar's casket. No doubt, the moves by the Fed to soon enter into another round of quantitative easing are DXY negative. The massive federal liabilities ($100 trl+) are also dollar negative.The dollar bears, however, are still going to be fighting a tough battle since the euro is not a worthy dollar alternative (DXY is heavily weighted in euros). Yes, the long term trend is DOWN and eventually out for all paper fiat currencies, but I am not anticipating that I shall wake up tomorrow to the reality of needing to barter the tuna fish in my pantry for a gallon of gasoline as all major economic players are pretty much in the same boat.. The dollar collapse has been years in the making and will take a little more time to play out.

Europe Awash in anti austerity protests

this as Moody's is likely to soon cut Spain's credit and credit spreads in the PIIG countries blow out. This could put a damper on Wall Street. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130208334&f=1001&sc=tw&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

The Rallying cry in gold continues

Dec contract up another $4+
My only concern is short term correction potential, though with the strong momentum the expected correction will likely be brief. The race for currency devaluation is on, on both sides of the Atlantic and will benefit gold and silver. Jim Sinclair's near term target of $1600 seems quite achievable. Pay no attention to those warning that gold is in a bubble that will soon pop. Gold still needs to exceed $2000 to match inflation adjusted all time highs of 30 years ago.

Obama needs to stop blaming others

Now Fox News is to blame for the nations ills. http://read.bi/bwG72j

TechCrunch sells out to AOL

http://nyti.ms/c46uXK  Question now, will AOL dumb it down and ruin TechCrunch.

A Casey Research Remark about Gold

Here's a memo from Casey Research. I don't know if this comes to pass in the current political climate, but who knows. One thing is certain: the rise in gold has got to be a clear embarrassment to the powers that be and those who are addicted to paper instruments.

"I hesitate to bring it up, but I do think that it’s only a matter of time before the government decides that gold’s role as a barometer on its dysfunctional fiscal and monetary policies is becoming a real problem and decides to act. Unhappy with the results being revealed by gold, they will be faced with two choices – fix the underlying problems or disable the barometer. As the latter will be far easier to accomplish, literally with some overnight administrative rule change voted on by no one, that has to be the logical choice.

I don’t see it happening imminently, but that, too, is something we’ll be watching closely.

Until tomorrow…

David Galland
Managing Director

Casey Research"   

Gold - another day, another rally

Here's a happy picture from Zero hedge

Apple

Briefing.com says market rumor is $AAPL COO Tim Cook could be named $HPQ CEO later today. Do you believe that? We'll see.


Edit: the buzz now is the Cook is not leaving.  Why would he? He has the chance to eventually run the company and would lose millions if he left for HPQ.

Gold ATM sure to make a mint

These gold dispensing machines will make their way to the US very soon.

DNDN shares roiled

by Medicare questions ---> http://bit.ly/aMBtZX

Dow 11k soon - perhaps this week

There's a short term bullish bias to the stock market, but remain well
hedged.  The market seems intent on hitting Dow 11k. So long as the
Fed is seen as continuing its quantitative easing, it's dangerous to
be short unless you have some sort of an edge.

Dow 38,000?

Here's a bullish prediction.... http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-27/dow-super-boom-will-drive-average-to-38-820-stock-trader-s-almanac-says.html

Barrick Sees $1500 gold

The writing is on the wall.  The bullish case continues.http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68Q1QF20100927

Foreclosure fiasco.

First, i have no idea why the RSS feed is sending out posts from 2008. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Read about the latest foreclosure shenanigans.. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-09-27/jpmorgan-based-foreclosures-on-faulty-documents-lawyers-claim.html..

Twitter Feed

I have moved over to Twitter. I am keeping this blog for longer posts. If you would like to follow my market musings up to the minute, you can find me on Twitter at @Jkings1

Subscriptions

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Still Here

I've been quite ill for the last couple of years, so it has been some time since I've posted. From time to time I will be chiming in. The end game is rapidly approaching. Be prepared. -jimk