Iowa leaders Romney, Paul leave stage to rivals (AP)

DES MOINES, Iowa ? The two leading Republican presidential candidates in Iowa left the stage to their rivals to make their final pitches to voters just three days before the state's Republican caucus.

Mitt Romney was to campaign in New Hampshire on Saturday while Ron Paul was taking time off in his home state of Texas. Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum and Rick Perry all remained in Iowa, touring the state as they worked to win over the many still-undecided conservative voters.

Romney and Paul are absent, but they're poised to do well here. Both are leading in polls and have the money and organization to turn supporters out to caucus Tuesday night.

But with just days until voters begin to select the GOP nominee, the other candidates are still fighting in a volatile race that's seen candidate after candidate rise only to quickly fall. The same polls suggest large numbers of Iowa Republicans could change their minds before the first test of the 2012 campaign.

Santorum is the latest to draw intense interest. He has been rising in polls and drawing larger and larger crowds in recent days. The once resurgent Gingrich has fallen behind as negative ads have battered him on the airwaves and in mailboxes.

Bachmann's campaign has struggled. She's lost key staffers and some activists have urged her to drop out of the race. Perry, meanwhile, has spent millions on TV ads and is continuing a bus tour that consumed much of December.

Romney will return to Iowa later Saturday and will hold events in the western part of the state in areas he won when he first ran for president four years ago.

On Friday, he focused on Paul ? his closest rival in recent polling ? calling the Texas congressman out of step with most Republicans.

"I don't think Ron Paul represents the mainstream of Republican thought with regards to issues, particularly in foreign policy," Romney told Fox News.

Paul planned to spend the weekend out of Iowa. Campaigning Friday, he said he would have trouble voting for any of his Republican rivals if they won the nomination.

"They all are part of the status quo," he said.

Gingrich, now struggling, has said he wouldn't vote for Paul.

The usually combative former House speaker made headlines Friday when he broke down and wept as he talked about his mother's end-of-life illnesses.

"I do policy much easier than I do personal," Gingrich told an audience of women as he tried to regain his composure. The tears flowed as he responded to questions about his mother from a pollster and longtime political ally.

"My whole emphasis on brain science comes in directly from dealing with the real problems of real people," he said, his face distorting as he began to cry. "And so it's not a theory. It's, in fact, my mother."

Kathleen "Kit" Gingrich died in 2003. She was 77.

Whatever the impact of Gingrich's tears on the race for the White House, the video clip seemed destined to be played repeatedly on television and the Internet.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111231/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_campaign

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Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill to be a Dad (omg!)

Birds of a feather really do flock together, as news reports of another Victoria's Secret model's pregnancy have surfaced.

Sources have reportedly confirmed to E! News that Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill and his wife, Victoria's Secret model Lily Aldridge, are expecting their first child together.

Yesterday, fellow Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio announced that she is pregnant with her second child.

Caleb and Lily wed last May in Santa Barbara, California.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_kings_leons_caleb_followill_dad051400345/44025226/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/kings-leons-caleb-followill-dad-051400345.html

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Featured: Samsung Changing Their Minds about Galaxy S Android 4.0 Update Already?

It was only a few days ago when Samsung officially stated that they are not going to update their most popular phone model yet ? the Galaxy S ? to the biggest version of Android since it was born ? Ice Cream Sandwich.

Samsung said that the phone can?t handle it and there isn?t enough room, either, which I thought was an outright lie. The biggest evidence for this is that the Nexus S has pretty much the exact hardware as the Galaxy S, and yet it will receive Android 4.0. Plus, Galaxy S models have at least 8 GB of internal storage, which means there?s no way they can?t make room for the new version.

The Nexus One story was different because it only had 512 MB of internal storage and only about 300 MB reserved for the OS. From what I hear Android 4.0 is at least twice as big, so it makes sense that there wasn?t room for it. Although, I wouldn?t put it past the custom ROM developers to make a mini-version of Android 4.0, stripped of all the apps, which you can install afterwards if you want.

So now Samsung is going back on their decision, and they are considering updating Galaxy S with Android 4.0. However, I wouldn?t get my hopes up. First, it?s clear that they intend to do something about it, otherwise they wouldn?t have said anything. Second, it might not be what people expect. They will probably just take some features from Android 4.0, and implement them under-the-hood. You would still see the same old Touchwiz, but you?ll have some new features, and all the API?s that developers needs for their Android 4.0 apps.

This is not going to be ideal, but I doubt Samsung is willing to compromise more than this for now. However, people should make it clear online that they will not tolerate this in the future anymore. Samsung can?t afford to repeat the same mistake with Galaxy S2 and Android 5.0 next fall. They better be ready to update it, and for their sake, they should even announce it as soon as Google releases Android 5.0.

Samsung may want to make new sales by only giving the new versions to the new phones, but I believe that?s very short sighted of them, and all the others, too. If they won?t support their customers, they will have no loyalty towards the company, and will leave them at first sign of trouble, or as soon as someone makes a slightly better phone. Having great support has always been a great strategy for business. Samsung just needs to focus on it more.

Tags: android 4.0, Android 5.0, featured, galaxy S, galaxy s2, samsung

Category: androidheadlines.com

Source: http://androidheadlines.com/2011/12/featured-samsung-changing-their-minds-about-galaxy-s-android-4-0-update-already.html

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Majority Backs Driver Cell Phone Ban, Apple A5 Chip Now Made in Texas, Keyboard Shootout, and More, iOS News Review

Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered in The 'Book Review, and general Mac news is in Mac News Review.

All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

News, Reviews, & Opinion

Rumor Roundup

Apps & Services

Accessories

iPod Deals

These price trackers are updated every month.

News, Reviews, & Opinion

Majority Back Call for Cell Phone Ban While Driving

With the NTSB calling for a nationwide ban on cell phone use and texting while driving (see last week's iOS News Review), the public has also expressed its opinion on this controversial topic. According to a new poll released by SodaHead.com, claimed to be the Web's largest opinion-based community, 56% of respondents agree with the NTSB and support the ban, while 44% oppose the ban.

When broken down by demographics, 60% of females support the ban and 52% of men are also in favor of the ban. When looking at the results by the age of respondents, the group with the most support for the ban are those over the age of 65 (78%), while the group with the lowest support are those between the ages of 25 and 34 (47%).

Link: Should Cell Phone Use During Driving Be Completely Banned?

Could iPhone 4S Users Get Away with Using Siri Under a No Phones While Driving Ban?

International Business Times' Ranina Sanglap reports that iPhone 4S users who thought they could get away from total bans against using electronic communications devices while driving by using Siri will still be held accountable if federal regulators will have their way.

Sanglap notes that the US National Transportation Board issued a recommendation last week that state governments should ban all driver use of cell phones, handheld or handsfree phones, as well as other portable electronic devices except in cases of emergency, and while the board doesn't have the power to force states to impose the proposed ban, its recommendations do carry significant weight with federal regulators.

The report notes that response to the proposed ban has been largely negative, but in this writer's estimation, the board has made the right call. Research has shown that handheld or handsfree, using a cell phone while driving increases the likelihood of an accident by up to 4x. A study cited by The Coalition for Cell Phone Free Driving says statistical likelihood of being involved in a motor vehicle accident rises by a factor of 4 during cellphone use - greater than with low-level alcohol impairment, and that it slows a driver's reaction time by 18%.

As for the counter-argument that talking on a handsfree phone should be no different than talking to a passenger inside the automobile, that is not the case, a reason being that the person at the other end of a telephone conversation has no sense of what is happening in the car and is unable to react or just shut up immediately should dangerous set of circumstances develop.

An Ontario Medical Association report, based on a meta-analysis of studies from around the world, found talking on a cellphone leads to a substantial reduction in the driver's field of view, changes of driving speed, decreased the distance maintained between vehicles, resulted in more frequent panic braking, less mirror-checking, and slowed response time to traffic light changes.

Sanglap's article cites an analysis by Jim Hedlund, a safety consultant and former National Highway Traffic Safety Administration official, that examined 300 cellphone studies for the Governors' Highway Traffic Safety Administration and concluded that there is little evidence that handsfree mobile phone use is less risky than handheld use, but suggests that the real solution would be more responsible attitudes and self-discipline exercised by drivers.

Link: Can iPhone 4S Users Get Away with Using Siri Under the No Phones While Driving Ban?

Apple A5 Chip Production Moves to Texas

The Register's Anna Leach reports that Apple's A5 chips are now being made in Texas, not Asia, as was its predecessor the A4, according to a report from Reuters, citing "people familiar with the operation".

The chips that power the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S are being produced at Samsung's huge new 1.6 million square foot, $3.6bn (closer to $9bn, according to Austin Chamber of Commerce) fab in Austin, although the iOS devices the A5 powers are still assembled by Foxconn in China.

Link: Samsung Shifts Apple A5 Chip Production to Texas

Kindle Fire Missing Manual Editor Going Back to iPad

New York Times blogger David Streitfeld says his NYT article citing high levels of dissatisfaction with Amazon's new tablet generated a torrential response, much of it from people who said they loved their Kindle Fires.

Streitfield notes that some commentators suggested the whole article somehow came from Apple, but none of the conspiracy theorists explained why so many original users of the Fire put mixed-to-negative reviews on Amazon's own site.

Streitfield cites another professional evaluation, from someone who has probably used the Kindle more than anyone who doesn't work for Amazon: Peter Meyers, a digital book consultant and author of Kindle Fire: The Missing Manual, to be published in January as a print volume and an ebook from O'Reilly Media.

He suggests that anyone who would accuse Meyers of bias should consider that if the Fire is a tremendous failure, market for his manual would be negligible.

However, Meyers' verdict, in an email to Streitfield, is that "Apple would have never shipped a device like the Fire. Its got way too many rough edges (sluggish touchscreen, magazine apps that don't really fit the smaller screen, an easy-to-hit power button). And even little things like how the power cord jiggles when plugged in wouldn't have made it past the demo room in Cupertino."

Further, Streitfield says once the manual writing project is finished, Meyers doesn't see much of a future for his own Kindle Fire, which will be going back in the box as soon as he's done, noting that the iPad?2 is "years ahead" of the Fire and lets him "consume and create with no friction."

Link: Pulp Friction: The Kindle Debate

The Rise of Smartphones, Apps, and the Mobile Web

PR: Nielsen's State of the Media: The Mobile Media Report provides a snapshot of the current mobile media landscape and audiences in the US and highlights the potential power of mobile commerce in the near future.

Key findings:

• The majority of 25-34 and 18-24 year olds now own smartphones (64% and 53% respectively).
• The majority of smartphone owners (62%) have downloaded apps on their devices, and games are the top application category used in the past 30 days.
• The number of smartphone subscribers using the mobile Internet has grown 45% since 2010.
• 87% of app downloaders (those who have downloaded an app in the past 30 days) have used deal-of-the-day websites like Groupon or Living Social.
• Younger groups text the most. In Q3, teens 13-17 sent and received the most text messages (an average of 3,417 each month).

This report draws from a broad range of Nielsen data sources, including Nielsen's in-depth monthly surveys of mobile consumers (more than 300,000 consumers surveyed each year); Device metering data from the iOS and Android smartphones of thousands of consumers who have volunteered to be a part of our research panel; detailed, monthly analysis of the cellphone bills for 65,000 lines in the US, again, thanks to volunteer panelists.

Link: State of the Media: The Mobile Media Report Q3 2011

iPhone May Preview Personal Computing's Future

Writing for Tech.pinions, Tim Bajarin recalls a 1989 syndicated column he wrote about a modular mobile computing concept, musing about what future portable computing might look like, the the heart of his vision was the idea of having a lot of screens available in his work and home lifestyle, these screens to be displays that his modular computer would connect to in a lot of places and locations, meaning he would always have his own personal computer with him everywhere he went, able to just plug it into an available screen and keyboard.

Bajarin notes that we have modular computing of sorts today in the form of our laptops containing our own OS, customized UI, and all of our personal files that can be plugged into a screen and keyboard as part of our computing model, the way he plugs his MacBook Air to a 27" screen at the office and and uses a wireless mouse and wireless keyboard - the MacBook Air essentially becoming an anchor brick module providing CPU power, OS, UI, and access to files.

"But what if we could have that same kind of modular functionality in a brick that fits in your pocket?" Bajarin asks. "A very small device that houses a powerful CPU, OS/custom UI and data files and can be docked with a multitude of screens that are accessible around the office, school, home, shopping malls, etc. As far out as this seems, I believe that this is exactly the vision Apple has for the future of the iPhone."

Editor's note: It's difficult to dispute that reasoning. I've got the door wedged open a crack what with these days using my three in-service laptops plus an iPad 2 largely as terminals to access and work with a "float" of projects stored on Dropbox. cm

Publisher's note: Back when I worked at ComputerLand of Grand Rapids, our store manager had a monitor, keyboard, and mouse at home and another in his office. He toted his 14 lb. Mac IIci between locations - not quite as portable as what Bajarin envisioned at the time, but the smallest modular Mac available at the time. dk

Link: The iPhone May Foreshadow the Future of Personal Computing

How to Copy Music from Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to Your Computer for Free

Lifehacker's Adam Dachis says:

"Apple, true to form, makes it simple to put media and files on your iDevice but the road really only goes one way. It can be pretty difficult to copy anything (or everything) back to your computer without a lot of trouble and sacrifice, but it's even harder to find a good, free solution to that problem amongst the many choices available. You could spend the better part of your week sifting through your options, or you could just read this post instead.

"We've tackled this issue before, but things have changed for the better since 2008. Here's a look at your best options for transferring media from your iDevice back to your computer, free of charge. We've broken up this guide into Windows, Mac, and Linux sections, so just choose the one that you need."

Link: How to Copy Music from Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to Your Computer for Free

Display Shoot-Out: iPad 2 vs. Kindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet

9 to 5 Mac's Christian Zibreg reports on a tablet display shootout among Amazon's Kindle Fire, Apple's iPad 2, and Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet conducted by Dr. Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies Corporation of Amherst, N.H.

Dr. Soneira set out to find out which device packed the best IPS (In-Plane Switching) display. Zibreg points out that LG Displays, the world's leading manufacturer of IPS LCDs, is the supplier of IPS panels for the three devices used in the shoot-out, but the iPad?2, the test note said, remains the gold standard in tablet displays, while Motorola's Xoom and Acer's Iconia Tab serve as prime examples of low-quality LCD displays.

The report notes that the Fire's display is on par with iPad 2's and Nook Tablet's in most respects, except for two important aspects - limited grayscale rendering and an antireflective treatment with about 70% higher reflectance levels compared to the iPad?2 and more than double the reflectance of the Nook Tablet - bad for reading outdoors or in brightly lit indoor areas. Meanwhile, Barnes & Nobles Nook Tablet has the lowest reflectance of any tablet DisplayMate ever tested, showing 28% lower reflectance than even the iPad 2, and grayscale rendering more accurate than most living room HDTVs.

Consequently, Nook wins the shootout.

Link: Tablet Display Shoot-Out: iPad 2 vs. Kindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet

iPad Keyboard Showdown

Laptop Mag's Michael A. Prospero observes that the iPad's virtual keyboard is definitely good, but nothing feels quite as nice as clickety-clacking away on a physical keyboard. According to Lenovo and Qualcomm, 71% of small businesses surveyed said they are using tablets at work as an additional device, not as a replacement for their PCs. But with the right case, complete with a physical QWERTY Bluetooth keyboard, that might be about to change.

Many accessory manufacturers are ready to step in with external keyboards, but which one offers the best combination of price, portability, protection, and tactile feedback? Prospero set about finding out which one is worth your investment: Belkin Keyboard Folio, ClamCase for iPad 2, Kensington Keyfolio Pro, Targus Versavu Keyboard and Case for iPad, or Zaggfolio for iPad 2.

Publisher's note: This is one of those annoying slideshow articles that exposes you to several interstitial ads as you work your way through to the end. Poor form - and something you'll never see at Low End Mac. dk

Link: iPad Keyboard Showdown

Make the Most of iOS 5's Hidden Features on the iPad

APCMag's Dan Warne notes that while iOS 5 has a bundle of great headline features, it also packs in a few extremely useful ones that you might not even notice.

There is a thumb-friendly split keyboard for your iPad, plus custom autotext shortcuts, which can be extremely useful for saving repetitive typing of things you often add in to emails, instant message chats or documents, but unfortunately hidden away in a submenu that very few people would ever look at (go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Add new shortcut).

Then there's multitouch app switching. Warne observes that one of the biggest time-wasters when working with a tablet is switching between apps, but iOS 5 introduces a multitouch method of app-switching: the four finger swipe, plus a five finger pinch to close the app and return to the home screen.

There are also location-based reminders (3G iPads)

Link: Make the Most of Hidden iOS 5 Features on iPad

Rumor Roundup

Rumor: Apple to Launch 7.85" iPad in 2012

DigiTimes' Max Wang and Steve Shen report that Apple is likely to launch a 7.85" iPad prior to the fourth quarter of 2012 in addition to a new iPad scheduled to be released at the end of the first quarter, according to sources in the supply chain.

Wang and Shen note that global shipments of tablet PCs are expected to reach 60 million units in 2011, of which 70% will be Apple's iPads. However, their insider sources tell them that in order to stay in front of increasing market competition, including the 7" Kindle Fire from Amazon and the launch of large-size smartphones from handset vendors, Apple has been persuaded to develop 7.85" iPads, with OEMs in the supply chain, including panel makers LG Display and AU Optronics (AUO), likely to begin production of the 7.85" models at the end of Q2 2012.

Link: Apple to Launch 7.85-Inch iPad in 2012 - Rumor (subscription required)

Apps & Services

iPhone: The Missing Manual, 5th Edition

PR: With the iOS 5 software and the new iPhone 4S device, Apple has another world-class hit on its hands. This sleek, highly refined pocket computer comes with everything cellphone, iPod, Internet, camcorder - except a printed manual. David Pogue is back with the latest edition of his witty, crystal-clear, colorful guide to the world's most popular iPhone book - iPhone: The Missing Manual, Fifth Edition (O'Reilly Media, $24.99 USD).

"The elves at Apple's iPhone division have been in overcaffeinated overdrive," says Pogue. "Not only is the iPhone 4S a masterpiece - if you're not giving your phone voice commands, you don't know what you're missing - but iOS 5 is crammed with goodies, including a lot that Apple's marketing people don't even have the space to mention. Fortunately, I did, in this book."

Here's some of the important stuff you'll learn:

• Use it as a phone. Learn the basics as well as timesaving tricks and tips for contact searching by voice, texting, and more.
• Manage hour stuff in the cloud. Sync and back up your contacts and media across all of your devices with iCloud.
• Get things done. Ask Siri to send reminders, place calls, and more.
• Master notifications. Use the Notification Center to find missed messages, calendar invitations, friend requests, and more.
• Connect with other iPhone owners. Send unlimited iMessages to friends, family, and colleagues who are also running iOS?5.
• Treat it as an iPod. Master the ins and outs of iTunes, and listen to music, upload and view photos, and fill the iPhone with TV shows and movies.
• Take the iPhone online. Make the most of your online experience to browse the Web, read and compose email, use social networks, or send photos and audio files.
• Go beyond the iPhone. Learn how to use the App Store, and how to multitask between your apps, organize them in folders, and read ebooks in iBooks.

Whether you have a brand-new iPhone or want to update an earlier model with the iOS?5 software, Pogue says this beautiful full-color book is the best, most objective resource available.

iPhone: The Missing Manual, 5th Edition

By David Pogue

Publisher: O'Reilly Media

Print ISBN: 9781449301774

Ebook ISBN: 9781449301767

Pages: 544

Print Price: $24.99

Ebook Price: $19.99

order@oreilly.com

1-800-998-9938

1-707-827-7000

Link: iPhone: The Missing Manual, 5th Edition (currently available from Amazon.com for $15.69 and eligible for free shipping on an order of $25 or more; Kindle edition, $9.99; iBook edition, $11.99)

Office² HD Brings New Document Editing Tools to iPad Office Suite

PR: ByteSquared, developers of business oriented productivity apps for mobile devices, announces a free update to its critically-acclaimed productivity suite, Office² HD for iPad. Office HD's latest update focuses on adding in many more of the advanced features normally expected in a desktop word processor.

ByteSquared's latest update to Office² HD offers new enhancements to existing features and integrates additional layout tools to its document editor which creates and edits Word docs (.docx and .doc). This new feature set provides students and business executives with the ideal set of tools for creating and editing polished documents on the go. Users now have unprecedented control over the appearance of their documents, allowing them to create both functional and admirable documents right from their iPad.

"Whether you're a student or an executive at a Fortune 500 company, your time is precious," said Simon Bates, CEO of ByteSquared. "Office² HD's latest update transforms mobile office productivity from a secondary method of completing office tasks to a powerful and even preferential manner of quickly and efficiently keeping in touch with your office. I feel this new version easily makes Office² HD the app of choice for editing Microsoft Office documents on iPad."

Optimized for Microsoft Office documents, Office² HD enables users to view, edit and create documents, spreadsheets and presentations on-the-go. Additionally, users can download, create, edit, save, send, print, upload and transfer documents locally or via Google, Dropbox, Box.net and more as well as the ability to read and create PDF documents.

New In This Update:

• Multi-Columnar Layout - Specify up to 4 columns for each section
• Shapes - Add shapes to a document including, lines, text boxes, rectangles, etc.
• Rulers - Page rulers, tab stops (left, center and right aligned), paragraph margin setters
• File Versioning - Allows users to revert to previous 10 versions of a file for editing
• Section Breaks - Both continuous and next page to separate sections
• Floating Images - Images can now float above text and aligns accordingly around the images
• Referencing - Footnote and endnote integration make for easy MLA formatting

Device Requirements:

• Compatible with iPad
• Requires iOS 5.0 or later
• 6.6 MB

Office² HD 5.0 is $7.99 (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Business category.

Link: Office² HD

1-Click Flashlight Free for 1 Week to Celebrate 400k Downloads

PR: Turn your iOS device into even more of a power tool than it is already. 1-Click Flashlight 5.0 makes turning on the iPhone native flash as a constant stream of light just one click away. Simply touch the app icon and the flashlight will activate before the application finishes launching. It's the fastest, easiest way to turn your device's native flash into a powerful flashlight. To celebrate over 400,000 downloads MyClickApps LLC is making it free for one week.

The iPhone has been nothing if not a wonderful emergency tool. Whether you're stuck on the side of the road, need your GPS coordinates, or want to know where the nearest hospital is, the iPhone can prove invaluable when you need help most.

Now, one of those emergency features is easier than ever to activate. 1-Click Flashlight makes turning on the iPhone (or iPad's) native flash as a constant stream of light just one click away. Simply touch the app icon and the flashlight will activate before the application finishes launching!

1-Click Flashlight is tried and true. It has been used by people around the world in the most dire of circumstances. Residents of both Hurricane Irene and the recent tsunami and earthquake in Japan found the app invaluable during power outages.

What advantages and features does the app offer? Not only is it user friendly, it's fast to activate and easy to turn off (simply press the Home button). Comes with a fun strobe feature. Just tap the screen while the app is activated and you'll see a strobe icon - click it to activate the feature. 1-Click Flashlight also offers support for running your music in the background and the app disables iPhone auto-sleep mode so you can use your flashlight without any interruption.

1-Click Flashlight is also very conscientious of your iOS battery life. The app auto-dims the iPhone screen, displays a battery meter and offers the option to automatically turn off the flashlight when the battery level has reached less than 10%. 1-Click Flashlight has reached the top 20 iPad apps in China and has been mentioned in American Consumer. It has been downloaded 400,000 times and used more than 5 million times!

The developers say they are dedicated to making this app the best iOS flashlight app.

Device Requirements:

• iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
• Requires iOS 4.3 or later
• 1.8 MB

1-Click Flashlight 5.0 is regularly 99? (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Utilities category.

Link: 1-Click Flashlight

iAutoText Keyboard: Type 180 Words per Minute in iOS

PR: iPhoneBestSoft today introduces iAutoText Keyboard 1.0 for iOS devices, its new productivity app designed to cater all your needs when composing text messages. iAutoText Keyboard is a smart way to input text and symbols. It offers a centralized place to compose, store, search, reuse and manage text messages, as well as help assist you to type fast by AutoText and AutoComplete. Bundled with a huge library of Emoji and Unicode Symbols, Text Art, Cool Text Styles & Text Clips, iAutoText Keyboard will help you have fun with composing messages in your SMS, Email, Twitter and Facebook.

Existing features include:

• Enable 460+ emoji icons for iOS
• Single customizable library of Text Clips, Text Arts, Symbols
• 1000+ icons and predefined shortcuts
• AutoComplete from your frequently typed words
• AutoText using your assigned shortcut and expanded into long text snippet
• Text2emoji to input emoji/unicode icons by shortcut key
• Unicode symbols and keyboard
• Cool TextStyles and lot of Text Art for your cool status update
• Type and walk, typing in a transparent viewport and help you avoid obstacles when walking
• Send composed text to SMS, email, twitter, Facebook, Tumblr directly

A lot of features, but the developers still put all of them in a single App because they think all are important for composing text message:

• AutoText: Type faster using abbreviation shortcut which converted into long text snippet. You can create a library of abbreviation shortcuts for text clips that you use frequently, such as addresses, standard replies, chat shorthands, text arts and symbols. Type the shortcut and Tap AutoText, it will automatically expands to the full text clip or the symbols.
• AutoComplete: The App will autolearn what you have typed. Next time, it will suggest your commonly used words while you type.
• Text2Emoji: Frequently used icons can be input directly with Text2Emoji. e.g. Type :) and it will automatically convert to a smiley icon.
• Cool TextStyles: 10 Cool TextStyles for you to use in social networking.
• Great Emoji, Unicode Symbols and Text Art: Huge searchable library of Emoji & Unicode Symbols and Text Art.

Device Requirements:

• iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, 3/4G iPod touch
• Requires iOS 3.2 or later
• 3.0 MB

iAutoText Keyboard 1.0 is 99? (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Productivity category.

Link: iAutoText Keyboard

Accessories

SlateSHIELD All-in-One 360? Case, Stand, and Handle for iPad 2

PR: The SlateSHIELD 360? rotating case, handle, and stand for iPad 2 is now available from retailers including Amazon.com, eXpansys, and the Cellularstore from ADDO Accessories, a division of mobile device and product specialist PPC Techs, Inc. SlateSHIELD with its patent-pending collapsible handle design and slide-out integrated stand provides 360? handsfree viewing and typing from multiple angles.

As many business iPad users have found, holding their technology in one hand and using it with the other can be challenging and prone to dropping or slipping. To prevent this, the SlateSHIELD wearable iPad case has a comfortable self-adjusting hand strap to easily control the device in the palm of one hand, leaving the other hand free to multitask. There is no need to remove the case from your hand to rotate the case 360? and the swivel design makes it easy to switch from landscape to portrait mode for effective use.

Additionally, the SlateSHIELD case incorporates a unique slide out integrated stand, allowing the iPad to be used for optimal viewing in landscape, portrait or typing mode, ideal for applications such as FaceTime, viewing movies, giving presentations or for use with a Bluetooth keyboard on a desktop.

SlateSHIELDs collapsible handle design, built-in stand and durable compact design enhances the one-handed usability of the iPad 2 while providing secure protection and comfort in use. Designed with the mobile and business user in mind, the SlateSHIELD 360 case is simple to use, easy to handle, yet tough enough to use in many business applications.

Applications in healthcare, education, field services, automotive, retail, and food & hospitality are ideal for SlateSHIELD where there is a need to hold the iPad in one hand to maximize productivity and minimize limitations.

Ed Zabrek, chief medical editor for iPhone Life Magazine, comments on his SlateSHIELD case: "It is an awesome design. One handed use has never been easier."

Leonard Wesson, CEO of Addo and PPC Techs, Inc., says, "I can say with confidence that the new SlateSHIELD case is an example of how lifestyle can be integrated with functionality while providing a rich user experience. PPC Techs has a legacy of more than ten years of making mobile computing more efficient and agile, which we have now moved under the ADDO Accessories brand. I look forward to the next generation of tablets and providing our customers with the best in class products for a long time to come.

SlateSHIELD is made of tough, durable ABS plastic, comes in a black finish and retails for $54.95.

SlateSHIELD is available through online retailers including Amazon.com, eXpansys, and the Cellularstore in the USA or directly SlateSHIELD.com.

ADDO Accessories has established distribution channels in the USA, UK, and Ireland and is actively recruiting further channels globally.

Link: SlateSHIELD

Grablet Novus g2 iPad Case and Handle

PR: The Grablet Novus g2 is a brightly-colored, multifunctional, multipurpose case and secure handle for the iPad 2 (and soon a model for the iPad 1 as well). This modular accessory features a variety of attachments and uses that let you attach, hang, hook, suspend, and simply use your iPad safely and securely.

The Grablet Novus g2 Package Includes:

• 1 Grablet novus g2
• 1 Grablet Hand Pad
• 1 Grablet Hand Wrap
• 2 13" Straps w/ 4 G clips
• 4 Grablet Strap Retainers

Grablet provides a safe and secure way to get a handle on your iPad. Don't drop it, just Grablet.

Grablet got its start when a husband and wife, a Ryan & Shanna Cote purchased a new iPad and immediately started brainstorming along with friend John how could they get a better experience from it. Ryan, a USMC veteran and IT pro, freelance designer Shanna, and talent management exec, John, tossed ideas back and forth that eventually materialized as the Grablet.

The Columbus, Ohil based partners wanted to manufacture, produce, market and ship a 100% Made in the USA product, even though that proved more difficult and ultimately more expensive than outsourcing production to China.

The Grablet is available in 12 colors and sells for $39.99.

Link: Grablet Novus g2 iPad Case

Stealth Protection for Your iPhone

PR: West280, a designer of innovative, formfitting cases for the iPhone, has announced its new iOpener 4 for all iPhone 4 models.

With lines the manufacturer says were inspired by a stealth fighter jet, iOpener 4 is sleek yet deceptively tough, fitting the iPhone like a fine Armani suit, yet protecting it like a suit of armor. The case also includes West280's patented, slide-out bottle opener, adding a splash of personality to the iPhone. [Perhaps not the most wisely-chosen metaphor in this context. Ed.]

iOpener includes a raised bezel to protect the screen and full perimeter protection around iPhone controls and ports. West280's unique engineered interior design transfers the majority of impact forces away from the phone body. The two-piece case is molded from a proprietary polycarbonate/ABS polymer alloy that is capable of withstanding massive impact forces. When the stainless steel bottle opener is retracted into the case the three layers of plastic and steel create a suit of armor that West280 suggests may make iOpener the world's toughest plastic case.

iOpener 4 is available now for preorder for $29.95. Shipments are expected to begin approximately February-March 2012 timeframe. All US orders ship free via Priority Mail.

iOpener 3 is currently shipping for $29.95. iOpener 3 fits all models of iPhone 3 (3, 3G and 3Gs).

Link: West280

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lowendmac/hGTC/~3/JqjDniceA8A/1223.html

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SLAMonline: Freed Up: The NCAA?s refereeing philosophy is in the process of becoming more like the NBA?s. http://t.co/zDJnL9nT

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GOP campaign for Iowa caucus enters final week (AP)

DES MOINES, Iowa ? An Iowa caucus campaign that has cycled through several Republican presidential front-runners entered its final week Monday, as unpredictable as the day conservatives began competing to emerge as Mitt Romney's chief rival.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, released a new television commercial for the state in which he cited a "moral imperative for America to stop spending more money than we take in. It's killing jobs," he said.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry countered with an advertisement that said four of his rivals combined ? none of them Romney ? have served 63 years in Congress, "leaving us with debt, earmarks and bailouts."

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who has invested more time in Iowa than any other contender, countered that "most Americans now believe that a little bit of experience going into a job like president is probably a good thing."

Santorum was the only presidential candidate in the state during the day.

That changes Tuesday, with bus tours planned by Perry, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, all eager to energize their existing supporters and attract new ones.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul arrives Wednesday. Recent polls suggest he is peaking as caucus day approaches, a rise that has him tied with Romney or even ahead, and drawing more scrutiny for his views.

The result figures to be a short but intense stretch of campaigning through small towns and even smaller towns, the sort of one-on-one politicking that has largely vanished in the electronic age.

Failing that, it will pay tribute to the types of cuisine that prosper in early 21st century America.

The Perry bus will belly up to Doughy Joey's in Waterloo and to the Fainting Goat in Waverly, an establishment whose website says "After 10 p.m., we are the type of place your mothers warned you about." Perry also will visit a vineyard and winery in Carroll.

Bachmann will make an early-winter stop at a Dairy Queen, as well as Pizza Ranch establishments in Harlan, Red Oak and Atlantic, three localities with a combined population of 17,282.

It's not all about the food, though.

Perry has a stop arranged at the Glenn Miller Museum in Clarinda, population 5,301, where the great bandleader was born.

The Texas governor also has a distinction that none of his rivals can boast, a town that shares his name. Thus, Perry will visit Perry.

There were signs of strategic shifts as candidates struggled to stand out in advance of the straw poll next week that inaugurates the round of primaries and caucuses that will pick a nominee to oppose President Barack Obama next fall.

Perry's new ad shows images of Gingrich, Paul, Santorum and Bachmann as it criticizes Congress and renews the governor's call for halving lawmakers' pay and time spent in Washington.

Despite the commercial's implication, Gingrich and Santorum were out of Congress when the multibillion-dollar financial bailouts of 2008 occurred. Paul and Bachmann voted against the legislation.

Still, the approach taken suggests the Texas governor is more concerned with outpacing Paul, Bachmann, Santorum and Gingrich on caucus night that he is in defeating Romney.

The former Massachusetts governor, making his second try for the White House, has a well-funded and well-organized campaign nationally and in Iowa, as well as allies who are spending heavily on television advertisements through an independent organization known as a super PAC.

While others have periodically risen to challenge him, Romney has kept his support from seriously eroding in the polls, consistently remaining near the top.

A victory in Iowa does not necessarily translate into the Republican presidential nomination. Yet history suggests that contenders who finish farthest behind next week will quickly drop out, underscoring the significance of the struggle to emerge as Romney's chief rival.

The most recent presidential hopeful to surge and then falter is Gingrich. The former House speaker's campaign imploded last summer and still shows the after-effects: a shortage of funds to counter attack ads in Iowa, and failure to qualify for the primary in Virginia in March.

After insisting he would run a purely positive campaign, Gingrich let it be known he was about to attack Romney on one of his presumed areas of strength, his economic proposals.

R.C. Hammond, a spokesman for Gingrich, said the candidate would make the case that Romney has advanced "very timid ideas that will do little to get people back to work."

Gingrich favors an end to taxes on investment income and dividends, while Romney wants to end them only for individuals with incomes of $200,000 or less.

Gingrich also has proposed an optional 15 percent flat tax on income. Under the plan, taxpayers could stay in the current system, which has a top tax rate of 35 percent on taxable income above $379,150, or switch to the new flat rate, which would apply to income at all levels.

Romney favors retaining the current graduated income tax system, with lower rates than currently exist.

Gingrich is at least the fourth front-runner to falter since the campaign began in earnest in Iowa earlier this year.

Bachmann, who won a straw poll at the Iowa State Fair last summer, was briefly atop polls in the state. So, too Herman Cain, who subsequently suspended his campaign after a woman claimed she and Cain had a long-term extramarital affair.

Perry also soared to the top of the surveys when he entered the race last summer, then fell after a string of subpar debate performances.

Santorum has yet to experience the type of sudden surge that others in the race enjoyed but has doggedly campaigned in all 99 of the state's counties in hopes of rallying social conservatives to his side.

___

Associated Press writer Philip Elliott contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111227/ap_on_el_ge/us_gop_campaign

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Syracuse on top of AP hoops poll for 3rd week (AP)

With Syracuse No. 1 for a third straight week, the top seven teams remain the same in The Associated Press' Top 25.

The Orange received 54 first-place votes from the 65-member national media poll on Monday. Ohio State, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina, Baylor and Duke held their places from last week.

Ohio State received five No. 1 votes, Kentucky had four and Louisville two.

Missouri, Connecticut and Florida round out the top 10.

Harvard moved into the rankings for the first time three weeks ago, then dropped out after one week. The Crimson are back at No. 24. San Diego State moved into the poll for the first time this season at No. 25.

Xavier, which lost three straight games after several players were suspended for fighting, dropped out from No. 14.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111226/ap_on_sp_co_ap_po/bkc_t25_college_bkb_poll

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Harry Potter Dominates 2011 Box Office

'Deathly Hallows, Part 2' was among several sequels to make it in the top 10.
By Kevin P. Sullivan

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
Photo: Warner Bros.

Harry Potter said goodbye to Hogwarts and movie theaters in 2011, but not without earning boatloads of cash along the way.

The boy who lived dominated the box office this past year with more than $1.3 billion worldwide, making him the undoubted winner in a less-than-stellar year financially for movies, but "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" wasn't the only sequel to succeed. Eight of the top 10 earners at the theaters belonged to sequels, prequels or remakes.

This trend is what Jeff Bock, box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations, sees as the big box office story of 2011, for good and bad. "You can't deny sequels' potency at the box office, with seven of the top 10 grossing films of 2011 being continuing sagas (eight if you count 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes',"Bock said.

But not every movie with a number slapped onto the back of it fared as well as Harry Potter. Bock pointed out that holiday sequels like "Happy Feet Two," "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" and "Alvin and the Chipmunk: Chipwrecked," all underperformed compared to their predecessors.

"You could also argue that sequels are part of the problem, too," Bock said. "The domestic box office looks like it's going to come up short in terms of overall grosses and drop three percent versus last year, with attendance down nearly five percent — which will hit its lowest point in 15 years. That's a no-win for the entire industry."

As for surprise successes and failure, two films stuck out to Bock, the comedy hit "Bridesmaids" and DC's disappointer "Green Lantern."

"Bridesmaids" made $288 million worldwide on a budget of just $32 million, Bock said. "It was finally a coming out party for women of comedy," Bock said of what he called the "female 'Hangover.' " "Universal has already made plans for a sequel, and the brides-to-be are now flirting with A-list status."

Ryan Reynolds' most recent foray into the superhero realm did just the opposite. "This was supposed to be the next Batman for the studio, and it nearly turned into 'Howard the Duck,' " Bock said. "Well, it wasn't that bad, but when you spend $200 million on a film, you obviously expect to make more than $219 million worldwide. And that's not including all the marketing and print advertising that went into the big-budget blockbuster."

For 2012, Bock expects even more sequel domination, especially with the lineup of franchise films coming out next year. He predicts "The Dark Knight Rises" and "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" will top with box office in the #1 and #2 slots, respectively, with "The Hobbit," "The Avengers" and "Men in Black 3" rounding out the top five.

Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Related Videos

• Scenes From 'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows - Part 2'
• 'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 2' Red-Carpet Highlights

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676548/harry-potter-deathly-hallows-2-box-office-2011.jhtml

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Francesca Koe: California's Newest State Parks Are in the Ocean (Huffington post)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

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Five killed in Connecticut house fire (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Authorities said two adults and three children were killed as fire tore through a large house in Stamford, Connecticut, early on Christmas morning.

Stamford Mayor Michael Pavia and acting fire chief Antonio Conte confirmed the fatalities from the scene of the blaze, which began just before 5:00 a.m. in the Shippan Point neighborhood near the city's harbor.

"Three adults and two children lost their lives," Pavia said in news video posted on the Stamford Advocate newspaper's website.

"At this point, we have nothing further to say, except that our hearts and prayers go out to the family and to emergency personnel on the scene," he added.

Calls to the mayor's office and Stamford fire department were not immediately returned, as offices were closed for the weekend and the Christmas holiday.

Video showed fire ripping through a house in the residential district of large homes.

It was unclear whether all the victims were members of the same family. Conte could not immediately say whether the deceased adults were the parents of the three children, as the fire was still being investigated, he said.

Conte said teams were working to secure the fire, to determine its cause and to recover bodies. He added that officials would have no further comment until later in the day.

A three-alarm blaze at a building on Shippan Avenue was called in at 4:53 a.m., Stamford Fire & Rescue announced in an early morning Twitter message.

Stamford is on Connecticut's shore on Long Island Sound, about 40 miles northeast of New York City.

(Reporting by Zach Howard. Editing by Tim Gaynor)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111225/us_nm/us_connecticut_fire

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wecogitate: Breaking: Patriot Missiles Seized, Sold To China by Israel http://t.co/UHLvZK0T

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Breaking: Patriot Missiles Seized, Sold To China by Israel wp.me/pvpWa-6TI Il y a environ 11 heures via WordPress.com

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ExamineStyle: Wedding gowns and silhouettes http://t.co/pGZl47EB

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IDOT Employees Contribute Nearly 1,200 Pounds of Food and Supplies to Troops Serving Overseas

Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) workers donated nearly 1,200 pounds of food and supplies to be sent to military personnel serving overseas through the holidays.? IDOT staff participated in a collection drive for the Operation Support Our Troops - America organization, which also resulted in more than 170 Christmas cards and personal letters going to armed services members.
?We should always remember the sacrifice our men and women serving overseas make each day and do what we can to express our gratitude and support,? said Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider. ?I am very proud of the diligence and compassion shown by the employees at IDOT. They made a commitment to contribute their time and money to show our troops how much we appreciate them for all they do.?
After Governor Pat Quinn announced the ?America has NOT Forgotten? campaign encouraging Illinoisans to support Veterans and Military families, IDOT took the challenge to get involved.
All nine IDOT districts participated in the collection drive and served as drop off locations. The items collected included crackers, canned pasta and soup, granola bars, foot powder, beef jerky, microwave popcorn, canned nuts, individually-wrapped hot chocolate and coffee packets of ground coffee and Starbucks? coffee cups. The statewide collection period was approximately two weeks.
Operation Support Our Troops - America is a not-for-profit, volunteer-based organization that supports the morale and wellbeing of American forces by providing comfort, resources and education to them and their families while they are deployed and after their return. Since its inception, the organization has shipped approximately 900,000 pounds of goods to troops around the world. Operation Support Our Troops - America also provides financial support to military and veteran support organizations such as Fisher House and Hines VA Hospital.
For more information about Operation Support Our Troops - America and other programs for our Veterans and servicemembers, visit www.OSOTAmerica.org and www.OperationHomefront.org.

Source: http://www.cantondailyledger.com/news/x545129652/IDOT-Employees-Contribute-Nearly-1-200-Pounds-of-Food-and-Supplies-to-Troops-Serving-Overseas

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World economy to trudge on in 2012 despite Europe: Reuters poll (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? Europe faces another year of dismal economic performance in 2012 that will weigh on global growth, but emerging markets and the United States should at least keep the world economy moving in the right direction.

There are several reasons why next year may be nothing to look forward to, according to Reuters polls from the last few months.

Many of the world's biggest developed economies are heading into recession, global stock markets look set to recoup only a fraction of their heavy losses in 2011, oil prices will head lower, and asset managers are unsure where best to invest.

And these could be the best-case scenarios.

Most economists base their assumptions on the hope that the euro zone's sovereign debt crisis will not boil over into a new global economic crisis, having already dented growth in major exporters to Europe.

Still, most of the major emerging market economies like Brazil and China should pick up speed later next year. All of them have suffered from slowing economies in recent months, caused mainly by tightening monetary policy in the face of high inflation.

"It's important to stress the world economy is still growing. But it's a tale of two worlds," said Gerard Lyons, chief economist at Standard Chartered Bank.

"The storyline for 2012 is that Europe drags the world down in the first half of the year, and China drags it up in the second half of the year."

Enormous political risks cloud the outlook further, with elections and leadership changes in the most powerful countries and the prospect of continuing turmoil in the Middle East.

Still, there are glimmers of hope. The United States' economy has performed better than most had hoped over the last quarter, and Reuters' polls of economists show it growing around 2.2 percent in 2012, compared with zero growth in the euro zone.

"The big unknown in Europe and the U.S. is that big companies, with balance sheets in good shape, have the ability to invest at home if they want. It's more likely that will take place in the U.S. rather than Europe," said Lyons.

THE EURO ZONE QUESTION

European Union leaders took a historic step towards greater fiscal integration earlier in December, but economists have been clear that this would not ease a debt crisis entering its third year and still hogging the headlines in 2012.

Reuters polls show real concern that leaders are doing far too little to stimulate growth, with the likes of Spain and Italy destined for long and painful recessions.

The euro zone as a whole, meanwhile, is probably in a moderate recession right now that will last midway into 2012.

"The euro area continues to be a source of economic and financial instability for the rest of the world," said Juan Perez-Campanero, economist at Santander, in a research note.

"We could be facing a more permanent and lasting decline in growth capacity in developed economies and, particularly, the euro area."

Whether Spain and Italy will need to seek funding from the euro zone's bailout facility next year is open to question, with a very slim majority of economists polled this month - 27 out of 56 - saying not.

And a November survey of 20 top economists and former policymakers in academia and respected research institutes showed 14 of them do not expect the euro zone to survive in its current form.

Even in Japan, where economists have downgraded growth forecasts relentlessly, the economy is expected to pick up in the fiscal year from April and expand 1.8 percent. Japan should narrowly avoid a recession, but polls show little hope it will emerge from deflation any time soon.

ASSESSING THE ASSETS

The severe uncertainty surrounding 2012 is perhaps best reflected by Reuters' asset allocation poll of more than 50 leading investment houses in the United States, Europe and Japan.

Investors raised their cash balance to the highest in a year in December as they prepared for a jittery 2012, although they also moved back into cheap equities, Reuters polls showed on Monday.

The euro zone crisis was the key concern of asset managers polled, hence the increased preference for cash as well as moves into British and Asian shares rather than European ones.

Similarly, the last quarterly stock markets poll suggested emerging markets will easily outperform European share indexes in 2012, which will struggle to bounce back to end-2010 levels, never mind end-2011.

With Europe heading into a recession, oil prices look set to fall from here. Brent crude will average $105 a barrel next year, not far below this year's record high average near $111.

"We expect a mild recession across the OECD next year to put a damper on demand and consequently prices," David Wech from Vienna-based consultants JBC Energy said. "Nevertheless, the risk to oil prices is definitely on the upside given a still troubled geopolitical environment."

Economic growth is likely to slow among the Gulf's wealthy oil exporters next year, but governments will remain able to spend to counter the impact of any global slump, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.

Respondents cited the euro zone debt crisis and signs of slowing growth in China as reasons for the darkened economic outlook in the Gulf.

DELAYED CHINESE CHEERS

Whatever the euro zone's future, the effects of the debt crisis have already been felt across the world. The European Union is China's biggest export market, and manufacturing data there show dwindling levels of foreign new orders.

Indeed, the Chinese economy is now growing at its weakest pace since 2009. In an effort to support it the central bank cut reserve requirements at the end of last month for the first time in three years.

Economists polled by Reuters after this move, however, said the People's Bank of China will refrain from more aggressive stimulative policies unless growth falls sharply to below 8 percent.

Similarly, India has been suffering from a pronounced slowdown in growth and Reuters polls suggest its central bank will also slacken monetary policy by mid-2012 to counter this, despite stubbornly high inflation. It could be in for a difficult year.

"Looking ahead, the economy faces the lagged effects of monetary tightening," said Leif Eskesen, economist HSBC in Singapore.

"Moreover, administrative hurdles and domestic policy paralysis are holding back investments and hurting sentiment."

Brazil's central bank on Thursday cut its 2011 growth estimate to 3.0 percent, versus its previous estimate of 3.5 percent, and said 2012 would see growth of 3.5 percent.

Compared with previous years where growth averaged near double-digit rates, that would be a disappointment, although still a fair improvement on the anaemic rates of most developed peers.

Overall, even the slightly depressed growth rates from these developing economic powers will power world growth next year.

"It is positive growth, but the picture does vary considerably - not just in terms of the first and second half of the year, but also depending on which part of the world you look at," concluded Lyons from Standard Chartered.

(Analysis by Sumanta Dey in Bangalore, Additional reporting by Anooja Debnath in Singapore, Zaida Espana and Peter Apps in London; Polling by Reuters Polls Bangalore, Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111225/bs_nm/us_wrapup2012_polls

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As Iraq smolders, Kurds sit on oil riches

As Iraq looks like collapsing into another sectarian free-for-all, with energy resources a key prize, the semi-autonomous Kurdish region is like an island of stability and security.

In large part, that's because it's sitting on its own energy treasure house, an estimated 60 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, more than Libya's entire reserves, and 45 billion barrels of oil, roughly the amount Britain has produced from its North Sea fields.

"Sweeping changes ? have taken place in Iraq's semi-autonomous northern region over the past decade, changes driven by the wealth that lies underneath its desolate landscape," observed the Financial Times.

"The days when Kurdistan was an economic backwater are over," Prime Minister Barham Salih told Kurdistan's first regional oil and gas conference in Irbil, the Kurdish capital, in November.

But the Kurdistan Regional Government, which runs the three northern provinces that constitute the Kurdish enclave, is locked in a bitter battle with the central government in Baghdad over oil rights and revenue-sharing as well as territory.

This seemingly intractable dispute has in recent weeks spread to other provinces that now seek more autonomy, including oil-rich Basra in the south, which contains two-thirds of Iraq's known oil reserves of 143.1 billion barrels.

With the Shiite-dominated government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki showing increasing signs of cracking down on minority Sunnis and Kurds, marginalizing them politically and concentrating all power in the hands of the majority Shiites now that U.S. forces have withdrawn, the stage seems set for major turmoil.

The KRG recently upped the stakes dramatically by signing an agreement with Exxon Mobil, the world's largest oil company, Oct. 18 to explore six blocks widely believed to be sure-fire gushers.

Exxon was the first international oil major to venture into Kurdistan, defying Maliki's government, which insists Baghdad alone can make such deals.

Exxon faces stiff reprisals by Baghdad but refuses to back down.

Meantime, as political infighting intensifies with the departure of the Americans, the Kurds and Sunnis are quitting Maliki's shaky coalition amid a wave of arrests by his security forces.

So Kurdistan, which also claims the Kirkuk oilfields in the north, is likely to be in the eye of the storm.

The Kurds' big problem is that their territory in the northeastern corner of Iraq is landlocked and to get their oil out they have to use state pipelines controlled by Baghdad.

Kurdish oil is pumped northward through twin pipelines to neighboring Turkey's Ceyhan terminal on the Mediterranean, so any break with Baghdad means no outlet for Kurdish crude.

But the Kurds have found a possible ally in Turkey, even though Ankara's a bitter opponent of the Kurds' burning ambition for an independent state.

The Turks fear an independent Kurdistan will encourage their own Kurdish rebels in their 20-year separatist war, as well as the wider region's 20 million Kurds.

Even so, Ankara may find Iraqi Kurds' support for the Turkish rebels might be dampened if Turkey gives the KRG separate access to Ceyhan.

Turkey, with no energy resources of its own, is particularly eager to import natural gas to fuel its power stations, possibly via a new pipeline from Kurdistan.

"The large deposits of natural gas in Iraqi Kurdistan and a booming bilateral trade -- together with a better mutual security understanding -- have led to much-improved relations," the Financial Times' Commodities Editor Javier Blas reported.

The presence of senior Turkish officials at the Irbil oil and gas conference testified to that.

"Turkey is even talking about connecting an export pipeline from Kurdistan to the projected Nabucco pipeline which would link the gas-rich Caucasus and Central Asia to energy-hungry European nations," said Blas.

Kurdistan is currently capable of producing 100,000 barrels of oil per day. That's scheduled to hit 175,000 bpd in 2012.

But if Exxon Mobil or any of the 40 smaller outfits that also have contracts with the KRG strike it big, KRG Natural Resources Minister Ashti Hawrami says production could reach 1 million bpd by 2015.

If Iraq starts to fragment, that could convince other oil majors to invest in Kurdistan.

Source: http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/As_Iraq_smolders_Kurds_sit_on_oil_riches_999.html

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Justice to require sale before NYSE merger (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Justice Department announced Thursday that it will allow the creation of the world's largest stock exchange operator after the German conglomerate that wants to buy the New York Stock Exchange sells its stake in a third, smaller American stock exchange operator.

Justice Department lawyers filed papers in U.S. District Court in Washington that would allow the merger of NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Boerse AG after the German company orders one of its subsidiaries to sell its 31.5 percent stake in Direct Edge Holdings LLC, which is the United States' fourth largest stock exchange operator. In addition to the sale of Direct Edge, the proposed settlement between Justice and the two companies prohibits them from participating in the business or running of Direct Edge.

The German company, which operates the Frankfurt stock exchange, offered to buy NYSE Euronext for $10 billion in February. The transaction would create the world's largest exchange operator. NYSE Euronext owns exchanges in Paris, Lisbon, Brussels and Amsterdam, in addition to New York.

"Without the divestiture and other restrictions obtained by the Justice Department, a combined NYSE and Deutsche Borse entity could influence the actions of Direct Edge, and thereby lessen the zeal of an aggressive and innovative exchange competitor," said Sharis A. Pozen, acting assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. "The remedy ensures that participants in the markets for U.S. equities exchange products and services will continue to receive the full benefits of robust competition in the form of competitive prices and increased innovation."

Under the terms of the settlement, Deutsche Borse's subsidiary, ISE, will divest itself of its interest in Direct Edge within two years.

The Deutsche Boerse-NYSE Eurostar merger would not only control important stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic, but also have a potentially dominant position in the trading of derivatives. Derivatives are complex financial products that allow investors to bet on movements in areas such as interest rates, stock indexes or commodity prices.

The combination of the two exchanges has been harshly criticized by competitors like the London Stock Exchange and U.S.-based Nasdaq.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_justice_department_nyse_euronext

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