Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines: Sony’s Tablets Definitely Aren’t iPads

http://articles.brightbridge-wealthmanagement.com/2011/07/brightbridge-wealth-management-headlines-sonys-tablets-definitely-arent-ipads/

For products which still haven’t been officially announced, Sony’s upcoming Android tablets sure haven’t been publicity-shy. Sony first teased us about them back in April. And on Wednesday, it held press events in New York and San Francisco at which it showed them off and released more details, such as the fact that the smaller S1 will be available exclusively in a version for AT&T’s HSPA+ network — although not full specs, or pricing, or a shipping timeframe other than “later this year.”

I attended the West Coast edition of the sneak peek. When I see new tablets these days, I’m continuing to reflexively ask the question “Why should somebody buy this instead of an iPad?” It’s too early to come to any firm conclusions about the Sonys, but both pass the obvious-differences-from-Apple’s-tablet test.

The S1 is a 9.4″ model with a wedge shape that angles the screen for comfy typing and feels like a folded magazine. (It’s a major departure from every other current tablet — but it does remind me of the original 2007 version of Amazon’s Kindle.)

The smaller S2, meanwhile, stretches the definition of “tablet” a bit. It’s a clamshell device with two 5.5″ displays which, in unfolded mode, can operate independently or as one big screen. It’s reminiscent of Acer’s Iconia and Toshiba’s experimental Portege, but the hinge makes more sense on the S2: the screens are small enough that a folded-shut unit will fit in a pocket. (Try that with your iPad.)

On the software side, Sony is going through a fair amount of effort to make these tablets stand apart from the Android herd. They both have a feature called Quick View which is designed to load Web pages much faster than the standard Android browser. (For what it’s worth, it worked in Sony’s demo.) They’re also designed for extra-responsive scrolling, and are PlayStation-certified devices that can play some older PlayStation games, and will come with Sony’s Reader e-book store and Qriocity movie and music services. The S1 includes a universal remote feature (which leverages the built-in IR port) and Sony is working with Adobe to help developers build Adobe AIR apps that make good use of the S2′s twin screens.

The Sony models will suffer from some issues that are endemic to Android tablets, such as a selection of tablet-friendly apps that’s still skimpy. And while I’d like Adobe’s AIR to work well, its close technical kinship with Flash worries me: I’ve yet to use mobile Flash on a device where it wasn’t pretty darn terrible. But I don’t think the fact that these tablets aren’t here yet is a problem. Heck, given the generally disappointing state of the non-iPad tablet market to date, I think that tablets that haven’t shipped are in better shape to do well than those thathave arrived — at least if their makers use the extra time to make them rock-solid. Here’s hoping that the S1 and S2 end up feeling finished in a way that the original Galaxy Tab, the Xoom, the PlayBook, and the TouchPad do not.

Brightbridge Wealth Management and Financial Planning Updated News Articles

http://articles.brightbridge-wealthmanagement.com/

Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines: HP Debuts All-in-One Desktop PCs for Consumers, SMBs

Posted on September 10, 2011 by Brightbridge Wealth Management

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Midmarket/HP-Debuts-AllinOne-Desktop-PCs-for-Consumers-SMBs-388122/

As HP looks to spin off its consumer PC business, it unveils a slew of all-in-one PCs aimed at consumers and businesses.

Hewlett-Packard unveiled its largest investment in the all-in-one desktop PC market to date, debuting a portfolio of products for consumers and small and midsize businesses. The space-saving Omni series PCs—comprised of the Omni 120 and the Omni 220–are expected to be available on Sept. 21 and Sept. 11 at a starting price of $399.99 and $799.99, respectively. The PCs are designed to provide ample storage, built-in speakers, high-definition (HD) display and feature HP LinkUp, which lets users link a notebook to the PC using a home network.

Featuring a free standing design, tilt-enabled display and the latest version of TouchSmart software, the 20-inch TouchSmart 320, 21.5-inch TouchSmart 420 and the 23-inch TouchSmart 520 PCs are designed for consumers looking for a multimedia and touch experience. These TouchSmart PCs also feature integrated Beats Audio and LinkUp for enhanced sound and multimedia convenience.

The optional HP Pulse Subwoofer, paired with the TouchSmart 520 or 610, complements Beats Audio and is designed to add depth to music, movies and games. The TouchSmart 320 PC is expected to be available on Oct. 2 at a starting price of $599.99. The TouchSmart 420 and 520 PCs are expected to be available on Sept. 11 at a starting price of $699.99 and $899.99, respectively.

“The popularity of the all-in-one form factor continues to grow, and HP’s contribution to this market is significant,” said Todd Bradley, executive vice president of HP’s personal systems group. “We continue to expand our portfolio to remain the global leader in Windows-based, all-in-one PCs, introducing innovation that matters to business customers and consumers alike.”

Designed for small businesses with demanding workloads looking for a versatile PC, the 20-inch Pro 3420 all-in-one is equipped with integrated Web cams and premium stereo speakers for face-to-face communication with remote employees. The HP Pro 3420 PC is expected to be available in October at a starting price of $599.

In addition, HP’s recently announced 8200 Elite All-in-One Business PC, which lists for $974, completes the company’s new all-in-one portfolio, delivering MyRoom for connecting and collaborating with business colleagues and security features such as keyed cable lock support and an on board TPM 1.2 embedded security chip.

“HP knows people expect a lot from their technology–from the overall design to the user experience,” said Randall Martin, chief design strategist for HP’s personal computer global business unit. “That’s why HP continues to drive innovation for its all-in-one PCs, which combine a full-featured PC and a high-definition display into an elegant, modern design that complements the user’s environment instead of trying to define it.”

CEO Leo Apotheker shocked the tech industry when he announced Aug. 18 that the company is looking to spin out its market-leading PC portfolio within the next 18 months to enable it to focus more of its money and time on its higher-margin commercial systems, software and services businesses. HP’s Personal Systems Group in the company’s third fiscal quarter generated about $9.6 billion in revenues, a 3 percent drop, and generated profits of $567 million, a 21 percent increase.

Posts Tagged ‘relaunch Obvious’

http://world.brightbridgewealthmanagement-mag.com/?tag=relaunch-obvious

ASPEN, Co. (Reuters) – Twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams plan to revive Obvious, the company they conceived years ago as a technology project incubator that eventually spawned Twitter.

Stone and Williams will continue to advise Twitter on strategic matters, but devote the lions’ share of their time to The Obvious Corporation, Stone told the Aspen Ideas Conference at the ski resort on Tuesday.

The pair, along with others such as Jack Dorsey, who now runs payments service Square, created the four-year-old website that allows users to send 140-character messages across the Internet. It has grown into a microblogging phenomenon used by celebrities and heads of state alike, hailed at times as a crucial tool in promoting the free flow of information.

Neither Stone nor Williams told conference attendees explicitly what they intended with Obvious, apart from saying that they were excited about building projects that will improve people’s lives.

“All the biggest ideas are obvious in retrospect,” said Williams. “If we get as lucky as Twitter, that would be great.”

Dick Costolo replaced Williams as Twitter’s CEO in October, a move Silicon Valley sources have said re-focused the microblogging sensation on monetization, or translating its fast-growing pool of users into revenue.

“The Twitter crew and its leadership team have grown incredibly productive. I’ve decided that the most effective use of my time is to get out of the way until I’m called upon to be of some specific use,” Stone said in a blog post. here

“Our plan is to develop new projects and work on solving big problems aligned along a simple mission statement: The Obvious Corporation develops systems that help people work together to improve the world.”

“This is a dream come true!” Stone said.

DYNAMIC DUO

In a conversation with Walter Isaacson, the Aspen Institute’s chief executive, the duo skipped from topic to topic, flummoxing audience members hoping for clues on their new venture.

They discussed the advantages of closed versus open systems online; how the Internet was changing philanthropy through services such as Kickstarter that allow crowdsourced funding; and how the Internet has affected distribution of content much more than content itself.

“There are more fundamental things than how distribution evolves to change publishing,” Williams said.

The two charmed the audience, frequently drawing laughs with their deadpan wit. Stone described himself and Williams as “hallucinogenically optimistic”, while their Obvious partner Jason Goldman, formerly vice president for product at Twitter, “is always like, ‘here are the 10 ways we can get screwed’.”

Social networking services like Twitter and Facebook are increasingly challenging established online powers like Google Inc and Yahoo for Web surfers’ time and advertisers’ dollars.

Twitter, which began courting advertisers one year ago, is still in the early stages of building a business. The company is expected to bring in about $150 million in ad revenue this year, compared with Facebook’s roughly $4 billion in ad revenue, according to research firm eMarketer.

In December, Twitter was valued at $3.7 billion in a $200 million funding round led by venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. An auction of Twitter shares on the secondary market in March suggested investors were valuing the company at more than $7 billion.

One audience member asked if there was a bubble in technology.

“Maybe investor excitement is outpacing the development,” Williams allowed. But he was firm about his corporate progeny.

“I’m holding my Twitter stock long-term,” he said. “If there is a correction, these things always go in cycles. So that will be fine.”

Posts Tagged ‘relaunch Obvious’

http://world.brightbridgewealthmanagement-mag.com/?tag=relaunch-obvious

ASPEN, Co. (Reuters) – Twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams plan to revive Obvious, the company they conceived years ago as a technology project incubator that eventually spawned Twitter.

Stone and Williams will continue to advise Twitter on strategic matters, but devote the lions’ share of their time to The Obvious Corporation, Stone told the Aspen Ideas Conference at the ski resort on Tuesday.

The pair, along with others such as Jack Dorsey, who now runs payments service Square, created the four-year-old website that allows users to send 140-character messages across the Internet. It has grown into a microblogging phenomenon used by celebrities and heads of state alike, hailed at times as a crucial tool in promoting the free flow of information.

Neither Stone nor Williams told conference attendees explicitly what they intended with Obvious, apart from saying that they were excited about building projects that will improve people’s lives.

“All the biggest ideas are obvious in retrospect,” said Williams. “If we get as lucky as Twitter, that would be great.”

Dick Costolo replaced Williams as Twitter’s CEO in October, a move Silicon Valley sources have said re-focused the microblogging sensation on monetization, or translating its fast-growing pool of users into revenue.

“The Twitter crew and its leadership team have grown incredibly productive. I’ve decided that the most effective use of my time is to get out of the way until I’m called upon to be of some specific use,” Stone said in a blog post. here

“Our plan is to develop new projects and work on solving big problems aligned along a simple mission statement: The Obvious Corporation develops systems that help people work together to improve the world.”

“This is a dream come true!” Stone said.

DYNAMIC DUO

In a conversation with Walter Isaacson, the Aspen Institute’s chief executive, the duo skipped from topic to topic, flummoxing audience members hoping for clues on their new venture.

They discussed the advantages of closed versus open systems online; how the Internet was changing philanthropy through services such as Kickstarter that allow crowdsourced funding; and how the Internet has affected distribution of content much more than content itself.

“There are more fundamental things than how distribution evolves to change publishing,” Williams said.

The two charmed the audience, frequently drawing laughs with their deadpan wit. Stone described himself and Williams as “hallucinogenically optimistic”, while their Obvious partner Jason Goldman, formerly vice president for product at Twitter, “is always like, ‘here are the 10 ways we can get screwed’.”

Social networking services like Twitter and Facebook are increasingly challenging established online powers like Google Inc and Yahoo for Web surfers’ time and advertisers’ dollars.

Twitter, which began courting advertisers one year ago, is still in the early stages of building a business. The company is expected to bring in about $150 million in ad revenue this year, compared with Facebook’s roughly $4 billion in ad revenue, according to research firm eMarketer.

In December, Twitter was valued at $3.7 billion in a $200 million funding round led by venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. An auction of Twitter shares on the secondary market in March suggested investors were valuing the company at more than $7 billion.

One audience member asked if there was a bubble in technology.

“Maybe investor excitement is outpacing the development,” Williams allowed. But he was firm about his corporate progeny.

“I’m holding my Twitter stock long-term,” he said. “If there is a correction, these things always go in cycles. So that will be fine.”

Archive for the ‘World News’ Category

http://world.brightbridgewealthmanagement-mag.com/?category_name=world-news


SEOUL, July 25 (Yonhap) — South Korean scientists said Monday that they have developed a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent that can help better diagnose arteriosclerosis and various vascular diseases.
The Seoul National University team led by Hyeon Taeg-hwan, a chemical and biological engineering professor, said the agent made from ferrimagnetic iron oxide that is 3 nanometers in size, significantly smaller than the 4 nanometer size mass produced in the past. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter.
Making smaller size particles is critical since using larger ferrimagnetic iron oxide as MRI agents reduces clarity, which effectively limits the agent’s usefulness as a tool for doctors.
The team also said that compared to the most commonly used gadolinium-based agents, the new material has been tested to be much less harmful to people and can show internal structures of arteries much longer. MRI agents have been cited for causing complications for people with bad kidneys.
“The manufacturing process permitted very fine, evenly shaped nanoparticles to be made easily,” Hyeon said. “Using this material as an agent, researchers were able to see arteries with a diameter of less than 0.2 millimeters.”
The scientist claimed that the new agent has the capability to make it easier for doctors to check for arteriosclerosis, vascular disease and signs of heart attacks in people.
The discovery that received support from the government has been published in the latest on-line issue of the Journal of American Chemical Society.

Archive for the ‘Latest Events’ Category

http://world.brightbridgewealthmanagement-mag.com/?category_name=latest-events.

15th July 2011 – In a continuing effort to innovate and help customers maximize productivity, Siemens Enterprise Communications has introduced AudioPresenceTM HD, which ensures that all OpenStage IP phone users can experience the highest quality audio for voice calls and audio conferences, at no additional cost for the functionality. Unlike other major brands, the OpenStage range provides high-definition voice capabilities across the entire line of OpenStage IP phones, including the newly announced OpenStage 5 entry-level phone. With the introduction of AudioPresence HD, the OpenStage portfolio extends its legacy of reliability and quality acoustic engineering.
“Siemens Enterprise Communications’ efforts to extend HD voice across its entire IP portfolio with AudioPresence increases the overall value of its already high quality proven IP desktop phones, allowing customers to enjoy a natural voice experience with higher voice quality, superior clarity, better intelligibility and a richer sound experience,” said Mohamed Alaa Saayed, Senior Industry Analyst with Frost & Sullivan. “The overall result is higher degrees of customer satisfaction and increased productivity.”
This innovation is particularly applicable to a truly global audience.  Research has shown that interactions among people with diverse native language backgrounds have increased dramatically and will continue to rise. For example, research from the Federal Institute of Research in Zurich, showed that official Globalization Indexes for information flows has increased more than 60% over the past two decades, and a global survey conducted by Associates for International Research, Inc. (AIRINC) showed that 42% of companies reported an increase in their expatriate populations in 2010, while 49% expect an increase in this number in 2011. Additionally, global research firm MZA Ltd. predicts the worldwide conferencing solutions market will grow to near $8 billion at a compound growth rate of over 13% due to the restrictions on business travel – demonstrating an ever increasing and high level of reliance on voice technologies to drive business communications, customer dialog and decision making.
Meanwhile, recent United Nations research indicates the global population of those over age 60 has grown by over 50% in the past two decades, while the number of U.S. workers over age 55 has increased by 53% over the past decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Further, The European Commission expects the employment rate of workers age 55 and older to reach 59% by 2025.  With this aging workforce demographic comes age-related hearing loss, progressively impacting up to 50% of people by age 75. The AudioPresence HD enhanced user experience reduces frustration and helps ensure customer interactions and employee communications are well understood, avoiding errors and misunderstandings.
AudioPresence HD leverages the standards-based G.722 high-definition audio codec, best-in-class speaker, microphone and acoustic components, and advanced noise rejection and echo cancellation in all OpenStage IP phones. Also, with the upcoming release of OpenScape UC Version 6, multi-party audio conferences will support AudioPresence HD as well as an industry unique Automatic Gain Control feature which normalizes the distraction and frustration of loud and soft volume levels from various conference participants.
“While knowledge workers are becoming increasingly reliant on advanced communications tools, voice communication remains the engine of the knowledge economy in many respects,” says Jonathan Spira, president of NYC-based communications analyst firm Basex.  “Missed information can lead to costly errors, muddled responses to questions require time-consuming repetition and clarification, and an unclear articulation results in frustration and stress for call participants as they strain to follow the conversation.”
According to new independent lab testing conducted by HEAD Acoustics, OpenStage IP handsets with AudioPresence consistently delivered strong balanced performance index scores across the entire range of OpenStage IP phones. For example, the entire range of OpenStage handsets tested all scored the maximum possible TMOS score of 4.2 for high definition audio sending, including the new OpenStage 5. This demonstrates that exceptional audio quality can be provided to customers seeking a cost-effective entry-level phone. Overall, the results support OpenStage portfolio’s legacy of superior acoustic engineering and component selection.
“Having deployed an Asterisk IP-PBX, we could have chosen any desk phone on the market. We chose 8,000 OpenStage 60 SIP phones, in a distributed branch office solution.  Being in a customer-focused and service-oriented insurance business it is important for us to have reliable, high quality phones to interact with our customers,” says Alfred Isenbeck of LVM Versicherung.  “We rely on the excellent audio quality of the OpenStage phones to ensure we provide excellent service to our customers.”
“We continue to believe in the importance of providing all of our customers with an excellent quality user experience, and superior audio quality does not have to be an expensive solution that is only available in high-end or ‘executive’ phones,” said Mark Straton, Senior Vice President Global Solutions Marketing at Siemens Enterprise Communications. “With AudioPresence HD available in every OpenStage IP model, it is our way of ensuring that regardless of how much a customer wants to invest in a phone, they are getting the best audio quality available.”
AudioPresence HD is available now on all OpenStage IP phones and can be enabled immediately by contacting your local Siemens Enterprise Communications representative or authorized partner.

 Posted in Economy Update, Latest Events, USA Today, World News |  Tags: Asset Management and Mutual Funds, Brightbridge Wealth Management and Financial Planning Updated News Articles, Brightbridge Wealth Management Financial and Investment Advice, Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines:, Brightbridge Wealth Management Technology, Siemens Enterprise Communications introduces AudioPresence(TM) HD |  No Comments »

Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines: Opinion: What costs trillions and kills the economy?

 July 20th, 2011 |  Author: Brightbridge Wealth Management Online Magazine

http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_1e237d66-ae68-11e0-8412-001cc4c002e0.html

Nobel Laureate in Economics, F. A. Hayek, fought totalitarianism and communism, and from beyond the grave he is taking on a new foe – political bureaucracies.

Hayek – an economist whose theories inspired George Orwell to write his epic book 1984 and whom many credit for helping to bring down the Iron Curtain through his work as an economist — is now delivering a message from beyond the grave about the demise of the U.S. economy. In an interview that took place before Hayek’s death in 1992, he warns against how big government and the growth of the civil service have the potential to doom the American economy.

Kenneth J. Gerbino, CEO of an investment management company and founder and chairman of the 1980 reform advocacy group the American Economic Council, uncovered the interview that is the centerpiece of the new documentary film The Hayek Prophecies (www.thehayekprophecies.com). In it, Hayek decries the growth of the civil service as the poison pill that could put the country in a stagnant or slow growth mode with inefficiencies and waste.

“Hayek believed that the swelling of the civil service would grow government to such an unwieldy size that it would become an unsustainable beast, dragging down the government and the economy because of its endless hunger,” said Gerbino, also producer of the film.

There are currently 2,392 bills working their way through the House and 1,291 bills in the Senate. Besides the $20-30 billion in pork in these bills there will be more government agencies, bureaus and departments created to administer and regulate any new laws that are passed. They will then further complicate and slow down the real economy. More regulations and regulators are being added to the budget every year.

The government should be dismantling agencies and downsizing and allowing the people of this country to flourish by allowing them, not the government, to spend their money.

“Tax money going toward social security should not go toward hiring more people to inhabit more government jobs,” he said. “Taxes should be reduced giving elderly people money to buy food and pay rent. Because of the thousands of new regulations to various laws passed every year, the bureaucracy to administer these regulations and guidelines waste hundreds of billions per year.”

The Heritage Foundation reported the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says that current reports of wasteful duplication include 342 economic development programs; 130 programs serving the disabled; 130 programs serving at-risk youth; 90 early childhood development programs; 75 programs funding international education, cultural, and training exchange activities; and 72 safe water programs. Gerbino states that most of these agencies probably could be consolidated into three or four agencies eliminating overlapping work and reducing employed civil servants by 30-40%. Washington spends $25 billion annually maintaining unused or vacant federal properties all for the civil servants.

The civil service has created its own perpetual motion and continues to expand, costing taxpayers more money but in many ways costing private enterprise untold legal and accounting costs to comply with regulations many of which are not needed. These costs are then passed on to consumers. The civil service expansion defeats the purpose of actually shrinking government, which makes the political call for smaller government nothing more than a punch line to a bad joke. “If our leaders really want to reduce the size of government, they should listen to Hayek and start with the civil service.”

About Kenneth Gerbino
Kenneth Gerbino is head of Kenneth J. Gerbino & Company, an investment management firm now in its 37th year. The company manages private equity accounts and the Gerbino Gold Group, LLC, a private hedge fund that invests in precious metal mining stocks. Ken is advisor to the publicly traded Precious Capital Global Metals & Mining Fund traded on the Zurich Stock Exchange. Ken was the founder and Chairman of the American Economic Council (AEC), a nationwide economic reform group that was credited with the passage of the United States Gold Coin Act of 1984, which established the United States Gold Eagle coin. AEC seminars included participation by Alan Greenspan, Noble Laureate F. A. Hayek and Robert Bleiberg, ex-Editor-in-Chief of Barron’s.

Archive for the ‘Stock Market’ Category

http://world.brightbridgewealthmanagement-mag.com/?category_name=stock-market


Hayek – an economist whose theories inspired George Orwell to write his epic book 1984 and whom many credit for helping to bring down the Iron Curtain through his work as an economist — is now delivering a message from beyond the grave about the demise of the U.S. economy. In an interview that took place before Hayek’s death in 1992, he warns against how big government and the growth of the civil service have the potential to doom the American economy.

Kenneth J. Gerbino, CEO of an investment management company and founder and chairman of the 1980 reform advocacy group the American Economic Council, uncovered the interview that is the centerpiece of the new documentary film The Hayek Prophecies (www.thehayekprophecies.com). In it, Hayek decries the growth of the civil service as the poison pill that could put the country in a stagnant or slow growth mode with inefficiencies and waste.

“Hayek believed that the swelling of the civil service would grow government to such an unwieldy size that it would become an unsustainable beast, dragging down the government and the economy because of its endless hunger,” said Gerbino, also producer of the film.

There are currently 2,392 bills working their way through the House and 1,291 bills in the Senate. Besides the $20-30 billion in pork in these bills there will be more government agencies, bureaus and departments created to administer and regulate any new laws that are passed. They will then further complicate and slow down the real economy. More regulations and regulators are being added to the budget every year.

The government should be dismantling agencies and downsizing and allowing the people of this country to flourish by allowing them, not the government, to spend their money.

“Tax money going toward social security should not go toward hiring more people to inhabit more government jobs,” he said. “Taxes should be reduced giving elderly people money to buy food and pay rent. Because of the thousands of new regulations to various laws passed every year, the bureaucracy to administer these regulations and guidelines waste hundreds of billions per year.”

The Heritage Foundation reported the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says that current reports of wasteful duplication include 342 economic development programs; 130 programs serving the disabled; 130 programs serving at-risk youth; 90 early childhood development programs; 75 programs funding international education, cultural, and training exchange activities; and 72 safe water programs. Gerbino states that most of these agencies probably could be consolidated into three or four agencies eliminating overlapping work and reducing employed civil servants by 30-40%. Washington spends $25 billion annually maintaining unused or vacant federal properties all for the civil servants.

The civil service has created its own perpetual motion and continues to expand, costing taxpayers more money but in many ways costing private enterprise untold legal and accounting costs to comply with regulations many of which are not needed. These costs are then passed on to consumers. The civil service expansion defeats the purpose of actually shrinking government, which makes the political call for smaller government nothing more than a punch line to a bad joke. “If our leaders really want to reduce the size of government, they should listen to Hayek and start with the civil service.”

About Kenneth Gerbino
Kenneth Gerbino is head of Kenneth J. Gerbino & Company, an investment management firm now in its 37th year. The company manages private equity accounts and the Gerbino Gold Group, LLC, a private hedge fund that invests in precious metal mining stocks. Ken is advisor to the publicly traded Precious Capital Global Metals & Mining Fund traded on the Zurich Stock Exchange. Ken was the founder and Chairman of the American Economic Council (AEC), a nationwide economic reform group that was credited with the passage of the United States Gold Coin Act of 1984, which established the United States Gold Eagle coin. AEC seminars included participation by Alan Greenspan, Noble Laureate F. A. Hayek and Robert Bleiberg, ex-Editor-in-Chief of Barron’s.

Archive for the ‘Economy Update’ Category

http://world.brightbridgewealthmanagement-mag.com/?category_name=economy-update



SEOUL, July 25 (Yonhap) — South Korean scientists said Monday that they have developed a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent that can help better diagnose arteriosclerosis and various vascular diseases.
The Seoul National University team led by Hyeon Taeg-hwan, a chemical and biological engineering professor, said the agent made from ferrimagnetic iron oxide that is 3 nanometers in size, significantly smaller than the 4 nanometer size mass produced in the past. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter.
Making smaller size particles is critical since using larger ferrimagnetic iron oxide as MRI agents reduces clarity, which effectively limits the agent’s usefulness as a tool for doctors.
The team also said that compared to the most commonly used gadolinium-based agents, the new material has been tested to be much less harmful to people and can show internal structures of arteries much longer. MRI agents have been cited for causing complications for people with bad kidneys.
“The manufacturing process permitted very fine, evenly shaped nanoparticles to be made easily,” Hyeon said. “Using this material as an agent, researchers were able to see arteries with a diameter of less than 0.2 millimeters.”
The scientist claimed that the new agent has the capability to make it easier for doctors to check for arteriosclerosis, vascular disease and signs of heart attacks in people.
The discovery that received support from the government has been published in the latest on-line issue of the Journal of American Chemical Society.

Posts Tagged ‘Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines:’

http://world.brightbridgewealthmanagement-mag.com/?tag=brightbridge-wealth-management-headlines

SEOUL, July 25 (Yonhap) — South Korean scientists said Monday that they have developed a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent that can help better diagnose arteriosclerosis and various vascular diseases.
The Seoul National University team led by Hyeon Taeg-hwan, a chemical and biological engineering professor, said the agent made from ferrimagnetic iron oxide that is 3 nanometers in size, significantly smaller than the 4 nanometer size mass produced in the past. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter.
Making smaller size particles is critical since using larger ferrimagnetic iron oxide as MRI agents reduces clarity, which effectively limits the agent’s usefulness as a tool for doctors.
The team also said that compared to the most commonly used gadolinium-based agents, the new material has been tested to be much less harmful to people and can show internal structures of arteries much longer. MRI agents have been cited for causing complications for people with bad kidneys.
“The manufacturing process permitted very fine, evenly shaped nanoparticles to be made easily,” Hyeon said. “Using this material as an agent, researchers were able to see arteries with a diameter of less than 0.2 millimeters.”
The scientist claimed that the new agent has the capability to make it easier for doctors to check for arteriosclerosis, vascular disease and signs of heart attacks in people.
The discovery that received support from the government has been published in the latest on-line issue of the Journal of American Chemical Society.

 Posted in Economy Update, Investment, USA Today, World News |  Tags: Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines:, S. Korean scientists develop new MRI contrast agent |  No Comments »

Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines: Siemens Enterprise Communications introduces AudioPresence(TM) HD

 July 31st, 2011 |  Author: Brightbridge Wealth Management Online Magazine

http://www.callcentreclinic.com/news/technology/siemens-enterprise-communications-introduces-audiopresencetm-hd-45588.htm

15th July 2011 – In a continuing effort to innovate and help customers maximize productivity, Siemens Enterprise Communications has introduced AudioPresenceTM HD, which ensures that all OpenStage IP phone users can experience the highest quality audio for voice calls and audio conferences, at no additional cost for the functionality. Unlike other major brands, the OpenStage range provides high-definition voice capabilities across the entire line of OpenStage IP phones, including the newly announced OpenStage 5 entry-level phone. With the introduction of AudioPresence HD, the OpenStage portfolio extends its legacy of reliability and quality acoustic engineering.
“Siemens Enterprise Communications’ efforts to extend HD voice across its entire IP portfolio with AudioPresence increases the overall value of its already high quality proven IP desktop phones, allowing customers to enjoy a natural voice experience with higher voice quality, superior clarity, better intelligibility and a richer sound experience,” said Mohamed Alaa Saayed, Senior Industry Analyst with Frost & Sullivan. “The overall result is higher degrees of customer satisfaction and increased productivity.”
This innovation is particularly applicable to a truly global audience.  Research has shown that interactions among people with diverse native language backgrounds have increased dramatically and will continue to rise. For example, research from the Federal Institute of Research in Zurich, showed that official Globalization Indexes for information flows has increased more than 60% over the past two decades, and a global survey conducted by Associates for International Research, Inc. (AIRINC) showed that 42% of companies reported an increase in their expatriate populations in 2010, while 49% expect an increase in this number in 2011. Additionally, global research firm MZA Ltd. predicts the worldwide conferencing solutions market will grow to near $8 billion at a compound growth rate of over 13% due to the restrictions on business travel – demonstrating an ever increasing and high level of reliance on voice technologies to drive business communications, customer dialog and decision making.
Meanwhile, recent United Nations research indicates the global population of those over age 60 has grown by over 50% in the past two decades, while the number of U.S. workers over age 55 has increased by 53% over the past decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Further, The European Commission expects the employment rate of workers age 55 and older to reach 59% by 2025.  With this aging workforce demographic comes age-related hearing loss, progressively impacting up to 50% of people by age 75. The AudioPresence HD enhanced user experience reduces frustration and helps ensure customer interactions and employee communications are well understood, avoiding errors and misunderstandings.
AudioPresence HD leverages the standards-based G.722 high-definition audio codec, best-in-class speaker, microphone and acoustic components, and advanced noise rejection and echo cancellation in all OpenStage IP phones. Also, with the upcoming release of OpenScape UC Version 6, multi-party audio conferences will support AudioPresence HD as well as an industry unique Automatic Gain Control feature which normalizes the distraction and frustration of loud and soft volume levels from various conference participants.
“While knowledge workers are becoming increasingly reliant on advanced communications tools, voice communication remains the engine of the knowledge economy in many respects,” says Jonathan Spira, president of NYC-based communications analyst firm Basex.  “Missed information can lead to costly errors, muddled responses to questions require time-consuming repetition and clarification, and an unclear articulation results in frustration and stress for call participants as they strain to follow the conversation.”
According to new independent lab testing conducted by HEAD Acoustics, OpenStage IP handsets with AudioPresence consistently delivered strong balanced performance index scores across the entire range of OpenStage IP phones. For example, the entire range of OpenStage handsets tested all scored the maximum possible TMOS score of 4.2 for high definition audio sending, including the new OpenStage 5. This demonstrates that exceptional audio quality can be provided to customers seeking a cost-effective entry-level phone. Overall, the results support OpenStage portfolio’s legacy of superior acoustic engineering and component selection.
“Having deployed an Asterisk IP-PBX, we could have chosen any desk phone on the market. We chose 8,000 OpenStage 60 SIP phones, in a distributed branch office solution.  Being in a customer-focused and service-oriented insurance business it is important for us to have reliable, high quality phones to interact with our customers,” says Alfred Isenbeck of LVM Versicherung.  “We rely on the excellent audio quality of the OpenStage phones to ensure we provide excellent service to our customers.”
“We continue to believe in the importance of providing all of our customers with an excellent quality user experience, and superior audio quality does not have to be an expensive solution that is only available in high-end or ‘executive’ phones,” said Mark Straton, Senior Vice President Global Solutions Marketing at Siemens Enterprise Communications. “With AudioPresence HD available in every OpenStage IP model, it is our way of ensuring that regardless of how much a customer wants to invest in a phone, they are getting the best audio quality available.”
AudioPresence HD is available now on all OpenStage IP phones and can be enabled immediately by contacting your local Siemens Enterprise Communications representative or authorized partner.

Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines: BofA settles on mortgage repurchase claims

http://world.brightbridgewealthmanagement-mag.com/?p=19

A Bank of America sign is displayed outside a branch in Tucson, Arizona in this January 21, 2011 file photo. Bank of America Corp is close to a deal to pay $8.5 billion to settle claims from a group of powerful investors that lost money on mortgage-backed securities, a person familiar with the matter said on June 28, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Joshua Lott/Files

Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:17am EDT

(Reuters) – Bank of America Corp settled nearly all of the claims related to the legacy Countrywide-issued first-lien residential mortgage-backed securitization (RMBS) repurchase exposure for $8.5 billion in cash .
The largest U.S. bank by assets said it intends to record an additional $5.5 billion provision to its representations and warranties liability for both Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSE) and non-GSE exposures in the second quarter of 2011.
On Tuesday Reuters reported that Bank of America was close to a settlement agreement with a group of powerful group of investors that lost money on mortgage-backed securities.

Archive for the ‘Investment’ Category

http://world.brightbridgewealthmanagement-mag.com/?category_name=investment

Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines: S. Korean scientists develop new MRI contrast agent

 August 6th, 2011 |  Author: Brightbridge Wealth Management Online Magazine

SEOUL, July 25 (Yonhap) — South Korean scientists said Monday that they have developed a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent that can help better diagnose arteriosclerosis and various vascular diseases.
The Seoul National University team led by Hyeon Taeg-hwan, a chemical and biological engineering professor, said the agent made from ferrimagnetic iron oxide that is 3 nanometers in size, significantly smaller than the 4 nanometer size mass produced in the past. A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter.
Making smaller size particles is critical since using larger ferrimagnetic iron oxide as MRI agents reduces clarity, which effectively limits the agent’s usefulness as a tool for doctors.
The team also said that compared to the most commonly used gadolinium-based agents, the new material has been tested to be much less harmful to people and can show internal structures of arteries much longer. MRI agents have been cited for causing complications for people with bad kidneys.
“The manufacturing process permitted very fine, evenly shaped nanoparticles to be made easily,” Hyeon said. “Using this material as an agent, researchers were able to see arteries with a diameter of less than 0.2 millimeters.”
The scientist claimed that the new agent has the capability to make it easier for doctors to check for arteriosclerosis, vascular disease and signs of heart attacks in people.
The discovery that received support from the government has been published in the latest on-line issue of the Journal of American Chemical Society.

 Posted in Economy Update, Investment, USA Today, World News |  Tags: Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines:, S. Korean scientists develop new MRI contrast agent |  No Comments »

Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines: Opinion: What costs trillions and kills the economy?

 July 20th, 2011 |  Author: Brightbridge Wealth Management Online Magazine

http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_1e237d66-ae68-11e0-8412-001cc4c002e0.html

Nobel Laureate in Economics, F. A. Hayek, fought totalitarianism and communism, and from beyond the grave he is taking on a new foe – political bureaucracies.

Hayek – an economist whose theories inspired George Orwell to write his epic book 1984 and whom many credit for helping to bring down the Iron Curtain through his work as an economist — is now delivering a message from beyond the grave about the demise of the U.S. economy. In an interview that took place before Hayek’s death in 1992, he warns against how big government and the growth of the civil service have the potential to doom the American economy.

Kenneth J. Gerbino, CEO of an investment management company and founder and chairman of the 1980 reform advocacy group the American Economic Council, uncovered the interview that is the centerpiece of the new documentary film The Hayek Prophecies (www.thehayekprophecies.com). In it, Hayek decries the growth of the civil service as the poison pill that could put the country in a stagnant or slow growth mode with inefficiencies and waste.

“Hayek believed that the swelling of the civil service would grow government to such an unwieldy size that it would become an unsustainable beast, dragging down the government and the economy because of its endless hunger,” said Gerbino, also producer of the film.

There are currently 2,392 bills working their way through the House and 1,291 bills in the Senate. Besides the $20-30 billion in pork in these bills there will be more government agencies, bureaus and departments created to administer and regulate any new laws that are passed. They will then further complicate and slow down the real economy. More regulations and regulators are being added to the budget every year.

The government should be dismantling agencies and downsizing and allowing the people of this country to flourish by allowing them, not the government, to spend their money.

“Tax money going toward social security should not go toward hiring more people to inhabit more government jobs,” he said. “Taxes should be reduced giving elderly people money to buy food and pay rent. Because of the thousands of new regulations to various laws passed every year, the bureaucracy to administer these regulations and guidelines waste hundreds of billions per year.”

The Heritage Foundation reported the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says that current reports of wasteful duplication include 342 economic development programs; 130 programs serving the disabled; 130 programs serving at-risk youth; 90 early childhood development programs; 75 programs funding international education, cultural, and training exchange activities; and 72 safe water programs. Gerbino states that most of these agencies probably could be consolidated into three or four agencies eliminating overlapping work and reducing employed civil servants by 30-40%. Washington spends $25 billion annually maintaining unused or vacant federal properties all for the civil servants.

The civil service has created its own perpetual motion and continues to expand, costing taxpayers more money but in many ways costing private enterprise untold legal and accounting costs to comply with regulations many of which are not needed. These costs are then passed on to consumers. The civil service expansion defeats the purpose of actually shrinking government, which makes the political call for smaller government nothing more than a punch line to a bad joke. “If our leaders really want to reduce the size of government, they should listen to Hayek and start with the civil service.”

About Kenneth Gerbino
Kenneth Gerbino is head of Kenneth J. Gerbino & Company, an investment management firm now in its 37th year. The company manages private equity accounts and the Gerbino Gold Group, LLC, a private hedge fund that invests in precious metal mining stocks. Ken is advisor to the publicly traded Precious Capital Global Metals & Mining Fund traded on the Zurich Stock Exchange. Ken was the founder and Chairman of the American Economic Council (AEC), a nationwide economic reform group that was credited with the passage of the United States Gold Coin Act of 1984, which established the United States Gold Eagle coin. AEC seminars included participation by Alan Greenspan, Noble Laureate F. A. Hayek and Robert Bleiberg, ex-Editor-in-Chief of Barron’s.

 Posted in Economy Update, Investment, Latest Events, Stock Market, USA Today, World News |  Tags: Asset Management and Mutual Funds, Brightbridge Wealth Management and Financial Planning Updated News Articles, Brightbridge Wealth Management Financial and Investment Advice,Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines:, Brightbridge Wealth Management Technology,Current headlines, Opinion: What costs trillions and kills the economy?, Sports and Financial World News |  No Comments »

Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines: News Corp. Weighs Next Steps

 July 17th, 2011 |  Author: Brightbridge Wealth Management Online Magazine

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303678704576442253328212070.html
JULY 13, 2011

Rupert Murdoch and his tight-knit group of advisers at News Corp. have put a variety of strategic options on the table as they attempt to stem the fallout from a scandal and map out a future for their businesses, according to people familiar with the situation.

Britain’s Parliament asked News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, his son James, and News International CEO Rebekah Brooks to appear for questioning. Bruce Orwall has details on that and why the U.K. government is urging News Corp. to drop its BSkyB bid.

Rupert Murdoch, chairman and CEO: Could be forced to separate himself from or shed News International, once a jewel of his media empire, as he contemplates the future shape of the company

One idea contemplated in recent weeks is an option Mr. Murdoch has long shot down: selling his other British newspapers. News Corp. has informally explored whether there were any potential buyers for its U.K. newspaper unit, News International, according to people familiar with the matter. The unit, which includes the Sun, the Times of London, the Sunday Times and—until this week’s closing—News of the World, was once one of Mr. Murdoch’s flagship divisions and one of his favorites.
Given the poor economics of the newspaper business, there didn’t appear to be any buyers, according to these people. It is possible that News Corp. could revisit the idea of selling or spinning off News International in the next six months, one of the people familiar with the matter said.

The idea of shedding News International shows just how swiftly times are changing for News Corp. As U.K. police investigate allegations of phone-hacking and police payments at the now-shuttered News of the World, News Corp. has been looking to calm jittery investors and appease its critics.
A range of deals related to assets of all sizes are on the table, making the company prone to a reshaping, the people familiar with the matter said.
A spokeswoman for News Corp., which also owns The Wall Street Journal, declined to comment.
In addition to the sudden closing of News of the World on Sunday, the scandal already has forced the company into a series of smaller decisions that could have larger implications in the years to come.
Earlier this week, the company took steps to delay its proposed deal to acquire the 60.9% of British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC it doesn’t own. The company withdrew prior concessions it made to get the pay-TV takeover deal approved, thus triggering a review by the Competition Commission. Now, there’s more time for the political atmosphere to cool off. But the U.K. government is backing the opposition party’s call for News Corp. to drop its takeover offer.
While the deal is an important strategic move for the company to double-down in television distribution, if it fell apart it wouldn’t necessarily have a big effect on News Corp., according to one person close to News Corp., who noted that the company already controls BSkyB and was pursuing the remainder because it felt the deal was the best current use for its cash.
Tuesday, the company threw shareholders a bone, announcing plans for a $5 billion stock buyback, increased from the $1.8 billion remaining in its current stock-repurchase program. News Corp. shares, which fell 7.6% on Monday, traded higher for some of Tuesday but finished down 13 cents to $15.35 in Nasdaq Stock Market trading.
News Corp. has been going through some sweeping transitions. In March, Mr. Murdoch promoted his 38-year-old son, James Murdoch, who had been head of European and Asian businesses, to deputy chief operating officer to give him a greater role in the company’s U.S. operations. The previous month, News Corp. agreed to acquire Shine Group, the TV-production company run by Mr. Murdoch’s daughter, Elisabeth, bringing her into the News Corp. fold. The company also has been pursuing a smattering of small deals, such as its recent sale of the Myspace social network.
News Corp., which had revenue of $32.8 billion for the fiscal year ended June 2010, has contemplated selling or spinning off News International or spinning off all of its papers periodically for years, according to people familiar with the matter. It has also considered various other permutations, such as spinning off its satellite-TV operations.
But Rupert Murdoch’s love of newspapers suppressed any newspaper deal. “It was basically one of those things where it was talked about for maybe two to five minutes and Rupert would say, ‘No way,’ ” another person familiar with the company said, referring to the newspapers.
James Murdoch is among those who have been frustrated by the U.K. papers and has been itching to sell U.K. assets and bulk up more internationally, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The feeling among some executives is, “If the U.K. government is going to be this vindictive, maybe we should just sell out altogether and let them see how these [newspapers] do without [us],” one person familiar with the matter said, referring to politicians’ efforts to dig into reporting tactics.
There could be a business case for doing so, as well. Before the decision to close News of the World, News International already was planning a host of cuts to deal with the industry-wide decline in print advertising. It is unclear how News of the World’s closure has affected the cost-cutting plan.
The next few weeks could require more decision-making as investigations continue. Politicians and the public expect to hear more from key players soon. Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks, chief executive of News International, were asked to appear before a parliamentary committee as early as next week.

 Posted in Economy Update, Investment, Latest Events, Stock Market, USA Today, World News |  Tags: Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines:, News Corp. Weighs Next Steps |  No Comments »

Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines: BofA settles on mortgage repurchase claims

 July 11th, 2011 |  Author: Brightbridge Wealth Management Online Magazine

by Brenton Cordeiro

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/29/us-bankofamerica-mortgages-idUSTRE75R7I420110629

A Bank of America sign is displayed outside a branch in Tucson, Arizona in this January 21, 2011 file photo. Bank of America Corp is close to a deal to pay $8.5 billion to settle claims from a group of powerful investors that lost money on mortgage-backed securities, a person familiar with the matter said on June 28, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Joshua Lott/Files

Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:17am EDT

(Reuters) – Bank of America Corp settled nearly all of the claims related to the legacy Countrywide-issued first-lien residential mortgage-backed securitization (RMBS) repurchase exposure for $8.5 billion in cash .
The largest U.S. bank by assets said it intends to record an additional $5.5 billion provision to its representations and warranties liability for both Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSE) and non-GSE exposures in the second quarter of 2011.
On Tuesday Reuters reported that Bank of America was close to a settlement agreement with a group of powerful group of investors that lost money on mortgage-backed securities.

 Posted in Economy Update, Investment, Latest Events, USA Today |  Tags: BofA settles on mortgage repurchase claims, Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines:, Brightbridge Wealth Management Online Magazine - collection of world news and current events articles |  No Comments »

Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines: Bidding for Myspace comes down to two suitors

 July 10th, 2011 |  Author: Brightbridge Wealth Management Online Magazine

By Dawn C. Chmielewski

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-myspace-20110629,0,5533635.story

Orange County advertising network Specific Media and Bay Area private equity firm Golden Gate Capital are finalists in the bidding for struggling social network Myspace, people familiar with the matter confirmed.
News Corp. had hoped the once-dominant Myspace would fetch as much as $100 million, but bidding is in the range of $20 million to $30 million in cash and stock, said the people, who declined to be identified because talks are confidential. The media giant, which is controlled by Rupert Murdochand paid $580 million for Myspace in July 2005, would retain a minority stake in the site, a person familiar with the matter has said.
The pending acquisition, which could close as early as this week, is expected to result in another round of layoffs at Myspace — as many as half the Beverly Hills company’s remaining 500 employees. Myspace laid off 500 people in January.
Names of other potential bidders have recently surfaced, including Myspace co-founder Chris DeWolfe, and an investor group that was courting a personal investment from Activision Blizzard Inc.Chief Executive Bobby Kotick. But they have fallen to the background in discussions for now, as new front-runners emerged, said people with knowledge of the matter.
Specific Media of Irvine was founded in 1999 by Tim Vanderhook and his brothers, Chris and Russell. The company helps brands buy ads online, on mobile devices and on Internet-connected TVs. The online ad network has flown under the radar but counts among its senior executives a Myspace veteran, Jason Knapp. He previously worked for the Fox Audience Network, the online advertising unit of News Corp.
A spokeswoman for Specific Media declined to comment.
The private equity firm Golden Gate Capital, which is based in San Francisco, has about $9 billion under management and has been an active investor in the consumer sector. Over the last five years, it has invested in or acquired more than 20 brands, including Herbalife, Eddie Bauer and Romano’s Macaroni Grill.
A Golden Gate Capital spokesman also offered no comment.
It is unclear what Specific Media or Golden Gate Capital would do to turn around the struggling Myspace, which has hemorrhaged millions of users and, not coincidentally, advertising revenue.
After peaking at 76.3 million users in October 2008, Myspace’s monthly visitors fell to 35 million in May, according to ComScore Digital Analytix. Researcher EMarketer projects the site’s ad revenue at $184 million this year, down from $470 million in 2009.
On Tuesday, the website AllThingsDigital first reported the finalist bidders and the scope of the next wave of layoffs.