How Emma Watson helped Burberry lose its chequered past

By Daily Mail Reporter

Pure magic: Harry Potter star Emma Watson was the face of Burberry until last month


Once everyone was wearing it.

Which, when you have built your name on quality and exclusivity, simply won't do.

But it seems that Burberry may at last have put its days as the chav uniform of choice behind it.

The girl it has to thank, apparently, is the magical Miss Emma Watson.

Fresh-faced, quietly confident, and world- famous thanks to her role in the Harry Potter films, she has seen the firm's fortunes skyrocket since she starred in its advertising campaigns.


Matching outfits: Ex soap star Daniella Westbrook is clearly a fan of Burberry


That 2008 memory of former soap star and cocaine addict Danniella Westbrook kitted out head-to-toe in Burberry check - a moment which saw demand for the design plummet - can now be filed away under corporate nightmares.

The company, founded in 1856, has had to fight hard to protect its upmarket image against both counterfeiters and popularity with less-than-exclusive customers.

At one stage, cheap fakes flooded markets, leading to the designs becoming known as 'council house chic'. Burberry has also ended a number of deals supplying certain wholesalers amid concerns that its products were finding their way into discount outlets.

It was last year that the wholesome Miss Watson, 20, and her brother Alex, 18, featured in a series of moody images taken for Burberry by Mario Testino.

While that campaign revitalised the brand, sales figures responded with a 23 per cent jump in profits to £215million for the last financial year.
Yesterday that success showed no sign of slipping with the release of the company's latest figures.

Burberry said revenues were up by a better-than-expected 24 per cent in the three months to the end of June. Sales in its stores were up 16 per cent.

As well as enlisting Miss Watson, who plays Hermione in the Harry Potter movies, it has shifted a lot of its marketing to the internet.

The company has more than a million Facebook followers

source: dailymail

Windows Phone 7 fails to impress in Microsoft battle against Apple iPhone

By Simon Duke

Apple's iPhone has blindsided not only Microsoft

Microsoft's attempts to regain the upper hand from arch-rival Apple in the mobile phone wars descended into farce yesterday with a shambolic launch of its flagship service.

In scenes reminiscent of a nightclub on a Friday night, scores of reporters and industry analysts were left to queue outside in the rain as the software giant's handlers blocked their way into the debut of its operating system at Barcelona's Hotel Catalonia.

To many, the delayed launch

The platform incorporates the group's Xbox Live online games and Zune music service, but Microsoft could struggle to make up ground it has lost to Apple's iPhone in the high-end mobile phone market

The operating system, unveiled at the Mobile World Congress yesterday, caps a dismal year for the world's biggest technology firm. Microsoft has seen its share of the market for smartphones plunge to 7.9pc, compared to 12.5pc a year ago, according to industry analysts at ABI Research.

But Microsoft is not the only traditional mobile phone powerhouse to have been blindsided by Apple's explosive entry into their domain three years ago.

Nokia and US chip giant Intel yesterday unveiled a software platform for mobile phones and laptop computers in a bid to stem the tide of revenues cascading towards Apple. Their aim is to tap into the burgeoning demand for 'applications' - programmes that transform a mobile phones into anything from a satnav to a games console.

The tie-up came as 24 of the world's largest mobile operators yesterday clubbed together to grab a bigger slice of the £4bn a year applications market.

The Nokia and Intel alliance could have worrying ramifications for Britain's ARM Holdings, the microchip designer that was recently elevated to the FTSE 100.

While the Intel and Nokia alliance is currently limited to software, analysts believe the US firm could end up supplying the world's largest handset manufacturer with microchips, in the process jostling ARM aside.

Born out of Acorn Computers, ARM is one of the world's leading designers of the microchips that run mobile phones.

Its designs are used in most of the world's handsets, including the iPhone. ARM shares fell 2.4p to 194.9p.


source: dailymail

Introducing the Sno-Baller - the magic gadget that helps you make the perfect snowball

By Claire Cohen

The Sno-Baller in the hands of a youngster who has produced a perfectly round ball. And, below, the Sno-Block Maker which can be used to make an igloo or, in summer, a sand castle. (Posed by models)

For anyone in touch with their inner child, a fresh snowfall means just one thing - a snowball fight!

But in a game where enjoyment is everything, slush, ice and soggy gloves can all too easily hamper the fun.

Well, snowball devotees need fret no longer, for a solution is at hand - the Sno-Baller.


Surely proving once and for all that there are no limits to designers' ingenuity - or perhaps, to our laziness - this plastic contraption, which looks like a giant ice cream scoop, simply snaps together to compress a portion of snow.

Light, aerodynamic and geometrically perfect, these snowballs are designed to burst on contact, thus avoiding painful bruises.

What's more, the Sno-Baller, designed in the U.S. by a father-of-two in 1989, is highly efficient - making up to 60 perfect snowballs every minute.

Which means you can have a substantial pile of powdery ammunition ready by the time the kids come home from school.

You can choose from four colours, red, blue, green and pink. For those that want to make an igloo or 'snow fort' ahead their child's return from school there is also the Sno-Block Maker.

And for those for whom a spade and bucket is just not good enough it can also be used to make sand castles.
Other uses have also been found for Sno-Baller by fishermen, who use them to make carp bait balls.

It is also widely used in the U.S. by therapists who have re-named them Bilateral Scoopers – used by stroke patients during physiotherapy.

It has also been reportedly usedby soap makers for ‘bath bombs’ and ‘soap balls’.
The Sno-Baller costs £10, the Sno-Block Maker £12 and is available from snoballer.co.uk



source: dailymail

Telecom firms criticise plan for 'Stasi'-like checks on every phone call and email

By Jonathan Petre, Mail on Sunday Reporter and Tom Harper, Mail on Sunday Reporter

Telecoms firms have accused the Government of acting like the East German Stasi over plans to force them to store the details of every phone call for at least a year.


Under the proposals, the details of every email sent and website visited will also be recorded to help the police and security services fight crime and terrorism.

But mobile phone companies have attacked the plans as a massive assault on privacy and warned it could be the first step towards a centralised ‘Big Brother’ database.

They have also told the Home Office that the scheme is deeply flawed.

The criticism of Britain’s growing ‘surveillance culture’ was made in a series of responses to an official consultation on the plans, which have been obtained by The Mail on Sunday.

T-Mobile said in its submission that it was a ‘particularly sensitive’ time as many people were commemorating the 20th anniversary of the protests that led to the collapse of ‘surveillance states in Eastern Europe’.

Martin Hopkins, head of data protection and disclosure, said: ‘It would be extremely ironic if we at T-Mobile (UK) Ltd had to acquire the surveillance functionality envisaged by the Consultation Document at the same time that our parent company, headquartered in Germany, was celebrating the 20th anniversary of the demise of the equivalent systems established by the Stasi in the federal states of the former East Germany.’

Equally trenchant was the response from Hutchinson 3G Uk Ltd, which read: ‘We take seriously the responsibility of safeguarding our customers’ information and data, and are unconvinced of the safeguards that the Government might make to protect against loss.’


Ulrich Mühe playing East German Stasi Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler in the Oscar-winning The Lives of Others


The firm also said it had ‘substantial concerns’ over claims that public authorities would only be able to access data on a ‘case-by-case’ basis. It is understood hundreds of public bodies and quangos may also be able to obtain information from the system.

‘It is our belief the safeguards listed in this consultation are incomplete and do not extend far enough,’ it added.

Orange and Vodafone were also highly critical, with a spokesman for Orange saying: ‘The proposals are clearly not about “maintaining” capabilities but rather about “enhancing” existing capabilities.

‘Any debate should address what many will see as a worrying extension of the so-called “surveillance culture”.’

Since October 2007, telecoms companies have been obliged to keep records for a year. Under the new legislation, however, they will also be required to organise it better – for example, by grouping calls made by the same person.

Internet service providers have been required to hold records on emails and website visits since April.

Police and security services can already obtain such information if they are given permission by the courts.

The public will reimburse internet service providers and telecoms companies for the costs associated with storing the billions of records.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘The police and security services need to be able to use communication data in the fight against crime and terrorism. Communications data forms an important element of prosecution evidence in 95 per cent of the serious crime cases.

‘Access to communications data under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act is subject to strict safeguards around how, when and by whom data is obtained.’

The activities of the Stasi, the former East Germany’s secret police, were memorably depicted in the Oscar-winning film The Lives Of Others, starring Ulrich Mühe. At the regime’s height, there were 200,000 agents and informers in a population of only 16million.


source: dailymail

Top 10: 2009 L.A. Auto Show Reveals

By Thomas Bey














Los Angeles knows a thing or two about appearance and presentation, and neither aspect was lacking at the 2009 L.A. Auto Show. And for a city obsessed with size (or lack thereof, depending on the context), it was also the perfect venue for so many smaller cars to entice attendees.

Whatever the size, there was no shortage of great production and concept cars among the 2009 L.A. Auto Show reveals, whether they made their North American or international debuts. Here are 10 of our favorites.

Start with No.10


No.10 - Honda P-NUT There aren’t a lot of concepts sharing phonetic names with legumes, but Honda’s P-NUT stands apart even without the curious name, an acronym of Personal-Neo Urban Transport (we’re just thankful they didn’t call it the Global-Oriented Neo Automotive Device). Making its international debut here, the P-NUT is like the revered McLaren F1 -- if only for its three-seat, driver-central configuration. Otherwise, you’re probably more likely to see an F1 on the street; this 2009 L.A. Auto Show reveal is little more than a showcase of Honda’s future design elements.



No.9 - 2010 Dodge Viper Call us sentimental luddites, but a world without the Dodge Viper would be dull. We may soon find out since 2010 is the last scheduled year for production. Still, Chrysler CEO and Viper enthusiast Ralph Gilles would rather not go gentle into that good night, so stay tuned. For now, at least, expect about 500 cars to mark the final edition. No doubt, many will be spec’d as ACRs for owners eager to recreate the record-setting 1:33.915 lap time at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.



No.8 - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
It was easy for the Chevy Cobalt to seem brilliant in comparison to the bucket-of-bolts Cavalier it replaced. The same can be said of the Cruze, Cobalt’s upcoming replacement. But then, the mini-Malibu is not such a bad car in its own right as buyers in world markets are already discovering. It promises to be the best small Chevy since... well, ever. And while that’s not a monumental feat, it has the looks and refinement to steal sales from Honda and Toyota. Too bad we have to wait until late 2010 for it.



No.7 - Volkswagen Up! Lite Concept
Volkswagen continues to impress us with its production diesels, so we’re inclined to presume the Up! Lite Concept’s experience is greater than the figures indicate. Making its international debut among 2009 L.A. Auto Show reveals, the four-seat hybrid has a 0.8-liter (yes, zero-point-eight) diesel on board. Not surprisingly, the maximum 64-horsepower city car lacks maniacal power, but at just over 1,500 pounds, it also lacks mass. This puts it in similar power-to-weight territory as the smart fortwo, but with claimed 70-mpg efficiency, more space and better looks.



No.6 - 2011 Ford Mustang V6
The most welcome change in the 2011 Mustang isn’t an asphalt-melting Shelby, but a new V6. Why? If you’ve driven the new V6 Camaro, you know why, and are probably impressed. Ford would prefer you weren’t, so its 2009 L.A. Auto Show reveal is an entertaining and refined six -- exactly what it lacked. The 3.7-liter is smoother and more economical than the outgoing 4.0, sure. However, it’s also far more powerful (305 horsepower vs 210 horsepower), making it competitive with not only the Camaro, but the current V8 Mustang.



No.5 - BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept
We’re already seeing BMW using the EfficientDynamics tag in production-model technology, but definitely not like this. Making its North American debut together with the 2010 ActiveHybrid 7, the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept is as much a show car as it is a four-seat laboratory. The diesel/plug-in hybrid’s technology and features extend far beyond the space we have to describe them. Suffice it to say, the look won’t be directly adapted to BMWs, but the engineering will.


No.4 - 2011 Buick Regal
Remember not so long ago when Tiger Woods hawked Buicks? Several revelations later, Woods is disgraced and Buick is great. Well, getting great, anyway. The automotive ascent is led in large part by this Regal, shown in America for the first time as a 2009 L.A. Auto Show reveal. Overseas, this is the impressive Opel Insignia, and it gets better with the 2.0-liter direct-injected turbo four we’ll be offered. Between the power, handling and build quality, the Regal is going to earn Buick some long-missed cred.


No.3 - 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder
Porsche didn’t have to show a remarkably different Boxster to make news as a 2009 L.A. Auto Show reveal, because the car isn’t half bad for starters. First shown to the world here, the Boxster Spyder slightly breaks tradition from its limited-run namesakes in recent years. This is a regular production edition, but don’t waste time ordering this lighter 320-horsepower model -- and don’t get caught in the rain once you have it. “Spyder” is part of the name for a reason, and only a temporary roof is included for minimal weather protection.


No.2 - 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe
The first generation Cadillac CTS was good, and the current car is great. All along, though, we’ve been hoping a coupe version would reach production, like the 2008 concept shown in Detroit. Thankfully, the production version making its international debut here wasn’t much different. And for the next show in Detroit, don’t be surprised to see a CTS-V Coupe. However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves, and are more than grateful for the base 304-horsepower package on the way at last.



No.1 - 2011 Ford Fiesta/Mazda 2
Though shown separately, we’re featuring corporate siblings Ford Fiesta and Mazda 2 together. And the partnership has no bearing on rank; the cars are just that great. Shown in North America for the first time, at last, we’re anxious to compare them side-by-side on the street. The 2’s 1.5-liter will probably give up a few horsepower to Fiesta’s 1.5-liter, but Mazda may compensate with better handling (it does make the Miata, after all). Honestly, neither is a bad choice and both are our favorite 2009 L.A. Auto Show reveals


source: askmen

'Google phone set for launch': Videos emerge of new Nexus One mobile dubbed 'iPhone-killer'

Two videos have emerged of Google's first ever phone called Nexus One.

The mobile is still unofficial but reports suggest it will be launched in the New Year in a bid to take on Apple iPhone.

A technology website has released two short teaser clips of the phone in action. The first video showed the animation on the start up screen, incorporating the colours of Google's logo. The second appeared to show an animated wallpaper.

The phone, also nicknamed 'Passion', will feature Google's own Android 2.1 software and will be manufactured by Taiwan-based manufacturer HTC.

This picture of the Nexus One was one of many that have appeared on Twitter over the weekend

The internet giant is planning to sell two handsets. One will be available with a T-Mobile contract.

The other handset will be sold unlocked directly to customers via its website. This means Google can partly avoid having to tie itself to any particular carrier.

In Britain, iPhones were originally only available to 02 customers. The handsets are now also available on the Orange network.

Google decided to road-test the device by handing them to its own employees over the weekend.

Technology blog Engadget reported that device boasts microSD expansion, WiFi and Bluetooth. It will also use Qualcomm’s super-fast Snapdragon processing chip

The company's mobile phone blog cryptically admitted a phone had been produced with a posting over the weekend.

It said: 'We recently came up with the concept of a mobile lab, which is a device that combines innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android to experiment with new mobile features and capabilities, and we shared this device with

'Google employees across the globe. This means they get to test out a new technology and help improve it.'

The Google phone will come loaded with Google Navigation and Google Goggles according to Engadget

The phone is thinner than an iPhone and features a similar touch-screen configuration but with the addition of a Blackberry-style track ball.

The Nexus One has not been officially released but the name has already stirred by controversy. Some commentators have speculated that the name is inspired by Nexus series of androids in the film Blade Runner. However creator Philip K. Dick's daughter, Isa, said: 'We were never consulted, no requests were made, and we didn't grant any sort of permissions.'

Google has created two other 'Googlephones' in the past: the so-called 'Dev Phone 1', which was an unlocked phone the company sold online; and the Ion.

Both were 'Google' handsets, both were given out to employees early on and both were built by HTC.

The internet firm's Android operating system has also been installed on phones manufactured by Motorola and Sony Ericsson.

Customers would still need to have a contract or pay-as-you-go agreement to use it.

Ben Schachter, an analyst at San Francisco-based Broadpoint AmTech Inc, said: ‘If all of a sudden everyone is getting on the internet via their mobile device, Google needs to make sure it has an influence on that.

‘They need to make sure they have influence on how the mobile web will develop.’
Experts believe aim of the launch is to gain access to valuable consumer data that can be used to sell ads at premium prices, rather than to make money from direct hardware sales.

Google said that it had given out handsets for staff to test, so they could ‘experiment with new mobile features and capabilities’ and give quick feedback on the new technology.

Mario Querioz, Google’s London-based vice president of product management, wrote in his blog on Saturday:

‘At Google, we are constantly experimenting with new products and technologies, and often ask employees to test these products for quick feedback and suggestions for improvements.

‘We recently came up with the concept of a mobile lab, which is a device that combines innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android to experiment with new mobile features and capabilities.'

Rumours of a so-called 'Googlephone' have appeared regularly ever since the internet company bought a Californian mobile software startup company, also called Android, in 2005.

Watch the two new clips of the Google phone below:






source: dailymail

Holiday Cards for the Recession-Bummed

By Sophia Yan

The economy may be showing signs of perking up, but the recession's gloom has hit the holiday-card industry. Greeting-card giant Hallmark has rolled out some 25 new recession-themed cards this year — up from just five last year. "We can say it: This wasn't the year that any of us had hoped for," reads one gold-inked card. Another shows a small Christmas tree with three wrapped presents underneath: "We don't have to have a lot to have everything."

It's a sharp dose of sobriety for the card company known for purveying sunny good cheer. This year's offerings are not "sugarcoated or idealistic," says Mark Andrews, product manager for Hallmark's holiday-card division.

Some card companies are tackling the punishing economy with humor. DCI Studios has a Christmas card that doubles as a "new guide to the stock market." Some useful terms: "Broker: What we are this year compared to last year. Merrill Lynch: What we want to do to Merrill. Liquid assets: beer, scotch, vodka, whatever helps."

Other holiday-card designers are downright caustic. Order of St. Nick, based in Davenport, Iowa, has a Depressing Times section, which includes a card with a stark black-and-white photo of a man with tattered clothing, a dirt-smudged face and a thought bubble that reads, "The more I drink, the less I care that we lost our home in the subprime mortgage crisis." Another of its Dust Bowl–era holiday cards features a woman wrapping a gift. "I made you a Christmas present!" reads the front cover. On the inside: "But I had to burn it in a trashcan to stay warm." Owner Andrew Shaffer says he has sold hundreds of these cards this year.

One company that is steering clear of the crappy economy, however, is Hallmark's biggest competitor, American Greetings. "Our cards don't specifically call out negative or challenging times," says spokesman Frank Cirillo. "It's a time of year when people can embrace their relationships and focus on the other people in their lives that give them strength throughout the year."

That helps explain why, even in a season of thinner wallets, the $7.5 billion–a–year greeting-card industry is holding up pretty well, according to the Greeting Card Association. "Card sending seems to remain relatively strong even during difficult economic times," says spokeswoman Barbara Miller, who notes the association is projecting that stores will sell 2 billion holiday cards this year, the same number they sold last year.

Hallmark is already rolling around ideas for next Christmas — when people may be feeling more upbeat than they do this season. But for now, the best it can do is try to lighten the gloomy economic mood. "Due to high costs, Santa had to cut back on his help this year," reads one card. Let's hope those laid-off elves still care to send the very best.


source: Time.com

Cute but stinky -- Durian Boy at World Expo 2010

Hyper cheery, super thorny and modeled after a stinky fruit -- but cute as a button nonetheless

Most Singapore mascots and campaign figurines tend to be on the cutesy, chubby side -- the most famous being 'Singa the Courtesy Lion' who's been kicking around for the past two-odd decades. We'd like to report something more edgy and in line with the "Urban Symphony" them, but alas, that's not too be. The Singapore Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010 will have a cutesy, smiley-faced mascot named Liu Lian Xiao Xing (榴莲小星), or "Durian Boy" to greet visitors.


Haibao, the mascot for the Shanghai World Expo 2010

According to the Singapore Tourism Board, was inspired by the Merlion and the durian fruit (which the Esplanade theaters resemble as well). The back story is that he's a "five-year-old Singaporean boy who travels around the world with his parents, who are well respected musicians, and is nuts about durians which are not readily available in some of the places they travel to." He wears red overalls emblazoned with a picture of the Merlion in homage to his favourite toy -- a Merlion beanie he cuddles to sleep every night -- and a durian-shaped cap.

In a strange, non-creepy way, he's quite adorable and fits in well with Haibao, the official mascot representing Shanghi World Expo 2010. What Liu Lian Xiao Xing represents in terms of the Singapore Pavilion's theme of "Urban Symphony" (get a preview of the Singapore Pavilion here) and the music box design is a bit tenuous though, except for a chirpily worded back story.

A virtual animated Liu Lian Xiao Xing will also greet visitors to the Singapore Pavilion website -- www.SingaporeAtWorldExpo.com -- and introduce fun facts about Singapore and the Singapore Pavilion. Liu Lian Xiao Xing desktop wallpapers are also available for download on the website


source: cnngo.com

Google OS: the end of the hard drive?

By Dylan F. Tweney
Computers that run on Google OS may boot up in only 7 seconds, like a TV.

(WIRED) -- Google today unveiled more details of Chrome OS, a lightweight, browser-based operating system for netbooks.

With a strong focus on speed, the Chrome OS promises nearly instant boot times of about 7 seconds for users to login to their computers.

"We want Google Chrome OS to be blazingly fast ... to boot up like a TV," said Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management for Google.

The first Chrome OS netbooks will be available in late 2010, Pichai said. It will not be available as a download to run and install. Instead, Chrome OS is only shipping on specific hardware from manufacturers Google has partnered with. That means if you want Chrome OS, you'll have to purchase a Chrome OS device.

Google is currently working with unnamed computer manufacturers to define specifications for these computers, which Pichai said will include larger netbook-style computers with full-size keyboards, large trackpads and large displays.

Chrome OS netbooks will not have traditional hard disk drives -- they will rely on non-volatile flash memory and Internet-based storage for saving all of your data.

All the applications will be web-based, meaning users won't have to install apps, manage updates or even backup their data. All data will be stored in the cloud, and users won't even have to bother with anti-virus software: Google claims it will monitor code to prevent malicious activity in Chrome OS web apps.

"Chrome OS is a totally rethought computer that will let you focus on the Internet, so you can stop worrying about your computer," according to a Google promotional video shown at the event, held at the Google campus in Mountain View, California.

As part of its announcement today, Pichai said that Google would be releasing all of the operating system's code and design documents to the public.

Introduced in July, Chrome OS is a Linux-based, open-source operating system centered on Google's Chrome browser. Applications will run exclusively inside the browser, Google said Thursday.

"As of today, the code will be fully open, which means Google developers will be working on the same tree as open developers," said Pichai.

The OS's focus on design is consistent with the company's stance that the future is in the web. In July, Vic Gundotra, Google's engineering vice president and developer evangelist, spoke on a panel about app stores, in which he said native apps (such as those available for the iPhone) would be obsolete in the future, and that the Web will "become the platform that matters."

"Every capability you want today, in the future it will be written as a web application," Pichai said Thursday.

Netbooks -- lightweight, low-powered sub-notebooks -- were the surprise hit of 2008 and 2009. However, with the growth of netbook sales slowing -- and the prices of some full-powered notebooks dropping below $400 -- the continued viability of the netbook sector is an open question.

Though netbook shipments are falling below manufacturers' expectations, the inexpensive, low-powered devices appear to still be selling well. Pichai cited research figures from ABI research indicating that 35 million netbooks shipped in 2009, more than twice the number sold in 2008.

Manufacturers have yet to announce pricing on netbooks shipping with Chrome OS, but Google expects the cost to be about the same as current netbooks. On average, netbooks cost between $300 and $500.

Videos demonstrating Chrome OS's user interface, security, fast boot and other features are below the jump.



source: CNN.com

Samsung Behold II Review: Let’s Never Speak Of This Again

By Peter Ha on November 20, 2009

Samsung’s mobile devices have come a long way in the last three years. I’ve lambasted them for much of that period over their chintzy resistive touch-screens, but recent handsets including the Behold II and Moment have been upgraded with vibrant AMOLED screens. The recent adoption of the Android OS on certain devices in the lineup strengthens Samsung’s position as major player in the US smartphone market. However, they made one glaring error with the Behold II and that was skinning the already potent Android OS with their proprietary TouchWiz interface rendering the whole user experience a big disappointment.

It’s hard to understand how any company- much less one of Samsung’s size – would allow such a horrendous product to actually come to market. The hardware isn’t half bad, but what they’ve done to the Android OS is appalling and downright offensive. A row of icons lines the bottom of the home screen with shortcuts that Samsung deem the most useful, which are more redundant than anything else. Why put a permanent shortcut to the phone dialer when there’s a hard button that activates the dialer? The whole thing is preposterous. One of the many beauties of Android is the fact that you can place any and all widgets/shortcuts on whichever home screen (there are 3) you desire.

With Samsung’s favorite shortcuts lining the bottom of the screen, you begin to wonder where the slide out menu has gone. It now resides on the left hand side of the screen, which only gets in the way when you, I don’t know, want to switch to another home screen.

Aside from the AMOLED screen, the only other positive for the Behold II is the camera. The interface and controls have been ripped right out from Samsung’s point-and-shoot cameras. They don’t seem to understand what works for them and what doesn’t. Had Samsung opted for an optical trackpad on the Behold II like the Moment, the hardware could have been decent. Another annoyance arises when trying to unlock the device. Every single Android device can be unlocked by tapping the menu button, but not so on the Behold II. A separate lock button is placed on the right rail next to the camera button. It sits flush with the rest of the device. It’s annoying. Enough said.

The list goes on and on and on. You don’t want to sit here and read it and I don’t feel like writing anymore. The Behold II is an absolute mess. Steer clear of this device on T-Mobile and opt for any one of the other Android-based devices.







source : Techland.com

Gamers can now access Facebook through their Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles.

UPDATE 2:13 p.m. ET: Facebook also will be accessible through the PlayStation 3 after the console's next firmware update. According to a posting on the PlayStation blog, PS3 users will have the option of automatically updating Facebook news feeds with trophy and PlayStation store activity. There is no announced date for the firmware release.

In an effort to blur the line between gaming and social networks, owners of Xbox 360s will have the chance to bash zombies and then post Facebook updates about it without leaving their consoles.

Microsoft announced that several social media and audio/video services can be accessed through the Xbox 360, starting today. The new features will be part of an automatic update, so when users turn on their consoles and the update kicks in, all the features will be ready for use. Most of the services are limited to Gold members, but a few are available to Silver members.

Facebook and Twitter have signed up to allow connectivity through Xbox LIVE directly from the console. All current features of the social networks will be available, and gamers will be able to share their favorite gaming moments (in supported games) with their friends.

In addition to watching movies from Netflix, as part of a previous deal, Xbox users also will be able to stream high-definition video through the Zune media player - coincidentally, also made by Microsoft. The Zune Marketplace, which includes the Zune Video player, is available to Silver members.

Also, as of today Last.fm joins with the new Xbox LIVE music channel, allowing for access to streaming music directly from the Xbox 360. The updated music channel lets users listen to personal recommendations from Last.fm’s dedicated menu on the console’s dashboard.

All Xbox users will be able to check out the new features during a “Free Gold Weekend” Friday, November 20 through Monday, November 23. Silver members will be able to try out everything that comes with Gold membership, including Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm.


source: cnn.com

U.S.-China Trade: Prepare for Continued Imbalance

By Justin Fox
Barges wait to collect shipping containers at Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong



On Friday, as President Obama crossed the Pacific to begin his first trip to Asia, the Census Bureau released its monthly trade tally. The headline was that the U.S. trade deficit grew to $36.5 billion in September, more than forecasters expected and the biggest such figure since January. But the really dramatic number was that 60.5% of the deficit, or $22.1 billion, was with just one country: China.

Obama arrived in Beijing Monday, but don't expect anything to get resolved. The U.S.-China economic relationship has become way too complicated and contradictory for simple solutions.

Within the U.S., the imbalance is mainly seen as the product of protectionist policies by China, in particular China's refusal to let its currency, the yuan, appreciate against the dollar. There's certainly something to this — it's now universally agreed just about everywhere but China that a freely floating yuan would be worth significantly more than the 15 cents it currently goes for. By keeping its currency's value artificially low, China makes its products cheaper in the U.S., thus encouraging imbalanced trade.

But when China linked its currency to the dollar in the early 1990s, it was out not to create trade surpluses but to carve out a bit of stability in turbulent global currency markets. During the emerging-market currency crises of 1997 and 1998, China's success in keeping the yuan fixed at 8.3 yuan to the dollar was applauded in the West as a major contribution to averting financial chaos. Since 2005, China has been willing to allow the yuan to appreciate a bit (the current exchange rate is 6.8 yuan to the dollar). It just hasn't been willing to do this on any but its own extremely conservative terms.

In China, meanwhile, it is fashionable to blame U.S. trade deficits on the debt-addicted ways of American citizens and their government. There's an element of truth to this too. If the U.S. borrowed and spent less, its trade imbalances would be smaller. But China has been enabling this profligate behavior for years by buying trillions of dollars in U.S. government debt and mortgage securities as part of its continuing effort to — you got it — keep the yuan from appreciating too much against the dollar.

It's a bit reminiscent of the seemingly endless wrangles in the late 1980s and early 1990s with Japan, which accounted for the bulk of the U.S. trade deficit in those days. The trade deficit with Japan never shrank much in dollar terms, but it became smaller as a share of GDP starting in the mid-1990s, and was eclipsed by the trade imbalance with China in 2000 (in September the U.S. trade deficit with Japan was $4.1 billion, compared to $22.1 billion with China). The issue was never resolved, but it ceased to seem so important. Could that happen with China?

Probably not. There are two crucial differences. One is that much of today's U.S. trade deficit comes from U.S.-based corporations selling products at home that were partly or entirely made in China. As a result, the trade relationship with China has become far more ingrained in the economic fabric of the U.S. than that with Japan ever was. Some evidence: in the first nine months of 2009, the global economic slowdown cut the U.S. deficit with Japan 47% compared with the first nine months of 2008. The deficit with China dropped just 16%.

An even more important difference is that the stakes are higher with China. Japan seemed like a fearsome economic rival a quarter-century ago, but it wasn't really a political rival and, with a population less than half that of the U.S., it was unlikely ever to surpass the U.S. as an economic power. China, with its billion-plus population, seems destined to surpass the U.S. in economic clout, and it appears to have designs on rivaling the U.S. as a political and military power. Which means there's no easy way out of the U.S.-China trade impasse.


source: Time.com

Twitter to End Its Partisan Politics

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Social-networking site Twitter plans to end a service that links prominent message posters with new users, a service that was criticized in California because of perceived unfairness toward GOP gubernatorial candidates.


Twitter co-founder Biz Stone said Monday the San Francisco-based company will overhaul its "suggested users" list, which links Twitter users with a pool of about 500 celebrities, sports figures and politicians they might want to follow.

"That list will be going away," Stone said at a conference in Malaysia. "In its stead will be something that is more programmatically chosen, something that actually delivers more relevant suggestions."

Names on the suggested user list are selected by company officials. In California, Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls were placed on the list, a move that greatly boosted their number of followers. Republican candidates were left off until recently.

The difference in treatment drew outcries from good government groups and contributed to a decision by the California Fair Political Practices Commission to hold hearings next year. The commission plans to examine whether it needs to regulate how campaigns intersect with social media.

In the three weeks since an Associated Press story about the suggested user list, Twitter executives added all three of the Republican candidates seeking to replace Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is termed out of office after next year.

The switch gave each Republican a significant bump in followers, demonstrating the list's reach and influence.

Former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman, who led the Republican field with 4,160 Twitter followers, jumped to nearly 61,000 followers. Former Congressman Tom Campbell went from 1,660 followers to 57,500, while state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner's nearly 2,600 followers increased to 56,500.

By comparison, Attorney General Jerry Brown, the presumed Democratic gubernatorial candidate, increased from 960,000 followers to 1 million during the same three-week period.

Twitter also added Carly Fiorina, who is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer next year.

The list's expansion drew praise from Kim Alexander, president of the nonprofit California Voter Foundation. She wants to see the site continue as an avenue for political discussion, saying it can serve as a valuable tool for voters who are just starting to get engaged in next year's campaign season.

California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring, however, urged Twitter to drop politicians from its favorites list if it doesn't end the list entirely.

"To include political candidates among suggested users is begging for some government entity to come in and regulate it," Nehring said.

Barbara O'Connor, a professor of political communication at Sacramento State University who teaches classes on social networking and its influence on politics, said politicians could disappear naturally from the list if users are allowed to choose their own favorites. Surveys show most would not gravitate to candidates as their first choice, she said.

The effect on political campaigns still is uncertain, said consultants to Brown and to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Newsom had 1.1 million followers, the most of any governor candidate. Yet it didn't translate into enough campaign funding to keep him from dropping out of the race this month, said Newsom adviser Garry South.

"They're not a magic bullet," South said of social networking sites. "You have to do all the new media stuff as well as all the old traditional campaign techniques."

The list already included a few national political figures from both parties, including former vice president Al Gore, Sen. John McCain and former House speaker Newt Gingrich.

Stone did not say what kind of service would take the place of the suggested user list but said it could be tailored to new users' interests. In an e-mail, Twitter spokeswoman Jenna Sampson said the company could provide no more details.


source: Foxnews.com

Mullenweg: 10 blogs to make you think

By Matt Mullenweg, Special to CNN

Editor's note: Matt Mullenweg is the co-founder of the WordPress blogging software and founder of Automattic, a company than runs WordPress.com and Gravatar.

(CNN) -- There are 100 million blogs in the world, and it's part of my job as the co-founder of WordPress to help many more people start blogging.

I think we're doing pretty well on that front, but it does mean that sometimes it feels overwhelming to wade through all of these blogs to find one that will be informative, entertaining -- or whatever you're looking for.

Sometimes you might feel blogs are like TV: You have a thousand channels but nothing good is on. But if you want to take a dip into the blogosphere, here are 10 eclectic blogs that, if nothing else, will make you think.

Or, at least they make me think:

Scripting News is the blog of Dave Winer, the father of many technologies that are crucial to the Web. Dave writes every day and you're as likely to read about something intensely personal he's going through, like the passing of his father, as you are to read about the real-time Web.

Open... by Glyn Moody covers the application of open-source thinking to fields as wide-ranging as politics, genomics, content, and of course, software.

Scott Berkun is a former Microsoftie who has graduated to being one of most erudite authors on innovation, creativity, management, and now public speaking. He's like a modern-day Peter Drucker.

Raw Thought from Aaron Swartz is a diverse blog from a deep thinker and troublemaker. The former is evidenced by his New Yorker-length treatise on John Maynard Keynes' "General Theory," while the latter is shown in his posted FBI file (you can request yours).

Philip Greenspun posts "every day; an interesting idea every three months." See how a successful startup founder and engineer thinks about his post-startup life, taxes, helicopters, and photography.

Tim Ferriss is best known for his best-seller "The Four Hour Workweek," but I'm most impressed by his blog on "lifestyle design," or basically taking an analytical approach to your health and happiness.

Paul Graham, also a successful startup founder, has transformed himself into a philosophical leader of entrepreneurs. He espouses his view through thoughtful essays and invests in aspiring entrepreneurs through his venture firm Y Combinator.

The Official Dreamhost Weblog is probably the most interesting blog from a company -- ever. Each entry floats and wanders through vaguely inappropriate language and visual non-sequiturs before finally bringing you back home in a way you couldn't have predicted; it's more crazy than corporate.

Signals vs. Noise is another company blog, this one from 37 Signals, but at its core is an ongoing argument for simplicity in all things: design, code, and culture.

XKCD is daily comic that you'll never find in a newspaper -- it's too smart, too honest, too Web. For an extra bonus, hover your mouse over the image and see a hidden caption.

And though it's not a blog, check out Werner Vogel's Twitter to get insight into the mind of the CTO of one of the most innovative technology companies in the world, Amazon.


source: CNN.com

5 tips for fixing your Facebook page

By Doug Gross, CNN

(CNN) -- With more than 300 million active users, Facebook has come a long way from its roots as a way for Harvard students to keep in touch.

Teens, grandmas, musicians and politicians have all joined those early college students, making the social-networking hub one of the most heavily trafficked sites on the Internet.

But for some users, the site's popularity -- and the periodic tinkering with "the old Facebook" -- means growing pains, too.

More friends means more people to spam up your news feed with links, photos and update boxes from the applications they use. Sure, you're happy to be in touch with Aunt Ethel -- but do you really need to know who she just murdered in Mafia Wars or which member of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials she is? (Yes, that's a real quiz.)

And then there are the changes. Last month's switch to two distinct feeds -- a "live feed" offering constant updates and a "news feed" featuring what Facebook considers highlights from your friends' activities -- still has some users baffled.

"Like you, we know it can be disruptive when things are moved around, but we hope that these changes make Facebook a more valuable experience for you," wrote Raylene Yung, a blogger for the site. "We put a lot of thought into all the changes we make to the site and do a lot of testing before releasing anything."

Many users are warming to the changes. But in the days that followed the switch, others were confused, or worse.

"I personally think facebook shouldnt [sic] have changed our news feed," one user wrote in reply to the blog post. "Why do we only get to see what fb 'thinks' we'll enjoy. Half the stuff on my live feed and news feed is stuff I dont care for. I really dont care who is friends with who and who is a fan of what."

And this from another: "I hate the new home page. The live feed has too much content, and the news feed has too little content."

Those switches also mean that more details about your activities are being broadcast to your network. Just became friends with someone? Joined a group? Commented on a discussion board? Your friends get alerts about all that.

Some friends also may have slipped off your e-radar. If you have more than 250 friends, Facebook decides which of them you really want in your feed and which you don't.

A spokeswoman told CNN the site chooses the 250 based on several factors, including who the user interacts with the most. "This 250 default limit is an attempt to show users engaging content without overwhelming them with updates from people they don't interact with on a daily basis," she said.

But the good news is that Facebook makes it possible to change just about all of those settings, and to do some basic retooling to increase privacy and get rid of annoyances.

In the attached tutorial, we outline a few fixes that will help you customize your Facebook page and improve your social-networking experience.






source: Cnn.com

Why We Shouldn't Give Christmas Gifts

By Andrea Sachs

Starting to think about holiday gifts? Stop! Joel Waldfogel, the author of "Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays" (Princeton), is convinced that giving Christmas and Hanukkah presents is bad economic policy. And as the chair of business and public policy at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, he's no economic novice. TIME senior reporter Andrea Sachs, who is still hoping to get a few gifts this season (hint, hint), spoke with Professor Waldfogel about his new book.

What's your objection to Christmas and holiday spending? My objection is that the holiday spending doesn't result in very much satisfaction. Normally if I spend $50 on myself, I'll only buy something if it's worth at least $50 to me. But if you buy something for me, and you spend $50, since you don't know what I like, and you don't know what I have, you may buy something I wouldn't pay anything for. And so you could turn the real resources required to make things into something of no value to me. And that would destroy value.

How much is actually spent? In the U.S., about $65 billion a year is spent on holiday gifts. There's been this giant [holiday season] bump in retail sales in the U.S. going as far back as statistics are available, back to the 1920s and 30s. In fact, as a share of the size of the economy, the spending has gotten smaller over time. Our fathers' and grandfathers' Christmases were a bigger deal than ours.

That's interesting because it's often thought we've reached the pinnacle of commercialization. Yes. Every generation thinks that it invented sex, and thinks that it invented the vulgar commercialization of Christmas. But actually, our holiday spending has moderated relative to the size of the economy in the last two generations.

Isn't that degree of spending good for the economy, especially in a recession? Well, yes and no. Let me talk about that in a couple of different ways. First of all, the economy consists of buyers and sellers. You think about why we spend in the first place. We spend in order to produce satisfaction for buyers. We don't spend in order to help sellers. It's fine if we do help sellers, but we're trying to produce satisfaction. If the spending we engage in doesn't produce any satisfaction, then it's hardly a measure of wellbeing. I'm not against the spending. But whatever amount of spending we do, we should get as much satisfaction out of it as we possibly can.

Have you thought about why do we do it? Why is there this huge splurge at the end of the year? Well, it's a bit of a puzzle. We don't do it with cash. Giving cash is very socially awkward. The exceptions are for parents to children, grandparents to grandchildren, aunts and uncles to nieces and nephews. It's okay for cash to flow from those of higher social status to those of lower social status, but [otherwise] it's just considered a tacky thing to do. Which makes the growth of gift certificates remarkable, because they're not tacky at all. I mean, recipients rate them as their most desired gift. In some sense, it's a way for givers to give a gift that has the flexibility of cash, without the tackiness of cash.

Do you have kids? I do.

What if you don't give them holiday gifts? Well I do give them holiday gifts, because they are people whose preferences I know a lot about. The problem arises in the situations where we have to give a gift but we have no idea what the recipient wants. I'm not against giving gifts, in the situations where we have a good idea what people want.

What about the person who says, my in-laws would go insane if I didn't get them gifts? Yes, that's the problem. So what do you do? There are a few possible answers. One answer is gift certificates or gift cards. Another solution that we see increasingly and that I advocate is giving gifts to charity. If you look at data, as people get richer they give a higher fraction of their income to charity. So if you think that luxuries in that sense are things people would like to do, if only they had more money, then holiday giving — giving someone the ability to give to charity — is a way to allow them to experience a luxury.

Do you expect to have an influence, or is this a totally uphill fight? I hope to have a small influence. I think people are ready. I'm not the only person who sees some madness in our behavior. And so I think people are looking for opportunities to do good for the world. I think people enjoy giving; there's something joyful about giving. And I'm not against that. I'm happy to see the same amount of spending, but if we could just eliminate the really sloppy stuff, and maybe shunt some of [the gift-giving] to good causes, that seems consistent with people's religious goals, and it might even be good for the world.

I'll know not to send you a Christmas gift! Well, I'm not against it. Why don't you do something good for someone else and say it's in my name and everyone's happy.


source: Time.com

Q&A: Stock Rally Has More To Go, Says Wells Fargo's Hartman

By John Curran
Traders gather near the trading posts handling Ford stocks and the CIT Group's stocks on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Stocks rise, the dollar falls and unemployment continues to worsen. How should investors make sense of the crosscurrents, and what should they do with their money? To get a sense of the market's prospects, TIME spoke with Kirk Hartman, Chief Investment Officer at Wells Capital Management, the investment division of Wells Fargo bank, with about $370 billion under management.

What do you make of the stock market's rise and the dollar's fall?

I'm optimistic on the market. I think the economy has caught a huge break with low interest rates, which are really going to make a difference. While the weaker dollar is obviously a concern, it's helping exports to remain strong. At the end of the day, though, it's low interest rates that matter more to the stock market.

But is this rally just reflecting the Government's huge stimulus?

The recovery in the stock market is really a function of the fact that corporate profits continue to be pretty strong, and that's because there is low wage pressure and, overall, companies have done a pretty good job of running efficiently.

As for the stimulus, we are in a slow recovery environment but the fiscal and monetary stimulus is obviously having a positive impact.

There's another point I'd mention: There's a lot of cash on the sidelines, both at the individual level and the institutional level. At some point all this cash has got to go to work, and I think that's what you're seeing [in the market rally.]

What do you make of the fact that bonds have rallied, a bet on deflation, while commodities have also rallied, a bet on inflation?

There's still a lot of risk aversion among investors, which is why the bond market is so strong. In other words, if you are fearful of stocks you're just going to stay in the fixed-income market. But we are in a low yield environment now so those same investors — individuals and investment managers — are reaching out for riskier assets to get more yield. That's why you see things like junk bonds rallying. You also see commodities rallying — but that's also an expression of risk aversion. People see stocks as too risky, but they still want return.

Where do you see market vulnerabilities?

Near term I don't think you're going to see much change. I think you'll see both fixed income and commodities markets continue to be strong.

Longer term, because of the tremendous government borrowings we are eventually going to have an inflation problem, and that means a bond market selloff down the road.

Are we talking next six months, or much longer?

I think we're talking 18 months, maybe two years down the road. People are still talking about deflation; you're still looking at low labor costs, high unemployment, and a slow recovery. Inflation will probably come, but not for a while.

What's the outlook for commodities like gold?

Risk aversion will continue, and that means continued interest in commodities. Gold will be strong but, interestingly, not because of inflation, but because as the dollar gets weaker people want someplace safe to put their money and right now they view gold as more stable than the dollar.

For investors willing to venture into stocks, what parts of the market look most promising?

The rally has more to go, maybe another 10%. Within that, what's interesting from my perspective is this: Across our organization we have a much larger weighting in technology. Probably eight out of 10 top holdings are technology stocks, while a few years ago it was financial stocks. Overall, our managers see value generally in growth stocks, and specifically in technology.


source: Time.com

Virtual businesses: Going to the office in Second Life

By Mark Tutton, CNN

London, England (CNN) -- As travel budgets are squeezed and slashed in the recession, companies are increasingly seeking innovative ways of bringing employees together for conferences and meetings remotely.

Virtual community Second Life is seeking to tap into that market by creating a new tool that allows businesses to have virtual meetings on their own computer networks.

The company's Enterprise tool will let employees' avatars -- animated alter egos -- meet in virtual worlds from the privacy of a company's own network, rather than the public networks used in standard Second Life. That extra security could encourage more companies to take up the technology.

The ability to collaborate effectively using virtual tools may now become an increasingly important skill as technology offers more options than, say, video conferencing.

According to Linden Lab, creators of Second Life, more than 1,400 organizations -- including large companies, educational institutions, government agencies and even the U.S. military -- use Second Life to hold meetings, conduct training and prototype new technologies more efficiently.

Linden Lab says 14 companies are currently using Enterprise in its beta phase. One of those companies is IBM, which is an old hand when it comes to Second Life.

Rashik Parmar, IBM's chief technology officer for Europe, told CNN that last year about 350 of its technical leaders from around the world met for 72 hours via Second Life to brainstorm about new technologies.

"We had a whole range of environments, from auditoriums and collaboration pods to social areas where the avatars could pick up a beer around a log fire, or walk around a sculpture park and talk," Parmar told CNN.

IBM sells its own virtual meeting tool, Sametime 3D, which allows businesses to share ideas and collaborate in a 3D world, and the company is currently testing a more advanced version of the product.

Parmar told CNN that he recently held a meeting with 12 technical leaders from across Europe and Asia. While that would typically involve flying everyone to a central location, he said the meeting was held using the new Sametime 3D.

"Not only did we save travel time, but because the environment was so engaging, a lot more ideas came through," he said.

But virtual collaboration doesn't only involve virtual worlds. Tools like "Dropbox" allow online file storage and sharing, while "Basecamp" lets users to collaborate on projects online.

"Google Wave" was announced in May, but is currently only available by invitation. It's a real-time communication tool that allows, among other things, multi-user conversations and file sharing, and it could become a staple of virtual collaboration.

But if companies are to make the most of virtual collaboration, employees will have to learn that what works a bricks-and-mortar workplace may not be right for the virtual world.

Surinder Kahai is associate professor at Binghamton University School of Management, New York. He told CNN, "I've seen people mess up completely because they think that what works in a face-to-face environment also works in a virtual environment."

He says one problem is that virtual teams may not share national and organizational cultures, and that virtual workers should make a conscious effort to see things from their colleagues' point of view. Share your stories from Second Life

Another issue is that virtual teams can't take advantage of the kind of impromptu "water cooler" conversations that occur in a real workplace, where colleagues can share information they may have forgotten to communicate in meetings.

Kahai says that lack of human contact can also lead to feelings of isolation, but adds that virtual worlds such as Second Life can help by recreating the water-cooler experience.

"Many companies are using virtual worlds, and these can give a sense of place," Kahai told CNN. "You can hang out, run into someone, and have ad-hoc conversations with people." Getting employed in Second Life

Even in this era of remote collaboration, it seems that we still need human interaction -- even if it's completely virtual.


source: cnn.com

Why Some Countries Are Stopping Their Stimulus

By Cesar Bacani / Hong Kong
A security guard looks out the window of Australia's Reserve Bank in Sydney in Feb. 2005

They first did it on Oct. 6, they did it a second time on Nov. 3 — and, oops, Australia may raise interest rates again in December this year or in February next year. "A further gradual lessening of monetary stimulus is likely to be required over time if the economy evolves broadly as expected," the Reserve Bank of Australia said last week. It expects GDP to expand 1.75% this year, more than three times its forecast in August.

Australia is so way Down Under that what happens there often seems far removed from the rest of the world. Not this time. The Aussies' aggressive tightening is seen as the start of the global exit from the unprecedented liquidity governments have injected into their financial systems to avert an economic depression.

It's a potentially dangerous step. No one knows exactly how a withdrawal will affect the tentative global economic recovery — just as it is not clear, even now, whether interest rate cuts and huge stimulus spending in the U.S. and elsewhere are resulting in sustainable economic growth. The world is in uncharted territory. Policymakers are acting on the fly, without much in the way of historical precedence to guide them.

Investors, including those saving for retirement, are on uncertain ground as well. The global crisis and the stimulatory monetary and fiscal policies that were brought to bear against it have overturned all the verities about long-term investing. Exiting from those policies is not likely to reinstate them. How will equities, bonds, commodities, oil, gold, currencies and other investment vehicles fare in the post-crisis, post-stimulus-spending world?

For Australia's central bank, inflation and asset bubbles in an environment of easy money evidently now trump worries of a second-dip recession. Its October and November decisions, which raised interest rates from 3% to 3.5%, are meant to keep inflation between 2% to 3% in 2010. The country's consumer price index as of September actually rose just 1.3%, but the fear is that the resurgent economy and government's $38 billion in cash handouts and infrastructure spending will push inflation above 3%.

Other central banks are making similar calculations, although they are not moving as aggressively — yet. The Bank of Japan will terminate its purchases of corporate debt this December. The Bank of England is cutting back on a program to buy government bonds and commercial paper with newly created money. The European Central Bank is mulling an end to its 12-month loans to banks next year. "Not all our liquidity measures will be needed to the same extent as in the past," says ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet.

The G-20, the group of developed and developing economies that has taken over the G-8 industrialized countries as the decision-maker in global economic affairs, agreed over the weekend to adopt a detailed timetable in order to coordinate the world's stimulus exit. The first steps are slated to be announced by the end of January next year. "If we put on the brakes too quickly we will weaken the economy and the financial system," warned U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, "and the ultimate cost of the crisis will be greater."

The U.S. Federal Reserve is also talking the talk, although it is difficult to see how it can actually walk the walk. After a year of contraction, U.S. GDP grew 3.5% in the third quarter of this year, but the jobless rate has surged to 10.2%, the highest since 1983. Raising interest rates runs the risk of worsening unemployment. For the same reason, the U.S. cannot withdraw stimulus spending either, even though the U.S. budget deficit has topped a record $1.7 trillion. Last week, mortgage lender Fannie Mae reported $18.9 billion in third-quarter losses and said it needs another $15 billion in taxpayer money to survive.

Indeed, U.S. President Barack Obama wants to spend even more. "My economic team," he said last week, "is looking at ideas such as additional investments in our aging roads and bridges, incentives to encourage families and businesses to make buildings more energy efficient, additional tax cuts for businesses to create jobs, additional steps to increase the flow of credit to small businesses, and an aggressive agenda to promote exports and help American manufacturers sell their products around the world."

The potential increases in U.S. stimulus spending even as other economies start to withdraw their programs and tighten monetary policy bring more uncertainty to the prospects for the global economy. One early casualty is the U.S. dollar, which has weakened significantly against most other major currencies. A continued fall appears likely as investors park their capital in Australia and elsewhere, because interest rates are trending higher there and economic growth is far more robust than in the U.S.

For now the weak dollar is helping America's exports. But it is also spooking holders of U.S. debt, whose continued purchases of U.S. Treasury bills allow Washington to fund its deficit spending. Last week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that the Reserve Bank of India had bought 200 tons of IMF gold reserves, the biggest single purchase by a central bank in 30 years. That pushed the price of gold past $1,100 an ounce, the latest record-breaker in a string of new highs, as the market anticipated gold buying by other central banks to hedge against a falling dollar.

No one quite knows where the world will end up in this new roundelay of policy decisions and feedback loops. What is clear is that there needs to be some measure of coordination among central bankers and policy makers as they exit stimulus measures and tighten monetary policy. It is fortunate that the planet now has forums such as the G-20 and reinvigorated multilateral institutions like the IMF to help in this regard.

But at the end of the day, governments will make decisions based on what they believe is best for their economy and people. The winners will be those who can draw the correct lessons from the still unfolding economic crisis and can act on them speedily — yet also have the flexibility to change tack as the decisions of other policy makers and other external events change the economic picture. Brace yourselves for more uncertainty and volatility.