To add more credibility to the tablet/netbook/small notebook... Intel will be releasing what will be called the "UltraBook"... an Intel interpretation of the MacBook Air. The UltraBooks will be using Sandy Bridge Core processors for the first models, the 22nm Ivy Bridge chips in 2012 models, and even smaller Haswell processors come 2013.
It will be released this winter, but Intel is predicting a whopping 40% market share by next year!!
How are you supposed to touch type on a tablet? Without a separate keyboard?
There are now cases that open up to reveal a built-in Bluetooth keyboard. Eventually Apple will have their own, but the very latest third-party keyboards are amazing.
So how is that better than just buying the Mac Air to start with?
I am also wondering if Apple will not lose a big one in court against the much bigger Samsung?
WebWereld-Netherlands Aug 15, 2011 8:25 am
Apple and its lawyers have, perhaps inadvertently, misled the judge of a Düsseldorf court by filing flawed evidence of the similarity between the iPad 2 and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets based on an inaccurate picture, an investigation by Webwereld.nl, a Dutch IDG publication, has found.
Last week, the German court ordered a preliminary injunction against the distribution of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in all of Europe, except the Netherlands, where a separate and broader case is under way, in what has become a global war between Apple and Samsung for intellectual property rights on their products and technologies.
But it appears that Apple has failed to provide the German judge with accurate evidence. At least one of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 pictures that Apple provided as evidence in the German case is either wrong or manipulated. Photographic evidence submitted by Apple, found on page 28 of the German complaint, shows two pictures: the iPad 2 and the alleged Galaxy Tab 10.1, accompanied by Apple's claim that the "overall appearance" of two products is "practically identical."
How are you supposed to touch type on a tablet? Without a separate keyboard?
On the keyboard that appears on the screen.
Who is paying for 1000 iPads? Or are they a gift for Jobs?
It is budgeted for in the current school budget. The cost is $200,000 for the intial purchase and about 60% of that was offset through the elimation of the leases on textbooks and one permanent subsitute that will no longer be needed.
Yes - Apple did give the school a great price as they would any client looking to purchase 1000+ units.
It will be interesting to see if the kids can get up to the basic 50 words per minute on a flat screen with no tactile feel. I know I had to type 50 words per minute to pass typing in Jr High on an old Royal typewriter. Give it a try with an iPad.
So how is that better than just buying the Mac Air to start with?
It is not necessarily better, but it does provide a Windows-based experience with a similar hardware configuration. MANY folks prefer Windows, of course. In fact, my Scottrade Elite platform, requires Windows. That said, Macs can also run Windows, but more slowly.
From all the personal reviews I have read the Galaxy tab 10.1 blows the sox off the iPad2.
Performance, as measured on the bench, is only one factor. The experience is quite another. Apple's apps tend to perform much better than their Android counterparts, and there is a much better selection.
I don't see ANYONE overtaking Apple's iPad, especially when then iPad3 is released.
The only area of vulnerability is in the HYBRID tablet/netbook. Apple had better get that in gear soon, or they could be sorry. But, I have confidenced in Apple.
It will be interesting to see if the kids can get up to the basic 50 words per minute on a flat screen with no tactile feel. I know I had to type 50 words per minute to pass typing in Jr High on an old Royal typewriter. Give it a try with an iPad.
But that's not a relevant measure in today's world - they don't teach typing in school anymore and nobody cares how many words a minute they can type. But I wouldn't be suprised to see them be able to do it because it's part of their regular routine to type on tiny little keyboards. As for tactile feel, as long as they hear a little click, it's fine. I know I do just fine on my iPhone without having to feel the keys.
I am more optimistic than I was, but I am very concerned that the market will need to re-test the lows. There is a high probability of that happening, IMO. At some point, there will be some bad economic news that will come out, and then there will be some sort of international issue, and then BANG... the market will go back down. Could/should happen before November. If it does not happen before November, then I don't expect it at all. As you might remember, I posted earlier in the year that November was my target for the market to initiate a significant upward trend.
Nice to see that the market has shown trenendous strength in spite of a lot of downward pressure, but's let's remember that the market is still quite a bit down from its previous highs.
Today was a really great day, and so far I am impressed with my latest portfolio, and I sure hope it holds up when the market has its next bad day.
It will be interesting to see if the kids can get up to the basic 50 words per minute on a flat screen with no tactile feel.
Gary,
Such a device would NEVER be used to measure typing skills. That would be like using a pocket knife to mow the lawn. Yet, a pocket knife is a very handy device.
Measured typing would require a genuine keyboard. The iPad's virtual keyboard is perfect for abbreviated and brief input, for tasks like internet searches, email, texting, notes, etc.
And do not forget that there are REAL keyboards that communicate via Bluetooth with the iPad. For example, for a very small fee, you can purchase Apple's very own beautiful aluminum keyboard that is used on the iMac Desktop and it will communicate perfectly with the iPad.
I have seriously considered buying the next iPad3, and keeping that Apple full-featured keyboard on my desk... so when I am in my office, I'd be able to use that real keyboard.
In addition, do not forget that there are numerous aftermarket third-party Bluetooth keyboards available for the iPad that are integrated right in the case... open up the case and a physical tactile keyboard is ready to go.
Here's the most expensive keyboard to be released for the iPad, coming this Fall...
Here's another, less expensive keyboard/case...
Impressive! There are others... some thinner and lighter... some are junk, and some are awesome.
I am more optimistic than I was, but I am very concerned that the market will need to re-test the lows. There is a high probability of that happening, IMO. At some point, there will be some bad economic news that will come out, and then there will be some sort of international issue, and then BANG... the market will go back down. Could/should happen before November. If it does not happen before November, then I don't expect it at all. As you might remember, I posted earlier in the year that November was my target for the market to initiate a significant upward trend.
Happy to hear that you are more optimistic. And, I don't necessarily disagree with you that the market could go in the dumpster again with a little bit of terrible news. I have learned my lesson the past few weeks :sick: .
How much credibility does Cramer actually have? I had heard years back that he had been in trouble for stock manipulation. That was, apparently, before the CNBC Mad Money show. I tried to find the reference to that allegation on Wiki. Instead I found Cramer's own words related to how the market on individual stocks is manipulated by hedge funds:
"Market manipulationIn March 2007, a December 2006 interview from TheStreet.com's "Wall Street Confidential" webcast stirred controversy after it appeared on YouTube.com.[26] In the video, Cramer described activities used by hedge fund managers to manipulate stock prices – some of debatable legality and others illegal. He described how he could push stocks higher or lower with as little as $5 million in capital when he was running his hedge fund. Cramer said, "A lot of times when I was short at my hedge fund...When I was positioned short—meaning I needed it down—I would create a level of activity beforehand that could drive the futures." He also encouraged hedge funds to engage in this type of activity because it is "a very quick way to make money".[27]
Cramer stated that everything he did was legal, but that illegal activity is common in the hedge fund industry as well. He also stated that some hedge fund managers spread false rumors to drive a stock down: "What's important when you are in that hedge-fund mode is to not do anything remotely truthful because the truth is so against your view, that it's important to create a new truth, to develop a fiction."[27] Cramer described a variety of tactics that hedge fund managers use to affect a stock's price. Cramer said that one strategy to keep a stock price down is to spread false rumors to reporters he described as "the Pisanis of the world". The comment was a reference to CNBC correspondent Bob Pisani, who reports from the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange. "You have to use these guys," said Cramer. He also discussed giving information to "the bozo reporter from The Wall Street Journal" to get an article published.[28][29] Cramer said this practice, although illegal, is easy to do "because the SEC doesn't understand it."[30] During the interview Cramer referred to himself as a "banking class hero."[31] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Cramer
I still question the "rule" that Cramer doesn't trade in a stock for 5 days after it's mentioned on his show. So he buys, praises on his show to run the price up with lemming buyers, then he sells? Or he has a stock trending down so he references it in positive light on his show to raise price back up and sells when 5 days are up? I can see many scenarios.
I took notice of this because of Tagman's comments about Apple manipulation in the past weeks.
On occassion I have noticed inconsistent recommendations and advise from Cramer, and I have posted some of it right here in the past. I would tend to agree with your premise. It makes sense that he will do everything at his disposal to get ahead... including manipulate his viewing audience now and then.
I just want to share this with any of you guys that also trade online.
This is something I have been doing now and then, but this morning it really made a big difference in helping (lowering) my average cost per share.
I had three positions that had gone into the red this morning. I closely watched the charts and could see that the market was just starting to turn upward. While those three positions were near their lows, I bought a major amount of shares, which then dramatically reduced the average cost per share.
Then, after the market had re-worked itself upwards, I noticed it had hit a peak (for that time frame) and that the positions were back in the green (because I lowered the cost per share). I then sold the same number of additional shares I had purchased, and was left with the number of shares I originally owned, but at a revised lower cost per share, resulting in greater potiential gains of course.
I could be wrong, of course, but I just bought a nice chunk of BIDU at $135 and change. It's rating was cut (by S&P Equity) from a "strong buy" to a "buy". That's certainly not a "sell"! It's still a "buy" recommendation, and the stock is down another 6% right now! I believe most of the the damage is now done. If it continues to drop, I will buy more until I have a sweet average cost per share.
He used to be a big proponent of "pump and dump"... this is before he got the TV show.. He would recommend stocks, and they would pay him in shares... Lots of penny stock crap.. (Hydrogeine, Synergie Holdings, etc.)
Now, he is just a clown act (entertaining, I admit). He'll spout some conventional wisdom, just to make it seem like he is giving actual investment advice.. He still hangs out with criminals (see Lenny Dykstra).
Actually, you'd be better off with the simplistic financial advice of Suze Orman.. At least it is based on sound principles.
Now, he is just a clown act (entertaining, I admit). He'll spout some conventional wisdom, just to make it seem like he is giving actual investment advice.. He still hangs out with criminals (see Lenny Dykstra).
Didn't know you liked Cramer sooo much.
Seriously, thanks for the perspective.
Hmmm. So, Cramer hangs out with crooks. :surprise:
Have you ever seen so many opposing views? For every so-called expert that says we are headed for a major downturn, there's another so-called expert calling for a market advance of nearly 20% by year's end!
It's no wonder the market is swinging so far in opposite directions.
I believe I have a solution. Whatever amount of money each of us sets aside to invest in equities, I suggest 50% of that be used to invest in 5 - 10 diversified stocks, including the S&P index fund, SPY. The remaining 50% should stay in cash.
Once those positions are in place, the cash is used to purchase more equities if any of them should fall below their original cost. Once that is accomplished, the cost per share will be lower. The next step is to wait for the stock's share price to advance back to the revised and lowered price. Once that finally happens (which could be the same day or days layer) you would then sell the same number of shares you purchased at the lowered cost per share price, and restore the cash position. The result is a new lower cost base and ready-cash in case the stock falls even further. If the stock does not fall further, then the gains are greater than they would have been. If the share price never falls at all, then that's a good thing and not a problem.
I used this technique today, as I posted earlier, and I now have a lower cost per share base on several stocks, including AAPL, which I was able to reduce a couple bucks per share, although I do not own a ton of AAPL. Regardless, the result will be larger and significant gains when the market turns around. Instead of getting even, this approach will turn much of the market's future advances into profits.
I am excited about this simple approach, but it requires attention to the market, which is the only drawback.
I don't think it was actual fraud that they were accused of, just not being careful enough with vetting some of the web sites that came up on their search engine....plus some suspected irregularities in their financials, but not anything that made any big differences.
That said, I am not in a big buying mood right now. I've got my eye on VIG and KO...if they ever have a sizable dip. Right now most of my Scottrade acct. consists of conservative equities that are not traded too often. They seem to go up with the market but not go down with it.
It was reported on Fox Business today that according to the SEC, two thirds of all trading is done with those super fast computers, and leaving the crumbs to us...so that is what I am after ! Those bast..ds are killing us...they don't think like humans.
There was an excellent piece on 60 Minutes recently about this. Nearly ALL of the large U.S. Corporations are now based overseas in some place like Switzerland, Ireland, etc. It is just a matter of paperwork to renounce their U.S. citizenship and set up shop overseas. Virtually all they need is a post office box, they don't have to physically move anything.
By doing this they pay around 12% tax instead of 40% tax in the U.S. If they bring cash back to the U.S. to invest, build new factories, hire people, or anything else they are taxed on it at the U.S. rate...so they just invest and hire people overseas. You can't really blame them, it is perfectly legal...and they have to answer to their boards and shareholders. That is where all our jobs have gone.
It sounds good to say "Let's tax the super rich". The problem is that will just drive more corps. out of the U.S. and our tax revenues will actually be less. Even if they did not move, any extra revenue would not put a dent in our annual deficit or national debt.
All the "tax the rich" rhetoric is just a diversionary tactic by Obama. The problem is that gov. is spending too much and growing too fast, and all us peasants are not sending in enough tax dollars to build all these new palaces for the King. Rant over.
The traitorous betrayer class...should be hunted down and put on trial...JMHO. Public trial, charge admission, use proceeds to pay debt. Sounds good. :shades:
They reap the benefits of our system, and then run away like cowards when it is time to maintain it. Running away to areas where our expenses cause unpaid benefit, such as our military presence in Europe which directly benefits both Switzerland and (now broke - there is such a thing as too low taxes) Ireland. I wonder how much employers in those nations have to pay to aid the healthcare and retirement of their employees. Oh, that's socialism!
Cutting spending will also require cuts to corporate welfare and a final admission that we can't be 5% of the world's population spending 50% of the global military budget. Will anyone dare to touch these ideals?
I know I am a little melodramatic...but I would be pleased with your suggestion exactly. Simply make the irresponsible runaways impossible. Sleazy, that sums up these multinational bastards. Like the CEO who was interviewed for that show...I would like to see him face half a dozen average American wage earners on the street...he wouldn't be talking about it, and maybe deservedly so...
What a great group we are here!!! We all agree that those sleazy you-know-whats should pay their fair share. Instead of going after hard-working Americans that earn $250K, maybe Obama should be chasing down those dirt buckets. Might actually generate some revenue!
Simple financial logic tells me we should see a strong rise in stocks by year end. The Fed is on the side of equities, multiples are quite low, read somewhere today that they are as low as the 1987 crash, corps are loaded with cash, earnings were excelllent, guidance was very good and Macy's, the ultimate guide to middle class spending, had better earnings than expected and raised guidance significantly. I wouldn't want to short a market that was trading at such a low multiple no more than i'd want to buy one that is selling at too high a multilple. The only thing your playing there is the momentum game. The President's ineffectiveness, sovereign debt and jobs are the big negatives. But banks are well capitalized and very capable of lending money, but the administration makes them uneasy about it as they fear ever changing capital requirements and are too close to the 2008-9 bad lending period yet. Still corporations did exceedingly well despite these negatives. The problem is the last few weeks have been driven by fear with no regard to fundamentals. For me the favorable Fed and low multiples at the current time will limit any fall and personally I've never thought the economy was as bad as the media portrayed. One other thing going on here in my area is a lot of new home construction at high prices. I've even seen some 15,000+ sq ft homes getting constructed again in my town and neighboring towns plus large condominium complexes. Just down the street from me two homes were levelled and large new homes are being constructed on the lots. Both are already sold. The media says one thing but my eyes are seeing the opposite it seems.
Spent the day at the Hilton with our financial planners. They had guest speakers from Nationwide, Jackson, LPL and CNL. All were optimistic going forward. They feel about like many here that the talking heads are just that. Most like to stir up emotions. The one guy talked a lot about the debt and the percentage of the GDP actually spent on servicing the Debt. He was not concerned about countries like Greece, Ireland or Portugal defaulting. He did say if Italy or worse yet France were to default it would be the end of the European Union currency. To keep it in perspective Greece's debt is 300 billion Euros. Where Italy's debt is 6 times that amount.
There was a strong sentiment for REITs. CNL completely sold all their property in 2006 on the belief that the bubble on commercial property was going to burst. They have sat on the cash for almost 5 years. They are again buying commercial properties and offering products to investors. We made a bundle on a CNL fund we had back about 2005.
I get a lot of gloom and doom emails. I think you guys are right about the basics being strong for these corporations. I don't see much forward movement in the jobs front. That may be enough to get rid of the uncertainty Obama has wrought on US, next year. It was a good conference and a great free lunch.
Your continual struggle to come up with a winning combination is admirable , and I sure wish you the best....Luckily you are nimble , and you need to stay that way as one false move by the machines could be painful... Tony ps Cramer is for entertainment imo, as over the years he has lost his way as far as I can see....One time when I followed him faithfully ---maybe five years ago---he was really pumping a company, and then when the market opened down sharply the next day, he said he hope people sold at the higher price the previous day, and now to start nibbling....I thought I had missed something, but not....Lucky for me I had not followed his advice, but that was the first `brick` in the wall for me....The next brick came when it appeared his advice was to always be buying something..No matter if the market declined five hundred points the previous day ---This was a long time ago, but the pattern is still there.
I really like that post. And I am in agreement with your outlook. There is, however, another factor that seems to be playing havoc with the markets... and that is Europe (as well as the global economy in general, of course).
But that said and that aside, I haven't been this heavily invested in equites as I am now in a very long time. And, you know me. I don't put my money heavily in the stock market unless I've got a good feeling about it.
I still think we might very well test the lows, as I posted recently, but I am not concerned with that, and my approach to lowering the cost per share average is my solution to an occassional down day. In fact, those huge dips are opportunities to do just that, as well as snap up bargains.
I am situated nicely in almost every stock I own except I am concerned that I am a bit too heavy in Intel, and I suspect it will open down between 1% -2% tomorrow. Also, I only have a few hndred shares of AAPL with a current cost per share level of $378, which isn't a pretty picture... however if the stock goes up to$400+, I'm not complaining.
This market will roar again, but I am patiently waiting for November, and in the meantime setting up my positions by lowering the base cost per share. When it finally takes off, I will hit some great gains.
BTW, I am considering that I will speculate on Sprint again. It seems to me that it ought to have at least 10%-50% upside potential, with maybe 10% downside risk... that's something to think about. Maybe 25,000 shares that only go up a dollar? Or even 50 cents? Quick kill.
Your continual struggle to come up with a winning combination is admirable , and I sure wish you the best....Luckily you are nimble , and you need to stay that way as one false move by the machines could be painful...
Tony, thanks for you well-wishes! But, I'm not really struggling at all! Have I given that impression? If so, I apologize. Yes, I have learned some painful lessons, and I think they were quite valuable. But I am now fairly deep into the learning curve. My whole emphasis now is to try to get away from the intensity of day trading. But, it's not a struggle... I am now making thousands of dollars even on down days! I wouldn't call that struggling, but let me tell you it IS tedious. Waaay too much work to stare at the monitor nearly every single second for 6 1/2 hours. It's mind-boggling.
The reason for this recent approach is two-fold. One, I want to be able to walk away from the terminal more often instead of being stuck to it like that. Second, by achieving extremely low cost-per-share averages, I will be in a position to be in the market at a bargain price, and instead of "catching up to even" as so many others will need to do, my gains will be pure 100% profit.
So, when the market finally returns 10% - 20% gains again, I will be over the top by that percentage.
Anyway, maybe I didn't understand your use of the word "struggle"... but there is no doubt that I have been hard at work finding that winning combination, and I now know that I have found it! The math doesn't lie! And I have shared it with every one of you.
But, you are right about the machines... they are the enemy!
Again, thanks for you concern and well-wishes. Tony, you are truly a terrific and caring individual!! One of the best!
Have you heard anything more on the fraud investigation? I don't have many shares of BIDU, but it still upsets me that the stock has taken a nose-dive.
Have you heard anything more on the fraud investigation? I don't have many shares of BIDU, but it still upsets me that the stock has taken a nose-dive.
Hey Charlie... here's an article that explains it...
Baidu Put in the Spotlight After Chinese TV Report on Fake Websites Fraud
Baidu shares have slipped by nearly one-tenth in the two days since the report
After Google exited China's search market last year due to censorship and hacking, Chinese search engine Baidu Inc. stepped in and claimed the dominant position in the country's successful Internet market. According to Analysys International, a Beijing-based technology firm, Baidu snagged 76 percent of the search market in the second quarter.
Despite Baidu's success, it is developing a poor reputation due to fraud. A recent investigative report by China Central Television (CCTV) showed how simple it is to register and promote a fake website on the search engine, which has prompted state media and analysts to push for stricter rules regarding fraud on the company's site.
"As suggested by some experts, if Baidu cannot discipline itself, authorities should consider stepping in," said an article published on the People's Daily website. "Just as we do not live for food, Baidu should not just exist for money."
Since the half-hour CCTV investigative report, which ran two days ago and showed an undercover reporter receiving advice from a Baidu employee on how to get around pharmaceutical advertising regulations, shares of Baidu have slipped by nearly one-tenth. This equates to over $5 billion in market value off the company.
Despite this loss, Baidu shares are up almost 50 percent so far this year with a market value of $50 billion. Analysts believe the fall in share price will be "short-term."
"I have not changed my opinion about the company," said Paul Wuh, an analyst at Samsung Securities in Hong Kong. "The company suggested that it has thousands of sales personnel and some bad behavior is not caught all the time."
But CCTV has ran negative reports on Baidu before, and hopes to use this information to prompt government investigations. For instance, CCTV ran a story last year that accused Baidu of promoting counterfeit drugs.
"As Baidu becomes an essential part of people's Internet life, we believe the news report could trigger potential government investigations on the paid search business model and prospective regulations to protect customer rights," said Wallace Cheung, analyst at Credit Suisse in Hong Kong.
Seems to me that unless Baidu (BIDU) does a better job of regulating itself, there is some chance that eventually the government might step in and investigate Baidu.
So, whether or not the governement would actually do that is anybody's guess, and the next unknown is what kind of impact, if any, such an investigation would have on BIDU's share price.
If we consider that even the news report seemed to negatively affect the share price, we might be able to logically consider that an ACTUAL investigation would have a much greater negative impact. Potentially, the stock price could fall off a cliff, but such a decline could also represent a buying opportunity... and we should further consider that Baidu doesn't really have any serious competitor, since Google gave up on China.
Also, Baidu's last earnings report was fantastic (if we can believe the numbers), and if they continue on that path, BIDU's share price could easily approach $200.
It's a genuine fight. The market swings with sooo much force and the machines are constantly jabbing.... and just when you might think you have an edge... BAM!... the market suddenly acts as if it is going off a cliff, and then within 30 seconds or a couple of minutes later it reverses itself... but NO!... it doesn't actually reverse, it only LOOKS that way, because after a great fake out, it tanks hard, and looks like it's dead, but suddently it's on it's feet again and it comes roaring back. But those machines are still jabbing away the whole time with weird up and down moves that make absolutely no sense whatsoever, except to the machines themselves. And... if you aren't paying attention at that moment when it springs back to life, you will miss the only major upward trend of the day, until closing that is, because the rest of the day it will act lifeless until the final half hour when it gets very wreckless, and tries to set you up for the kill, because ANYTHING can happen in the last 5 - 15 minutes. But you think maybe you've got the final minutes all figured out, and you are proud of yourself, but then you hear the final bell, and you are relieved, and maybe proud of yourself... until you realize that the position you are left in might be terribly vulnerable when the market re-opens. But hopefully everything works out.
I cut my equity positions in half and sold all my INTC but I am keeping all 10,000 shares of Sprint and my 400 shares of BIDU. The remainder of this week is too tricky. I'll go deeper next week.
As my post above indicated, I was fortunate to have sold off half of my equities.
BIDU behaved badly, but it fell soooo much I bought a bunch of it and reduced my cost per share average, and then carefully sold it off as it started to regain.
With the proceeds from the sale of BIDU and a couple others, I bought AAPL near the low. I didn't quite catch the low, but I did fairly well, and my average cost per share is now $367. I own 1000 shares at that price, and am prepared to buy a lot more if the price dips enough.
I am now going to concentrate primarily on AAPL moving forward, as I see it to be the best stock to hold up against this market for a while. After all this, I should have listened to Charlie.
Tagman, What did you do to the market? You can't be selling like that and causing a crash. There goes my kids inheritance. :sick:
Thankfully gold is over $1820, that more than picks up the loss from stocks and funds. Fortunately our income is not dependent on the stock market. I would be a bit worried. Meanwhile we can't let the depression get in the way of vacationing.
I also bought more AAPL on the broker accounts on this nice dip.
I am now about ready to drive to St. Louis (actually Chesterfield which is a bit west of St. Louis) for the Sectionals USTA tennis tournament. If we win this by some miracle, we go to the Nationals in Tucson in October. I'll catch up with you guys on the iPad from the hotel tonight.
My little pile is holding up fairly well. About $315,000 in the Scottrade act (invested) and with the market down 430 points I am down about $2600. That includes new positions in VIG and KO...remember I said I would buy them on a dip, nothing big, 500 shares in each...which I just bought. Each is down about $2.00 a share today, which is why I bought. Still grabbing at crumbs.
Well, you did better than I did today... I couldn't manage to salvage my positions... however, I know that things could have been a whole lot worse for me than they were. I am very glad that I was at the helm instead of a broker. I can't even imagine what kind of terrible shape I'd be in today if I had stayed with my broker. I have little doubt that I'd have easily lost more than 6 digits when I consider the portfolio that was in place at that time.
I did a whole lot of juggling around today. I started out with more companies and shares than I ended up with, and I spent most of the day buying and selling on all the little ups and downs in order to cost-average the best I could... and then once I had my best, I got rid of them. At one point, I even used margin funds to offset the declines. That was very helpful, but I was scared to death as I was using seven digits worth of Scottrade's money at one point! :surprise: ... and if things got out of control, I might have been in a pile of goo.
In the very end I own a meager 300 shares of AAPL at $364 (which isn't too bad, but I had it at $361 earlier in the day until a little screw-up... LOL), 200 shares of BIDU at $127, and 500 shares of XOM at $70.82. That's all. $171,000 worth of stock at this point showing a pitiful $748 gain. Of course, that $748 gain is only on my final position... as I lost $$$$ today.
Moving forward, I guess I will continue to attempt to buy AAPL at dips and average my per share cost, as well as tread lightly with BIDU. XOM is a dividend-paying solid stock, so I really don't want to sell my XOM shares unless necessary.
To be frank, I am shocked with myself that I am even "in" this market... but I am trying to build a position for the future. Problem is, the better future doesn't seem to come. Things just keep getting worse. And, now, the talking heads are finally suggesting that maybe the latter part of the year WON'T be better as all of us had been expecting. I still think it will be better, but my confidence has been shakened.
I ended up down only about $1800. on a very tough day. Made a small gain on KO and VIG, from where I bought them. My old standby, STON, actually went up a little today.
The talking heads are saying, "If you own one share of stock, that is too much". That is kind of scary but I am standing pat for now.
I hope your prayers are answered, and I to will join you...
Funny you should have purchased xom today, as I did also....right at the close...I just did it on the spur of the moment, and have done so in the past, so there was no special reason....I notice that just as soon as I had entered the site, and the box opened to fill out the details, the price changed a few cents, as it usually does....It pisses me off to be taken advantage of like that....I just hold my nose, and get the business done....Do you notice something similar? Tony
Comments
It will be released this winter, but Intel is predicting a whopping 40% market share by next year!!
TM
There are now cases that open up to reveal a built-in Bluetooth keyboard. Eventually Apple will have their own, but the very latest third-party keyboards are amazing.
TM
I am also wondering if Apple will not lose a big one in court against the much bigger Samsung?
WebWereld-Netherlands Aug 15, 2011 8:25 am
Apple and its lawyers have, perhaps inadvertently, misled the judge of a Düsseldorf court by filing flawed evidence of the similarity between the iPad 2 and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets based on an inaccurate picture, an investigation by Webwereld.nl, a Dutch IDG publication, has found.
Last week, the German court ordered a preliminary injunction against the distribution of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in all of Europe, except the Netherlands, where a separate and broader case is under way, in what has become a global war between Apple and Samsung for intellectual property rights on their products and technologies.
But it appears that Apple has failed to provide the German judge with accurate evidence. At least one of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 pictures that Apple provided as evidence in the German case is either wrong or manipulated. Photographic evidence submitted by Apple, found on page 28 of the German complaint, shows two pictures: the iPad 2 and the alleged Galaxy Tab 10.1, accompanied by Apple's claim that the "overall appearance" of two products is "practically identical."
http://www.pcworld.com/article/238047/apple_offers_flawed_evidence_in_lawsuit_ag- ainst_samsung.html
From all the personal reviews I have read the Galaxy tab 10.1 blows the sox off the iPad2.
On the keyboard that appears on the screen.
Who is paying for 1000 iPads? Or are they a gift for Jobs?
It is budgeted for in the current school budget. The cost is $200,000 for the intial purchase and about 60% of that was offset through the elimation of the leases on textbooks and one permanent subsitute that will no longer be needed.
Yes - Apple did give the school a great price as they would any client looking to purchase 1000+ units.
It will be interesting to see if the kids can get up to the basic 50 words per minute on a flat screen with no tactile feel. I know I had to type 50 words per minute to pass typing in Jr High on an old Royal typewriter. Give it a try with an iPad.
http://speedtest.10-fast-fingers.com/
It is not necessarily better, but it does provide a Windows-based experience with a similar hardware configuration. MANY folks prefer Windows, of course. In fact, my Scottrade Elite platform, requires Windows. That said, Macs can also run Windows, but more slowly.
From all the personal reviews I have read the Galaxy tab 10.1 blows the sox off the iPad2.
Performance, as measured on the bench, is only one factor. The experience is quite another. Apple's apps tend to perform much better than their Android counterparts, and there is a much better selection.
I don't see ANYONE overtaking Apple's iPad, especially when then iPad3 is released.
The only area of vulnerability is in the HYBRID tablet/netbook. Apple had better get that in gear soon, or they could be sorry. But, I have confidenced in Apple.
TM
But that's not a relevant measure in today's world - they don't teach typing in school anymore and nobody cares how many words a minute they can type. But I wouldn't be suprised to see them be able to do it because it's part of their regular routine to type on tiny little keyboards. As for tactile feel, as long as they hear a little click, it's fine. I know I do just fine on my iPhone without having to feel the keys.
I am more optimistic than I was, but I am very concerned that the market will need to re-test the lows. There is a high probability of that happening, IMO. At some point, there will be some bad economic news that will come out, and then there will be some sort of international issue, and then BANG... the market will go back down. Could/should happen before November. If it does not happen before November, then I don't expect it at all. As you might remember, I posted earlier in the year that November was my target for the market to initiate a significant upward trend.
Nice to see that the market has shown trenendous strength in spite of a lot of downward pressure, but's let's remember that the market is still quite a bit down from its previous highs.
Today was a really great day, and so far I am impressed with my latest portfolio, and I sure hope it holds up when the market has its next bad day.
TM
Gary,
Such a device would NEVER be used to measure typing skills. That would be like using a pocket knife to mow the lawn. Yet, a pocket knife is a very handy device.
Measured typing would require a genuine keyboard. The iPad's virtual keyboard is perfect for abbreviated and brief input, for tasks like internet searches, email, texting, notes, etc.
And do not forget that there are REAL keyboards that communicate via Bluetooth with the iPad. For example, for a very small fee, you can purchase Apple's very own beautiful aluminum keyboard that is used on the iMac Desktop and it will communicate perfectly with the iPad.
I have seriously considered buying the next iPad3, and keeping that Apple full-featured keyboard on my desk... so when I am in my office, I'd be able to use that real keyboard.
In addition, do not forget that there are numerous aftermarket third-party Bluetooth keyboards available for the iPad that are integrated right in the case... open up the case and a physical tactile keyboard is ready to go.
Here's the most expensive keyboard to be released for the iPad, coming this Fall...
Here's another, less expensive keyboard/case...
Impressive! There are others... some thinner and lighter... some are junk, and some are awesome.
TM
Happy to hear that you are more optimistic. And, I don't necessarily disagree with you that the market could go in the dumpster again with a little bit of terrible news. I have learned my lesson the past few weeks :sick: .
TM
How much credibility does Cramer actually have? I had heard years back that he had been in trouble for stock manipulation. That was, apparently, before the CNBC Mad Money show. I tried to find the reference to that allegation on Wiki. Instead I found Cramer's own words related to how the market on individual stocks is manipulated by hedge funds:
"Market manipulationIn March 2007, a December 2006 interview from TheStreet.com's "Wall Street Confidential" webcast stirred controversy after it appeared on YouTube.com.[26] In the video, Cramer described activities used by hedge fund managers to manipulate stock prices – some of debatable legality and others illegal. He described how he could push stocks higher or lower with as little as $5 million in capital when he was running his hedge fund. Cramer said, "A lot of times when I was short at my hedge fund...When I was positioned short—meaning I needed it down—I would create a level of activity beforehand that could drive the futures." He also encouraged hedge funds to engage in this type of activity because it is "a very quick way to make money".[27]
Cramer stated that everything he did was legal, but that illegal activity is common in the hedge fund industry as well. He also stated that some hedge fund managers spread false rumors to drive a stock down: "What's important when you are in that hedge-fund mode is to not do anything remotely truthful because the truth is so against your view, that it's important to create a new truth, to develop a fiction."[27] Cramer described a variety of tactics that hedge fund managers use to affect a stock's price. Cramer said that one strategy to keep a stock price down is to spread false rumors to reporters he described as "the Pisanis of the world". The comment was a reference to CNBC correspondent Bob Pisani, who reports from the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange. "You have to use these guys," said Cramer. He also discussed giving information to "the bozo reporter from The Wall Street Journal" to get an article published.[28][29] Cramer said this practice, although illegal, is easy to do "because the SEC doesn't understand it."[30] During the interview Cramer referred to himself as a "banking class hero."[31]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Cramer
I still question the "rule" that Cramer doesn't trade in a stock for 5 days after it's mentioned on his show. So he buys, praises on his show to run the price up with lemming buyers, then he sells? Or he has a stock trending down so he references it in positive light on his show to raise price back up and sells when 5 days are up? I can see many scenarios.
I took notice of this because of Tagman's comments about Apple manipulation in the past weeks.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
TM
This is something I have been doing now and then, but this morning it really made a big difference in helping (lowering) my average cost per share.
I had three positions that had gone into the red this morning. I closely watched the charts and could see that the market was just starting to turn upward. While those three positions were near their lows, I bought a major amount of shares, which then dramatically reduced the average cost per share.
Then, after the market had re-worked itself upwards, I noticed it had hit a peak (for that time frame) and that the positions were back in the green (because I lowered the cost per share). I then sold the same number of additional shares I had purchased, and was left with the number of shares I originally owned, but at a revised lower cost per share, resulting in greater potiential gains of course.
TM
TM
Now, he is just a clown act (entertaining, I admit). He'll spout some conventional wisdom, just to make it seem like he is giving actual investment advice.. He still hangs out with criminals (see Lenny Dykstra).
Actually, you'd be better off with the simplistic financial advice of Suze Orman.. At least it is based on sound principles.
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Didn't know you liked Cramer sooo much.
Seriously, thanks for the perspective.
Hmmm. So, Cramer hangs out with crooks. :surprise:
TM
YES, there was news about BIDU. Seems that they have been investigated for some sort of fraud (all in China, of course).
TM
Oh crap! I've been very busy with other stuff so I have not paid attention to market news.
It's no wonder the market is swinging so far in opposite directions.
I believe I have a solution. Whatever amount of money each of us sets aside to invest in equities, I suggest 50% of that be used to invest in 5 - 10 diversified stocks, including the S&P index fund, SPY. The remaining 50% should stay in cash.
Once those positions are in place, the cash is used to purchase more equities if any of them should fall below their original cost. Once that is accomplished, the cost per share will be lower. The next step is to wait for the stock's share price to advance back to the revised and lowered price. Once that finally happens (which could be the same day or days layer) you would then sell the same number of shares you purchased at the lowered cost per share price, and restore the cash position. The result is a new lower cost base and ready-cash in case the stock falls even further. If the stock does not fall further, then the gains are greater than they would have been. If the share price never falls at all, then that's a good thing and not a problem.
I used this technique today, as I posted earlier, and I now have a lower cost per share base on several stocks, including AAPL, which I was able to reduce a couple bucks per share, although I do not own a ton of AAPL. Regardless, the result will be larger and significant gains when the market turns around. Instead of getting even, this approach will turn much of the market's future advances into profits.
I am excited about this simple approach, but it requires attention to the market, which is the only drawback.
FWIW...
TM
That said, I am not in a big buying mood right now. I've got my eye on VIG and KO...if they ever have a sizable dip. Right now most of my Scottrade acct. consists of conservative equities that are not traded too often. They seem to go up with the market but not go down with it.
It was reported on Fox Business today that according to the SEC, two thirds of all trading is done with those super fast computers, and leaving the crumbs to us...so that is what I am after ! Those bast..ds are killing us...they don't think like humans.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
By doing this they pay around 12% tax instead of 40% tax in the U.S. If they bring cash back to the U.S. to invest, build new factories, hire people, or anything else they are taxed on it at the U.S. rate...so they just invest and hire people overseas. You can't really blame them, it is perfectly legal...and they have to answer to their boards and shareholders. That is where all our jobs have gone.
It sounds good to say "Let's tax the super rich". The problem is that will just drive more corps. out of the U.S. and our tax revenues will actually be less. Even if they did not move, any extra revenue would not put a dent in our annual deficit or national debt.
All the "tax the rich" rhetoric is just a diversionary tactic by Obama. The problem is that gov. is spending too much and growing too fast, and all us peasants are not sending in enough tax dollars to build all these new palaces for the King. Rant over.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
They reap the benefits of our system, and then run away like cowards when it is time to maintain it. Running away to areas where our expenses cause unpaid benefit, such as our military presence in Europe which directly benefits both Switzerland and (now broke - there is such a thing as too low taxes) Ireland. I wonder how much employers in those nations have to pay to aid the healthcare and retirement of their employees. Oh, that's socialism!
Cutting spending will also require cuts to corporate welfare and a final admission that we can't be 5% of the world's population spending 50% of the global military budget. Will anyone dare to touch these ideals?
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Amazing.
TM
There was a strong sentiment for REITs. CNL completely sold all their property in 2006 on the belief that the bubble on commercial property was going to burst. They have sat on the cash for almost 5 years. They are again buying commercial properties and offering products to investors. We made a bundle on a CNL fund we had back about 2005.
I get a lot of gloom and doom emails. I think you guys are right about the basics being strong for these corporations. I don't see much forward movement in the jobs front. That may be enough to get rid of the uncertainty Obama has wrought on US, next year. It was a good conference and a great free lunch.
Your continual struggle to come up with a winning combination is admirable , and I sure wish you the best....Luckily you are nimble , and you need to stay that way as one false move by the machines could be painful...
But that said and that aside, I haven't been this heavily invested in equites as I am now in a very long time. And, you know me. I don't put my money heavily in the stock market unless I've got a good feeling about it.
I still think we might very well test the lows, as I posted recently, but I am not concerned with that, and my approach to lowering the cost per share average is my solution to an occassional down day. In fact, those huge dips are opportunities to do just that, as well as snap up bargains.
I am situated nicely in almost every stock I own except I am concerned that I am a bit too heavy in Intel, and I suspect it will open down between 1% -2% tomorrow. Also, I only have a few hndred shares of AAPL with a current cost per share level of $378, which isn't a pretty picture... however if the stock goes up to$400+, I'm not complaining.
This market will roar again, but I am patiently waiting for November, and in the meantime setting up my positions by lowering the base cost per share. When it finally takes off, I will hit some great gains.
BTW, I am considering that I will speculate on Sprint again. It seems to me that it ought to have at least 10%-50% upside potential, with maybe 10% downside risk... that's something to think about. Maybe 25,000 shares that only go up a dollar? Or even 50 cents? Quick kill.
TM
Tony, thanks for you well-wishes! But, I'm not really struggling at all! Have I given that impression? If so, I apologize. Yes, I have learned some painful lessons, and I think they were quite valuable. But I am now fairly deep into the learning curve. My whole emphasis now is to try to get away from the intensity of day trading. But, it's not a struggle... I am now making thousands of dollars even on down days! I wouldn't call that struggling, but let me tell you it IS tedious. Waaay too much work to stare at the monitor nearly every single second for 6 1/2 hours. It's mind-boggling.
The reason for this recent approach is two-fold. One, I want to be able to walk away from the terminal more often instead of being stuck to it like that. Second, by achieving extremely low cost-per-share averages, I will be in a position to be in the market at a bargain price, and instead of "catching up to even" as so many others will need to do, my gains will be pure 100% profit.
So, when the market finally returns 10% - 20% gains again, I will be over the top by that percentage.
Anyway, maybe I didn't understand your use of the word "struggle"... but there is no doubt that I have been hard at work finding that winning combination, and I now know that I have found it! The math doesn't lie! And I have shared it with every one of you.
But, you are right about the machines... they are the enemy!
Again, thanks for you concern and well-wishes. Tony, you are truly a terrific and caring individual!! One of the best!
TM
I continue to be optimistic for the longer term even though I got totally fooled two or three weeks ago.
TM
Hey Charlie... here's an article that explains it...
Baidu Put in the Spotlight After Chinese TV Report on Fake Websites Fraud
Baidu shares have slipped by nearly one-tenth in the two days since the report
After Google exited China's search market last year due to censorship and hacking, Chinese search engine Baidu Inc. stepped in and claimed the dominant position in the country's successful Internet market. According to Analysys International, a Beijing-based technology firm, Baidu snagged 76 percent of the search market in the second quarter.
Despite Baidu's success, it is developing a poor reputation due to fraud. A recent investigative report by China Central Television (CCTV) showed how simple it is to register and promote a fake website on the search engine, which has prompted state media and analysts to push for stricter rules regarding fraud on the company's site.
"As suggested by some experts, if Baidu cannot discipline itself, authorities should consider stepping in," said an article published on the People's Daily website. "Just as we do not live for food, Baidu should not just exist for money."
Since the half-hour CCTV investigative report, which ran two days ago and showed an undercover reporter receiving advice from a Baidu employee on how to get around pharmaceutical advertising regulations, shares of Baidu have slipped by nearly one-tenth. This equates to over $5 billion in market value off the company.
Despite this loss, Baidu shares are up almost 50 percent so far this year with a market value of $50 billion. Analysts believe the fall in share price will be "short-term."
"I have not changed my opinion about the company," said Paul Wuh, an analyst at Samsung Securities in Hong Kong. "The company suggested that it has thousands of sales personnel and some bad behavior is not caught all the time."
But CCTV has ran negative reports on Baidu before, and hopes to use this information to prompt government investigations. For instance, CCTV ran a story last year that accused Baidu of promoting counterfeit drugs.
"As Baidu becomes an essential part of people's Internet life, we believe the news report could trigger potential government investigations on the paid search business model and prospective regulations to protect customer rights," said Wallace Cheung, analyst at Credit Suisse in Hong Kong.
link title
I'm a buyer of BIDU on dips.
TM
Seems to me that unless Baidu (BIDU) does a better job of regulating itself, there is some chance that eventually the government might step in and investigate Baidu.
So, whether or not the governement would actually do that is anybody's guess, and the next unknown is what kind of impact, if any, such an investigation would have on BIDU's share price.
If we consider that even the news report seemed to negatively affect the share price, we might be able to logically consider that an ACTUAL investigation would have a much greater negative impact. Potentially, the stock price could fall off a cliff, but such a decline could also represent a buying opportunity... and we should further consider that Baidu doesn't really have any serious competitor, since Google gave up on China.
Also, Baidu's last earnings report was fantastic (if we can believe the numbers), and if they continue on that path, BIDU's share price could easily approach $200.
I think a modest investment is warranted.
TM
All in a day's work.
TM
TM
As my post above indicated, I was fortunate to have sold off half of my equities.
BIDU behaved badly, but it fell soooo much I bought a bunch of it and reduced my cost per share average, and then carefully sold it off as it started to regain.
With the proceeds from the sale of BIDU and a couple others, I bought AAPL near the low. I didn't quite catch the low, but I did fairly well, and my average cost per share is now $367. I own 1000 shares at that price, and am prepared to buy a lot more if the price dips enough.
I am now going to concentrate primarily on AAPL moving forward, as I see it to be the best stock to hold up against this market for a while. After all this, I should have listened to Charlie.
:surprise:
How are the rest of you holding up?
TM
What did you do to the market? You can't be selling like that and causing a crash. There goes my kids inheritance. :sick:
Thankfully gold is over $1820, that more than picks up the loss from stocks and funds. Fortunately our income is not dependent on the stock market. I would be a bit worried. Meanwhile we can't let the depression get in the way of vacationing.
What ME Worry?
I am now about ready to drive to St. Louis (actually Chesterfield which is a bit west of St. Louis) for the Sectionals USTA tennis tournament. If we win this by some miracle, we go to the Nationals in Tucson in October. I'll catch up with you guys on the iPad from the hotel tonight.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
I did a whole lot of juggling around today. I started out with more companies and shares than I ended up with, and I spent most of the day buying and selling on all the little ups and downs in order to cost-average the best I could... and then once I had my best, I got rid of them. At one point, I even used margin funds to offset the declines. That was very helpful, but I was scared to death as I was using seven digits worth of Scottrade's money at one point! :surprise: ... and if things got out of control, I might have been in a pile of goo.
In the very end I own a meager 300 shares of AAPL at $364 (which isn't too bad, but I had it at $361 earlier in the day until a little screw-up... LOL), 200 shares of BIDU at $127, and 500 shares of XOM at $70.82. That's all. $171,000 worth of stock at this point showing a pitiful $748 gain. Of course, that $748 gain is only on my final position... as I lost $$$$ today.
Moving forward, I guess I will continue to attempt to buy AAPL at dips and average my per share cost, as well as tread lightly with BIDU. XOM is a dividend-paying solid stock, so I really don't want to sell my XOM shares unless necessary.
To be frank, I am shocked with myself that I am even "in" this market... but I am trying to build a position for the future. Problem is, the better future doesn't seem to come. Things just keep getting worse. And, now, the talking heads are finally suggesting that maybe the latter part of the year WON'T be better as all of us had been expecting. I still think it will be better, but my confidence has been shakened.
I am PRAYING for better times ahead.
TM
:confuse:
The talking heads are saying, "If you own one share of stock, that is too much". That is kind of scary but I am standing pat for now.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Funny you should have purchased xom today, as I did also....right at the close...I just did it on the spur of the moment, and have done so in the past, so there was no special reason....I notice that just as soon as I had entered the site, and the box opened to fill out the details, the price changed a few cents, as it usually does....It pisses me off to be taken advantage of like that....I just hold my nose, and get the business done....Do you notice something similar? Tony
I know it doesn't mean much, if anything, but virtually all my stocks are up in after market trading.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460