Oil price below $99 on Europe downgrade concerns

(AP) ? Oil prices finished lower Friday on fresh concerns about Europe's economy as credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's downgraded France, Austria and other European countries.

Benchmark crude fell by 40 cents to end at $98.70 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, which is used to price foreign oil that's imported by U.S. refineries, fell by 70 cents to end at $110.35 per barrel in London.

S&P downgraded the government debt of France, Austria, Italy and Spain, but it kept Germany's at the coveted AAA level. S&P cut its ratings on a total of nine eurozone countries.

The downgrades could make it harder for the European Union to raise money and overcome massive government debts. A recession appears likely in Europe, and huge spending cuts will likely reduce European energy demand this year.

In the U.S., gasoline pump prices rose 1 cent to a national average of $3.39 per gallon, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service.

In other energy trading, heating oil fell 3 cents to finish at $3.03 per gallon, while gasoline futures were virtually unchanged at $2.73 per gallon. Natural gas fell 3 cents to $2.67 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-13-Oil%20Prices/id-abebd76948474ab1bc21b18f82103817

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Engadget rides the Board of Awesomeness, results are... awesome (video)

We showed it to you a few days ago, and now we finally got to ride Chaotic Moon's Board of Awesomeness. For those who missed it the first time around, it's an electric skateboard rigged up with a 36 volt battery and an 800 watt motor capable of hurtling you down the road at up to 32mph. It's controlled by a Kinect sensor bar and one of Samsung's Windows 8 developers tablets strapped to the deck. Interestingly enough, Chaotic Moon built the thing with little hackery -- the only hardware mod was made to connect the Kinect's power cord to the battery. You control the throttle by pushing your hand closer or further away from the Kinect, which is made possible using the sensor bar's Beta 2 SDK. A pressure switch is on the deck to kill the motor should you fall off, which is nice since the thing has no brakes -- it stops via the motor's natural drag. Kinect controls were also initially used for steering, but folks found it to be counter-intuitive, so now it turns like any other skateboard.

As you can see from the video above, our skateboarding skills aren't quite on par with Tony Hawk, but that 800 watt motor puts out a ton of torque, so starting it up took some getting used to. The control system is easy and intuitive to use and is like pushing an invisible gas pedal with your hand, though since we were riding it in a parking lot here at CES, we got nowhere near its 32mph top speed. However, we eventually got the hang of riding it at lower speeds, and would love to spend a few days learning how to properly ride it and really see what it can do. The best part? This is only version one of the Board of Awesomeness, and the company plans to create a faster one in the future -- we'll be practicing our riding skills in the meantime to get ready. We hope you enjoyed watching us get awesome, but if you want to see someone who can shred asphalt on the Board of Awesomeness, hit the video after the break.

Continue reading Engadget rides the Board of Awesomeness, results are... awesome (video)

Engadget rides the Board of Awesomeness, results are... awesome (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Series 9 monitor and all-in-one eyes-on

After spotting a powered-off Series 9 display at a CES press event earlier this week, we told you we'd revisit it if we could actually show you that 27-inch, 2560 x 1440 panel in all its billion-color glory. Well, folks, here she is. Samsung's first PLS display for the consumer market is arriving in March or April for $1,199, and is arriving with a refreshed design that trades last year's slick surfaces for an aluminum base. We'll let those hands-on photos speak for themselves, but hopefully from where you're sitting you can still appreciate those wide viewing angles, deep blacks and rich colors.

And what of last year's Series 9 monitor? Samsung recycled the glossy, asymmetrical design, added a slot-loading Blu-ray drive and turned it into a high-end all-in-one. The 27-inch display has 1080p resolution, and the same kind of Ultra Clear panel Samsung uses in its televisions to make sure that glossy finish isn't too reflective. And though Samsung doesn't have too many specs to share, we know it has a quad-core Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a TV tuner and an unspecified AMD graphics card with 1GB of video memory. As you'd expect, it also comes with a wireless mouse and keyboard, the latter of which has some surprisingly cushy keys, given the island layout and all. No word on pricing or availability, though a Samsung rep told us the company has no plans to bring this stateside.

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

Samsung Series 9 monitor and all-in-one eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/13/samsung-series-9-monitor-and-all-in-one-eyes-on/

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Have Demi Lovato & Wilmer Valderrama Called it Quits?

NXP gesture smart card adds another layer of security to NFC data, we go hands-on (video)

With the rapidly expanding proliferation of Near-Field Communication (NFC), concerns about its security and privacy are growing right along with it. There's plenty of worries fluttering about that personal information stored in NFC tags and mobile payment applications could easily be snagged if someone steals your stuff. While most existing services like Google Wallet are heavily focused on security, there are still several other uses of NFC technology that are largely unlocked and easily cracked. Aware of this issue, NXP Semiconductors is working on a smart card that adds an extra barrier of entry for would-be information thieves; it requires you to draw gestures, patterns or even enter PIN codes in order to unlock the secret 411 on your computer. This works out well when you use an RFID reader to access your corporate offices or even use NFC to import passwords and other highly sensitive information.

How do you set up the unlock process? You use an application on your desktop, which is capable of customizing the access point and it can also get trained to learn your style of handwriting. The service is still 6-12 months away from fruition, so we didn't get to see everything the card will be capable of, but we were at least able to get a short demonstration of some of the benefits of having an extra layer of security to NFC data transfers.

Continue reading NXP gesture smart card adds another layer of security to NFC data, we go hands-on (video)

NXP gesture smart card adds another layer of security to NFC data, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LoveMyDressBlog: Beautiful backless wedding dress design influenced by the 1930s. Design by @DanaBolton. Photo by @Pi http://t.co/HkI5fbrV

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MetroPCS' Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G hands-on

Samsung launched a bevy of sets today, including the Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G which brings more LTE speed and, let's face it, pure cellular magic to the waves of MetroPCS. The device itself is quite small when compared to some of the 4.3-inch behemoths we've seen of late, but by eschewing some of the high end features Samsung manages to keep the price down. The Attain's 3.5-inch display is clear and easy to read, build quality -- we're rather fond of the textured back -- quite good and for only $199 after a $50 rebate, not a bad deal. Follow on to the gallery for some sparkly live shots.

MetroPCS' Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Housing market blooms in Cuban provinces (Reuters)

SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba (Reuters) ? Hundreds of handwritten signs stuck on doorways and in windows announce "se vende" or "for sale" in provincial cities and towns across Cuba as the island's nascent housing market begins to bloom.

Buyers walk the streets looking at homes the whereabouts of which were passed along by word of mouth as sellers outside of Havana have limited access to the Internet or other means to advertise their sales.

There are hovels and there are splendid little places tucked between crumbling buildings. There are two-story homes in need of repair and a few in immaculate condition. Some places go for the equivalent of a few thousand dollars, others for much more.

Buying and selling homes was banned for decades in Cuba. The best one could do was trade dwellings in what Cubans call a "permuta" and expand or decrease the size of where you lived by a single room.

That all changed when the ban was lifted in November, along with much of the previous paperwork and bureaucratic tangles, though Cubans can still own just one home and vacation place and non-resident foreigners are excluded from the market.

The measure appears to be the most popular yet as President Raul Castro, who replaced his ailing brother Fidel in 2008, works to reform the Soviet-style economy and gradually lifts some of the more onerous restrictions on people's daily lives.

Trading one's home was a nightmarish process that could take months and even years under the old system, and often required bribes and under-the-table payments.

The new system requires a simple notary and payment through the bank and appears to be working relatively well according to more than a dozen people selling their homes from one end of the island to the other.

"The new law is really good because there are people who get divorced, or who have money but no place to live, or live in a big place and want a smaller one, or have big families in a little place and want something larger and now with this law they can meet their needs much more easily," Tania Vigaroa, in the process of selling her home in eastern Holguin, said.

Most of the sellers say they would like to move to a smaller home and that permutas plus payments are now to difficult to find because people prefer to buy or sell.

In neighboring Santiago de Cuba the other day a haggard looking receptionist at the San Pedro notary office, where the waiting room was full, said the three notaries working there had no time to talk.

"This place has been overflowing since they changed the law, every day is the same," said receptionist Milaidy, who asked that her last name not be used, adding there were three other offices in the city.

Most sellers have become used to strangers on the prowl for a home. They are a hospitable lot, welcoming the passerby to come in for a look.

"I'm asking $55,000. The house has three rooms, two bathrooms, a big back yard, kitchen, dining room and living room and this is right near the center of town," said Jose Ramirez in the city of Ciego de Avila, in central Cuba.

"A number of people have come by so we will see. It's a respectable sum, but my daughter was recently divorced and lives across town and I want to be near her for support. There is a house over there that costs exactly the same amount," he said.

Some 60 miles to the east, in the city of Camaguey, bicycle-taxi driver Roberto Sosa says "no problem," when asked to peddle the Cuban version of a rickshaw around town for a look at what's on the market.

OVERSEAS INTEREST

An hour and five homes later one place catches the eye on Virgin Street. The neighborhood needs a plaster and paint job and the road needs paving, but the half-block-long, five bedroom single story house, freshly painted and with new tile floors, is splendid.

"We want $35,000 and have a possible buyer, but she is checking with her family in Miami," said the owner's son, who gave his name only as Santiago.

Bicitaxi peddler Sosa wasn't surprised.

"Most of the houses sold are (being bought) with the help of family abroad, if not it wouldn't be possible because their value is going up a lot now," he said, pointing out most local residents make only the equivalent of $20 or $30 per month.

Emilio Morales in Miami wasn't surprised either.

"A number of law firms, mainly here in the United States and Spain, have already called asking about the law for clients who want to know how they can buy property in Cuba," the former marketing strategist for CIMEX, one of the largest state-run trading and retail corporations on the island, said in a telephone interview.

Morales, now CEO of The Havana Consulting Group, a startup company specializing in potential Cuban markets, including residential real estate, said there was plenty of interest.

"Here in Miami there are a lot of people interested in buying property in Cuba for diverse reasons, some to start restaurants, cafeterias or other businesses and others to have a place to retire and live out their old age," he said.

(Editing by Jeff Franks and Cynthia Osterman)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120109/wl_nm/us_cuba_house

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New NBC chief says 'Community' coming back (AP)

PASADENA, Calif. ? After acknowledging that NBC had a "really bad fall," the network's entertainment chief moved swiftly Friday to assure viewers that "Community" and "Law & Order: SVU" aren't leaving.

Although the Thursday night comedy "Community" was taken off the midseason schedule, entertainment president Bob Greenblatt said that he wanted to "dispel any notion that it is quietly disappearing." He didn't say, however, when it would be back.

At a news conference, Greenblatt also aired a video clip of star Mariska Hargitay saying that she's committed to "Law & Order: SVU" through next year. She'll even get a love interest: Harry Connick Jr. has signed on for several episodes later this season.

For NBC, keeping any audience it still has is important. The fourth-place network has continued its slow decline this fall, with Sunday night football keeping its heart beating. Viewership was off 5 percent from last season, the Nielsen ratings company said.

"We had a really bad fall, worse than I had hoped for but about what I expected," Greenblatt said.

Still, he said that he hoped new shows like "The Voice," "Up All Night" and "Whitney" can provide building blocks for the future, even if they are only modest successes now.

NBC has been outspending its rivals in series development recently, following many years when the network kept such spending down. Greenblatt said NBC's new corporate owners, Comcast Corp., have shown a willingness to invest money and patience in rebuilding the network.

NBC has high hopes for the midseason series "Smash," about the competitive world of Broadway musicals. It debuts Feb. 6. Greenblatt seemingly tried to dampen expectations, given how hard it is to develop hits in network television these days.

"In this day and age, you need four or five shows to help things turn around," he said. "`Smash' could be one of those. I hope it is one of those. If it isn't, we're not going to go into receivership."

Greenblatt did not address reports that NBC is interested in Ryan Seacrest as a potential replacement for Matt Lauer on the "Today" show, whose contract ends this year.

"All of that is premature," he said. "It is our hope and belief that Matt will stay on the show beyond the length of his contract."

Comcast is talking with Seacrest, who plays a big role on the company's E! Entertainment cable network, about different things he could do. One idea NBC would be interested in is a network interview show, much like Barbara Walters has done on ABC.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120106/ap_en_tv/us_tv_nbc_s_season

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UK's Hague arrives in Myanmar to urge reforms (AP)

YANGON, Myanmar ? Britain's foreign secretary urged Myanmar to push its democratic reforms and release all political prisoners as he began a historic trip Thursday to a country that has recently emerged from a pariah status in the West.

William Hague is the first British foreign secretary to visit Myanmar since 1955, and follows in the footsteps of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who came in November.

Myanmar President Thein Sein greeted Hague in the capital, Naypyitaw, but neither talked to reporters before their meeting. Hague is scheduled to later meet with opposition leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in the main city of Yangon.

In a statement issued before leaving London, Hague said his trip was intended to encourage the "government to continue on its path of reform, and to gauge what more Britain can do to support that process."

Western nations have offered cautious support for reforms that have led to the military junta that had ruled since 1962 taking a back seat and allowing a nominally civilian government to take power in March after winning elections that were boycotted by Suu Kyi's party.

But since then, her National League for Democracy party has joined the political process and said it will take part in upcoming by-elections. Also, the government has released some political prisoners.

Britain believes there are between 591 and 1,700 political prisoners held by Myanmar authorities, though poor record keeping and disputes over the status of captives mean an accurate figure is difficult to gauge.

"We hope to see the release of all remaining political prisoners, free and fair by-elections, humanitarian access to people in conflict areas and credible steps towards national reconciliation," Hague said.

Though Hague's two-day visit signals a shift in relations, Britain won't promise any immediate change in European Union sanctions on arms sales, asset freezes and travel bans ? or change a policy that discourages U.K. businesses from trade with Myanmar.

Britain recently pledged 185 million pounds ($289 million) over three years to fund health and education projects ? becoming Myanmar's largest bilateral aid donor ? but the U.K. channels funds only through nongovernmental groups.

Hague will lay out a series of demands for Myanmar's leadership to meet before Britain considers offering funds direct to the government, or before the EU can lift any sanctions.

"Further steps are needed that will have a lasting impact on human rights and political freedom," Hague said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/britain/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120105/ap_on_re_as/myanmar_britain

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