A Strange Anomaly Is Happening With Corporate Earnings

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/a-strange-anomaly-is-happening-with-corporate-earnings-2012-2

Earlier in the week, we did a quick story on a note from Credit Suisse's Andrew Garthwaite on various anomalies that were occurring in the market right now.

The big anomaly, as almost everyone knows, is the disconnect between Treasuries and equities. Equities have been on a tear. Treasuries are still pricing in fear and no growth.

The full note has some deep points regarding some strange turns happening in the market.

Particularly interesting is the disconnect between growth right now and earnings.

The macro data continues to be very strong, and yet we keep hearing about how Q4 earnings have been some of the worst since the end of the recession.

And there's a chart to prove the disconnect between leading indicators and earnings momentum.

One simple reasons for the earnings "weakness"? Consensus may have just gotten out of hand.

But it's not all bad news for stock investors.

CS concludes:

This tells us that it is probably still right to be negative on earnings as we are  (we forecast EPS to be 12% below consensus in Europe and 8% below consensus in the US). This is a problem but not necessary that bearish for markets. There have been plenty of years when earnings expectations fall a lot yet markets rise as we show below.

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See Also:

• The Big Winners And Losers In Markets Today
• Adjusted For Ongoing Phone Hacking Investigation Charges, News Corp's Earnings Beat Expectations
• Here Are The Key Market Moving Events For Thursday, February 9, 2012

Samsung's NP700 gaming laptop goes up for pre-order with Ivy Bridge pride

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/10/samsungs-np700-gaming-laptop-goes-up-for-pre-order-with-ivy-bri/

Jonesing for some more of Samsung's 17-inchers? Jones no more, because the Korean manufacturer has just put its NP700G7C gaming laptop up for pre-order. Packing 16GB of memory, this new Series 7 lappy made a brief appearance on Best Buy's website last month, but was quickly pulled. This time, though, it looks like it's for real, with Samsung touting its new "Gaming PC" on its very own website, alongside a $1,700 price tag. For that money, you'll get a 17.3-inch display with 1920 x 1080 resolution and, most compelling, a taste of Ivy Bridge, courtesy of the laptop's third-generation Intel Core i7-3610QM quad-core processor, which clocks in at 2.3GHz. It's available now, at the source link below.

Samsung's NP700 gaming laptop goes up for pre-order with Ivy Bridge pride originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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These Twins Built Their Own Lab To Test A Revolutionary Battery Design

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/these-twins-built-their-own-lab-to-test-a-revolutionary-battery-design-2012-2

Sonali Chopra and Meghali Chopra are twins who not only share the same face, but also share a room trying to get their battery technology off the ground.

The two went to Stanford University and studied chemical engineering. But during their senior year in December 2010, they were inspired to build a better battery technology -- so they developed their own lab outside of Stanford and founded Vi Energy.

The twins then entered the StartX accelerator program, which is reserved for Stanford students and recent grads.

StartX helped them see the business side of things, Meghali said. But it's not easy starting your own company.

"We are stretched to the nickel. I'm living with Sonali in one room. We are like 12 years old again, when we shared a room. So we talk to each other at night," Meghali. "We are chemical engineers, so we could be pulling $80,000 if we worked anywhere else. This is the time to be in a startup. It's so exciting."

Last night, the Chopra twins pitched their startup at the latest StartX demo day. They claim the batteries they are designing can be made 3 times cheaper and 1.5 times more energy-dense than today's batteries.

Please follow SAI on Twitter and Facebook.

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See Also:

• Homeless, Broke, And Committed To Finding A Cure For Cancer
• Underwear Is The Next Thing To Come Out Of This Fast-Moving Hollywood Startup
• The Future Of Dating Is Going To Look Like Pandora And Grindr

Best Movie Recommendation Service? [Hive Five Call For Contenders]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5883858/best-movie-recommendation-service

Valentine's Day is next week, and whether you're forever alone or you're looking for the perfect film to take someone special to see, this week we want to know where you turn for movie suggestions and reviews to help you decide what's worth seeing on the big screen, where you can find indie theaters playing documentaries and special releases, and what you may as well wait for to appear on Netflix and save your money.

You don't have to be planning a night out to look for movie reviews, although movie recommendation services are particularly useful if you're not a movie buff and you're looking for something that everyone will find interesting to watch. So which site or service do you turn to when you want to know what's worth checking out in the theaters? Let us know in the comments below.

Hive Five nominations take place in the comments, where you post your favorite tool for the job. We get hundreds of comments, so to make your nomination clear, please include it at the top of your comment like so: VOTE: BEST LIVE TV STREAMING METHOD. Please don't include your vote in a reply to another commenter. Instead, make your vote and reply separate comments. If you don't follow this format, we may not count your vote. To prevent tampering with the results, votes from first-time commenters may not be counted. After you've made your nomination, let us know what makes it stand out from the competition.

About the Hive Five: The Hive Five feature series asks readers to answer the most frequently asked question we get: "Which tool is the best?" Once a week we'll put out a call for contenders looking for the best solution to a certain problem, then YOU tell us your favorite tools to get the job done. Every weekend, we'll report back with the top five recommendations and give you a chance to vote on which is best. For an example, check out last week's five best ways to stream live TV.

Photo by gailf548.

Will New Apple Displays Optimize Themselves According to Surroundings? [Rumors]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5883974/will-new-apple-displays-optimize-themselves-according-to-surroundings

Apple's most recent screen successes have centered around the Retina display. But a new patent suggests that Apple has been working on displays that can react to their surroundings to dynamically improve the viewing experience.

According to Patently Apple, the company has filed a patent for a mobile display that uses the sensors aboard devices like the iPhone and iPad to understand the world around it. The patent suggests that the "physical and lighting properties of the user's environment" could be used to provide "a more interesting and visually appealing" display.

The patent goes on to suggest that devices could monitor factors like ambient light, as well as the position of the user's eyes, to generate dynamic shadows on their screens. Those shadows could be used to either make the entire display more clear, or even to spotlight what the users is looking at or add perspective to images. The patent also makes it clear that this could be implemented on desktop and laptop displays, too.

It sounds like the kind of thing that anyone who has ever used a laptop or iPad outside would jump at. Anti-glare covers exist, sure, but in my experience they don't really work. This, on the other hand, could mean I spend a lot more time working from my garden. [FPO via Patently Apple; Image: Ed Yourdon]

Hacker spites Symantec, puts pcAnywhere's source code out in the open

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/hacker-spites-symantec-puts-pcanywheres-source-code-out-in-the/

Symantec said that folks running its pcAnywhere utility were at an "increased risk" when it revealed that the company had been hacked and its source codes pilfered, and advised customers to stop using pcAnywhere for the time being. Sage advice, as a hacker with the handle YamaTough -- who's affiliated with Anonymous -- helped do the deed and has now published the code for all the world to see. Apparently, the hacker and hackee had attempted to broker a deal for $50,000 to keep the code private, but neither side negotiated in good faith -- YamaTough always intended to release the code, and law enforcement was doing the talking for Symantec to catch him and his hacking cohorts. The good news is, Symantec has released several patches to protect pcAnywhere users going forward. As for the stolen code for Norton Antivirus, Internet Security and other Symantec software? Well, the company's expecting it to be disclosed, too, but because the code is from 2006, customers with current versions can rest easy.

Hacker spites Symantec, puts pcAnywhere's source code out in the open originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Bowl internet debut breaks records, disappoints some viewers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/super-bowl-internet-debut-breaks-records-disappoints-some-viewe/

Not sure what this says about the state of streaming video online, but while the first live internet stream of the Super Bowl was watched by a record 2.1 million unique viewers, it didn't receive glowing reviews. The best indicator, though, is that the engagement for the three (plus) hour event was only 39 minutes. We think the folks over at Streaming Media got it right when they called it the Super Bowl Streaming Fail. It was bad enough that only Verizon Wireless customers could watch it on anything other than a laptop, but even those who could see it were left searching for a TV once they saw the quality. Big sports fans who might've been checking it out for the additional commentary and camera angles were also left wanting more, as the stream was plagued with lag. This meant that the other angle you were in search of was as much as a minute behind the big screen. Ultimately, we're sure everyone's glad the Super Bowl was extended to the smaller screens, but one thing sure seems true, broadcasting an event like this to millions of people is unlikely to ever be replaced by unicast internet streams.

Super Bowl internet debut breaks records, disappoints some viewers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lytro Light Field Camera's guts get spilled on the FCC's dancefloor

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/lytro-fcc/

There's a scene in Robocop 2, where our eponymous hero is set-to with an angle grinder and dumped in pieces outside the Detroit Police station. Now replace the cybernetic Alex Murphy with the Lytro Light Field camera and you'll know what was found on the sidewalk opposite from the FCC's concrete bunker this morning. Interesting tidbits revealed in the government-sponsored autopsy included a questionably small Zoran imaging chip and Marvell Avastar W8787 wireless SoC -- but the company's already swiftly denied it'll have WiFi capability. Still, the infinite-focus device is certainly on for that early 2012 launch date if it's passed through the FCC without derision. We like to treat you right, dear readers, so below you'll find a cornucopia of galleries to hunt through before these units arrive in your hands. What do you think? Should we equip all our staffers with Lytro cameras for our future hands-ons?

Gallery: Lytro Light Field Camera Manual

Gallery: Lytro Light Field Camera External Shots

Gallery: Lytro Light Field Camera Internal Shots

Lytro Light Field Camera's guts get spilled on the FCC's dancefloor originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge, Tech Crunch  |  FCC  | Email this | Comments

Sigma DP1, DP2 get 46-megapixel makeover

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/sigma-dp1-dp2-get-46-megapixel-makeover/

If Nikon thought its 36-megapixel D800 would be the king of the resolutions this week, they were wrong. Sigma, it seems, didn't get the memo and has crashed the party, updating its DP1 and DP2 compacts with whopping 46-megapixel sensors. Okay, so technically it's three 15.3 megapixel layers (that also being the effective resolution), but we'll play along with the marketing spin. Rebranded as the DP1- and DP2-Merrill in honor of the sensor's co-creator, the refresh sees the compacts sporting the same imaging innards as the firm's flagship SD1 Merrill SLR. The LCD screen also gets a bump from 2.5 to three inches, which, we suppose, is to do better justice to those massive pictures you'll be taking. Sigma's keeping price and availability under wraps for now, but hit the PR after the break for more info.

Continue reading Sigma DP1, DP2 get 46-megapixel makeover

Sigma DP1, DP2 get 46-megapixel makeover originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google reportedly working on wireless home entertainment system to be sold under its own brand

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/google-reportedly-working-on-wireless-home-entertainment-system/

Details are still fairly light at the moment, but The Wall Street Journal is reporting today that Google could be about to make big push into the hardware business. Citing people briefed on the company's plans, the WSJ says that Google is now developing a home entertainment system that would stream music wirelessly throughout the home (including to web-connected devices and "Google-made speakers"), and be able to be controlled using a smartphone or tablet -- making it sound a whole lot like a Sonos competitor. What's more, unlike current Android and Google TV devices, this system will reportedly be marketed under Google's own brand. An attempt to really turn it up to eleven, perhaps?

Google reportedly working on wireless home entertainment system to be sold under its own brand originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nanoshells trap light for more efficient solar panels

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/nanoshells-trap-light-for-more-efficient-solar-panels/

Scientists at Stanford are hard at work trying to improve the efficiency and durability of solar panels -- two key factors that have kept the Sun from becoming a more popular source of energy. Their latest effort involves nanocrystalline-silicon, a material that has proven resilient and highly conductive, but not very good at absorbing light. Their solution, nanoshells -- hollowed out spheres of silicon that trap and recirculate light much like a whispering gallery does sound. Balls of the crystalline material are dipped in silicon, then hydrofluoric acid is used to eat way the center of the sphere, leaving a path for light to enter. The shells trap the light, allowing more of it to be absorbed, and also reduces the effect of non-optimal angles on energy production. Hit up the source for a few more details.

Nanoshells trap light for more efficient solar panels originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gizmag  |  Stanford  | Email this | Comments

That's hot: Heat-based recording could boost magnetic drive speed, performance

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/thats-hot-heat-based-recording-could-boost-magnetic-drive-spee/

Magnetic fields are pretty nifty for levitating stuff, carving sponge-like thingamajigs and, of course, data storage. But an international team led by the University of York in the UK has figured out a way to replace magnetic fields for the latter by using ultra-short heat pulses instead. Conventional thinking typically dictates that an external magnetic field is required to store data on a magnetic medium. By using heat, however, researchers were able to record terabytes of information per second in a way that is also more energy-efficient compared to current hard drive technology. As for the time it'll take for the tech to make it to market, well, we have a feeling it won't be as fast.

That's hot: Heat-based recording could boost magnetic drive speed, performance originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wolfram Alpha Pro now available, $4.99 a month will let you throw almost anything at it for analysis

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/10/wolfram-alpha-pro-now-available-4-99-a-month-will-let-you-thro/

Wolfram Alpha has made some fairly big strides in its few short years of existence, but the so-called computational knowledge engine has now rolled out what founder Stephen Wolfram says is the "the single most important development for Wolfram Alpha since the original website launched in 2009." That development is Wolfram Alpha Pro, a new premium service that will run you $4.99 a month (or $2.99/month for students) and give you access to a wealth of new options for both input and output. On the input end, you can now upload images, audio and other files (over 60 types in all) for automatic analysis and a detailed report -- according to Stephen Wolfram, the ultimate goal being "to do what a top data scientist would do if given the user's data." As for output, you'll now be able to take advantage of a number of richer download options, including the ability to interact with and tailor the reports to your liking. As you might expect, however, that's just scratching the surface -- you can get a detailed look at the new service at the links below, or take it for a spin yourself with a free trial subscription.

Continue reading Wolfram Alpha Pro now available, $4.99 a month will let you throw almost anything at it for analysis

Wolfram Alpha Pro now available, $4.99 a month will let you throw almost anything at it for analysis originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:07:00 EDT. Pleas! e see ou r terms for use of feeds.

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Chrome 17 Is Now Available, Get Ready for Prerendered Pages [Google]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5883582/chrome-17-is-now-available-get-ready-for-prerendered-pages

Google has made the newest version of its popular browser available, offering more secure downloads and faster-loading web pages. Here's what's new.

Prerendering pages appears to be a natural progression from autocomplete. According to the Google Chrom blog, "When you start typing in the omnibox and the URL autocompletes to a site you're very likely to visit, Chrome will prerender the page, so it will appear faster—sometimes, even instantly—as soon as you hit Enter." We'll have to see how long that feature lasts before it gets turned off like I did to autocomplete.

To better secure your system against malicious code, Chrome's download scanner checks any executable files against a whitelist. If the files don't check out, the browser will query Google for more information on the website—such as if it has a history of malicious code downloads. [Chrome Blog]