Share This

Filed under: Major movement, Other issues, Rants and raves, Google (GOOG), Market matters, Top Picks 2007

What do you do when a stock that you own is falling on no news? That is the case for Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) shares which closed down today $31.90 bottoming out at $632.07. This is down from it’s recent high of $747.24, losing $115.17 or about 20%.

When it was going up there was plenty of good news and hoopla to embellish stories of it reaching $2000, but on the way down there has actually been good news too. I could rationalize all kinds of intriguing stories as to why this has occurred but the most obvious is that it got too expensive and traders started thinking it was time to take some profits.

There are also plenty of investment fund managers wanting to record earnings this year that sold off some of their holdings to make their advertised returns look prettier — window dressing they call it.

From my perspective Google is a $550 to $600 dollar stock giving it full credit for forward earnings of say $20 per share. Last month I questioned why investors would pay next years price this year . I guess Google’s recent vertical leap could only sustain itself so long before other investors started asking the same question.

To find potential opportunities and verify my track record, read Chasing Value or Serious Money.

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Share This

I guess these aren’t technically stick figures, but they’re only one or two steps up. The cartoon is “Pictures for Sad Children.” Not sure if it’s appropriate for sad children, but it is an interesting find.

I still can’t quite figure out what this cartoon is about, but I’m willing to follow along with the story until I figure it out. Reading it from start to finish, I can’t help but feel I’m missing something. But I enjoy it.

The story follows a ghost named Paul and his living coworkers, and their…adventures. It’s a trippy strip, so I thought it’d be only friendly to share.

I really like this. Hope you enjoy.

Share This

Robots will probably be a staple gift during holiday seasons in the coming years, and the Pirkus-R Type-01 DX from Robot Labs of Japan is certainly one gift idea to consider if you have deep pockets. Retailing for a whopping £1,090, this robot kit was recently improved with updated actuators and gyro sensors to further augment his already-impressive bipedal walking ability. Standing over 30cm tall, the Pirkus can be controlled from a computer or, get this - a cellphone via Bluetooth. Not all cellphones can be used as a remote control though, just those which are capable of running BREW-based communications software. The Pirkus is smart enough to ‘remember’ faces and can even seek out a selected person thanks to its face recognition ability.

Permalink | Comment | Uberbargain | Uberphones

Share This

Filed under: Gaming, Portable Audio

While we’re sure that some Wii updates have been more highly regarded than others, it seems that MP3 diehards will want to pass on a forthcoming Photo Channel update if you just can’t bear to lose support for your favorite music format. Apparently, the aforementioned channel will be revamped early next month, and while users will then be able to personalize their menu by implanting an SD-based digital image into the Photo Channel icon, gamers who previously used their Wii to play back MP3s will no longer be able to do so. For whatever reason, the Big N will be axing MP3 support and adding in AAC compatibility, and the company even goes out of its way to make sure that you realize downgrading will not possible once you install v1.1. Mark it down folks — don’t be left full of regret (if you’re partial to MP3, that is) after carelessly downloading an update without reading the changelog first.

[Via GameBrink, thanks J]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Share This

Filed under: Videos and Screenshots

The “This is Living” ad campaign continues in Europe, and unlike previous efforts, this doesn’t have us scratching our heads in bewilderment. The latest iteration of the ad certainly has a unique “charm” about it, but at least this time it effectively conveys the abilities of the PS3 (sort of). Blu-ray makes everything beautiful, the ad claims. Our favorite part? The creepy part where technology updates itself. Certainly, PS3 has been transforming over the numerous firmware updates its had over the past year.

[Thanks, mike!]

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Audio/Video, iPod

A recent survey of 3,000 undergraduate students at New York University shows that most kids are willing to sacrifice their right to vote for an iPod, among other things.

Sixty-six percent said they would be willing to give up their right to vote in the next presidential election for a year’s tuition. But don’t start shaking your head just yet — it gets worse: Twenty percent said their right to vote next year could be bought for an iPod Touch. That’s right, 600 of those surveyed said they would sit out the historic 2008 election for a $300 media player. For $1 Million, says the poll, half would give up their votes… forever.

The most bizarre part of the survey? 70.5 percent said that they believed that one vote could make a difference, including 70 percent of those who said they would sacrifice their right to vote. How these contradictory ideas could be held in one privileged child’s head, we’re not sure.

We understand that technology can drive people to do ridiculous things, but giving up the right to vote for an iPod is a new low. Check out this list of other insane things people have done for or because of technology:

• Sex Less Important Than the Web for Many Americans
• Gamers Still Lining up for the Wii
• iPhone Camper Interviewed by Switched
• Weirdos Begin to Queue Up for Halo 3
• PS3 Crime Spree

From Politico (via Washington Square News)

Related Links:

• One Third of Women Who Meet People Online Have Sex on the First Date
• Toilet Surfing Office Workers
• Electronics Causing Teenagers to Get “Junk Sleep”

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Action, Fandom, DIY/Filmmaking, Movie Marketing, Remakes and Sequels, Images

When you woke up this morning, tell me you weren’t thinking the following: “I’m still alive and that’s great, but it’d be better if at some point throughout the day I could take a look at a pic of some guy flying through the air with a knife.” Above is one of several new pics from the upcoming third Mummy installment currently titled The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. They popped up over at the Russian site Filmz.ru, as do a lot of movie pics (which makes me wonder what the Russians are doing that allows them access to all this great stuff). I could be wrong, and I passed this by a few Cinematical writers before drafting this post up, but I believe that’s Brendan Fraser doing his best “I’ll cut you fool” impression. Either it’s Fraser, as Rick, or Luke Ford, as Rick’s son Alex. And if it’s neither of them, then I don’t know what to tell you.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor shall follow our favorite Mummy adventurers Rick (Fraser) and Evelyn (this time played by Maria Bello), along with their son Alex (Ford) as they travel to the Far East where they uncover a mummy of the first Emperor of Qin (Jet Li). Only problem is this mummy is some sort of shape-shifting entity that was cursed by a wizard (Michelle Yeoh) centuries ago. I take it things will get messy for our heroes from there. Additionally, you can keep tabs on the film by checking out director Rob Cohen’s Mummy blog which he frequently updates with all sorts of tidbits from the set. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is due out in theaters on August 1, 2008.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Those of you yearning to hop on AT&T’s HSUPA highway with a card other than the recently unveiled AirCard 881 can finally spark up a celebration of your own, as AT&T is now deploying Sierra Wireless’s USBConnect 881. As the title insinuates, this bugger connects to your Mac or PC via USB, weighs in at just 1.25-ounces and plays nice with tri-band HSPA and quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE networks. AT&T claims that your average download speed will range from 600kbps to 1.4Mbps, while the upload side will pretty much hover between 500kbps and 800kbps in HSUPA markets. Also of note is the included AT&T Communication Manager software, which comes pre-loaded on the card and “automatically installs” when first used on a Windows-based machine, saving you the trouble of fiddling with an install disc to get things up and running. Starting today, interested consumers can snatch the card up for $49.99 (after rebate) with a two-year DataConnect agreement of $59.99+ per month, or you can shell out $299.99 for the gizmo itself if contracts get you all hot and bothered.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Share This

Filed under: Other issues, Good news, Google (GOOG), Apple Inc (AAPL), Amazon.com (AMZN), Intuit Inc (INTU), Politics, Green Stocks

Not long ago, Al Gore seemed like a has-been. Then he snagged both an Academy Award and the Nobel Peace prize.

Will these accolades persuade him to run for president again?

Perhaps not. Perhaps there are more effective ways to enact sweeping change. To wit: Gore has become a partner at the esteemed venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. The firm has invested in such game-changing companies as Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU), and Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN).

Gore’s job is a no-brainer — focusing on investment opportunities in greentech. And there are likely to be some mega winners. After all, the global energy business is about $7 trillion.

Actually, Gore is no stranger to business and technology (hey, didn’t he invent the Internet?) Keep in mind he sits on the board of Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and is an adviser to Google. Gore says he will donate 100% of his Kleiner salary to the Alliance for Climate Protection, which focuses on accelerating policy solutions to the global warming crisis.

But, as part of the powerful Kleiner, Gore will have a great platform to try out his ideas and perhaps save the world.

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook and The Edgar Online Guide to Decoding Financial Statements. He also operates DealProfiles.com.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Share This