Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Technology News

Technology News
Rivals look to rein in LinkedIn4:26pm: LinkedIn may have pioneered the business social

networking arena, but there could be a new sheriff in town. Media Biz weighs in. (more)
Semel out as Yahoo! CEO6:38pm: Struggling No. 2 search engine taps co-founder Jerry Yang as CEO; Semel staying on as chairman; stock surges. (more)
• Susan Decker: Future CEO?
A battle for Europe's airwaves6:13am: With European countries planning to sell off broadcast and phone spectrum, everybody wants in on the action. Fortune's Mark Halper reports. (more)
Apple recharges iPhone battery10:00am: Apple has boosted the battery life of the upcoming iPhone cell phone in a move aimed at quieting critics, reports Business 2.0's Philip Elmer-DeWitt. (more)
• Early testers spot 3 big concerns

PERSONAL TECH
Bluetooth's amazing makeoverA new version of the wireless technology will soon allow consumers to beam photos from cameras and use their cell phone to make purchases, reports Business 2.0 Magazine. (more)
A scanner the size of a penPLANon's portable scanner looks great - but its images don't. (more)
Big boy toysImagine working with robots and getting paid up to six figures for it. Business 2.0 highlights some of the new careers of the 21st century. (more)
The best of mini-PCsThese new ultramobile PCs aren't cheap, but they're light and robust enough to be the only desktop you'll ever need. Business 2.0 Magazine picks the winners. (more)
• Apple's new mini-laptop
Cars, gadgets that 'hear' your voiceThe market for voice-recognition technology is expected to quadruple by 2010. One day every gadget, appliance and machine that you use could be voice-operated. (more)
• Phone gallery

The Browser: Tech Truth & Rumors
Could Linked-In team with Facebook?The social networking set may not want to have to maintain one personal profile and one professional page. A partnership could solve that problem. (more)

SPECIALS
Business 2.0
100 fastest-growing techsBusiness 2.0's annual rankings show another banner year for the businesses leading the tech revival. (more)
• Secrets of the B2 100
• Zapping wrinkles away
Business 2.0
Dream jobs of tomorrowThe United States may keep shedding jobs to foreign countries, but it cranks out new occupations like no one else. Here are just five of the hottest you can get into now. (more)
Business 2.0
The Next Net 25Our guide to the hottest Web 2.0 companies - and the powerful trends driving them - in this make-or-break year. (more)
• 'Wayne's World' meets the Web

REAL ESTATE NEWS

Latest News Of Real Estate
Best Place to Live
And the winners are...
Americans are flocking to places that offer big-city opportunities and amenities -- with a lot more green space and a lot less stress. See the top 10 Great American Towns.
1. Fort Collins, CO 2. Naperville, IL 3. Sugar Land, TX 4. Columbia/Ellicott City, MD
5. Cary, NC 6. Overland Park, KS 7. Scottsdale, AZ 8. Boise, ID 9. Fairfield, CT
Best places, state-by-state
Texas is home to the most finalists on this year's list. See the best places to live in your favorite state. (more)
• Texas • New York • California • See the rest
Top 100
See America's best small cities, plus the 10 best big cities, including detailed city stats and customizable maps. (more)
• 1-25 • 26-50 • 51-75 • 76-90 • Best big cities • See the rest
Top-earning cities
Where do residents have the highest incomes? Plus, more top 25 lists: (more)
• Job growth • Most singles • Priciest homes • Youngest • Best educated • Hottest
Top 100
Top-earning cities
Where do residents have the highest incomes? Plus, more top 25 lists: (more) • Job growth • Most singles • Priciest homes • Youngest
• Best educated • Hottest
Compare cities
See how your town stacks up: Use our exclusive tool to compare places you like to the Best Places to Live on housing, education, quality of life, leisure activities, and more. (more)
• How we pick the best places to live
MORE REAL ESTATE
Latest home prices: 151 markets trackedSecond-quarter numbers are in for 151 markets. How does your home town stack up? (more)
CALCULATORS
Compare cost of livingThinking about moving? See how much you should earn to maintain the same lifestyle. (more)
7 landscaping tips10:42am: These ideas offer some of the best returns for your renovation dollar. Plus, the payoff increases over time. (more)
Galleries
American foursquares - the anti-VictoriansSimple, straightforward, the American foursquare style was a welcome change from the highly detailed Victorian designs. (more)
Raising an eyebrow colonialExamples of this regional style abound north of New York City. (more)
Wrecking-ball bait - 5 teardownsHouses don't have to be falling down to be candidates for razing. What to look for. (more)
Calculators
What will your payments be?In the market for a new home? Find out how much you're likely to shell out for a new address. (more)
How much house can you afford?Tell us how much you make, how much you've got for a downpayment, and your debt, and find out how far to stretch when home hunting. (more)
Renovation WizardSee the average cost of 15 common projects and how much they can add to the value of your home. (more)
Compare cost of livingThinking about moving? See how much you should earn to maintain the same lifestyle. (more)
Does it pay to refinance?Compare your current mortgage with up to three options to see which is best. (more)

Monday, June 18, 2007

Finance and Money News

Latest Money and Finance News
Wipe out investment fees10:22am: High fees made one surfer's portfolio go schwack in the soup. Money Magazine's Asa Fitch tries to save him from the man in the gray suit. (more)
3 problems with refis10:08am: You may want to lock in a low interest rate with a new mortgage, but getting one will take the right moves. (more)
World's most expensive cities5:01pm: Moscow wins again, with London as runner up. New York drops five places to No. 15, while San Francisco plunges 20 places to No. 54, according to Mercer's 2007 survey. (more)
Retirement: Now what?!Jun 15: Think you know what will make you happy? Fortune Magazine checks in with those who've been there, done that. (more)
• Retired at 50: Five who did it
Can I declare bankruptcy on a cosigned loan?Gerri Willis looks at whether a bankruptcy from student loan debt will have a bad impact on the cosigner: Dad. (more)

Fighting extra hotel feesGerri Willis looks at what to do if your hotel tacks charges for optional services onto your bill. (more)
Essentials
Money 101: Controlling debtGood debt vs. bad debt and how to manage it all. (more)
• Buying a home
Investing in fundsIt's a mutual-fund jungle out there. Here's how to create a simple portfolio that works. (more)
Investing in stocksThe market can be a great place to turn savings into wealth -- or to lose your shirt. Here are some fundamentals of investing wisely. (more)
• Before you buy a stock
Planning for retirementAchieving a comfortable retirement in the 21st Century requires a new approach to retirement planning. (more)
• Investing in a 401(k)

Specials
MONEY Magazine
For sale: Scenes from a bubbleWondering how home prices got so high - and why they now have to fall? Here's the story of what hit you: an amorality play in four acts. Money Magazine reports. (more)
MONEY Magazine
Win in real estate nowForecasts for the 100 biggest markets...strategies for buyers and sellers...stocks vs. real estate. (more)
MONEY Magazine
What's next for the boomersWhat the boomers can expect from stocks, their home and other key investments. A catch-up retirement plan. What it costs to look 30 again. (more)

Millionaires in the Making
Millionaires in the makingSave early, save often. One family shows it's never too soon to get on the road to a million dollars. (more)
Calculators
Millionaire CalculatorTell us how much you have, how long you will save and at what rate, and find out when your nest egg will hit 7 figures. (more)
• Savings Calculator
• Asset Allocator
Net Worth: How do you stack up?See where you rank based on your income and age. (more)
Income for LifeSee how much your nest egg is worth in lifetime monthly payments. (more)
• Are you on track to retire young?
Cost of living comparisonThinking about moving? See how much you should earn to maintain the same lifestyle. (more)
College cost finderFind the annual costs of any four-year college or university in the United States. (more)

A step by step guide to gaining to control of your financial life
LESSON 1Setting prioritiesHere's help for the first -- and often the hardest -- step in achieving your financial goals: deciding which goals to pursue.
LESSON 2Making a budgetHow to bring your spending under control, so that you get the most out of every dollar.
LESSON 3Basics of banking and savingHere's how to get the best banking services at the best price, either online or off.
LESSON 4Basics of investingAn introduction to making money in stocks, bonds and mutual funds.
LESSON 5Investing in stocksThe market can be a great place to turn savings into wealth -- or to lose your shirt. Here are some fundamentals of investing wisely.
LESSON 6Investing in mutual fundsIt's a mutual-fund jungle out there. Here's how to create a simple portfolio that works.
LESSON 7Investing in bondsBonds can provide a steady and reasonably secure income, while adding ballast to your portfolio--but only if you really understand what you're buying.
LESSON 8Buying a homeOwning your home is part of the American Dream, but if you’re not prepared, buying it can be a nightmare. Here are some fundamentals for buyers and sellers.
LESSON 9Controlling debtYou've got to know when to hold debt--and when to fold it. This lesson shows you how to accomplish your financial goals by making debt work for you.
LESSON 10Employee stock optionsMore companies are handing out stock options, and to a much broader group of employees. This lesson gives you vital information on how to handle ESO's.
LESSON 11Saving for collegeIt's not rocket science, just common sense. By starting early and investing regularly, your children may have a wider choice of colleges, and paying the bill won't hurt as much.
LESSON 12Kids and moneyUp until they start earning a living, and sometimes well beyond that, kids are apt to spend money like it grows on trees. This lesson will help you put your children on the road to handling money responsibly.
LESSON 13Planning for retirementAchieving a comfortable retirement in the 21st Century requires a new approach to retirement planning.
LESSON 14Asset allocationThe single most important thing an investor can do is practice asset allocation. Here's how.
LESSON 15Hiring financial helpWhat to keep in mind when when seeking professionals to handle your financial planning, stock trading, insurance coverage and tax returns.
LESSON 16Health insuranceWhether your employer provides you with a group medical plan or you need to buy coverage on the individual market, understanding how health insurance works is the best way to get your money's worth.
LESSON 17Buying a carBuying a car is like no other shopping experience. The choices seem to be endless. This lesson helps you sort through your options.
LESSON 18TaxesAmong the long list of necessary evils we must encounter throughout our lives, perhaps the most constant -- taxes -- is also the least understood. But the whole process isn't nearly as baffling as you may think.
LESSON 19Home insuranceHomeowners' insurance can be a nightmare. It's costly, confusing, and unrewarding -- until you have to use it. Here, you'll learn how to purchase peace of mind now and later.
LESSON 20Life insuranceLife insurance is critical to financial planning. It's a necessity for anyone with dependents who would be affected financially by your demise. Yet life insurance is one of the hardest financial products to understand and it's sold by agents who are sometimes more concerned with their commissions than your needs. This Money 101 lesson is all about a better way to buy life insurance.
LESSON 21Estate planningAmericans are in the midst of one of greatest inter-generational transfers of wealth in history, yet few of us have done any planning for it. Here's how to start.
LESSON 22Auto insuranceAuto insurance can be a nightmare. It's costly, confusing, and unrewarding -- until you need it. Here's how to purchase peace of mind now and later.
LESSON 23401(k)sIt's the most important tool you've got for retirement. Here's how to make the most of it.
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