drierp

Apple's Snow Leopard Takes Two Steps Back

If you don't occasionally cut the old crap out of an operating system, you'll end up with the mess that was Vista..

Your statement: "Paying more for less? Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me." ignores all that Snow Leopard added..

Apple made a reasonable decision to remove outdated technology from a platform so the rest of it can progress forwards without carrying the weight of a thousand past mistakes.. If you can't see that, perhaps you shouldn't be writing about technology.

Inefficient Markets: Shorting, the VIX, and Unintended Consequences

Option market makers are allowed to short.. They weren't for the very first day of this new rule, but that stipulation was rescinded over that weekend. The remaining factor is the ultra high VIX, and resulting high IV in nearly every stock. So, while there still are market makers in all the available listed option contracts, there spreads are 2-3x what we'd consider "normal"..

'No Shorts' Outperforming

I'll second GKM.. financials were toast, down more than anyone else and on high fears.. No shorts + sec actions + possible 700B fix = up 3% more than everyone else.. wow, you're analysis was genius.. or at least it made me laugh.

Apple Credit Spreads: Targeting 500% Return

First off, this is more accurately called a vertical spread. and yes, it's of the debit variety.

Secondly, while this sounds all great, you're neglecting to point out that you're paying record high levels for AAPL volatility, and this current spread with only 2 contracts costs ~3 dollars per day to own at current levels. As the overall market volatility drops, AAPLs will likely do the same, lowering your profit without a move in Apple..

Not to say that this is a good or bad idea, just that options add about 4 dimensions to trading that most "everyday finance" type readers aren't ready for.

e.g. Had you instead bought just 1 of the 155s for $684 (less money in), it would be worth $1040 now.. a 52% return vs the ~40% you have now... Delta, Theta, Gamma, Vega all add up.. and it's dangerous to play without accounting for them all..

Can Apple Double Its iPhone Sales Goal?

it's 10 million phones IN 2008, not BY 2008.. check your facts!

iPhone SDK and Restrictions: Some of the Details Aren’t Great

being someone who has 2 applications I'd like to write for the iPhone, these points make one of them impossible without breaking the rules..

And while I wouldn't want 60 background apps killing my phone abilities either, I'd have to say that things like AIM would not work without having some facility for a SMALL background application keeping the connection alive. Nor will their Exchange connector with push e-mail, but being from Apple it won't have to follow the same rules.

I'd submit to further application scrutiny to gain additional privileges, if that were an option.

Anyone notice there's no API to initiate a phone call, text message, or e-mail? or not one I could find as of yet..

E*Trade Financial: Spinning the News

Even if they're opening 1000 new accounts per business day, that doesn't give any indication how many they're closing or that are being transfered to other houses..

open 1000, close 2000, and you're net losing customers..

or

open 1000 with $2k each, and close 100 with 25k each, and you're net losing customer assets..

The Forever Stamp: The Next Great Investment Opportunity?

your annualization of the increase doesn't work, or assumes a 2.44% increase EVERY 3 months, which isn't in any USPS plan I've seen..

And 2.44% for 4 quarters is 10.12% a year annualized..

You might as well said the 1 day increase is 2.44%, and the annualized version of that increase is 6605%..

Kindly Ignore Credit Suisse's Downgrade Of Dow Chemical

I (somewhat unfortunately) agree with CS, and here's why: Lets pretend the soda industry is expecting to make 20% this year, and within that industry, I expect Coke to Outperform, Redbull to be neutral, and Pepsi to Underperform the soda group.. To that end, I expect Coke to gain 30%, Redbull 20%, and Pepsi 10%.

Now, from that data, if I said "Go ahead and buy Pepsi, you should make 10%".. I wouldn't be giving the best advice given the data at hand.. Better advice would be "I think the Soda's are going to make 20% as a group, and individually I think Coke will do the best, with Pepsi coming in at the back of the pack.."

It's likely that CS has recommended other chemical companies as better than DOW.. Anyone biding their research wouldn't be doing their homework without at least checking them out.

Sure, making 15% on DOW would be nice, but I wouldn't call home about it if the market/industry is up 30% that year.