U.S. Housing Market Still On Life Support; Prices At 2003 Levels

With each passing year, the former Oracle of the Fed, Alan Greenspan, is reminded that there really was a housing bubble and lowering interest rates to record lows just made matters worse.  Nearly four years after the housing market peak in 2007, record low mortgage rates are no match for falling incomes and 9% unemployment.
The Case-Shiller Home Price Index, released on Tuesday, showed that nation wide home prices did not register a significant change in the third quarter of 2011, with the U.S. National Home Price Index up by only 0.1% from its second quarter level. Home prices are down 3.9% across the board and are now back to their first quarter of 2003 levels. The market consensus was for a 3% decline year over year.
From August to September, housing prices have fallen the most in Atlanta, with a 5.9% decline, followed by Tampa Bay and San Francisco, both with a 1.5% drop in housing prices.
Boston, New York, Washington and Los Angeles remain the most expensive cities in the lower 48 states.
"The plunging collapse of prices seen in 2007-2009 seems to be behind us," says David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Indices. "Any chance for a sustained recovery will probably need a stronger economy."

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Record-breaking 17.4 million Android and iOS devices activated on Christmas Day; tablets top smartphones

More Android and iOS devices were activated on Christmas Day this year than on any other day. According to analytics firm Flurry, 17.4 million Android and iOS devices were activated during the holiday, an increase of 332% compared to an average of 4 million activations per day. This year’s numbers were found to be more than two and a half times larger than Christmas Day last year, which saw 6.8 million devices activated. Once their smartphones and tablets were turned on, consumers collectively downloaded 328 million applications.
[More from BGR: Google names 12 best Android apps of 2012]
[More from BGR: Samsung looks to address its biggest weakness in 2013]
Interestingly, Flurry found that for the first time ever, more tablets (51% of all activations) were activated on Christmas than smartphones (49% of all activations). The big winners were said to be Apple’s (AAPL) iPad and iPad mini, and Amazon’s (AMZN) 7-inch Kindle Fire HD tablet.
The firm notes that “Amazon had a very strong performance in the tablet category, growing by several thousand percent over its baseline of tablet activations over the earlier part of December.

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iOS apps see Christmas sales spike shrink in 2012

Distimo just released its statistics on Christmas Day app downloads and revenue growth… and the download spike is far smaller than it was last year. Back in 2011, Christmas Day iOS app download volume spiked 230% above the December average. This year, the increase was just 87% — far below industry expectations. The revenue spike came in at 70%.
[More from BGR: Google names 12 best Android apps of 2012]
Interestingly, iPad downloads increased by 140% this Christmas, implying that the iPhone download bounce was really modest.
[More from BGR: New purported BlackBerry Z10 specs emerge: 1.5GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 8MP camera]
A few weeks ago, AppAnnie released statistics showing that iOS app revenue growth had stalled over the summer of 2012, whereas Android app revenue growth was relatively strong at 48% over a five month period. Both Distimo and Appannie are respected companies and their analytics are closely followed by app industry professionals. Could it be that the pace of iPhone app revenue growth has slowed down sharply from 2011 levels, even if Distimo and AppAnnie numbers aren’t entirely accurate?

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Leaked BlackBerry 10 slides show video calling and screen sharing for BBM

Research in Motion (RIMM) recently updated its BlackBerry Messenger application to include free Wi-Fi calling. With the release of BlackBerry 10 just around the corner, RIM is looking to add even more features to its flagship messaging app. Slides from a purported internal BlackBerry 10 presentation that were originally posted on the CrackBerry forums suggest that the company is planning to update BBM to include video calling and screen-sharing capabilities. A second slide highlights a task manager application called BlackBerry Remember, which is believed to be the replacement for RIM’s native Tasks app. Additional slides from the presentation can be viewed below.

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Samsung details Jelly Bean update with new features for original Galaxy Note

The Galaxy S III isn’t the only device getting new software features. Samsung (005930) confirmed on its website that the original Galaxy Note will be updated to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which should mean it’ll run faster thanks to UI enhancements from “Project Butter.” Samsung-specific features including multi-window    view for true multitasking, pop-up apps, photo frame mode, enhanced S Note and Google Now will also be available in the “Premium Suite” update. Essentially, the Galaxy Note will gain many of the features already available in the Galaxy Note II. The company didn’t provide any firm details on when the update will be released, but it should be any day now.

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The 2012 sporting year in quotes

OLYMPICS
"These were happy and glorious Games," - IOC president Jacques Rogge at the closing ceremony.
"I did everything I wanted to. I finished my career the way I wanted to," - American swimmer Michael Phelps after retiring with 18 gold medals.
"I hope that this medal inspires the kids at home to put down guns and knives and pick up a pair of trainers instead," - Erick Barrondo, winner of Guatemala's first-ever Olympic medal with silver in the men's 20-kilometre race walk.
"I'm now a legend. I'm also the greatest athlete to live," - Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt after retaining his 100 and 200 meter titles.
"Bolt was good but Rudisha was magnificent - it was the performance of the Games, not just track and field," - London 2012 head Sebastian Coe about Kenyan David Rudisha's world record win in the 800 meters.
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SOCCER
"I am more worried about being a good person than being the best football player in the world. When all this is over, what are you left with?" - Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi.
"We're talking about a great generation of footballers. This is a great era for Spanish football," - Spain coach Vicente del Bosque after his team won the European championship.
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TENNIS
"I'm sure he's smiling from up there that someone has finally managed to do it from Britain. I just hope I can see another British player in my lifetime win a Grand Slam," - Andy Murray after becoming the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win the U.S. Open.
"I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall. I have fallen several times. Each time I just get up and I dust myself off and I pray and I'm able to do better," - Serena Williams after coming back from a life-threatening illness to win the Wimbledon, Olympic and U.S. Open titles.
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GOLF
"I never got this far in my dreams," - Bubba Watson after winning the Masters in a dramatic playoff with Louis Oosthuizen.
"He's got all the talent in the world to do what he's doing. And this is the way that Rory can play," - Tiger Woods about Rory McIlroy after the Northern Irishman won the PGA Championship by eight shots.
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AMERICAN FOOTBALL
"This isn't about bragging rights. This is a lot bigger. This is about a team, an organization being named world champions," - New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning after winning his second Super Bowl, one more than his older brother Peyton.
"It is our responsibility to protect player safety and the integrity of our game and this kind of conduct will not be tolerated," - NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after announcing a range of penalties following revelations of the New Orleans Saints cash-for-hits scheme.
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BASKETBALL
"It's about damn time," - Miami Heat forward LeBron James after winning his first NBA title.
"We're all so proud of LeBron. When you get to know LeBron, you don't understand why he was such a lightning rod for the criticism," - Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.
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CYCLING
"It sounds cheesy, but your whole life is for this and the reason I got into cycling as a kid was today," - Bradley Wiggins after becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France.
"There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, 'Enough is enough.' For me, that time is now," - Lance Armstrong, announcing he would not contest the doping charges against him and his former team.
"The evidence shows beyond any doubt that the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen," - statement from U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief executive Travis Tygart.
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MOTOR RACING
"People were not even mentioning us when they were talking about the championship, but I think the most important thing was that we always kept believing," - Sebastian Vettel after winning his third successive Formula One world title at age 25.
"If the sword breaks, attack with the hands. If they cut off your hands, push the enemy with your shoulders, even with your teeth," - Championship runner-up Fernando Alonso about his battles with Vettel.
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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
"It's amazing what a group of guys who play like a team can accomplish. I'm numb that we have won two World Series in the last three years," - San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy after the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers 4-0 to win the Fall Classic.
"I'm a little bit flabbergasted to be honest with you. I never would have thought that we would have swept the New York Yankees (to reach the World Series) and I never would have thought that the Giants would have swept us but it happened," - Detroit manager Jim Leyland.
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ICE HOCKEY
"This is something everyone's dreamed of for their whole lives and this city's dreamed of for 45 years," - Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown after the Kings won the Stanley Cup for the first time.
"We are not prepared to open another season until we have a new collective bargaining agreement," - NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman signaling the start of another player lockout.
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CRICKET
"Where else in the world do you get the opportunity to basically kill someone with two bouncers an over? Or try, legally," - South African fast bowler Dale Steyn.
"Cricket is not like a government job where retirement age is fixed at 60. A cricketer can retire at 30 or 60; it's up to the player," - India's evergreen batsman Virender Sehwag.
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RUGBY
"It's for other people to judge whether we are the greatest team or not - or if we are a great team," - New Zealand coach Steve Hansen after another dominant season by the All Blacks.
"Today, we witnessed the arrival of a new generation of Welsh rugby heroes - a group of players who have equaled the success of those great Welsh teams of the past," - Wales First Minister Carwyn Jones after Wales won the Grand Slam and the Six Nations.

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UPDATE 1-Baseball-'Godzilla' Matsui retires from baseball

* Former Yankee ends 20-year career
* Tributes flood in for Japanese sporting celebrity (Adds quotes, details, dateline)
TOKYO, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Hard-hitting Hideki Matsui, who set several milestones for Japanese players in Major League Baseball, has announced his retirement from the game.
The 38-year-old slugger played for 10 seasons in MLB, seven of them with the New York Yankees, producing the most home runs, runs batted in and walks by a Japanese player in the league.
Matsui, the 2009 World Series MVP, told a news conference that he was no longer able to perform at the top level in either the United States or Japan.
"Today I'm bringing my 20-year baseball career to an end," Matsui, who had been a free agent since being released by the Tampa Bay Rays in August, told reporters in New York on Thursday.
"I'm both sad and relieved. I had the opportunity to play this season but my statistics were not good enough. That's the biggest reason."
Tributes flooded in for Matsui, a two-time All-Star with the Yankees fondly dubbed "Godzilla" since his early career in Japan for his powerful swing.
"He is a great player who always brought Japanese people hope and joy," Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters in Tokyo on Friday.
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said: "I've had a lot of team mates over the years with the Yankees, but I will always consider Hideki one of my favorites.
"Despite being shadowed by a large group of reporters, having the pressures of performing for his fans both in New York and Japan and becoming acclimated to the bright lights of New York City, he always remained focused and committed to his job and to those of us he shared the clubhouse with. I have a lot of respect for Hideki."
Matsui was the first Japanese-born player to win World Series MVP honours, going 8-for-13 with three homers and eight runs batted in as the Yankees beat the Phillies in 2009.
MATSUI 'CHERISHED'
"Hideki Matsui, in many ways, embodied what this organisation stands for," Yankees general managing partner Hal Steinbrenner said.
"He was dedicated to his craft, embraced his responsibilities to his team and fans, and elevated his play when he was needed the most.
"He did all these things with a humility that was distinctly his own, which is why he was such a big part of our success and why he will always be a cherished member of the Yankees family."
One of Japan's most dominant hitters with the Yomiuri Giants from 1993-2002, he joined the Yankees in 2003 on a three-year deal worth $21 million.
In 10 Major League seasons, he batted .282 with 760 runs batted in for the Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay, belting 175 home runs.
In Japan, he boasted a .304 career average with 332 homers and 889 RBIs in 1,268 games. In his last season with the Rays, he played in 34 games, batting just .147.
Asked about his 507 homers in MLB and Japan, Matsui said: "Hitting home runs has certainly been one thing I've been able to bring but I've always believed the team comes first."
Matsui, a huge celebrity in his home country, played 1,250 consecutive games to finish his Japanese career and did not miss a game in his first three seasons with the Yankees, playing 518 consecutive games.
He was a three-time MVP and nine-time All-Star in the Central League in Japan before signing with the Yankees. Matsui kept the door open for a future in coaching.

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NEWSMAKER-Baseball-Fire goes out for 'Godzilla' Matsui

TOKYO, Dec 28 (Reuters) - No longer the fearsome, fire-breathing "Godzilla" of old, injury-ravaged Hideki Matsui retired from baseball with his head held high and as a huge source of national pride for Japan.
The 38-year-old slugger, World Series MVP in 2009 with the New York Yankees, helped put Japanese baseball on the map after the trail-blazing Hideo Nomo and mercurial Ichiro Suzuki had enjoyed success across the Pacific.
In one interview, Matsui said he batted right-handed as a child but when he began playing with his older brother and friends, he was so good his embarrassed sibling forced him to switch hands.
He never looked back, thereafter hitting left-handed and later earning the nickname "Godzilla" from Japanese fans and media for his ferocious ball-striking.
Matsui ended a glittering 20-year career - split evenly between Japan and Major League Baseball - dignity intact after acknowledging his powers had waned.
He told a news conference in New York on Thursday: "I have no regrets. Playing for the Yankees was an honour and I felt blessed to be there every day."
Matsui's raw power attracted attention while still at a tender age, drawing five straight intentional walks in a game at Japan's national high school tournament in 1992.
Considered unsportsmanlike, the incident sparked debate in the media and became a talking point nationwide, while Matsui's samurai-like stoicism at being walked earned great praise.
He was already a huge celebrity in Japan when he moved to the bright lights of New York in 2003, signing a three-year deal worth $21 million from Japan's Yomiuri Giants.
Matsui played for the Bronx Bombers for seven of his 10 seasons in the majors and was twice an All-Star while with the storied ballclub.
He hit a grand slam in his first game at Yankee stadium in 2003 but will be best remembered for driving in six RBI's in the clinching Games Six of the 2009 World Series.
Matsui became the first Japanese-born player to win World Series MVP honours, going 8-for-13 with three home runs as the Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2.
He batted .282 with 760 RBI's during his time with the Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics and the Tampa Bay Rays, belting 175 home runs.
Matsui smacked 507 career homers, 332 with Japan's most popular club the Giants. A free agent since being released by Tampa Bay in August, Matsui was about more than numbers.
"By taking on the challenge of playing for the fabled Yankees, he has had an enormous influence on the development of baseball in Japan," Japan's home run king Sadaharu Oh remarked.
NO REGRETS
"Having walked the path that he himself chose with such success, he can have no regrets," added Oh, who owns the world career home run record with 868. "He's done a great job."
Matsui quickly dashed hopes of a return to the Giants or Japanese baseball, where he was one of the game's most dominant hitters
"The Giants are like home for me," he said. "If I returned, many fans would expect to see me as I was 10 years ago and to be honest I don't have the confidence of getting that back."
Matsui's retirement prompted a flood of tributes, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter saying: "I've had a lot of team mates over the years but I will always consider Hideki one of my favourites."
Japanese politicians chimed in, while the news flashed across television screens since the announcement was broadcast live at 7 a.m. on Friday in his home country.
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida expressed sadness, adding that "the fact he provided so much excitement to baseball fans in Japan and America is a truly remarkable achievement".
More comfortable in the glare of public scrutiny than Ichiro, who broke a string of MLB records while at the Seattle Mariners but now with the Yankees, Matsui went out with typical grace.
He had dutifully telephoned his former mentor Shigeo Nagashima, Matsui's manager when he made his professional debut for the Giants in 1993.
"He said he was a little sad but said I'd done well," said Matsui. "Coach Nagashima was the foundation for everything that happened to me in baseball. He taught me everything."
Nagashima reluctantly agreed Matsui had made the correct decision, acknowledging the player would have agonised over it.
"He's been battling knee injuries for the past two or three years," Nagashima said. "I think he wanted to preserve the image fans cherished rather than continue playing through the pain."
Joe Torre, Matsui's manager for his first five years at the Yankees, also paid a glowing tribute.
"Hideki came to the Yankees as a superstar and immediately became a team favourite," he said. "Not only for his talent but for the unselfishness he brought to the game every day.
"Hideki Matsui is a winner and I was proud to be his manager.

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News Corp buys regional sports channel in Ohio

- News Corp said on Friday it bought SportsTime Ohio, a Cleveland-based regional sports network that broadcasts Cleveland Indians baseball games.
The company did not disclose financial details. A source close to the matter said on Friday the deal was worth roughly $230 million, which Reuters first reported on December 3.
The network, owned by the Cleveland Indians baseball team, also airs programming on the Cleveland Browns National Football League team, college football and high school sports.
Fox said it a statement it also struck a separate long-term TV rights agreement to air Cleveland Indians baseball games. Fox will pay the team about $40 million per year for more than 10 years as part of a new agreement, according to the source close to the matter.
Fox already owns a regional sports channel in Ohio, called Fox Sports Ohio, which is available in 5 million homes. It held the rights to Cleveland Indians games until 2006.
Fox Sports, which operates or holds stakes in 20 regional sports networks, provides sports programming to more than 67 million subscribers.
New York-based News Corp has been stepping up efforts to control the rights to key sports teams in response to Time Warner Cable Inc's $3 billion deal in February 2011 to carry the Los Angeles Lakers basketball games on its Time Warner SportsNet Channel.
Last month, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp said it would buy a 49 percent stake in the YES network, a sports channel controlled by the New York Yankees baseball team, a deal that sources said was valued at $3 billion. Reuters has reported that Fox is also negotiating a 25-year extension of its existing agreement to carry Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games and could pay as much as $6 billion for those rights.
News Corp is planning to separate its publishing and entertainment assets into two publicly traded companies next year. News Corp's regional sports networks, film and television businesses, which currently include the 20th Century Fox film studio, Fox broadcasting network and Fox News channel, will be part of the renamed parent company that will be called Fox Group.
News Corp shares were trading 9 cents lower, or 0.3 percent lower at $24.81 per share.

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After prison release, Urbina returns to baseball

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Former major league pitcher Ugueth Urbina returned to baseball Friday after serving 7½ years in prison for the attempted murder of five workers on his family's ranch.
Before taking the field in his native Venezuela to play for the Lions of Caracas, Urbina described himself as "more mature" and said he was "very excited to play baseball again."
"I'm excited to be here," Urbina told reporters at the University Stadium in Caracas, where the Lions played the Zulia Eagles.
The 38-year-old pitcher was released from prison Sunday after serving roughly half of his 14-year sentence for attempted murder during a dispute over a gun on Oct. 16, 2005.
Urbina was found guilty of attacking and injuring workers with a machete. Several other men participated in the attack at his family's ranch, located about 25 miles from Caracas.
Urbina, who pitched for the Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies, has repeatedly denied involvement with the incident that landed him in prison, saying he was sleeping at the time of the attack.
A two-time All-Star, Urbina saved 237 big league games from 1995-2005. He had two saves in the 2003 World Series to help the Marlins beat the New York Yankees, and last pitched in the majors with the Phillies in 2005.
Urbina told reporters he hopes to play professional baseball in the United States again.
"The first order of business is pitching in Venezuela," he said.

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