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"In many ways, the iPad is reinventing portable computing and outstripping the wildest predictions," Apple chief Timothy D. Cook said last week while unveiling the tablet computer's latest upgrade. A bit of hyperbole? Yes, but Cook won't get any argument from online brokers. Barely a year after the first real investment-related applications were designed for it, the iPad has become a viable platform for buying stocks and bonds and is driving gains in mobile-trading activity.
Big brokers like TD Ameritrade, E*Trade and Fidelity, as well as smaller rivals like MB Trading and OptionsHouse, have all rushed to serve iPad-based customers with new apps. Although no industry-wide figures are available, there's lots of evidence the iPad and other mobile devices are having an effect. Ameritrade says the number of transactions taking place on mobile devices has more than doubled in each of the past two years. E*Trade reports an average of 200,000 unique monthly mobile log-ins and that 5% of its retail trades took place on a mobile device at the end of 2011. OptionsHouse CEO George Ruhana says mobile apps now account for over 15% of the firm's core customer activity.
And more growth is coming. As Apple's Cook noted: 55 million iPads have been sold since their launch in 2010, with 15.4 million of that total in the most recent holiday quarter alone.
Should the growth continue, the iPad and its rivals will prompt even more investors to cut the cord as the brokers provide more and better apps. "Our data show that when customers feel they get the same functionality out of a tablet that they do out of their desktop software, they will break the cords and go mobile for active trading," says David Lipsett, president of MB Trading. "You should never have to sacrifice features over the technology venue in which you access our services."
Barron's was so impressed with the real and potential gains in mobile (though we predicted as much last March), that we've made a significant change to our scoring rubric in our 17th annual ranking of the Best Online Brokers. We've added a mobile category to our rating. To compensate we've combined two categories–trading experience and trading technology–into one. A differentiator this year is the availability and quality of mobile trading and account data, so we looked for streaming real-time data, including charting and news. We looked for ways to trade stock and options on a tablet or smartphone. Cross-platform integration is key; when you set up a watchlist on your desktop, it should be available on your mobile device as well (and vice versa). Brokers who do not offer a mobile app, or who have limited capabilities, suffered in our rankings this year.
The brokers' creativity extended beyond the iPad to mobile generally. New mobile applications included those that offered simple balance data and the ability to place a stock transaction, on up to streaming graphs and complex options order-entry capability. In addition, an increasing number of smartphone apps can now help you deposit a check using the device's built-in camera. TD Ameritrade's iPhone app even lets you scan a barcode when you're at the grocery store, and get a quote on the stock of the company that makes those cookies you like. It's an exciting evolution in trading technology, and one that we expect to continue this year.
As important as it is to stay connected to the markets in volatile times, the iPad and mobile weren't the only news in 2011. International trading is hot. With Fidelity launching foreign trading in January, and Schwab's plan to roll it out later this year, retail online investors will increasingly have the ability to place transactions directly on international exchanges. The currency conversion choices vary, from managing the trades in dollar amounts to changing dollars into the local currency, and maintaining the holdings in that foreign currency.
It's not just about getting information whenever you want, but being able to go wherever you want. Nearly half of the brokers surveyed allow online currency exchange of some stripe, including foreign-exchange trading. Steve Quirk, senior vice president of the Trader Group at TD Ameritrade, says, "Clients are trading during hours of the day that were reserved in the past for sleep."
Although it may be under attack, the desktop got some serious help in the last year. Schwab and E*Trade are completely rewriting their platforms, while Interactive Brokers rolled out a truly elegant (and much-needed) update to its Trader Workstation. The new kid on the block, Kapitall, has an interface based on gaming technology that is truly unique.
AND THE WINNERS ARE... We evaluated 27 firms, focusing on what they have to offer for wealthy, active traders. We evaluated these rivals across eight categories, looking for what can be traded online, how the tools work together across platforms, the design and capabilities of mobile platforms, educational offerings and customer service, and the nuts and bolts of placing and executing a trade. When examining costs, we considered stock and options commissions as well as platform or maintenance fees, margin debt and charges for transferring an account. For complete details of our scoring system see the glossary at the end of the story.
Though we award 4½ stars (out of a possible five) to four brokers this year, we also list the top brokers in six categories–long-term investing, options trading, international investing, high-frequency trading, services for novices and in-person service—to help you decide where you should open (or transfer) an account. We show the brokers who were at the extremes when we calculated the monthly cost of trading for infrequent traders as well as for those who trade multiple times per day.
And now to the rankings. Thanks to its much improved platform, and its excellent mobile-trading tools, we have a new winner.
Interactive Brokers (interactivebrokers.com) claimed its victory on points over some tough competition. But let's get the caveats out of the way quickly: This is not a broker for the casual buy-and-hold investor; as a matter of fact, the firm is clearly aimed at hedge funds and very frequent traders. There is a minimum monthly fee of $10, which can be disposed of with a few trades. In addition, some of the data feeds are not free, but if you have multiple accounts at IB, you only have to pay for them once. A $10,000 minimum is required to open an account, and it's clear from online-discussion groups that the customer service available to small account holders is not exactly warm and fuzzy.
What Interactive Brokers is doing right more than compensates for its social awkwardness. The recently launched update to the Trader Workstation features a new interface called Mosaic, which can be customized to your heart's content. It's much easier to use than its previous incarnation, and the customization features are terrific. We also found Interactive Broker's portfolio analysis and reporting and tax-accounting features superior.
The Tax Optimizer allows you to select a specific tax lot, but it goes well beyond that. It allows customers to run real-time "what-if" scenarios to choose the best tax lot and profit-and-loss impact methodology for a particular transaction for all asset classes except futures.
Frequent traders will find this a great way to figure out the tax impact of multiple trades, and the paperwork doesn't have to be submitted the moment the trade is placed. You have until 8 p.m. eastern time the day of the trade to decide what lots you sold so you can examine the tax ramifications of each.
The Portfolio Analyst lets a client assess his performance at any time, using up to 150 industry benchmarks. One particularly interesting report covers Performance Attribution, which compares your account's return to a chosen index, such as the S&P 500, and explains the difference in return due to variations in sector weighting. In other words, how much of your portfolio change was due to market moves, and how much was due to your investing expertise? Reports can be saved and edited; advisors can set up a batch of their client reports to review.
IB has a terrific iPad app, mobileTWS, that takes full advantage of the device's expansive real estate. The layout puts the controls along the right and left margins of the app, keeping the main central viewing area from being blocked by your hands when you want to change views. Streaming quotes and graphs are clearly displayed, as well as the full life cycle of a trade, from creation to fill. Very well done.
The firm's customer-service reputation, or lack thereof, is hard to dispute. For those who are bringing $100,000 or more to a new account, however, IB offers an ambassador who is your single contact through the transition. In addition, the firm's customer-service group has been expanded and there are now reps around the globe, allowing customers to reach someone in support around the clock.
Commissions and fees are very low, though there are some extras you'll find in data fees for international exchanges, and fees for streaming news in the IB Information Systems research platform. You can get a lot done without paying extra, though.
MB Trading (mbtrading.com) merits the 4½-star mark again, with many improvements to its flagship platform as well as the launch of terrific mobile apps. A goal of the development team was to add customer-requested features to the software, and to unify the look and feel of those features across offerings. MB Trading clients can take advantage of a powerful downloadable software application, MBT Desktop Pro, a very functional Web platform, or its well-designed mobile apps.
One feature that MB Trading customers asked for–and received–was an improved order-entry process. Customers trading via MBT Desktop Pro or MBT Web can opt to use one-click trading for stocks, options, futures or foreign exchange, defining their preferences for each asset class. Advanced options analytics were added as well as enhancements to charting and technical analysis.
On the mobile side, the tablet versions support all order types, including a wide variety of conditional orders. The multi-panel layout lets you display quotes, charts, and an order-entry ticket at the same time.
The charting functionality on the mobile apps is deep, with over 60 technical indicators available and real-time analysis, in all asset classes including foreign exchange. This is one of the very few brokers that has mobile capability for foreign-exchange trading.
Mac users will be happy to learn that there is a native version of Desktop Pro available, supporting all the asset classes, order types, and market depth displays from the traditional PC-based version.
MB Trading is a boutique firm; its customer service is terrific when you call a human, but its online community is not very active. Fees are in the mid-range and though its services are aimed at frequent traders, experienced options traders and those interested in foreign-exchange and futures trading can also find a home here.
TradeMonster (trademonster.com) is our top-rated Web-only broker this year, earning 4½ stars. Though you log into its platform on the Web, it has a downloadable software look and feel, with streaming data pushed into view with every tick. The mobile apps reflect the Web-based features. Options traders will find a wealth of terrific analytic and trading tools here, and those not yet into options will appreciate the education that guides you to the appropriate trading strategies.
TradeMonster's tradeCycle feature is one we've raved about since it was introduced in February 2010. TradeCycle encourages you to do your homework, using the site's Research Lab, prior to pulling the trigger. One update this year is that news events are color-coded: red for bearish events, such as a drop in earnings, or green for bullish events, such as an uptick in sales. The liveAction scanning tool displays the results of over 100 technical scans running in real-time; you can save the results to a watchlist for future perusal.
TradeMonster is also very responsive to its customer requests, adding numerous features to the platform such as text message alerts, the ability to adjust the cost basis of a spread and the ability to configure your gain and loss metrics to include commissions and fees.
When placing an order, you can wrap as many conditions around it as you can imagine. The order-entry ticket has a built-in graphical position analysis, which is especially helpful for those placing options orders. A newly-launched feature called the Quantity Assistant lets you calculate the number of shares or contracts based on a percentage of buying power or percentage of a holding; these calculations can be made across multiple accounts as well.
Speaking of multiple accounts, tradeMonster offers some slick tools to investment advisors that can also be used by retail investors. One is the Group Order, which lets you send an order for multiple accounts. You can also search across multiple accounts for a particular stock or options contract, or search on tags applied to past trades. Bond trading has been added this year as well as portfolio margining. TradeMonster, which was sixth on our list a year ago, has stepped up to run with the big dogs.
TradeStation (tradestation.com), last year's winner, didn't keep pace with its rivals' gains, though it definitely deserves its 4½ stars. Its mobile apps fell a little short of others' efforts. There is, however, a lot to like here, including major enhancements to education offerings and dazzling options analytical tools.
You can trade just about everything in this powerful downloadable software platform, including forex. TradeStation gives you the ability to create your own trading system based on a variety of technical and fundamental data, and test it using several decades' worth of clean data. The order router does a terrific job of finding the best price; active day traders appreciate the superior speed and quality of executions.
The order router employs logic that seeks out and captures price improvement, designed to account for the fact that the orders displayed in market-depth reports do not reflect what is actually available. Fills are very fast, in spite of the number of markets that are being queried in the course of each order.
Serious investors who require a variety of professional-grade testing, scanning, and trading tools will also appreciate the TradeStation platform. User requests from TradeStation's very active social network were the inspiration for the major product and service enhancements of the last year. Its OptionStation Pro platform gives options traders new ways to analyze and visualize theoretical and actual options positions. Chart trading adds the ability to trade directly from the platform's readily customizable charts.
Though TradeStation was acquired by Japan's Monex Group last year, there's been no slowdown in its development. We expect to see more inroads into Asian markets for the firm.
This software, once again, is clearly not from a broker who is catering to the uninitiated. There's a $99 per-month platform fee if you trade fewer than the equivalent of 5,000 shares of stock per month or 50 options contracts.
THE FOLLOWING THREE BROKERS were part of a large contingent (seven in all) that earned four stars (click here for the entire list). Each of them merits serious attention, and it's possible that some of their services could better fit your needs than would other brokers higher on the list. We offer them with a brief summation of pros and cons.
OptionsHouse (optionshouse.com)
Pros: Terrific tools for options traders, as you might have guessed from the name. A suite of risk-management tools was just launched, based on professional risk analysis used by OptionsHouse's parent firm, options-market maker Peak6. This suite is designed to give options traders a better picture of what is generating risk in their portfolios across eight different categories. The mobile tools are terrific. Serious options traders will be very happy here.
Cons: Very limited access to international markets.
TD Ameritrade (tdameritrade.com).
Pros: A wide range of technology that brings the world to traders and investors of every experience level. The Web platform gives you access to Trade Architect, which is a bridge application intended to introduce intermediate-level traders to the tools added to the firm with the acquisition of thinkorswim. TD Ameritrade's mobile apps, especially for the iPad, are very well-designed. There are quite a few research amenities available to TD Ameritrade customers that you would pay extra for at other firms.
Cons: Near the top of the cost scale, but you get a lot of bang for the (many) bucks.
optionsXpress (optionsxpress.com).
Pros: Great research tools for those moving into options trading, plus well-designed mobile apps that let you execute complex options orders. Acquired by Charles Schwab last year, optionsXpress kept up its pace of innovation, including the launch of Xtend, which brought streaming data into a Web-based trading platform. The firm plans to maintain itself as a separate brand under the Schwab umbrella for an indefinite period. OptionsXpress customers saw commissions drop this year as the pricing lined up with Schwab's rates. We remain huge fans of the optionsXpress All-in-One Trade Ticket and consider it the industry standard for placing orders in a multi-asset environment.
Cons: The proliferation of available platforms can be confusing. There's no single platform where all the tools are accessible.
GIVEN ALL THE TECHNOLOGICAL advances in the online brokerage offerings during 2011, we can't help looking ahead, and to take a few guesses at what we can reasonably expect to see.
TradeKing (tradeking.com)
Pros: An active and engaged community of traders which includes the ability to interact with CEO Don Montanaro, along with a wide variety of trading professionals. TradeKing is building out its proprietary HTML5 platform, TradeKing LIVE, which is a browser-based application with streaming data that can run on any device. It's got a lot of great tools for options traders, including easy-to-view options chains. The tools are customizable and can be placed wherever you'd like on the page.You can attend live or archived webinars on a variety of topics, and its cost-basis reporting tools (Maxit from Scivantage) are excellent.
Cons: Mobile trading is limited, though iPad and Android apps are expected later this year.
PlaceTrade (placetrade.com)
Pros: This firm could be considered a kindler, gentler Interactive Brokers. Trades are executed at IB using a platform they've licensed to CEO Sarah Place, but customers can also access the full-service brokerage offerings as well at a surprisingly low price. New to the survey this year, this firm's rating can be attributed to utilizing the IB trading engine while offering a great deal of personalized service.
Cons: Website generates a new page with nearly every click, so your desktop gets messy quickly.
E*Trade (etrade.com)
Pros: Real-time quotes, once reserved only for active traders, are more readily available via the firm's site redesign, called E*Trade 360. The customizable layout lets you put together a trading and investing dashboard with your favorite items displayed. Education has been a focus for E*Trade as well, with 57 live events offered in 2011 and more planned in 2012. Power E*Trade Pro integrated more options research and trading functionality, including an options screener that's good for finding new ideas as well as hedging current positions. The updated bond center offers additional education as well as analytical tools that echo those available to equities and options traders. E*Trade's iPad app is very well-designed.
Cons: To fully utilize all the tools E*Trade offers, you'll have to jump from E*Trade 260 to Power E*Trade Pro.
Fidelity (fidelity.com)
Pros: Fidelity's active-trader application, ActiveTraderPro.com, combines streaming data, news, and market scanning tools that arefree for customers who qualify. We especially like the searchable news feeds, which start out with news about your positions and watchlists, but can be customized to your heart's content. Options tools, especially for multi-leg trading, have been seriously enhanced, with features like a trading ticket that populates dynamically based on the rules for your chosen strategy as well as your approved trading level. The Fidelity Website received a fixed-income research and education update as well as access to Recognia's technical analysis tools.
Cons: The most useful streaming tools are only available to qualified customers, and you'll have to flip to the Website for many of the research features.
Charles Schwab (schwab.com)
Pros: The granddaddy of them all is trying hard to keep up with the new kids by updating its tools, offering a streaming platform called StreetSmart Edge, which is being developed in-house. It's a great move forward into more modern technology, and there are plans to roll out a cloud-based version that can run as a native Mac app in the near future. The workflow and ability to customize StreetSmart Edge, plus tools like a momentum tracker and enhanced charting, are welcome additions. The expansion of optionsXpress in 2011 gives Schwab some much-needed options tools. Education and in-person help is a comfort for those who still want to interact with a human.
Cons: You still have to qualify for StreetSmart Edge, and the usual Web platform is looking tired.
ChoiceTrade (choicetrade.com)
Pros: Recently lowered options commissions to $5 plus $0.15 per contract, which is very reasonable. The Web-based service was overhauled; one interesting feature is the ability to stage orders and set up very complex contingencies in The Wheel. The Wheel lets you define a series of conditions that can turn it into either a short-term scalping engine, or a long-term profit managing engine. It's a great step forward for the order-entry process. The options chain displays the intrinsic value of a contract on the screen, which is a unique feature. Frequent traders can use ChoiceTrader Select, a very powerful execution platform powered by eSignal.
Cons: Several add-ons, including streaming quotes and charts, invoke an additional fee.
Zecco (zecco.com)
Pro: The newly-launched trading center includes free streaming real-time quotes and an updated charting application. One intriguing new feature is a dollars-to-shares converter on the order-entry screen. The firm's added a context-sensitive help system that can be toggled off if you'd rather not be bothered. Options-trading tools have been expanded; automatic display of 16 different strategies is now available, which includes the Greeks and a prefilled order ticket. Mutual-fund order entry screens are improved, and show the minimum investment necessary. Zecco has a separate entity, Zecco Forex, for foreign-exchange trading; it requires its own account. Zecco is pushing hard to tie into a variety of social-networking sites, and has also worked to upgrade its customer service.
Cons: Margin data are updated overnight, which could be a concern for the frequent trader. No iPad app.
Scottrade (scottrade.com)
Pros: The firm integrated an online-banking service into its brokerage in 2011, giving it more of a "one-stop shopping" feel. Scottrade is known for having branches all over the US; the current count is well over 500, making this firm a reasonable choice for those who want some in-person help. Though the trading platform isn't state-of-the-art, fees are very reasonable and stable. Scottrade set its $7 per trade commission rate back in 1998, and hasn't (yet) budged. Scottrade added a group of Morningstar Focus ETFs that customers can trade commission-free.
Cons: Portfolio performance reports are based on delayed quotes. Complex options trades must be executed on a separate platform. Limited mobile apps.
Merrill Edge (merrilledge.com)
Pros: Integrated banking services with Bank of America; those with $25,000 or more in cash in a BofA or Merrill Edge account qualify for 30 commission-free stock trades per month. Merrill eliminated tiered pricing, which resulted in a fee drop for approximately 75% of its client base. The fixed-income center added to the Website is nicely laid out, and allows access to a large inventory. Also new this year is an options research center, which includes a strategy builder and some options-related education. The Retirement Center includes a great interactive tool to help plan for retirement. The Research Library contains a wide range of proprietary reports, including the BofAl-ML US1 report. You'll find Merrill financial advisors at 500 BofA branches now; the company's goal is to push that to 1,000 this year.
Cons: The site feels like it's prodding you to move to a more managed style of account (along with the higher fees). Very limited ability to place conditional orders.
Lightspeed Trading (lightspeed.com)
Pros: A terrific platform for the very high frequency trader who is interested in low-cost trading of stocks and options. The platform includes a very powerful scanning tool, Lightscan, which screens the entire universe of symbols based on customer-defined filters. Lightspeed is the first broker to offer Recognia's Education On Demand, which supplies well-designed text and video tutorials, followed up by quizzes to let you know how much sunk in. Customers can use the List Order Entry window to execute a group of orders at once. Options screening and trading functionality are being enhanced this year, with complex options capability promised for the very near future. Lightspeed plans to add access to global markets in 2012 also.
Cons: This platform suffers in our rating system because of its limited range of offerings and lack of mobile technology, but its target customers probably aren't bothered by that.
Just2Trade (just2trade.com)
Pros: Low, low costs with few frills. Some great education offerings from such a low-cost broker. Among them: Recognia's technical analysis system. The order-entry flow has been improved so that a real-time quote is automatically displayed. The Recognia technical events chart is displayed on the order-entry page as well, which is a nice touch. Other additions this year include complex options and fixed-income trading, so this is a good package of products at very low cost.
Cons: Limited mobile functionality, weak portfolio analysis tools.
SogoTrade (sogotrade.com)
Pros: Now a subsidiary of Wang Investments, SogoTrade survived its clearing firm changeover and is now running smoothly. Simple Website to navigate.
Cons: Limited customizability on Web, limited mobile functionality. No fixed-income inventory. This broker still seems to be trying to figure out who they are.
SpeedTrader (speedtrader.com)
Pros: Low fees with access to the software platform DASTrader. SpeedTrader has two Web platforms and offers access to two downloadable platforms as well. You can automate your trading strategies on their SpeedTrader PRO platform. This firm focuses on institutional business.
Cons: Not a terribly friendly environment for the retail trader. Limited portfolio analysis and tax reporting.
Cobra Trading (cobratrading.com, venomtrading.com)
Pros: Newly launched Web platform, Venom Trading, is a customizable application written in Microsoft Silverlight, accessible from any browser. Customers can also use the very powerful RealTick platform for an additional fee. Venom is a step in the right direction.
Cons: Most research tools require additional subscription fees. No fixed-income trading. Confusing to require navigation to a separate Website to log into Venom.
eOption (eoption.com)
Pros: Very low costs for options traders, and a low flat rate for any size stock order. Newsletter subscribers can enable automatic execution of suggested trades, defining the maximum amount per trade based on dollars, percentage of account, number of contracts or shares, etc. Quick and easy paperless account opening process.
Cons: Limited research capabilities, so you may need an account at a broker with better amenities to find trading opportunities. No mobile functionality.
TradingBlock (tradingblock.com)
Pros: Portfolio Hedger points out options-trading strategies that can protect, or even generate, income from, your existing stock positions by putting on a strategy called a collar. To generate trading ideas, you can check out its TradeBuilder tool, which ranks up to 24 possible trades based on your speculative idea. TradingBlock is adding tools to its Website in the next few months intended to help generate income.
Cons: Occasional issues with quote engine. Few screening tools outside of those for options. No mobile functionality.
Firstrade (firstrade.com)
Pros: Simple and straightforward Web trading platform that can be switched to Chinese. Updated account notifications in the newly designed Message Center.
Cons: Limited streaming capability, but the firm is working to fix this objection. No tax-lot selection when closing a position.
ING Direct / Sharebuilder (sharebuilder.com)
Pros: Set up automatic trading to build your portfolio for a monthly subscription fee. You can also trade in real time. Interesting carousel view of multiple accounts makes it easy to pick the account you want to work with. This carousel theme is echoed throughout the site. This is a decent choice for those who want to build a basic portfolio of ETFs and invest automatically. Note: Parent firm was recently acquired by Capital One, so the branding may change later this year.
Cons: Limited range of offerings – no complex options or bonds.
SureTrader (suretrader.com)
Pros: Two platforms that offer streaming data. Aimed at the high frequency trader.
Cons: The company has headquarters in the Bahamas, offers no toll-free dial-in from the U.S. and very high margin rates.
Kapitall (kapitall.com)
Pros: New kid on the block with a game-like trading and research interface. Full review published 2/25/2012 on Barron's Online (Electronic Investor "Shopping for Stocks").
Cons: For now, you can only trade stocks long with Kapitall – no margin, no options, and no mobile
We anticipate more interest in tax-related wares, since the Internal Revenue Service has begun implementing its cost-basis reporting rules. Traders and investors are becoming more savvy about the tax consequences of their trades, and are demanding better pretrade analysis. Similarly, a small but noisy subset of traders want direct access to international assets that range from Canadian oil stocks to Brazilian mining stocks.
Most brokers we polled expect the costs of trading will remain pretty stable. As volatile and punishing as conditions were last year, the markets continue to settle from the upheaval of 2008 and 2009. Some additional small brokers may fall into the arms of bigger rivals interested in their technology, and one or two bigger mergers are possible, but the online brokerage consolidation is mostly done.
And as for new firms? We just welcomed Kapitall in 2011, and you may see a handful of others in 2012.
Certainly, you should expect mobile applications to become even more plentiful and interesting, particularly for the tablets like iPad that combine desktop capabilities with smartphones' portability.
As TD Ameritrade's Steve Quirk says, "We believe that mobile is the future, and the growth trends will continue through 2012."
We Ranked Our 27 Brokers Using the Following Measures
Trading Technology: This category represents the overall workflow for placing an order as well as the order routing technology.
We evaluated the quality of the data available prior to placing an order with an emphasis on streaming real-time data. A real-time quote that is displayed without any additional user input (such as typing the symbol into a separate box or hitting a "Quote" button) receives credit here; if the trader has to make a duplicate entry of the ticker symbol to get a quote, the broker got zero. We checked out the ways a trader is told that an order is executed, such as pop-up notices or an order status screen that is updated when the order fills.
We looked for prefilled order tickets when selling a position, which eliminates possible errors during the closing process. We also evaluated the options order entry process, as well as mutual-fund, bond, and (when available) futures, commodities and foreign-exchange order-entry screens. Methods for placing conditional orders, such as one-cancels-another or one-triggers-another, were checked out.
The availability of price-improvement strategies and smart-order routing technology (which finds the best bid or offer) are necessary to earn top ratings in this category. We asked whether a broker's order routing engine used a spray or sequential engine; spray routing contacts multiple venues simultaneously and are less inclined to execute orders via routes that offer payment for order flow. Brokers offering price improvement—a sale above the bid price, a buy below the offer—received a fraction of a point depending on the portion of their transactions that benefited.
Top marks were earned by brokers who offered a wide array of order types, including conditional orders, and had spray order routing technology. The ability to place a trade from a graph earned a fraction of a point. In addition, we looked for ways to customize the trading experience, such as setting a default number of shares or contracts, to speed order entry. The order entry-and-execution process must flow easily from one step to the next, with streaming real-time information (including buying power and margin balance) available when needed.
Usability: A 5 here means the site or program was easy to use and well-designed, didn't bog down when moving from screen to screen, and can be tailored to the user's needs. We looked at how easy it is to get started on the platform or website as a new customer. Constant availability of a trading ticket, and easy access to research and account status data is key. Being able to easily switch from one area of the website or program to another is important here, as are customization options.
Mobile: A differentiator this year is the availability and quality of mobile trading and account data. We looked for streaming real-time data, including charting and news. We looked for ways to trade stock and options on your tablet or smart phone. Cross-platform integration is key; when you set up a watchlist on your desktop, it should be available on your mobile device as well. We also considered the workflow for placing an order and managing an account. To earn a 5 in this category, a broker must offer the ability to place complex options transactions and conditional orders, and be able to share watchlists and trade ideas with the customer's desktop or Web-based offering.
Range of Offerings: We awarded points for the diversity of investments that can be traded online, with partial points given for those that can only be traded offline. Since long and short stock-trading, as well as single-leg options orders are now standard, we don't award points for those transactions. We asked brokers how many stocks, on average, their customers can sell short, and awarded up to a half-point based on their answer. Complex options trading, and the availability of mutual funds, bonds, futures, commodities and international trading were also considered. A 5 in this category means you can execute all of these transactions online.
Research Amenities: This category measures the quality and accessibility of research, quotes and charting. We looked for research, news and charting linked to a customer's portfolio and watch lists; the quality of third-party research and its integration with the rest of the site; and the availability of screeners, with special emphasis on options-strategy screeners. Brokers also won points for offering real-time streaming quotes at no additional cost, powerful charting capabilities, and Level II quotes. Partial credit was awarded for features that generated an extra fee.
Portfolio Analysis and Reports: The emphasis here is on clearly laid-out reports, updated in real time, showing current balances, positions and margin status. Portfolio-analysis reports, with links to news and research, as well as extensive transaction history, are most desirable. Tax reporting also falls in this category. Full credit is given for reports that can be created on the broker's website, with no additional fees or data entry required. Partial credit is awarded to brokers that populate services such as GainsKeeper and Maxit (tax analysis and reporting programs) for an additional fee.
Customer Service and Education: We sized up online help such as live-chat capability, user guides and frequently-asked-question files. Offline help was assessed by making calls to customer service, and weighing the brokers' reports of the average time spent on hold when a customer calls in. We took a look at the education offerings, both online and live. The ability to visit a broker in person, and to access the account via a mobile device, is taken into account here.
Costs: We looked at commissions for stock and options trades and margin interest rates, giving more points for lower costs. We scaled the points awarded so that the lowest costs in the group earned the maximum number of points, with fractions (and occasional zeros) given to the more expensive brokers. Stock and options commissions are the biggest factor here, but mutual-fund and other transaction fees are also considered. A 5 could be earned here by very low stock and mutual-fund commissions, $4 or less for 10 options contracts, margin interest rates below 2%, and no account-maintenance fees.
Making Sure Your Mobile Transactions Are Safe
Use password protection, question your broker and avoid the free public airwaves to keep iPad data out of harm's way.
It's tempting to slip your iPad out of your purse to check on your brokerage account while enjoying a cappuccino. But is it a good idea to send your data out over the public airwaves provided free of charge by your favorite coffee shop? Do you risk having your information intercepted by miscreants who want to use it for their own purposes?
Frankly, the most pressing security issue usually isn't the airwaves so much as theft or loss of the device itself. The ne'er-do-wells who make off with your gear, or those who simply find a wayward iPhone in a restroom, have instant access to your e-mail accounts, log-ins to corporate data systems and social-networking sites, as well as more personal items like photos.
Your first security measure should be to password-protect your mobile device. The iPhone and iPad can be set up with a four-digit passcode lock, which you should do as soon as you take it out of the box. The passcode can be created so that all the data the device holds, including contacts, text messages, and e-mail login, are erased if someone enters the wrong code 10 times.
What if your devices are safe and sound, but your wi-fi connection isn't? It's obvious when your iPad is missing. It's not so easy to tell when your data transmissions are being intercepted by bad guys. Thieves use such strategies as packet sniffing, phishing, and pharming–all ways of intercepting data or tricking you by spoofing a financial-services Website.
Ever since 2006, when customers of several online brokerages discovered that their passwords had been stolen and their accounts used to inflate the prices of some thinly traded stocks (called "pump and dump" schemes), financial-services firms have made mobile security a high priority.
If you're conducting any financial business from a mobile device, make sure the firms you're working with employ encryption for transmitted data, and that they monitor transactions for unusual behavior. Most banks and brokers are now on the lookout for activity that comes from geographical areas that they know are hotbeds of cyber-criminal activity, and have been successful at stopping the great majority of these intrusions.
Even so, mobile-security experts recommend avoiding open wi-fi, and going with EVDO (Evolution Data Optimized, learn more at www.evdoinfo.com) or GPRS (General Packet Radio Service). It's faster, far more secure and not that much more expensive when you realize you won't be wasting time looking for signal or worrying about what you can and can't do on the connection.
To use EVDO, you just purchase a device from Sprint, Verizon or AT&T and pay a monthly fee for data access. You are your own hot spot when you have one of these, and they work with any mobile device you own, including a laptop. There are some that plug into your tablet's USB port and others that are battery powered and stand alone. GPRS is built in to many smartphones, and is much more secure than open wi-fi. Your mobile device's 3G and 4G connections are secure, though they'll draw on your data usage.
So hang on tight to your mobile devices, and make sure that when you transmit sensitive data that you are doing so safely. If you're not sure a wi-fi connection is safe, just enjoy the coffee.
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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A report earlier this week indicated that three members of the Saints would start camp on the physically unable to perform list, which was correct in terms of the number of players but a bit off on their identities.
Safety Roman Harper was included alongside cornerback Patrick Robinson and linebacker Victor Butler as players headed to the PUP list, but the Saints made their official announcement on Friday and Harper, who had sports hernia surgery, wasn't on the list. That doesn't mean he'll be practicing full speed or at all, but he's free to do so while Robinson and Butler are not.
Neither is wide receiver Marques Colston. Coach Sean Payton said that Colston will miss a few days in order to rest his foot. Colston battled issues with his foot last season as well, but wound up playing all 16 games and catching 83 passes.
Robinson had his knee scoped and Payton said his progress has been "outstanding," but he's expected to miss a good portion of camp as he recovers. Butler tore his ACL during offseason workouts and may wind up missing the entire season.

subset: commoncrawl


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I have a love-hate relationship with Starbucks but that's another story to tell. Most of us think all Starbucks look more or less the same. It's the coffee that you care about. Well, think again because today's post is on a very DIFFERENT Starbucks.
Take a look at this Starbucks in Fukuoka, Japan. Japanese architect, Kengo Kuma employed the traditional technique of interlocking wooden blocks. I thought the result is stunning, a marriage of both traditional and contemporary.
[images: Contemporist]


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yello - a classic, of course incredible sounding like a breath of fresh air. album Touch Yello I sunk into the soul. Gorgeous album!
What do you think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGGi9TLd ... ure=fvwrel
Touch Yello discuss?
Talk of anything YELLO
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
- Posts: 81
- Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 5:13 am
- Location: New Zealand
Re: Touch Yello discuss?
I think it is a really classy album, the thing I really like about Yello productions is that they both change my mood and sound different depending on my mood when I listen and Touch is another chapter in this experience - excellent.
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
Return to "General YELLO Talk"


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Main Content:
Mens Shirts Sale
Banana Republic Mens Shirts Sale
Build up your casual and dress wardrobe with affordable designs from the men's shirts sale at Banana Republic. Choose from a wide array of discount men's shirts in short and long sleeve styles for every occasion. Enjoy considerable savings with handsome short sleeve shirts in a variety of popular designs. Our men's shirts sale features short sleeve shirts available in slim fit and soft wash button-down styles. Find a color or pattern ideal for your everyday look. Stock up on all-occasion apparel with long sleeve discount men's shirts in eye-catching formal and casual designs. Dress in tailored, slim fit shirts in comfortable cotton materials and solid colors. You'll also discover non-iron, textured solid or plaid men's shirts perfect for work or special occasions. Look great in the affordable fashions from the men's shirts sale at Banana Republic.


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Random game
Latest news
Hurry up, the pigs are here!
Today, we bring you a game that's all about living like a pig! The little piggy Buta has lost his ball and has to get it back. In order to do this, he's got to get the Magic Sword of Justice.
Have fun with this weird little RPG!
Top games
Stargate AdventureAs Jack O'Neall and crew of Stargate Command you must thwart upcoming danger from the god Anubis.
The Infinity StringYou are a scientist sent to Antarctica to study and investigate a crashed alien ship, but little do you know that something came with it.
Sunset Over ImdahlA beautiful RPG masterpiece that blends historical fiction and fantasy.
Akuji the DemonHave you ever wondered why, at the end of games, evil is never destroyed, but always gets sealed up? Well, Akuji gives the answer.
Asterix and Caesars ChallengeCaesar has built a palisade around Asterix's village to keep everyone inside. Asterix sets out on a Beat' Em' Up journey across the empire to mock Caesar.
Latest games
ButaVX: Justice FighterA little pig's favorite ball accidentally ended up in the wrong hands. To get it back, he must find the magic Sword of Justice.
ProunYou're a ball on a wire, racing others across a wire, twisting and turning past obstacles at extreme speeds. A very simple, and very addictive game!
MonoLiTHMonoLiTH is a strange action platformer in which you must collect puzzle pieces to progress 3D levels, while playing as a low-res 2D character.
OctodadIn Octodad, a dapper octopus disguised as a human lives the life of an All-american father while trying to keep his true nature secret from his family.
Team Fortress 2The greatest MMO class-based shooter is now freeware. Whether you're a Scout or a Spy, all you need to worry about in the end is beating the other team.


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Below is the link to an article by the Liberty Institute, who now declares that there is a war on Easter by secular society. I have heard the ridiculous uproar in the past about the supposed war on Christmas, which is just another false stick the Religious Right likes to sit on and rotate every year, however, this is just absurd. Can't the religious right find something better to do like, I don't know, report on human rights violations in countries where actual persecution (not just of religion, but of the individual) exists?
Views: 338
Wasn't Astarte the Bunny god of Fertility futility?
That I don't know. I actually never bothered to look into until now, but here are two sources:
I am just oddly amused and yet disgusted at the link I came across originally from the Liberty Institute. They are basically reporting false persecution and the myth that the US government was always Christian in its founding. I am a theist, and I know better. In the US there is really no such thing as religious persecution unless it is of a minority religious view. Hell, I would think Atheists are persecuted more in the US.
So when do the orgies commence? ;)
Yeah with a GILF like that I can believe it's about fertility and sex.
my son posted this on my facebook page
I hope you clicked "LIKE" :)
O Hell yes I had a good laugh at this
@ Barry,
So are you a disenchanted theist? What is your particular flavor of religious belief if I may be so bold to ask? I am thinking it is definitely NOT christian, Assembly of God. haha
Ed, it's a long story. I think the best way to clarify or define my theism is a Q&A session because a lot has changed regarding my personal experiences and understanding. To start, I am Christian, but I am not Christian; yet even so, I do not like that label and often thought of jettisoning it altogether. I guess you could say I am a heretic of the Christian faith, because I do best to follow the teachings of Jesus (yes, I believe he existed) but I do not buy everything that the religion of his church is selling.
The best way I can concisely define my beliefs is what I put on my facebook page after I decided to break from Christianity (mainstream): It's simple but not easy.
You are welcome to ask, and don't worry, I am not interested in converting. I already know your stance and won't challenge you position. If anything, I would expect mine to be considering I am in your territory, so automatically I am suspect. Besides, it would be a good intellectual exercise for me to be questioned and challenged.
Easter is great. Let's keep it alive! lol I love Reeces Peanut Butter Easter Eggs. Kids love the Easter Egg hunt. That's good enough reason for me. Hell I'm over 50 years old and when I was a kid Easter meant having fun coloring eggs, having fun Easter Eggs Hunts, Easter baskets and lots of good candy. We never paid much attention to the religious part of it. I think a lot of today's families are the exact same way.


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Feb 17, 2005
Feb. 17, 2005
Foiler Diana Schawlowski was Yale's lone All-Ivy recipient, earning a spot on the second team for her weapon. Schawlowski went 10-5 in Ivy play.
In fencing, All-Ivy status is determined by winning percentage in Ivy League bouts. With her 10-5 record, Schawlowski's percentage was .667, which placed her on the second team for foil along with Harvard's ANne Austin (12-2) and Cassidy Luitjen from Columbia (9-3).


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Artist Leonardo Ulian makes "technological mandalas" from the electronic components. This one reminds me of the cat paintings by Louis Wain, who was rumored to have schizophrenia.
I think of my mandalas as ephemeral gizmos, able to trigger the eyes and minds of the viewers with images and thoughts of any sort, but without taking it too seriously. I used the word "ephemeral" because electronic technology is in a way impermanent. It is constantly changing and can become easily obsolete, like sand mandalas can be easily brushed away after days of work.


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America's Got Talent
A winner is chosen
September 18, 2013
America finally got it right. After a long season, and a variety of performances ranging from dancing to singing to strength acts to unicycle riding to shadow dancing, tiny mariachi knife-throwing to sword swallowing and magic, America managed to do the right thing and reward the season's most creative and innovative act the winner of America's Got Talent: Kenichi Ebina.
Kenichi Ebina began as a street performer, but once on the AGT stage, he translated his standard pop-and-locking act into something spectacular by pairing his dancing with grand video productions, bringing his imagination to life. Throughout the season, the judges, particularly Howie and Howard, urged the audience to vote for Kenichi, declaring him "the most talented man in the world."
But before we can announce Kenichi as the winner and throw the confetti, we have to fill two long hours with something. Anything. Mostly awkward duets between the remaining 6 acts and some actual stars.
Cami Bradley sings "Not Over You" with
David Gavin DeGraw. Kenichi spins around on the stage a few times before Il Divo and Heather Headley shoo him away and sing together. (Wait, was that Simon Cowell and his baby mama in the audience? Simon Cowell is a honey badger.) Taylor Williamson does a not-funny interview with James Lipton, making everyone uncomfortable. Collins Key befuddles Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb with MAGIC, which isn't all that hard to do on account of all that white wine. Forté performs a bunch of Josh Groban songs with Josh Groban. And, finally, Jimmy Rose sings "I Hold On" with Dierks Bentley.
And all of the finalists — to an act — are wildly outperformed by their superstar partners, serving as a valuable reminder that there is a difference between "talent" and real stardom.
Finally, we move on to the elimination hour. Cami Bradley is — shockingly enough — the first to be sent home, quickly followed by Collins Key and Forté? THAT FORTÉ? ARE YOU SURE? SHOULD WE COUNT THE VOTES AGAIN?
To distract us from the improbable, Nick Cannon informs us that auditions are starting up soon enough and will be headed to Houston this year, hooray!
Luke Bryan comes out and embarasses himself with a completely tone-deaf performance. What even was that, y'all? I don't know a lot about country music, but that was terrible, I don't care how cute he is.
And then we're down to the final three: Taylor Williamson, Kenichi Ebina and Jimmy Rose. And, for a moment, it looks like yet another unmemorable singer will win AGT.
But! Somehow! Jimmy is sent back to West Virginia, and the final two remaining are, remarkably, comedian Taylor Williamson and Kenichi Ebina. Either act would have been an acceptable winner, but there is something satisfying about seeing Kenichi, who brought such vision and talent to his act, be rewarded by America.
Good job, guys. The right act won.
America's Got Talent's finale is on Wednesday at 8 p.m. on NBC
Therese is also watching, Real Housewives of New Jersey, Real Housewives of Miami, Arrested Development, and the last couple episodes of Fringe. Wish her luck.


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August 27, 2002
Los Angeles — The latest release of the National Income and Products Accounts issued by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reveals once again that UCLA Anderson Forecast garners an unparalleled record of accuracy for its quarterly outlook on the nation. The Forecast's California report shares that vindication for its pessimistic, yet accurate, projections of the state's employment growth in 2001.
The BEA preliminary data for 2002 support UCLA Anderson Forecast's recent projection that the U.S. economy in 2002 would merely "stagger forward," and also highlights that the 2001 downturn was well underway before the Sept. 11 attacks, confirming the Forecast's stand that the terrorist attacks would not contribute materially to the 2001 recession.
The BEA is an agency of the Department of Commerce and one of the world's leading statistical organizations. The BEA's economic statistics provide an up-to-date picture of the U.S. economy and include decisions affecting monetary policy, tax and budget projections and business investment plans and estimates of gross domestic product (GDP).
Dr. Edward Leamer, director of UCLA Anderson Forecast and author of the quarterly national report, said his earlier December 2001 prediction that U.S. economic growth will be weak this coming year was echoed in the latest BEA release on July 31, 2002.
In December of 2001, Dr. Leamer said that the nation's recovery would be "not long, not deep, but not much of a recovery either," accurately pegging this year's slow economic climb.
Dr. Tom Lieser, senior economist of UCLA Anderson Forecast and author of the quarterly California report, is also among the nation's most precise forecasters. His prediction of nonfarm employment growth for California in 2001 tops the Western Blue Chip Economic list as most accurate.
Predictions that Fall Below the Consensus
Known for pessimistic predictions that often fall below the consensus, Dr. Leamer also points out that UCLA Anderson Forecast correctly outlined why the Sept. 11 attacks would not amplify the recession that was already ongoing, while most other analysts who missed the recession prediction are now claiming that the terrorist attacks are the primary catalyst for the economic dip the nation is experiencing.
"The latest GDP release has a negative for both the first and second quarters of 2001, which makes it clear that we were well ensconced in a recession prior to the terrorist attacks," Dr. Leamer said.
This isn't the first time that Dr. Leamer and UCLA Anderson Forecast have bull's-eyed the economic growth of the nation, or lack thereof. In his December 2000 quarterly report, "Back to Bankruptcies and Back to Cycles," he indicated an impending recession in 2001 and said that the Bay Area would be harder hit while Southern California would be little affected by the downturn.
In this report, Leamer emphasized that there was a 60 percent chance of a short and shallow recession in 2001 and in March of 2001 he raised that probability to 90 percent (long before it was officially announced), making UCLA Anderson Forecast the first major group to accurately predict the 2001 downturn.
Although Leamer envisions that 2002 will continue to be a sluggish period for the nation, he is taking a more optimistic view for 2003 and says that the economy will be on the road to recovery.
"We continue to be alert to the problems caused by unsustainable appreciation of houses, inadequate savings and an overvalued dollar," Leamer said. "Currently, however, we don't see any signs that there will be another dip and more likely we will return to normal growth in 2003."
The next UCLA Anderson Forecast Conference will be held on Wednesday, September 25, 2002, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The conference titled "California Infrastructure: Are We Ready to Grow?" will be presented in conjunction with the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and will examine the critical issues facing California infrastructure. As typical, UCLA Anderson Forecast economists will also provide their quarterly reports on the nation and California.
UCLA Anderson Forecast is the most widely-followed and often-cited forecast for the state of California, and was unique in predicting the seriousness of the early-1990s downturn in California, and the strength of the economy's rebound since 1993. December 2000 marked the Forecast's first recession call since 1991.


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The strength, strain at failure, and modulus from isotropic and orthotropic fiber-reinforced plastic composites are tensile tested, following ISO 527.
A high-capacity, floor mounted frame allows for stiffness, repeatability, and alignment with testing composite laminates in a temperature chamber.


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After many weekends of Brussels sprouts, potatoes, carrots and kale, I finally saw asparagus at the farmer's market. I love kale but it's nice to finally have something new. Luckily, I had some stuff in the fridge to fix myself a quick lunch. Check out my recipe for an asparagus, shrimp pasta with miso paste.
Continue reading "Asparagus And Shrimp Pasta With Miso Paste"


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I'm going to France next month, for the first time ever! I'm very excited. To prepare for my trip, I'm going to pay a visit to one of Oakland Public Library's friendliest databases, CultureGrams.
Want to come too? Grab your library card and let's go!
We'll start here: Articles and Databases. Now scroll down with me. Come on, I wanna see you scrrooooooolll. All the way down to Country Information, where you'll see the link for CultureGrams.
At this point, you'll need to enter your library card number and pin. (If you have trouble during this step, call any OPL location during open hours--we'll help!)
And here we are:
I'll choose World Edition, and search for France.
Hey, cool! I can learn a lot here. But first, let's get practical. I want to know how far my money will go in the land of sidewalk espressos and Mona Lisas. I'll click on Currency Converter, in the bottom right corner, and type in $100 because I am all about the benjamins:
73 euros! Woo!
Now, let me get spooky. In France, they speak French. I don't speak any French. This is the first time in my life I will visit a non-English-speaking country, and I'm a little nervous about it. I'm a little reassured when I click on the Language link and see that English is the most common second language in France:
But really, what I need to do at this point is return to the Articles and Databases page, find the link for Transparent Language Online under Language Learning, create my free account, and learn a little of the language of love for myself. I can even download their mobile app to my iPhone for overseas language support.
(I did mention all this is free for OPL cardholders, right? No? It is. YES WAY.)
Now, I'm a children's librarian, which means I'll be using my trip as a teaching opportunity for the kids at my branch. When they gather round my computer, I'll click over to the Kids Edition of CultureGrams.
Pretty glad I did that, otherwise I might have placed my hands in my lap during a meal while in France, enraging my dining companions and causing a Bush-in-Tokyo-scale international incident.
Inevitably, while I am showing the children at my library the delights of France, one of them will remember with a start that she has a country report due tomorrow, on Kazakhstan.
Did you know that Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world? Did you know that the nomads of Kazakhstan used to live in yurts that they made themselves out of wood and sheeps' wool? Did you know that Ms. Murglesnort, the child's teacher, requires her students to prepare and bring for the class an authentic dish from their chosen country?
At that moment, the child's mother appears, and says they have to leave RIGHT NOW if they're going to scale all that fish. They don't have internet access at home, so I'll download a PDF of the Kazakhstan page and print it out for them. I'll also email it to mom so she can pull it up later on her smartphone.
So, that's CultureGrams! Not a bad place to spend a few rainy hours planning your dream trip, doing your child's homework, or just exploring the world. Don't miss the fantastic photo gallery for a true slice-of-life glimpse of any country you choose.
Bon voyage!


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2013 Ford Edge SE
$10,900Plus 10,3% Tax
2013 Ford Edge SE for sale.
It's 3.5l, 6cyl, timing chain driven engine with automatic transmission.
Has power windows and door locks, power mirrors, power/tilt steering, A/C and cruise control.
Comes with factory AM/FM Radio, CD/Mp3 Player, USB/AUX and Bluetooth connectivity powered by Microsoft.
Dark gray cloth interior. ABS and Traction control equipped. Alloy rims and good tires. Good brakes all around. No issues or problems.
Has only 71,843 actual miles and Washington Rebuilt title. VIN: 2FMDK3GC1DBC29218.
Asking $10,900. Please call or text whenever, (253) 709-3138. Thank you.
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Airbags
- Air Conditioning
- Alarm System
- Anti-theft Protection
- Audio Interface
- Automatic Climate Control
- Automatic Headlights
- Bluetooth® Handset
- CD/DVD Autochanger
- CDR Audio
- Cruise Control
|Front head room
|40 "
|Rear head room
|39 "
|Front shoulder room
|59 "
|Rear shoulder room
|59 "
|Front hip room
|55 "
|Rear hip room
|56 "
|Front leg room
|40.7 "
|Rear leg room
|39.6 "
|Luggage capacity
|32.2 Cu.Ft.
|Maximum cargo capacity
|68.9 Cu.Ft.
|Standard seating
|184.2 "
|Body width
|76.0 "
|Body height
|67.0 "
|111.2 "
|Ground clearance
|7.9 "
|4,234 Lbs.
|Gross weight
|5,580 Lbs.
|Fuel tank capacity
|19.0 Gal.
|EPA mileage estimates
|18 City / 25 Hwy
|Base engine size
|3.5 Liters
|Base engine type
|285 Hp
|Horsepower rpm
|253 Lb-Ft.
|Torque rpm
|909 Lbs.
|Maximum towing capacity
|2,000 Lbs.
|Drive type
|Front Wheel Drive
|Turning radius
|19.3 ''
The Ford Edge is a balanced, versatile five-passenger vehicle that works for a lot of buyers in a lot of ways, and the 2012 models offer several new features that expand its appeal further.
The 2012 Ford Edge is now available with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine called EcoBoost that achieves an EPA-estimated 30 miles per gallon Highway.
The 2012 Edge is quieter inside than last year's models thanks to new sound-deadening foam in the fenders and roof pillars and a thicker windshield. Also new for 2012 are subtle aerodynamic tweaks to all the models: re-shaped side mirrors and a new spoiler at the top of the liftgate. Launched as a 2007 model, Edge was re-styled and substantially improved for 2011.
The Ford Edge has been selling in strong numbers, and there's no mystery behind its success. With a blend of sedan and sport-utility attributes, Edge defines the idea of a so-called crossover vehicle. It mixes the ride and handling characteristics of a mid-size sedan with the high seating, commanding view and passenger/cargo flexibility of a conventional sport-utility vehicle. From there, Edge adds layers of appeal in a lot of different ways. For starters, it offers plenty of choices, in models, engines, drive configurations and features.
The 3.5-liter V6 that comes standard is smooth, solid and responsive. The slightly larger 3.7-liter V6 in the Edge Sport delivers the most horsepower and torque in the line, and more oomph than you'll find in a crossover anywhere south of full luxury brands. The new 2.0 EcoBoost delivers more than adequate power with its impressive fuel economy. Based on EPA ratings, all Edge variants deliver excellent fuel mileage compared with similarly configured competitors.
The Edge is not pretty, but it does look contemporary and, well, edgy. Its visual presence is defined by a long wheelbase and short overhangs past the tires at each end. Styling updates for 2011 minimized its barrel-shaped, toy-like impact and have given the Edge a more serious look. You probably won't notice the aerodynamic tweaks made to the 2012 Edge. EcoBoost models get special aerodynamic aids aimed at reducing drag.
A wide choice of models starts with the base Edge SE, which comes with all the essentials and plenty of niceties without overly complicated controls. The Edge Limited model approaches luxury grade with its leather upholstery, while the Edge Sport includes sporty paddle shifters for semi-manual shifting and piano-black trim.
Inside, the Edge presents the finish and ambience of a good sedan with nearly all the bells and whistles, including available premium audio, navigation and rear-seat DVD entertainment. The optional MyFordTouch voice/touch control interface will appeal to some buyers and has undergone its first round of refinement and improvement for 2012, but we found it cumbersome and annoying. Navigation and a rearview camera are useful options, though Ford doesn't have the best navigation systems. Edge can be transformed from five-seat people hauler to cargo carrier with a few quick adjustments. It can carry an eight-foot ladder or bundles of lumber inside, and still seat two. Properly equipped, Edge can tow a substantial 3,500 pounds.
All-wheel drive is available on all models except the base SE. The AWD is a valuable addition in the right climate, but it takes a measurable toll on fuel economy.
The 2012 Ford Edge is available with either a turbocharged four-cylinder engine or one of two V6s, in both front- and all-wheel drive. All models feature a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Edge SE ($27,550) comes with a 285-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and front-wheel drive. It's equipped with air conditioning, single-CD audio with auxiliary input, a full complement of power features, Ford's MyKey parental control, rear privacy glass, projector beam headlights, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The 240-hp 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder ($995) is optional. The SE Equipment Package 101A ($800) includes a numbered security pad for door entry, satellite radio, rear obstacle sensing, automatic headlights, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a compass, and a rear cargo management system.
Edge SEL ($31,080) adds more standard equipment, including dual-zone automatic climate control with particulate filter, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with cruise control and redundant audio controls, Ford's Sync voice-control system, a rear obstacle warning system, and 18-inch wheels with slightly wider tires. All-wheel drive ($1,995) is optional. The SEL Equipment Group 205A ($2,250) includes leather seating, MyFordTouch, rearview camera and ambient lighting.
Edge Limited ($34,935) upgrades with leather upholstery, heated front seats, rearview camera, a Sony audio upgrade with CD changer, MyFordTouch control interface, and chrome wheels.
Edge Sport ($37,110) is equipped like the Limited but with racier black exterior and interior trim, a 305-hp 3.7-liter V6, steering-wheel paddle shifters, and 22-inch wheels.
Options include a voice-activated navigation system ($795), a panoramic glass sunroof ($1,595), dual-screen rear seat DVD system ($1,995), and a power liftgate ($495).
Safety features on all Edge variants start with dual-threshold front airbags, front-passenger side impact airbags and head-protection curtains for all outboard seats. Standard active safety features include antilock brakes, Ford's ActiveTrack stability system with rollover mitigation, and a tire-pressure monitor. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the Edge a Top Safety Pick. The optional rearview camera and rear obstacle warning system can help alert the driver to a child behind the vehicle when backing up, the Vision Package adds a blind-sport warning system with cross-traffic alert, and all-wheel drive can improve handling stability in adverse conditions.
Ford Edge has come to define the idea of a so-called crossover vehicle, in concept and appearance. It clearly blends the more planted look of a traditional station wagon with the taller roof and seating position of a conventional sport-utility vehicle.
The Edge had a substantial overhaul in both content and styling for 2011, introducing a new grille, bumpers, lights, hood and fenders. For 2012, the changes are more subtle, and intended to improve aerodynamic efficiency.
By its exterior dimensions, the Edge is a bit odd in the current market place, because it doesn't align closely with many of its obvious competitors. It's substantially shorter in length than the Dodge Journey, Mazda CX-9, or Ford Explorer. The Edge has a much longer wheelbase than the Kia Sorrento. Overall, it comes closest in size to the Chevy Equinox crossover SUV. Edge is four inches shorter in overall length than the mid-size Toyota Camry and rides on a wheelbase that is a couple of inches longer.
The long wheelbase and short overhangs past its wheels define the appearance of the Edge as much as anything, creating a vehicle that looks like a toy. The cosmetic changes for 2011 introduced stronger creases throughout, minimizing the rolling-barrel quality and giving it a substantially more serious look.
The aerodynamic improvements for 2012 start with re-shaped side mirrors and a new spoiler at the top of the liftgate.
Models equipped with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine get more aerodynamic enhancements, including side-door rocker moldings and active grille shutters. If more air is required to cool the engine, the active grille shutters automatically open. If no airflow is needed, the shutters close, reducing aerodynamic drag and helping improve fuel economy.
Another efficiency for 2012 is low rolling resistance tires on models with 18-inch wheels (the majority sold). These tires have slightly harder rubber than conventional tires and require less energy to get and stay rolling. Ford says a 10 percent decrease in rolling resistance can translate to a 2 percent increase in fuel economy. Less rolling resistance means slightly less maximum cornering grip, however.
The Edge Sport stands out from the other models. The differences start with a tuxedo-black grille and a larger front spoiler, carry through 22-inch wheels and tires that look like rubber washers stretched around the rims, and end with larger, oval-shaped exhaust tips under the rear bumper.
Ford Edge defines the idea of a crossover vehicle inside as well as out. There's room for five sitting up high, in comfortable, sedan-style surroundings, but with a few quick adjustments there's SUV-like space for bulky cargo. The finish and materials have improved steadily since the Edge was introduced for 2007 and now approach luxury grade.
And the Edge is quieter inside than ever. Changes for 2012 focus on reducing noise in the cabin, starting with expandable foam baffles tucked into the fenders and roof pillars, and a thicker acoustically laminated windshield.
The Edge Sport is distinguished by aluminum foot pedals and black piano-finish trim, as opposed to wood-grain in the Edge Limited. The Sport is also the only model with shift paddles behind the steering wheel to manually operate the 6-speed automatic transmission.
The driver sits high, with a commanding view forward. The front seats are generally comfortable and large enough for big folk, reasonably well contoured and decently supportive. For 2012, a 10-way power driver's seat comes standard on all but the base SE model. The same seat is optional for the passenger side.
Edge comes with one of two different gauge and switch packages. The SE and SEL have a more conventional analog instrument cluster in front of the driver, a single 4.2-inch LCD information display at the top of the center stack of switches, and conventional climate and audio knobs and buttons below. The standard instrument package isn't flashy, but it's straightforward, easy to understand and very effective. The standard package is available with Ford's SYNC system, which allows phones and other devices to be connected wirelessly and controlled by voice commands.
Limited and Sport models come with a different instrument panel with a much larger central display, a flat panel of touch switches below that, and a pair of five-way thumb switches mounted on the steering wheel spokes. These elements comprise MyFordTouch (MFT).
MyFordTouch is an evolution of the Ford SYNC system. It puts two 4.2-inch LED displays in front of the driver, on either side of a big central speedometer, and another 8-inch LCD at the top of the center stack with its own color-coded graphics. In total, MyFordTouch controls and displays climate settings, audio adjustments, programming of automatic door locks, telephone operation, navigation, and SYNC Services (something like OnStar), a boggling array of other choices, including turn-by-turn directions, sports scores, fuel prices, movie listings, dining options, even horoscopes.
Climate and audio settings can be adjusted in four separate ways: by voice command, by the thumb buttons on the steering wheel, by touching the display screen, or by using the touch buttons in the switch stack below. Actually, the buttons are more like touch areas, without a mechanical button to operate. It's a little bewildering at first, mostly in terms deciding which of the four options to use for the intended adjustment, or in locating the touch points where the hard switch actually works, should you prefer to do it the old-fashioned way. The driver must use a carefully pointed fingertip to find the spot where the switch operates, not always easy when bouncing down the road.
Ford updated its MyFordTouch software for 2012, creating more distinct graphics and easier-to-use menus than those in the original MFT scheme. All future updates will be available for free download and installation via a USB thumb drive, and the 2012 updates are available for upgrading 2011 models.
In other words, MyFordTouch is improving. With a bit of time and familiarity, the various operations get easier. In some cases MFT can be fun to use in a high-tech way. Still, a lot of buyers will be a lot happier with the base system. The problem is that a lot of the bells and whistles offered on the Edge are only available if you take MyFordTouch.
Storage space for small items is good. There's a big, deep box in the center console, a good-sized glove box, bins molded at the bottom of the door panels and pockets on the front seatbacks. In total, there are eight cup or bottle holders and four 12-volt power points.
The rear seats have plenty of room, with the same high, clear view that's afforded in front. The rear seatbacks recline to the passenger's taste, and backs and bottom are decently contoured on the outside of what is essentially a bench. The Edge will work nicely for a family of four with two members in their mid-teens, but five is a crowd due to the small rear-center seat.
Cargo space is generous, with 32.2 cubic feet of volume behind the rear seat, and 68.9 cubic feet with the second seat folded flat. The rear seatback is split and folds easily. An optional fold-flat front seat helps accommodate long items. Folding the front-passenger and right-rear seatbacks forward provides space for an eight-foot step ladder or a load of two-by-fours inside the vehicle, with room left for the driver plus a passenger behind the driver. The lift-in height is just about right, and a power-operated tailgate is available.
Edge's stylishly curved exterior takes a small toll on interior space, however. Measured by absolute cargo volume, it ranks mid-pack among mid-size crossovers and SUVs. Toyota Venza and Kia Sorrento have bit more cargo room (maximum 70.1 and 72.5 cubic feet, respectively), and Ford's smaller Escape comes very close (67.2 cubic feet).
The Ford Edge fits the crossover theme right down to the way it drives. Its ride, handling and general dynamic behavior are much more like that in the typical sedan than in any truck. Yet the Edge offers the commanding view and longer in-traffic sight lines that one expects in a pickup or sport-utility vehicle.
Edge delivers better fuel economy than truck-based SUVs. By EPA ratings, it ranks near the top among comparable crossovers such as the Dodge Journey and Toyota Venza, regardless of engine or drive configuration.
The fuel-economy leader in the Edge lineup is the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. The 2.0-liter EcoBoost is one of the most sophisticated engines in Ford's lineup. With an advanced turbocharging setup, fully variable valve timing and extra-efficient direct injection, EcoBoost packs significant wallop for its size. With a peak of 240 horsepower, the 2.0 EcoBoost makes 45 fewer horsepower than Edge's standard 3.5-liter V6, or just 15 percent less. Yet the four-cylinder is nearly 50 percent smaller than the V6 by displacement.
Ford pitches the EcoBoost as the best of all worlds, with the power of a V6 and the economy of a four-cylinder. The marketing claims are true, sort of. If an engine is running at full throttle and producing 240 hp, it's using essentially the same amount of energy (or gasoline) whether it has six, four or two cylinders. So if a driver uses full throttle and all 240 horsepower a lot of the time, actual fuel economy gains with the EcoBoost will be much less significant.
But that doesn't mean there are no fuel savings. The four-cylinder will use less fuel than the V6 when it's idling, coasting down and sometimes when cruising at a steady pace, and if the driver is more judicious with the throttle in daily driving, the EcoBoost engine should deliver substantial fuel economy gains. EcoBoost earns an EPA rating of 21/30 mpg City/Highway, which Ford claims is higher than any crossover or SUV in its size class.
We liked the 2.0 EcoBoost Edge. While its EPA Highway ratings are 4 mpg higher than those for the standard V6, the four-cylinder turbo actually generates more peak torque (270 pound-feet compared to 253). And it's torque that translates into acceleration, particularly when starting at lower speeds. The EcoBoost seems just as quick as the standard V6, probably quicker in short bursts of acceleration, or changes of 20 mph or so. There's a notable rush when you floor it. The four-cylinder is also reasonably smooth, and we wouldn't expect the typical buyer to be pining for more power with the EcoBoost engine. Fuel savings over the life of the car should more than compensate for the additional $1,000 up-front cost of the EcoBoost option.
The 3.5-liter V6 is much stronger and more pleasing than the pre-2011 Edge engine. The V6 sounds strong in the lower gears, throaty and authoritative, but the Edge cabin is very quiet cruising in top gear, and conversation is easy in all quarters. If the V6 has an advantage over the EcoBoost four, it lies in an extra bit of smoothness, or perhaps a less-frenetic quality or an impression that it's not working quite as hard as the four-cylinder.
The Edge Sport's larger, 3.7-liter V6 delivers the most horsepower and torque available in the line. We reckon the Edge Sport is one of the quickest, most substantially powered crossovers available, short of the much more expensive V8s from luxury brands.
The 6-speed automatic transmission comes with an ordinary shifter on the base Edge SE, with a SelectShift manual-control shifter on the SEL and Limited models, and with SelectShift and wheel-mounted paddle shifters on the Sport. Shifted manually, the automatic has a crisp, positive feel. In full automatic mode, it shifts smoothly, and it's generally quick to respond at cruising speeds. If you need more acceleration when you're puttering along at 40, the Edge drops down a gear quickly when you press the gas pedal, and sometimes two gears if you floor it.
The problem, if there is one, is the automatic's general unwillingness to select or stay in first gear. This is generally because the engineers who designed its control program were trying to maximize fuel economy in all circumstances, but it has its drawbacks. If you're creeping through a parking lot toward the exit, for example, the transmission will already have shifted up into second. And if you see an opportunity to pull into traffic as you approach the street, stepping on the gas before you come to a full stop, the Edge's transmission won't shift back down into first, unless you completely floor the pedal, and then is doesn't downshift as quickly as we would like; if it downshifts, you'll get a stutter and then a very abrupt launch; if it doesn't downshift, you'll accelerate more slowly than you were expecting.
Otherwise, the Edge is always pleasant to drive, and generally responsive to the steering wheel. In aggressive maneuvers, it feels more top heavy than a sedan, with more lag time as the mass of the body catches up to what the tires and suspension are doing. Regardless, the Edge is more than responsive enough for typical family duty, and it travels comfortably smooth in all circumstances. There's nothing we'd call rough or truckish in its overall ride quality. The Sport model's large wheels and low-profile tires improve steering response and they probably add more cornering grip, but they also extract a toll in terms of harshness, particularly when they are slamming over ruts and divots on bumpy roads. We like the Edge Sport, but it may be too firm for most buyers.
Ford has fixed what we thought was less than stellar brake feel in early Edge models. Almost everything in the braking system has been upgraded, and the feel at the pedal, where it counts, is vastly improved. The deceleration starts much earlier in the pedal travel, and the braking force is stronger and more linear than it was before. All the mushiness and indecision has been engineered out.
All-wheel drive is available on V6 models. Front-wheel drive is standard. The electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system operates full time, delivering most of the power to the front wheels most of the time, but sending torque to the rear wheels as needed to help balance traction. The AWD is a valuable tool, particularly in the Snow Belt, and we recommend it to owners who drive in wintry conditions. It can keep the Edge moving forward uninterrupted on snow-coated surfaces, with barely a slip or jog.
All-wheel drive comes with a notable fuel-mileage penalty: 1 mpg City and 2 mpg Highway with both V6 engines, according to EPA. That translates to hundreds of gallons of gas and thousands of dollars over the life of the vehicle, not to mention nearly $2000 up front buying the AWD in the first place. In California, Texas, Florida or large swathes of the South, we'd recommend the front-wheel drive.
Towing capacity may be another draw for crossover buyers, and the Edge does well in that category. Surprisingly, given its more powerful engine, the Edge Sport doesn't do as well as the SEL or Limited for towing. The Sport's maximum tow rating is 2,000 pounds, partly due to those low-profile tires. Properly equipped, the SEL and Limited can tow up to 3,500 pounds, and there's a trailer-sway control system tied into the traction and stability electronics. Trailer-sway control makes towing less nerve-wracking.
There's a reason Ford's Edge is a best seller among crossover vehicles. It defines what a crossover is supposed to be, mixing the smooth comfort and driving behavior of a solid sedan with the high seating, flexibility and cargo hauling space of a sport-utility vehicle. The Edge is stylishly edgy, and it offers a lot of choices in trim, features, and engines. Plus, there's a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. The 2.0 EcoBoost four-cylinder engine delivers more than sufficient power and the best EPA mileage ratings in the class. The V6 engines allow towing capacity up to 3500 pounds.
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