5 smartwatches to watch this year

19 hrs.

Avram Piltch, Laptopmag.com , TechNewsDaily

If you visited the Consumer Electronics Show for the first time this year, you?d be forgiven if you thought you had wandered into a jewelry show by accident. It seemed like everywhere we turned, we saw watches, but none of them were simple timepieces.?

From the "i'm Watch" with its custom version of the Android operating system,?to the COOKOO?s simple analog design, each of these devices pulls data?from the Internet and brings it to your wrist.

Wondering whether the boss sent you an email or your wife sent you a private Facebook message? No need to pull out your phone. There?s a watch for that.?These are the five best smartwatches we saw at CES 2013:

i'm Watch,?$389

The most high-tech watch of the show is also one of the best looking. With a stunning matte aluminum chassis that also comes in titanium or gold and your choice of sleek, colorful bands, this product looks like it came from Milan because it did. I'm Watch is the first product from Italian start-up?i'm SpA?and, though the company began shipping products last summer, the watch has been updated with a fresh UI and the ability to add apps.

The Italian watch comes with a custom version of Android that uses your phone's Bluetooth connection to grab your email, Facebook messages, texts and tweets so you can view them at a glance. The i'm Market is filled with additional apps you can use to improve your experience, from a metronome that keeps the time for you to a flashlight app for lighting your way. The watch also uses your phone's Bluetooth connection to make calls with its speaker and mic, but in our testing, the audio was too garbled to hear.

The i'm Watch is available now with a starting price of $389 for the aluminum model.

More: New I?m Watch Tested: Bluetooth Agony, Email Ecstacy?

Martian Watch, $249

It may look like an ordinary analog watch, but the Martian Watch will make you feel like a sci-fi hero every time you strap it on. Like Dick Tracy, you'll make crystal-clear calls directly from your wrist, and get SMS, weather and other alerts on the Martian's small LED screen. Like Michael Knight talking to KITT, you'll use the Martian Watch to interact with your favorite digital assistant,?whether that's Siri on the iPhone or Google Voice on Android handsets. Finally, like Tom Cruise in "Minority Report,"?you'll use gestures to control your environment as you shake your wrist to deny an incoming call.

Partially funded by Kickstarter, the Martian Watch will start shipping to early backers in March. Models range in price from $249 to $299.

More: Martian Smart Watch Makes Calls, Sends Voice Commands to Your Phone?

COOKOO Connected Watch,?$129

A wristwatch first and a smart device second, the $129 COOKOO reminds us of a Swatch, with its vibrantly colored silicon bands and its luminous hands and hour markings. To keep you up-to-date, the device uses an iOS or Android app, along with low-power Bluetooth to find out when you have incoming calls, upcoming appointments or new Facebook messages.

However, there's no digital display on the COOKOO to show the text from your messages. Instead the face has a set of lights built-in that light up when you get an alert, much the way gas and oil lights appear on your car's dashboad. By keeping things simple, the COOKOO not only looks great, but lasts nine or 10 months using a normal watch battery.

More:?COOKOO Smart Watch Lasts 9 Months on a Charge, Uses Status Lights

Pebble Watch, $150

Like the i'm Watch, the Pebble gives you alerts from your email, Facebook, Twitter, SMS and other accounts , but this device uses a low-power ePaper screen that provides improved sunlight readability and up to 7 days of battery life on a single charge. Even better, because of its low-power usage, the screen remains lit at all times, displaying the digital watch face of your choice.

Water-resistant up to 5ATM (about 165 feet), the Pebble is available in five fashion colors, including Jet Black, Arctic White, orange, gray and, our favorite, Cherry Red. Backed by Kickstarter fundraising, the $150 watch will start shipping to early backers at the end of January with others receiving units thereafter.

More: Pebble Announces First Ship Date, Demos ePaper Smart Watch?

Si14 WearIT Sports Watch, no pricing yet

Another Android watch from the developers who worked on the original i'm Watch, WearIT focuses on fitness, but offers a host of lifestyle-friendly features. To help you stay fit, the WearIT has ANT connectivity so it can pair with external heart monitors, blood glucose meters and other health-related devices. Timer apps and a GPS maps app help you keep track of your running progress.

Even if you're the ultimate couch potato, the WearIT has plenty of features to keep you occupied, including music and video playback, social media updates and the ability to install apps on top of its Android 4.1 operating system.?

Though it's in the prototype stage right now, Si14 hopes to unveil a final version this spring which will likely be sold under its partners' brands.

More:?Si14 WearIT Brings Android 4, Health Monitoring to Your Wrist

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/5-smartwatches-watch-year-1B7932356

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Birchbox Rebrands In The UK, Hopes To Take A Little Shine Off Glossybox And Other Beauty Box Rivals

If you're familiar with Birchbox -- the subscription service that delivers boxes of cosmetics and beauty products to your doorstep -- you know that the New York City-based startup has taken off in the U.S. since launching in September 2010. The service, which was initially targeted only at women and beauty product-centric, has begun to expand its scope into new verticals, launching a subscription service for men (grooming kits) and moving into entertaining and design.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/nmrsBt7QN6Q/

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Chatham-Kent creates 300 new jobs in 2012

Seven new companies were established in 2012 in Chatham-Kent with the help of staff of the municipality's economic development department.

"The companies represent the creation of approximately 300 new jobs in the community, Michael Burton, director of economic development, told The Daily News Friday.

In addition, Burton said his department facilitated the creation of 143 jobs in the small business sector and is currently working with an additional eight companies.

'"If we are successful, those initiatives will create a further 435 new jobs,'' he said. "We are confident about the prospects for success in 2013.''

Burton said his department relies on a bit of luck to develop meaningful prospects and a great deal of skill and patience to land prospects.

"Overall in 2012 we worked on files that created 843 new jobs in all sectors for Chatham-Kent,'' he said.

Burton said the successful files only represent a fraction of the total files worked on during the year.

"We have a solid pipeline at present for further economic growth prospects and investment,'' he said. "Some of the files will take up to two and three years to come to fruition but we are confident we have a good mix of prospects for the future.''

In terms of both North American and off-shore markets, Burton said Chatham-Kent has made inroads with a number of sectors.

"We have made a number of trips to China and these missions are starting to bear fruit,'' he said. "We recently hosted a delegation from Changchun, China and it's expected a follow-up investor mission will follow this year.''

Burton said Chatham-Kent will host three companies from China starting this month. Each are looking at investments in joint ventures in the community.

He noted a recent trip to Germany with a local company assisted with opening potential new markets in that region.

"Staff also held discussions with a German company on the trip and it is hoped it will soon choose Chatham-Kent for its entry into the North American market,'' he said.

Stuart McFadden, manager of business development for the department of economic development, said his team continues to work on projects to retain, expand and attract new companies to the region and is hopeful of a prosperous and lucrative 2013.

"Staff continues to call on existing companies in the community and work with them to expand their operations,'' he said. "These local companies have generated 400 new positions and represent a key ingredient for new economic development.''

Kim Cooper, agricultural specialist with the department, said there was greater diversification in the crops grown in Chatham-Kent in 2013 and a number of greenhouse operations were expanded.

He said a new rail line to Wallaceburg will be a critical logistical piece to entice new investment in Chatham-Kent.

Joy Sim, tourism manager with economic development, said 2012 saw new investment and new jobs created.

She said three new attractions opened including the Indigenous Enviro-Education Centre in Moraviantown, Early Acres Estate Winery and Bayside Brewing Company/Bayside Brew Pub.

She said Road Scholar is now promoting two of Chatham-Kent's key experiences -- birding and black history -- to a worldwide audience.

The tourism department also hosted and toured an increase number of requests from travel media writers to visit the area.

Freelance writers from the Chicago Tribune, Toronto Star, Vacay.ca, Outdoor Writers of Canada, Kayak magazine, Canadian History magazine and Reader's Digest toured the municipality and published positive articles.

Film crews from the Great Canadian Adventure Tour and a Japanese travel show spent several days filming in Chatham-Kent.

Sim said the "cruise the coast motorcycle'' initiative is a marketing partnership linking Chatham-Kent's chosen route with the Friday the 13th in Port Dover.

"The route along the Thames River through Chatham-Kent was named one of the top 10 best Canadian road trips by Reader's Digest and was highlighted on MSN Canada.

Rosemarie Montgomery, a small business consultant with the Chatham-Kent Small Business Centre, said in 2012 the response from the business community was overwhelming and the small business centre secured several new sponsorships within the community.

She said the centre responded to 2,158 business inquiries and provided guidance to 211 new start-up businesses, creating 143 new jobs in the community.

bob.boughner@sunmedia.ca

Source: http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/2013/01/11/300-new-jobs-were-created-in-2012

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French forces take action against Mali Islamists

France's President Francois Hollande leaves after delivering a speech on the situation in Mali at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. French forces began backing Malian soldiers Friday in their fight against radical Islamists, drawing the former colonial power into a military operation to oust the al-Qaida-linked militants nine months after they seized control of northern Mali. French President Francois Hollande said that the operation would last "as long as necessary" and said it was aimed notably at protecting the 6,000 French citizens in Mali. Kidnappers currently hold seven French hostages in the country. (AP Photo/Philippe Wojazer, Pool)

France's President Francois Hollande leaves after delivering a speech on the situation in Mali at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. French forces began backing Malian soldiers Friday in their fight against radical Islamists, drawing the former colonial power into a military operation to oust the al-Qaida-linked militants nine months after they seized control of northern Mali. French President Francois Hollande said that the operation would last "as long as necessary" and said it was aimed notably at protecting the 6,000 French citizens in Mali. Kidnappers currently hold seven French hostages in the country. (AP Photo/Philippe Wojazer, Pool)

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2012 file photo, fighters from the Islamist group Ansar Dine leave after performing a public amputation, severing the hand of a young man found guilty of stealing rice, in Timbuktu, Mali. The Mali army attacked Islamist rebels with heavy weapons in the center of the country which divides the insurgent-held north and the government-controlled south, government officials said Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this Aug. 31, 2012 file photo, fighters from Islamist group Ansar Dine stand guard in Timbuktu, Mali, as they prepare to publicly lash a member of the Islamic Police found guilty of adultery. The Mali army attacked Islamist rebels with heavy weapons in the center of the country which divides the insurgent-held north and the government-controlled south, government officials said Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this April 24, 2012 file photo, fighters from Islamist group Ansar Dine stand guard during a hostage handover in the desert outside Timbuktu, Mali. The Mali army attacked Islamist rebels with heavy weapons in the center of the country which divides the insurgent-held north and the government-controlled south, government officials said Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/File)

Map locates Mali and key sites in northern Mali

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) ? France launched a military operation Friday to help the government of Mali defeat al-Qaida-linked militants who captured more ground this week, dramatically raising the stakes in the battle for this vast desert nation.

French President Francois Hollande said the "terrorist groups, drug traffickers and extremists" in northern Mali "show a brutality that threatens us all." He vowed that the operation would last "as long as necessary."

France said it was taking the action in Mali at the request of President Dioncounda Traore, who declared a state of emergency because of the militants' advance.

The arrival of the French troops in their former colony came a day after the Islamists moved the closest yet toward territory still under government control and fought the Malian military for the first time in months, seizing the strategic city of Konna.

For the past nine months, the Islamic militants have controlled a large swath of northern Mali, a lawless desert region where kidnapping has flourished.

"French armed forces supported Malian units this afternoon to fight against terrorist elements," Hollande said in Paris.

He did not give any details of the operation, other than to say that it was aimed in part at protecting the 6,000 French citizens in Mali, where seven of them already are being held captive.

Residents in central Mali said they had seen Western military personnel arriving in the area, with planes landing at a nearby airport throughout the night.

Col. Abdrahmane Baby, a military operations adviser for the foreign affairs ministry, confirmed in the Malian capital of Bamako that French forces had arrived in the country but gave no details.

"They are here to assist the Malian army," he told reporters.

Traore went on national television Friday night to declare the state of emergency, saying it would remain in effect for 10 days and could be renewed.

He called on mining companies and nongovernment organizations to turn their trucks over to Malian military, raising questions about the army's ability.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. was "deeply concerned" by events in Mali, and that Washington was closely consulting with Paris. She said neither France nor Mali has asked for U.S. military assistance.

France has led a diplomatic push for international action in northern Mali but efforts to get an African-led force together, or to train the weak Malian army, have dragged.

The French quickly mobilized after the Islamists seized the city of Konna on Thursday, pushing closer to the army's major base in central Mali.

The United Nations Security Council has condemned the capture of Konna and urged U.N. member states to assist Mali "in order to reduce the threat posed by terrorist organizations and associated groups."

Late last year, the 15 nations in West Africa, including Mali, agreed on a proposal for the military to take back the north, and sought backing from the U.N.

The Security Council authorized the intervention but imposed certain conditions. Those include the training of Mali's military, which has been accused of serious human rights abuses since a military coup last year sent the nation into disarray.

The fighting Wednesday and Thursday for Konna represents the first clashes between Malian government forces and the Islamists in nearly a year, since the militants seized the northern cities of Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu.

The Islamists seized the town of Douentza four months ago after brief standoff with a local militia, but pushed no farther until clashes broke out late Wednesday in Konna, a city of 50,000 people, where fearful residents cowered inside their homes. Konna is just 45 miles (70 kilometers) north of the government-held town of Mopti, a strategic port city along the Niger River.

A soldier, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists, acknowledged that the army had retreated from Konna. He said several soldiers were killed and wounded, though he did not have precise casualty figures.

Al-Qaida's affiliate in Africa has been a shadowy presence for years in the forests and deserts of Mali, a country hobbled by poverty and a relentless cycle of hunger. Most Malians adhere to a moderate form of Islam.

In recent months, however, the terrorist group and its allies have taken advantage of political instability, taking territory they are using to stock weapons and train forces.

Turbaned fighters control major towns in the north, carrying out amputations in public squares just as the Taliban did. And like in Afghanistan, they are flogging women for not covering up. Since taking control of Timbuktu, they have destroyed seven of the 16 mausoleums listed as world heritage sites.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said his government was taking action because "in recent days, the situation unfortunately deteriorated very seriously."

The delay by the international community in taking action allowed "the terrorist and criminal groups of northern Mali ... to move toward the south with the goal of ... installing a terrorist state."

The Islamists insist they want to impose Shariah only in northern Mali, though there long have been fears they could push farther south. Bamako, the capital, is 435 miles (700 kilometers) from Islamist-held territory.

Hollande said the French government will address parliament on Monday about the operation.

The intervention earned quick, widespread support from leading voices inside France across the political spectrum. Even far right leader Marine Le Pen ? one of the many critics of the unpopular Hollande ? called the Socialist leader's action "legitimate."

France has hundreds of troops across western Africa, with bases or sites in places such as Senegal, Ivory Coast, Chad and Gabon. However, Hollande has said that he wants to create a new relationship with former colonies in Africa.

The operation in Mali is the first military intervention under his leadership, and comes just weeks after he pulled out France's last combat troops out of Afghanistan, ending an increasingly unpopular 11-year presence there.

France was a leading force in the NATO operation against Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi's forces in 2011. Also that year, France played a driving role in an international military intervention to oust Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to leave power after disputed elections. Both of those operations were under Hollande's predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy.

___

Corbet reported from Paris. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton and Jamey Keaten in Paris; Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal; Bradley Klapper in Washington; and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.

___

Baba Ahmed can be reached at www.twitter.com/Babahmed1

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-11-Mali-Fighting/id-a2701ab6b73244c19da6c0c6b94705e6

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Violence in Northern Ireland for 3rd day over flag

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) ? Northern Ireland police used water cannons to fend off brick-hurling protesters in Belfast on Saturday as violent demonstrations over flying the British flag stretched into a third straight day.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it was investigating reports that a number of shots were fired at police lines. A 38-year-man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, police said.

More than 1,000 demonstrators marched on Belfast's city hall earlier Saturday afternoon amid a heavy police presence. While the rally passed largely without incident, police then came under attack from a mob of more than 100 people hurling bricks and fireworks. Two men were arrested, police said.

Protesters have been out in force ? with sometimes violent results ? since a Dec. 3 decision by Belfast City Council to stop flying the British flag year-round.

Such issues of symbolism frequently inflame sectarian passions in Northern Ireland, where Protestants mainly want to stay in the United Kingdom and Catholics want to unite with the Republic of Ireland.

Many Protestants want the council to reverse its decision about the flag, and dozens of police have been injured in ensuing demonstrations.

Saturday's flare-up followed a tense Friday night in Belfast when nine police officers were injured and 18 rioters arrested during rioting. Police said that more than 30 petrol bombs were thrown at officers, along with ball bearings, fireworks and bricks as they responded to clashes in Protestant sections of the city.

Similar clashes on Thursday saw 10 police injured in east Belfast.

The controversy has also seen death threats made against politicians.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/violence-northern-ireland-3rd-day-over-flag-164227056.html

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It's 'cash only' now for tourists at the Vatican

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- It's "cash only" now for tourists at the Vatican wanting to pay for museum tickets, souvenirs and other services after Italy's central bank decided to block electronic payments, including credit cards, at the tiny city-state.

Deutsche Bank Italia, which for some 15 years had provided the Vatican with electronic payment services, said Thursday that the Bank of Italy had pulled its authorization after Dec. 31.

The Corriere della Sera newspaper reported that the Italian central bank took the action because the Holy See has not yet fully complied with European Union safeguards against money laundering. That means Italian banks are not authorized to operate within the Vatican, which is in the process of improving its mechanisms to combat laundering.

The Vatican says it is scrambling to solve the problem for thousands of visitors who flock to its very popular Vatican Museums, which include highlights like the Sistine Chapel. The Holy See had no immediate comment on the Bank of Italy's reported reasons.

Tourists in the long lines Thursday that snaked around Vatican City walls were not happy about the inconvenience.

"It's certainly a disadvantage," said Giuseppe Amoruso, an Italian. "Credit cards provide a useful service, which needs to be accessible to everybody, everywhere."

"A lot of tourists don't have cash on them, so they have to get euros and don't know where to get them," said Fluger William Hunter, an American tourist.

The central bank said a routine inspection found that Deutsche Bank Italia hadn't sought authorization when it first started providing services at the Vatican. When it finally did, the Bank of Italy turned it down because the Vatican's banking norms, including measures to combat money laundering, didn't meet Italy's more stringent criteria of recent years, a central bank official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because there was no official statement on the case.

The Vatican has been striving to upgrade its measures to detect and discourage money laundering, hiring a Swiss expert just a few months ago. Last summer, the Holy See passed a key European financial transparency test but received failing grades for its financial watchdog agency and its bank, formally called the Institute for Religious Works.

The museums, with their entrance fees and popular souvenir shops, are a big money-maker for the Vatican. Other Vatican attractions, such as tours of the Vatican's ancient underground spaces, also charge admission.

___

Giulia Saudelli from Rome contributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cash-only-now-tourists-vatican-152536913.html

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Pettersson: Golf on 'witch hunt' of long putters

FILE - In this Aug. 17, 2012, file photo, Carl Pettersson, of Sweden, putts on the first green during the second round of the Wyndham Championship golf tournament in Greensboro, N.C. his first comments since golf officials proposed a new rule to ban the anchored stroke of long putters, Pettersson calls it a "witch hunt" that makes him feel as though he is 16 years behind his peers. That's how long he has been using a long putter, and the Swede isn't about to change anytime soon. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 17, 2012, file photo, Carl Pettersson, of Sweden, putts on the first green during the second round of the Wyndham Championship golf tournament in Greensboro, N.C. his first comments since golf officials proposed a new rule to ban the anchored stroke of long putters, Pettersson calls it a "witch hunt" that makes him feel as though he is 16 years behind his peers. That's how long he has been using a long putter, and the Swede isn't about to change anytime soon. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) ? Carl Pettersson says the proposed rule to ban the anchored stroke for long putters feels like a "witch hunt," and that golf's governing bodies were only reacting to three of the last five major champions using a belly putter.

"It seems silly to ban something that's been around for 40 years," Pettersson said in his first comments since the U.S. Golf Association and Royal & Ancient Golf Club announced plans Nov. 28 to outlaw anchored strokes. "It's unfortunate. I feel like I'm 16 years behind because I haven't putted with anything else for 16 years."

Pettersson, who qualified for the Tournament of Champions by winning at Hilton Head, began using a broom-handle putter that he anchors to his chest between his sophomore and junior year at North Carolina State.

Keegan Bradley (PGA Championship), Webb Simpson (U.S. Open) and Ernie Els (British Open) used a belly putter to win their majors.

Two more months of comment period remain before the rule becomes official, and then it does not take effect until the next Rules of Golf is published Jan. 1, 2016.

Even as the long putters were getting more attention, Pettersson made one of the most compelling cases to keep them. It is the only putting stroke he has used during his 10 years on the PGA Tour.

Pettersson long has argued that he has spent thousands of hours practicing the stroke, which did not come naturally to him, and that to start over would put him at an unfair disadvantage. He was said to be among those who might consider a lawsuit if the rule is adopted, though the easygoing Swede said he would see how this year unfolded.

"I don't know," he said when asked if he would challenge the rule. "I haven't made up my mind yet. I'm just going to sit back and see what happens."

In the meantime, he has no plans to change putters.

Simpson said he had been practicing on occasion with a short putter in case of a ban, and Bradley had some fun at the World Challenge last month when he grabbed a short putter on the practice green at Sherwood and made a 20-foot putt.

Both showed up at Kapalua with their belly putters.

"I'm not going to change," Bradley said. "I'm not even thinking about it, to be honest. I'm going to wait for the rule to pass first, and then I'll think about what to do."

Pettersson said he tinkered with a few grips during his month at home in North Carolina, though not to the point that he practiced on a real green. He also said he was not surprised by the decision, saying it became clear in the last few months that the USGA and R&A were leaning toward a ban.

"It feels a bit like a witch hunt to me," Pettersson said. "It was a pure reaction to Keegan and Ernie and Webb. They keep harping on the younger generation using them, but I think they're going to ban it because it looks bad. But you have strong arguments from other players, too."

Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker and Graeme McDowell are on a long list of players who use conventional putters and believe an anchored stroke should go away, saying it takes the skill out of putting because the top part of the club is anchored to the body.

What concerned golf's top officials is that players no longer were using an anchored stroke out of desperation to improve their putting, but as a way to putt better.

"There's no argument that it's a better way to putt because then everybody would be using it," Pettersson said. "If it was easy, everybody on the PGA Tour would be using it. So I don't know where they got that from. It's just a different way of putting."

The PGA Tour can set its own rules, and there has been speculation that when the rule passes, the tour would adopt it before 2016 to avoid the long putters getting too much attention over the next few years.

Bradley said a fan called him a cheater at the World Challenge, which prompted a statement from the USGA that reminded fans the putting stroke remains legal.

A spokesman said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem would not comment until a players' meeting in two weeks at Torrey Pines. Pettersson won't be at the meeting because he does not plan to play the Farmers Insurance Open.

"There's so much speculation. I just wish people would say what's going on," Bradley said. "From what I've heard, the rule is not going in for three years. I haven't heard what the tour is going to do. I know it's a touchy subjection. I would prefer for it to go three years so we aren't rushed into it. I think that would be the fair way to do it."

Pettersson said he was surprised not to have heard from Finchem, and that his hope was that golf officials weren't talking only to those opposed to long putters. He did say, however, that USGA executive director Mike Davis tried to call him a few weeks ago.

"I didn't know it was him, so it went right to my voicemail," Pettersson said.

Did he call him back?

"No," Pettersson said. "I just didn't want to talk about it. And there's nothing I could do."

Davis said he has tried to call a number of players who use long putters before and after the announcement of the proposed rule.

"I've just reached out and said, 'If you want to talk about it, I'm happy to, but don't feel you need to call back,'" Davis said. "We realize there are two sides ? many sides ? to this issue and we just wanted to reach out. It's not so much to try to convince them of our point of view, it was more listening to theirs."

Davis said with two months remaining in the comment period, "It has gotten extremely quiet."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-02-Long%20Putters/id-a7898daad4044eddb0bbb3bc35aefc6e

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