Oh yes, because their current strategy has been soooo successful keeping Swype out of the hands of unregistered users who have probably done more to promote Swype with their positive word-of-mouth than any marketing scheme could accomplish. (And if I happen to have, or want to purchase, a device that doesn't come with Swype - then I'm out of luck? the SlideIT and ShapeWriter folks are going to be loving that)

Swype's marketing plan is to *only* distribute Swype via phone manufacturers, *not* through channels like Android's Market. Reasons given included being a small company, limited ability to provide end-user support, yada yada yada. This is despite scores of users who willingly want to fling money their way, regardless of support options (or lack thereof). I know when my Swype beta expired, I was heartbroken. You just can't go back to tapping after Swyping. I tried SlideIT and Shapewriter. I really disliked SlideIT, and while Shapewriter was tolerable, it was still no Swype. I admit I may be biased having used Swype first. I was elated to see the day after my beta expired, that they opened up the official program to anyone who wanted to sign up. Perhaps the Swype folks are having at least a small change of heart regarding their marketing stratgey.

The important part is how consumers interpret and respond to the idea of a 'retinal display'. No doubt it will conjure all kinds of wild assumptions and capabilities in the mind of the buyer, compelling them to buy it. Furthermore, no amount of logic/reasoning will be convince them that their assumptions were wrong: "how can I be wrong - just look at that display!"

I tether my Moto Droid to my laptop (really handy when hotels wants to charge for Wi-Fi). I can listen to Slacker, Pandora, etc while using other apps. I can install any kind of Android app from any vendor regardless of whether Google approves of it or not. And once I update to Froyo, I'll be able to visit Flash websites that iPhone/iPad can't (despite Apple's claim of having the 'entire web in my hands'). If those are usability issues, then by all means, keep 'em coming.

People will go back to eating french fries because they have less fat and calories than a side salad. Example: At Wendy's, a side salad with thousand island dressing has double the calories and fat of a small order of fries. There is more to selecting nutritious food than examining fat and/or calorie counts, and it certainly doesn't fit next to the price on a menu board.

I'd never had known about this script if Facebook had left well enough alone. I'm installing the script now, and encourage everyone else to do the same. I do know how to block FB apps, but am still annoyed by the occasional status update or event invite that includes stuff I don't wanna see. Yippee Skippee! (Don't you just love the Streisand Effect?)

Registration is once a year, and is *not* new in Avast 5. About the only time I get a call from friends and neighbors whose PC's I've decrapified (and installed Firefox, Avast, and Spybot) is when the Avast registration reneweal comes around. After the first year, they know the routine and do it themselves. The only people I've had to do repeat decrapifications were for those who went back to using IE, or, just didn't understand the basic principles of avoiding phishing attacks and sneaky links.

ratings aren't about who watched the show, it's about who watched the advertisements; otherwise, why not count all viewings regardless.

I have to agree. I have 5 phones on my family plan. I changed the shortcuts assigned to the buttons on my phone, and forget that if I pick another phone on the plan and accidentally launch the crappy web browser. Have never received the minimum $1.99 charge on those phones. ever.

Regardless, I have yet to fix a friend's or family member's 'slow' or 'misbehaving' computer that had anything other than IE as the default web browser.

Many cars require you take your hand off the wheel to do the following:

• Activating the turn signal
• Activating the hazard signal
• Activating the emergency brake
• Activating the wipers (front or rear)
• Activating the window defroster (front or rear)

God forbid if there's a cop nearby when it starts pouring rain, near dusk, and you have a lot of mouth breathers in your car fogging up the windows.

I already have a Nano, and would like to upgrade to iTouch, but only if/when it has a camera. How difficult could this be? (iTouch + Camera = iPhone - phone, right?) It seems that is Apple making consumers choose between running a huge a library of applications and games, or having a camcorder/pedometer? Whatever.

• It takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• The characters have un-American, un-pronounceable names.
• The actors are normal-looking, middle-aged people.
• The special effects take a backseat to everything else.

I suppose Peter Jackson's name was the only thing that kept this from being laughed out of Hollywood. 'District 9' and 'Moon' are the best sci-fi movies I've seen in awhile.