I am a bit in the dark as to the intricacies of Java and Dalvik, so forgive me if this is a daft question...

When you say Google "create[d] a compatible API", is this similar to what WINE did for the WIN32 API? A re-implementation, through new code, that emulates* the functionality of the precursor?

* I know -- WINE is not an emulator, I use the word in a more metaphoric sense.

MC

Invite please. Galenlas(at)gmail

Heh. It would be hilarious if athletes blamed God.

But, no, I don't give a shit when athletes give credit to God...but...they are not scientists and engineers. I hold them to a higher standard. ;)

Nothing, because he doesn't exist.

It irked me immensely that the white room crew held up a 'God Bless America' sign. Is there not corner of civilization where we can escape the idiotic God-bothering horseshit of "mainstream America".

Seriously -- its a space craft! And as Gagarin said "I don't see any God up here."* Can we please just give that sentimental nonsense a miss and focus on the science and engineering?

*Yeah, I know, he never said it, but it fits well.

Agreed. The BB has always been and continues to be very well suited for enterprise use. The foreseeable future has a place for BB and RIM.

Dude, you are seriously flirting with tin foil hat territory.

Discussions are ongoing but it looks to be longer than 48 hours is the most likely situation. Sadly, my version of the Royal Wedding has been postponed for the day and possibly the whole weekend. Shitty.

SpaceX is planning to make LEO launches profitable. That way companies wanted satellites launched will contact SpaceX, not NASA. Those profits are then spent on R&D for the Mars mission. But you're right, the Mars mission has little profit prospects from the outset (perhaps mineral mining in the future will be profitable, but I doubt it). NASA will need to fund the Mars mission for a large part.

Hopefully the entrenched players will be hamstrung by NASA's new funding paradigm for COTS. However, big companies have made billions from the STS missions and will be contacting politicians to resurrect the old status quo. From an engineering perspective, I like SpaceX's chances. From a political standpoint, they have a tough fight ahead of them.

MC

It's nice, I may have considered buying one -- except, as far as I can see there is no GPS. What is that about?

Where I see the tablets making an impact is in the 'second computer' niche. Most people (or families/households) will have a proper computer in the classical sense because of the advantages they have. However, tablets will grow in use as the hand held browser that people can use from the sofa.

Some of my best times playing WoW was with a friend and his laptop at my place (or my laptop at his place). We'd get a case of beer and play WoW for the evening. It was fun to be able to laugh and joke with the other player in the same room. It was much more interesting than playing at home by myself.

There is something to be said for having friends in the same room.