Phones have heavy touch screen LCDs (and other bits and pieces, like the case!) that are pointless in orbit. Did they really waste that much of their mass budget on an LCD touch screen? Or is the "stock nexus" on this thing really not so stock?

Where do I contribute to Japan's space program? Sign me up!

You know little of what you speak.

A workplace environment is very much created and shepherded by those at the helm. Especially in a workplace that starts at 2 people and progresses to a giant multinational. The leaders set the tone. I've personally experienced it and even did it in the teams I led.

None of which changes the prevalent mode of communication of the workers.

Evidently, your reading comprehension is as good as your powers of observation. Pretty poor.

Europe has very few public toilets relative to other countries. Where toilets are available they would rather inconvenience you with fumbling for coins rather than letting you get on with your business.

Europe has even fewer public drinking fountains. Europe can be a drinking water desert. Let's not bring up the apparently offensive concept of ordering tap water at a restaurant - never fails to garner dirty looks. In Europe you often have no choice but to go the bottled water route.

Youth hostels and high end $200/night hotels and B&Bs. In any case, youth hostels in other countries don't share this stinginess - warm water is either there (and free) or it isn't.

Wake up and look around you.

1. Mr. Brin, you are a smart guy but I don't think emasculate means what you think it means.

2. Ironic that this lament of the non-interaction between people comes from the head of Google. Where Google's Mountain View employees work in perfect virtual isolation in their cubes and ventilated tents. Where employees who need to talk to their colleagues in the cubicle next door or right behind them in the same, shared, cubicle use IM instead of lifting their heads and opening their mouths in conversation. Google's virtual isolation culture is truly epic. One wonders who instigated and fostered this culture if not its now self-professed emasculated leaders.

Non-disposable bags are the norm in Europe. The reason for that is not ecology, it is European stinginess on the oddest things like public toilets, drinking tap water, coin operated warm water in your hotel room and the list is endless. Giving out free plastic bags runs contrary to that innate stinginess and pretending to be ecology minded was a great excuse.

For a wealthy continent, European stinginess on basic items that are practically common courtesies in other countries is stunning.

I stopped wearing a watch over a decade ago (years before I had a mobile phone) and have never missed it. There are so many clocks around most of us there is no need for a watch.

I for one hope I won't be forced to wear one again in a world requiring them for payments.

The problem is not that the music industry is late or that it is flip flopping on what it decides is allowable. It's their stuff and their right do whatever they want with it - copyright.

The real problem that makes this an issue is the bought legislation that grants the music (and movie and publishing) industries perpetual copyrights. This is the core issue and it must not be forgotten.

And if it doesn't can we finally put the notion of the inevitable ascendency of Android to rest?

If/when e-book readers become blister pack items at the super market checkout isle ("with free book inside!") and a $10 price point they will get closer to replacing books and magazines in most cases - essentially once they are disposable.

The problem with e-readers today is that they are property that needs a lot more attention and care than a book. Because of the price point you can't afford to lose or damage it, unlike a book. Once they are disposable and a simple login puts all your previous purchases at your fingertips, books will have a much harder time competing.

The coffee table book will likely survive however.

"What does it bring new to developers that isn't there in Android? Firefox OS's USP is web apps with native bindings(same as WebOS')."

Perhaps not the developer you were thinking of but it provides Samsung an alternative for Google's Android which could have a whole gamut of implications for Google, its Motorola acquisition and its relationship with Samsung.

I also forgot to mention that splitting water from up there means you don't have to ferry it up. An even bigger benefit.

The idea is to use energy when you are close to the sun, where photovoltaics are practical. The stored energy is then used when you are distant from the sun, where photovoltaics are not practical.

Look up Lagrange points for a "neutral spot".

Hand in your nerd card at the exit.

At what $ value did Motorola license these patents to other companies?