Gizmodo had an update concerning that:

http://gizmodo.com/5469042/warner-music-doesnt-much-care-for-this-free-internet-music

What is so magical about the iPhone interface? The same people I see struggle with windows or OS X struggle with the iPhone when they get it. The difference is they tend to use the iphone more on a daily basis than their desktop and are therefore more proficient at specific tasks. Ask them to do something they are unfamiliar with and they struggle. Heck I knew one guy that had an iphone for 3 months and still didn't know how to install an app. I'd guess its more of a generational thing than anything else. My experience has shown that anyone over 55 or so is more likely to struggle when it comes to anything computer related. Under that usually are more proficient with computers (and/or specific programs). So I believe the "iphone ui revolution" had more to do with the timing being right with a large percentage of the population being more computer friendly.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126221116097210861.html

Apparently it used to be pretty common to put chicken wire in plaster walls. So some older buildings work effectively as faraday cages.

The popbox supports UPnP & DLNA (as a client).

A) Netflix HD streams are not current available for computers. Sure they are low bitrate HD streams, but they are better on larger TVs than the SD streams
B) Buying a PC for each TV in my house (5) is much more expensive than buying these lower end boxes and using a central storage server. Plus its much cheaper on the electricity bill.
C) HTPCs tend to take time to setup correctly, more so than these inexpensive dedicated boxes. While I would probably enjoy making these tweaks (as would most of slashdot), I enjoy spending time with my family more or making money by working and billing my clients.
D) Dedicated boxes like this tend to have a simpler UI and therefore a much higher WAF (wife acceptance factor).

Just a few points off the top of my head.

Except that if Driver A treats the intersection as a "4 way stop" the expectation is that driver B will stop, so driver A shouldn't need to wait in that situation. Obviously it would be correct to wait to see Driver B slow down, but a slow down could be caused by a red light that turns green prior to Driver B reaching the intersection. I think it is more accurate to say that if a street light is obscured, you should treat it as a stop sign. Not a "4 way stop", since that has an expectation of other drivers behavior. Not sure what the law specifically say in this situation, but I would treat the obscured light as a stop sign, not a "4 way stop".

In your situation I might agree. However for me the choice is either use GPS or have my wife reading the map. Needless to say, GPS wins. ;)

Thats actually a very good point that I never thought about. It make sense though. One reason that TV manufacturers said they dropped cablecard support was due to lack of "demand". But I always thought it was strange that of the few cablecard TVs that came out, most were larger high-end sets. From my perspective one of the primary reasons for cablecard is that you don't need a separate STB (the other reason being the cost advantage over a regular STD). But larger higher-end TVs will almost alwasy be installed in places with easy access to an entertainment center/media closet where the lack of an STB isn't a big requirement. I always thought the smaller TVs wallmounted in bedrooms/Kitchens/bathrooms would benefit more from a cablecard slot. But the TV manufacturers never made them.

One reason is that the Hybrids spank TD's on city gas mileage. Sure TD's get 40-45mpg, but that is on the highway. In city driving the hybrid's usually beat the TD's. Here is an article comparing the Jetta TDI & The Prius:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/4284188.html

No doubt that the TD is a more established technology and has many benefits over hybrids, but it does lose out in mpg in a big way when driving in the city.

CableCARD support is key. The OP mentioned recording from cable, so unless he wishes to be limited to only the broadcast networks he will need a cableCARD to record the other digital channels. Its not even just the HD channels either, once a cable provider goes digital, most (if not all) of the SD version of the non-broadcast networks are encrypted. All of the major cable providers are planning to go all digital in the next few years if they aren't already.

Netflix's HD streams (720p) are only available to devices and not to computers. Roku, XBox 360, PS3, & some TVs and BluRay players all have access to the netflix HD streams, while the PC do not. Not all content is available in HD (it is a subset of their already limit streaming library), but when its there, it is pretty nice. The HD streams are pretty common for newer TV shows too.

IIRC, Verizon is the one licensing the name Droid. In other countries where the phone is going to be sold it is known as the Motorola Milestone. So while technically the phone is Motorola's, when referring to it with the Droid name, it is specifically referencing the Verizon version of the phone.

Well using the disc will allow you to get a higher quality stream. The HD streams are not streamed to PCs (or via PlayOn). The 720p streams are certainly not blu-ray quality, but they are better than the than the SD streams.

Netflix plans to start offering its streaming service internationally in the 2nd half of 2010. They plan to start in one test market, then expand to other countries. All of this was stated by the CEO in the latest earnings call:

http://paidcontent.org/article/419-netflix-to-take-its-streaming-business-international-next-year/

So what exactly is in Afghanistan and Pakistan that we want to steal?