Ok, maybe it's not windows vs linux...

but Linux won!

The believe navit program has this type of more advanced "giving directions" feature (you can probably find more information on the navit website). I haven't tried navit much, since the other GPS apps such as tangogps have been enough for me..

I agree with you, although you have some sort of google account even if you haven't "joined" it.
Your interactions with google are associated with your computer and a google id. I still use google and facebook (although I resisted facebook for a while), but I wouldn't mind if they were both a little less big brother.
Here the first google privacy info I found: Search Privacy at Google

Great, with all these extra resources, they'll be able to get the linux ports like Quake Live done faster!
A win for everyone!

Seriously though, hopefully this turns out the way id planned, and the linux and open source stuff doesn't get canned.

If you act now and pay just $10 million more, you'll also get this giant tape player for free!

Are you saying professional chess players don't prepare for big matches by studying their opponent? (and their opponent's previous games)

I realize that players at that level probably mostly play from a memory of board states, but there are so many possibilities that knowing which ones to focus on let's you analyze the possibilities that are most likely. The unbeatable chess strategy you describe is for a computer with a ton of memory and a fast search capability, not for humans or human-like AI.

Back to the main topic, I think a self-learning system can be much more human-like and smarter, but if the task is simple or restricted enough (checkers, for example), learning may not be needed to win.

That makes sense, but don't forget that new/future things in real life are often "cool", too. Sure there are plenty of advances that are boring, but, for example, when people first got to drive cars, it was probably pretty interesting.

Cool science fiction ideas that are physically possible, may eventually happen.

That sort of makes sense, but I'm thinking they replaced Data because, like his replacement, the earlier robotic/child-like Data is much more interesting than grown up Data (or any android) who has emotions and acts pretty much human.

For wrist angle, just add another wiimote to your forearm. Now you can measure wrist angle (assuming the motion plus is accurate enough). Motion capture people do these kinds of things, but if there's a max of 4 wiimotes, you'll be limited to how much you can capture.
The other issues you mention are not so easily solved: force feedback, etc.