A few months ago I decided to go buy a new TV, first time in 15 years. I went to the local Best Buy, checked out models, figure out a plan and price, worked with the store rep to get it all set. We go to finalize and pay for it and they tell me that its OUT OF STOCK and they could order it but it would take 8-10 days. I spent over 3 hours working with various people in his team on a $1000+ deal only to get jerked around at the last second? I was so pissed I went home, hopped online, found the EXACT same make and model on Amazon for $200 less with free 2 day shipping. I find it interesting how they complain about people using their stores as showcases to browse, when that is the ONLY service they are capable of providing.

The AT&T case was unique in that the SCOTUS overrode a CA statute that was OVERLY generous to consumers (and completely unfair to businesses) and said the arbitration clause was valid. MA on the other hand will toss out such a clause (as they did in the Dell case) as it simply stripped a consumer's right to the court. So I repeat, the AT&T does NOT validate all arbitration clauses, all it did was invalidate enforcement of a CA statute that was superceded by the Fed Arbitration Action.

5th amendment protects one against oral testimony against oneself, not self-incrimination or being forced to provide evidence.

Talk to Scalia. But it's no different than an officer stopping someone on the sidewalk to ask them a question, and if they suspect something because of it, to frisk them (Terry Stop).

Heck, they should allow the apps to stay and just pull them over for illegal use of a device while driving, or distracted operation or something.

Entrapment is only when they induce you to do something you normally wouldn't have done otherwise.

Yes, check points need to be published in newpapers to allow police to side-step 4th amendment rights to unreasonable searches. If the info is made public, the rationale is you've been "notified", regardless if you've read it or not, and have waived your reasonable expectation of privacy in this regard.

Then chances are you're too drunk to use the apps. I can't imagine some drunk driver trying to use some Google Maps mashup on a phone to navigate around police roadblocks, let alone have the mental aforethought to consider using it. People don't drink and drive because they're evil-doers, they do it because they lack the sober rationale to realize they're not capable of driving in their current condition.

I got laid off last week after only working for 3 weeks. Who does hiring when they are about to re-org?

Wow, I had no idea that adding an Exchange email account for your iDevice would give sysadmins that power. Good thing my last company had ActiveSync disabled on their Exchange server forcing me to find alternate ways to get my emails, one of which was a tool that let me set a middle man server to act as a IMAP/LDAP/CALDAV server, sort of a proxy via the WebMail interface. This would keep the admin's off my phone while giving me full functionality.

Are you kidding me? I used my iPad are the office all the time. Granted, I'm not compiling Java on it, but there are plenty of uses over and above email at the office.

It makes a great portable Web-Ex client, as well as GotoMeeting and other presentation formats. It handles documents well. Using iAnnotate lets me markup and read PDF docs.

I also found it great for reading specs rather than killing trees with paper or trying to read them off a computer screen. I can take them with me with ease.

I also have RDP and VNC clients plus a shell terminal (no, not jailbroken) lets me SSH into other boxes and do sys admin work as well as a slew of other network tools available.

Add on top of that the fact that I can do Voip calls and listen to my music all at the same time.

Verizon's is Android's bitch and they've been in bed ever since Verizon decided not only to take swings at AT&T's network, but by bashing the iPhone and its lack of features that Droid had at the time. Anyone remember the commercial where they placed the iPhone in the land of misfit toys? After all the bashing they're done on iPhone, they're gonna look pretty silly to suddenly do a 180* and promote how great it is. They're Android partners may not be all that thrilled either.

You're sort of proving my point. Just because Apple gives you an inch in the ability to install apps that they control access to, you demand a mile. The iPhone is an appliance - its designed to make telephone calls and interact with the Internet. The iPad is an appliance too with similar features. Nobody called Motorola evil when you couldn't install applications on the StarTac, how is Apple any different?

Why does everyone believe they have the inherent right to install applications on electronics they buy? Have you not noticed that Apple exited the computer business when they removed 'computer' from their corporate name? They make consume electronics now. Sure, some of those happen to be computers. Others happen to be devices to which they generously opened some ability for others to extend onto their platform.

But honestly, when's the last time you installed an application on your toaster? Or your alarm clock? I don't hear anybody bitching about Sony keeping their flat screen television systems controlled.

So much for my English background that I can't even proofread my post properly. Should have said "one of the few in my school that could actually afford one"