I'm REALLY trying to fight the urge this time around. The last story I saw on this was only a couple months ago, so there really is no need for me to do it again.

Other missing option: every time I see a story about Googling myself

So many people griping about companies (and rich people) using loopholes, blaming them for their problems. Well, CLOSE THE FAFFING LOOPHOLES. If there are no loopholes to take advantage of, then they will be forced to pat their fair share. Right now, they pay their fair share, which is lower than many would like but still fair due to the fact that these loopholes exist for them to use. Any company NOT taking advantage of them is likely to fail because it become economically disadvantaged compared to its competitors who are taking advantage.

Simplify the tax system. Close the loopholes.

I initially thought the headline said Big Media Wants More Privacy Busting From Google

I guess that's likely true as well.

Sure they could-
Assumption: They have the ability to cloak an entire planet.
*Secondary assumption: With that level of technology, they likely have FTL communications and FTL travel.
Therefore: They have spies here who passed our discovery of them to their home, thus causing their leaders to hide the planet.

*It is true, of course, that the secondary assumption does not necessarily follow from the first assumption, but we're guessing here anyway and it's a pretty reasonable assumption.

those people who don't protect their name, their reputation, as they would protect their company -1.

Even many educated, intelligent, digitally-connected people don't know to do this. Even many who have considered it don't have any idea HOW to do it. There is no crime in having a similar, or even identical, name on-line as someone else. For example, someone posts here as Squigly. Who or what stops someone else from posting elsewhere as Squigly and possibly tarnishing the original's rep, or maybe making it better accidentally? There are a lot of names that are quite popular as well, leading to easy confusion. So how, exactly, does one 'protect their reputation' on-line?

That's who we use at our libraries in Pasadena & Glendale (Ca). I agree with others that this is the one good use for DRM. Self-returning library books is pretty cool. Sometimes, though, we have to 'clear' an account when the download doesn't work and the book gets locked in limbo.

The issue with DRM is interesting- The original files were PDF, but with DRM built-in. Then they switched over to a new file name extension just for this. Because of this DRM, you have to have Adobe Digital Editions. This can get weird when you try to open a PDF with Reader and get told it isn't compatible! This happens with some of the free-to-download-and-keep books from Google, depending on who the actual source is. So, with those, even though their labeled as PDFs, you have to open them in Digital Editions. Odd little pain in the butt. Found this out recently while doing some heraldry research.

Cool! I'll have to check this out in more depth- looks fun. Thank you.

I'd be happiest if they had video out. As I see these, I could replace all of the public PCs at my work with these and run terminal/remote desktop sessions from the server. I just need these to have video, mouse, keyboard connections for the idea to pan out. We're headed this route anyway, so this type of setup removes more of the power waste and space usage than other thin-client systems we're looking at.

Unless you're on Charter- They seem to hate CableCards. I have a TiVo HD that requires a cable card (no way for it to control a set top box- supposedly) and Charter, which is a nasty cable provider anyway, has really SUCKED in this department. I'm constantly having to reboot, being told by TiVo that I have a new device plugged in (which is an external device required so that the cable cards can work with Charter's system- so a set top box of a different sort). That device, the cable cards, the cabling have all been tested, replaced, retested, ad infinitum, with no help. The TiVo works great, except for the cable stuff, then it's hit-n-miss. Most of the techs have said all the equipment is solid. But then, most of them have been idiots. And the main tech office the techs call for support is just as bad. Many of the issues have verifiably been due to billing codes being input wrong. Of course, it's not all about the cable cards. My roomies have regular digital set top boxes that fail at the same time as mine, but not every time mine does.

So no, if you're on Charter, avoid cable cards. Or do what I plan on doing- move! Anybody in Verizon FIOS territory have a nice room to let?

I agree. Perhaps a wave account should have been automatically given either to all GMail users, or at least to the very active ones. But really, the system should have been open for sign-up from the beginning.

I was invited into it, so I signed up. Looked around and couldn't find a way to make it useful to me and never went back. So I for one won't miss it. However, I can see where others will miss it.

350USD in any fully capitalistic society- lots of middlemen to pay for shipping, receiving, smog tests, etc.

(Before you complain, yes, I love capitalism. But I am also aware of its limitations.)