I long suspected Cox cable re-compressed our local stations, but then found out all the stations are sharing 2 HD stations per transmitter, some with an extra SD subchannel. So even over the air, all my locals are less than 9 Mbps. Cox has the dirty work done for them already, and just sends out the same signal.

In my area, many of our OTA network stations share a channel (due to financial issues, not to free up spectrum). Fox/ABC, CBS/CW, NBC/myTV.

I think most programs have no issues with 12+ Mbps, which usually leaves room for a SD sub-channel. However, shoving two HD programs into a 6 MHz channel leaves each ~9 Mbps. Sports programs suffer significant blocking and pixelation on fast action and pans. Live shows such as America's Got Talent also block and pixelate. Studio shows fare better.

I believe the problem may vary based on market since, I assume, the broadcasts are re-compressed locally and we're at the mercy of the capability of whatever system my money-starved stations purchased. NBC and CBS are the worst here, and I'm not sure if it's their choice of compression hardware or just that 1080i suffers more than 720p.

So basically on these shared channels, you suffer from limited bandwidth, re-compression artifacts (going form 12-18 Mbps down to 9), and local hardware limitations (poor quality compressor, no pre-processing/single-pass only, etc).

Other than the fact that Compaq was jumping on Apple's iMac naming?

Many are overlooking the second page... including me.

To be fair, the US prisons on that list were elaborate clean facilities, unlike most of the rest. One made the list for "brutal" guards, and the other for being so secure the prisoners want to kill themselves. Sounds like a different level of "bad" than rampant AIDS outbreaks or occasional massacres of the entire population.

were --> where
then --> than
their --> they're
payed --> paid
its --> it's
(I skipped the regular typos and sentence structure issues.)

How is the grammar education in that low class school district that's only 10 miles away?

Exactly. He had "Microsoft Studios Creative Director" as his title on Twitter. If you don't want to appear to be speaking for the company you work for, don't slap your title on there.

A lot of people are using this as an excuse to complain about all the junk mail they get. Why don't you do something about it? Cancel all the catalogs and crap you're getting.

Start here: http://www.optoutprescreen.com/

If you get stuff with pre-paid return envelopes, send back a note asking to be removed from their mailing list.

If the EU had standardized on a free (no royalties) Lightning connector, everyone would be crying foul over government mandates and how it stifles innovation.

The goal was to get rid of large power bricks attached to proprietary connectors. Apple has for MANY years supplied a power plug with a standard USB connector and used the same cable/connector for 10 years. THAT has reduced waste. What other phone manufacturer has stuck with their plugs that long? How many phones will charge from a 10 year old cable?

What about all those phones that include a micro-USB port for charging, but then have ANOTHER port or a ANOTHER special proprietary cable to get audio/video out?

Is modern supposed to imply a website designed to be 1024 pixels wide?

Is it really such a big problem if neither iOS or Android "win"? I'd much rather have choice and competition from here until eternity.

I saw how things stagnated when Microsoft dominated.

Actually, Cingular bought AT&T Wireless, then renamed itself AT&T Mobility. Even though they spent all that money to come up with "Cingular", "AT&T" still had more brand power.

Been covered before. Palm and Android can talk and surf as long as you're on WiFi. Current EVDO, not so much.

I have identified you as a non-dumb person. Thank you for reminding me that someone else in the world understands turn lanes.

Read the original Engadget post and the court documents are weaselly. They are simply saying that customers should not expect phone unlocks because USA Today made it public knowledge that there was a 5 year contract. They did NOT reveal the actual contract as part of the court documents, nor did they go on record confirming the contract. USA Today never said the contract started in 2007, that's just when they reported it. Lot's of assumptions being made.