We got some iPads here at work to eval for use in various places. I was very underwhelmed. OTOH - My family and I really enjoy our Asus Transformer tablet. Whenever my kids are home for my weekends, a common question from my wife is "Where's the tablet?" I am very happy about not being tied to iTunes either. There's only one iPod left in the house, and it's a nightmare of support when she has problems.

Schutzstaffel would be more appropriate. The Gestapo was run by Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS till 1939 then under the various German "Police" forces after.

So, your completely non-intuitive method of attaching a PDF via opening a few apps to just get AT it to send in an email is better than, say, long-press, send, select email, and off to the races?

> "reminding" the American people

Brings to mind Darth Vader - "I have modified the terms of our agreement. Pray I don't modify it further..."

The Tea Party may have had these goals *in the distant past*, but it's now a flunky tool of the Evangelical Xtian movement whose goal has been to corrupt and take over government since the 70's. The only thing it really accomplished was to make the Republicans look like even bigger stooges of the military and corporate America.

You can thank the Bush Administration for taking most of the teeth out of the Fair Labor Standards Act. I read the whole thing cover-to-cover about 5 years ago, there were decent protections for those of us in computer-related fields. Once Bush's changes went into full effect, our HR department wasted no time in rolling out changes to attendance/tardy policies, destroying vacation rules and taking away vacation time. I resent the HELL out of being told I have to be on call every third week, answer the phone 24x7x365 if it's my specific area of expertise, then I'm told if I'm 5 minutes late I'll be written up. 10 years and I never had hard-coded office hours. I used to do a job, not warm a seat. They get less out of me now, even though I'm in the office more.

That appears to be a patent on a rectangular solid. Sad.

We haven't been a "free nation of laws" in a LONNG time. The law is only applied when convenient. Against people who have it coming and are not A- a large corporation, B- a powerful politician, C- insanely wealthy person. There are protected classes in this country and "We the People" aren't one of them.

They're Idiots. I just got my first Android phone. You get warned when you go through setup. You get warned when you install and start EVERY APPLICATION that they'll be tracking you. There is no ambiguity if you have half a brain.

Idiots.

Except for the whole patent encumbrance bear trap in h.264.

You can NOT buy a "smart" phone and put it on ANY provider's network without PAYING for a data contract nowadays. At least Verizon and AT&T (I don't know T-Mobile for sure) FORCE data contracts, even if you buy a used phone with a clear ID, you can't put JUST phone service on it.

I was pretty clear when I said "Even if you purchase the device outright, you have to pay " - I've tried. It is obvious that the subsidy isn't driving the data contract. The outrageous profit in data plans is driving the data contract.

It's illegal. Period.

I did exactly that for a long time. I went through a few semi-smart phones that played mp3's, but none had decent players till my current LG Env Touch (Verizon had some conflict with this phone - When I got it, data was optional, then later it wasn't, then it was again - go figure). I quit carrying 2 devices, and don't really wish to go back. I have a 42 mile commute. I listen to a LOT of audio books. A player that will remember your place in a book if you leave the player app is very important. It's nice to be able to load a 16GB micro SD card with books/music/pictures and be able to manipulate it all without iTunes too.

I've learned to work around the quirks in the LG player, and it's been OK. I'd love to be able to try out other apps without paying Verizon (only provider that works at my house) $1.99/MB/download just to try different apps, much less the purchase price of the app that may not do it. I like to tinker, so an Android seems like the device for me. I like the iPhone, but despise the whole Apple culture thing.

Also, dishonest business practices like forced data contracts gets under my skin and makes me dig my heels in. If *I* get a smart phone, then my wife has to get one (who honestly has no need of one, she's very non-techie). I know my step-son will wheedle her into getting him one eventually too, and a 14 yr old has NO valid reason for one (He needs to show behaviour and grades to justify permission, then have enough incentive to earn the money for it - that hasn't and probably won't happen) All of a sudden, I'm looking at $1080/yr for DATA. Even if I buy the phones for full price. Bullshit on that.

>The cellular data network will still be important, but in some areas of the world, WiFi saturation may make it less necessary.

Good luck with this. The wireless companies engage in an illegal practice known as "tying" - You buy whatever THEY deem as a "smart" device and you are REQUIRED to buy a data plan. Even if you purchase the device outright, you have to pay hundreds of dollars a year more for data service you may not want or need.

Here's my analogy: You buy a nice new 55" 1080p LED-LCD 3D TV. You've never seen a need for cable before, but your mother-in-law has moved into your spare bedroom and she likes to watch cable. You call the cable company for basic cable. Their first question is "What kind of television do you have?". Strange question, but you answer. Cable- "OK, Sir. You have a screen over 40", so you have to get a HD box. Since it's also a 3D TV, you have to get all the movie channels and sports packages." You-"But I just want basic for my M-I-L to watch the news and normal programming". Cable "Sorry, Sir - that's our policy".

I'm around WIFI all day. I don't have any use for data while I make my commute. I would love to have a new Android gadget phone. Can't get one on Verizon (or any others) without paying $360/yr for data that I WILL NOT HAVE ANY USE FOR. Sure, I could probably find something I'd use it for, but I get along great without it. It's Tying, and it is ILLEGAL. Unfortunately, no one with the deep pockets to fight it cares, they just pay the $360/yr.

And the public University I started at in 1985 has seen a 13X increase in yearly tuition in the last 26 years. Give or take 10% per year. I guarantee that the value of that education has not increased at 2-3 times the rate of inflation.

Came here to suggest something like this. Say the first 10 are $350, incrementing 20% every 10? Top out at say $5K/application?

I think the unintended consequence of this would be creating hundreds of wholly-owned subsidiary companies just for filing patent paperwork. You'd need to link/register individuals linked to specific orgs to bypass that. Dunno. Just needs something like this to put the brakes on the process.