Because some people like their laptops as small and thin as possible, there's always demand for the next best, smallest but fastest thing.

No, it's not rocket science. And if it worked now, it would be okay. But it doesn't. I ran through all the steps, and the simulator starts but it's not the x86 emulator for some reason.

"Just set it up" isn't as easy as you make it out to be. I just tried it in Android Studio.

First, you have to install a 3rd party kernel extension (from Intel). Then you have to configure an AVD with the new x86 value for the CPU/ABI field. It didn't appear for some reason for my target "Android 4.4.2". After looking around, I found another download in the Android SDK Manager called "Intel x86 Atom System Image", let's download that. The documentation mentions this, but I glossed over it. OK, back to the AVD manager and create a virtual device.

Now I finish it, and run the app. Running the app takes 39 seconds, as Grails reports (about 5 seconds, if that, on Xcode for the iOS port of our project). It asks where I want to run it, pick the new AVD and click Run. It starts Android but not the app.

Weird. OK, so I run it again with the simulator running. The option "choose a running device" cannot be selected. That's strange. I pick the new AVD again and unfortunately, it starts another copy. Shit. I let it boot but notice it's really slow as usual -- ten minutes later it's still booting. I check the already running copy and click around. Slow as hell as well. Apparently it's not accelerated at all!

At this point, I'm ready to give up and go back to testing on a device again.

The above is tested on a 2013 MacBook Air with 8 gigs of memory.

I used to buy cheap chargers but after reading this article, I changed my mind: www.righto.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and-why-you.html

All that rancor and hatred. With so many excellent browsers out there, it's hard to understand why people draw their energy from the Dark Side.

I don't get it. I love the release schedule. Always the latest and greatest. And in my opinion, it just keeps improving. I like the new interface as well, looks slick and keeps the chrome to a minimum.

You mean they take over without you activating the app?

It sounds like they replaced a modal popup with a full-screen version. Ridiculous, really.

Thanks for sharing :)

I got a bunch of replies and some upmods. I hadn't expected people's experiences to be so the same! Among my friends, I'm the first-turned-dad, so this sharing of experiences is something that doesn't happen off-line.

Heh that brings back memories, and not the good ones. I can't count the times the wife said something on the lines of: "I am the mother, so obviously I know best." The first half year after our baby girl was born, I had to really fight for my half of fatherhood.

Society nowadays expect you to do your half of the parenting, but when that time comes, your wife's instincts might take over and decide it would be much better if you just followed her orders.

Here in the Netherlands we have a similar law. However, it's commonly accepted that a battery is something that is consumed. Similar to tires or what have you. I think you were unreasonable.

ROTFL! I'd mod you up if I had points :D

God, yes. Finally we'd depart from the decades-old way of building laptops with custom-everything. I'd love to see that whole laptop-space commoditized.

If it runs some version of desktop Linux, this could be an awesome desktop. With a built-in UPS and a backup 3G network connection. You'd never shut it down because it's so focused on power savings that it's not really worth it. It would run off a standard USB charger.

It would be great if you could upgrade the CPU and 3D graphics to something tablet or desktop-ish. I could envision a chassis/case that has the standard Project Ara backplane, but mounted below a fan. Bonus points if you can overclock the CPU.

That's because from your standing desk, you look down on them. THEY ARE YOUR MINIONS, TO DO AS THEY ARE COMMANDED TO DO!

Apple seems to disagree with you.

I second the choice for copy.com. Basically the biggest free storage you can get.