I actually got off dead tree books by starting reading on an iPad and quickly upgraded to a dedicated ereader with E-ink as it was lighter to hold, easier to read and less distracting than a fully networked device.

Since then I am not whacked on the head anymore by an annoyed spouse every time a mail comes in whilst reading in bed. I know there is an offline mode but it is easily forgotten.

Hmm, Gothenburg and Malmoe are both there ....

In all this does it not matter even a bit that much of the prior art was not actually a functioning product, leave alone mass produced and available to buy?

.. the wrong way round! And possibly even more boring.

In what way is this different from your typical smartphone, tablet, most laptops, and soon I imagine, a Samsung fridge?

This is

Same thing in Italy, I do not believe sim-locking is allowed, and for sure all phones I bought in recent years were unlocked, including my iPhones. I know, as I like to change SIM when travelling.

My contract however, is another story, and contains a clause for a hefty penalty for changing provider before 36 months, so yes my phone is unlocked but I am paying around 3600 euro for it (including practically unlimited calling minutes also abroad). So my next iPhone, by my own calculation, will be the iPhone 5s.

Also on a US centric site one hour flight _in Germany_ would cost €6. In US dollars _today_ that would be just over $8.

Having followed Slashdot for around 15 years I never found it very US centric, but maybe I have missed something.

Is that not something QNX was supposed to be good at - except now it is a phone OS as well .....

You are thinking of using a phone OS as control app platform, RIM will be using a RT control platform in a phone.

Go figure.

Isn't this the version where they fixed the antenna so it can be used without a bumper case?

Correct - but as an owner of a new Macbook Pro with Lion I find the news interesting because it single biggest problem is related to wifi performance.

My Macbook regularly drops (Apple Airport) connections, will not connect when resuming and refuse point blanc to connect to some public hotspots.

I started out on C64 and have no idea what a shell pipe is. What is it?

They are handing out invites on the linked page ...

You may also need to replace the cable regularly if you like Swedish 'nature' movies as the red tends to wear out sooner than other colors.

In fact I think that tablets may lead to more desktop pc's to be sold again. I now work on a laptop that is used mostly as a slow desktop and when traveling as a heavy tablet.

My next setup will be a desktop and a tablet, I have decided. Wonder if I will be alone. Maybe in fact I will just get a desktop and do work at my desk like in the good ol days. Somehow I have gotten tired of being able to work and connect to the net from every corner of the earth and beyond.

Am I alone in this?

Posted from my toilet.

It feels snappier on an iPhone now.

Interesting - where did those companies go?