When I hop on XBL on my WP7 phone many times it is because I am on my way home and want to see who is playing games. I don't want to call every friend I have to see if they are on, and I don't want to waste money on text messages. I want to see who is there and ask them quickly if they want to play a game when I get home. At that point it is easier to just use the Xbox messaging system.

And too bad their competitions' networks suck. I won't compare the Xbox to a PC, not on /. or anywhere. But owning all three consoles this generation and seeing what their networks have to offer, I would gladly pay for XBLive than deal with PSN or Nintendo Wifi-Connect any day. If you can't pay for Live, don't get an Xbox. Simple as that. I make my $60 a year back with the "Deal of the Week" anyways. I may have to pay the money to get the deals but I would buy the games anyways, so it is a win/win situation to me.

Because it isn't always the university paying for it. I attended the University of Arkansas, and it was well known that the Razorback Foundation, Inc. (a separate business entity) payed for the vast majority of the sports programs (buildings, scholarships, coaches salaries) not the university proper. I can bet you there is a similar case at SEC and Pac-10 universities.

...and saw Xbox Live Extras. Too bad they didn't notice that the best feature wasn't the ability to view your profile, but to be able to message online friends. I am amazed that it isn't mentioned as part of the product. Hell, you can even get voices messages on Xbox Live Extras. Goes to show while Sony's online service may be free they still don't understand basic needs of users.

It's good to know that AT&T is at least trying. I've avoided cancelling my service with them due to the fees and the fact I still have an unlimited data plan. On the flip side, you can probably count me as part of the problem too. My HTC Pure is currently running Dutty's ROM just so I can have an easier time using it as a wireless router for my netbook when out of the house.

Agreed, Metroid: Other M is pretty stunning graphically. Makes you wonder why a lot of the games on the Wii look like shit when you can pick up a beautiful first/second party game without having to worry about your eyes bleeding! Now, if only they could have taken out the pixel hunt portions of the game...

And it's being made fun of on Slashdot, the home of technology-obsessed nerds who love gadgets more than sex.

I always seem to chuckle a bit when I hear or read this. Games may be expensive, but they are no where near the prices I remember paying for a lot of games I bought back when the SNES was new. $80 for Final Fantasy 3, $70 for Secret of Mana, heck I think I paid $60 for Killer Instinct. Game prices may be expenses on the 360 and PS3 compared to the prices of last generation games, but they are not as bad as they used to be.

I'm going to have to agree with the OP here. This girl thinks just because she has a degree a job will be there willing and waiting. It won't. I graduated last August and spent six months looking for work in public relations with my BA in Communication. I tried and couldn't find a place to work in that field, and without a decent amount of money to move it was hard to get to places with better opportunities. In the end, instead of sitting on my ass I went back to college. I'm pursuing a second bachelor's degree and even better gearing up to get into a master of arts in teaching program. It was obvious to me that if I couldn't find a job in the career field I originally chose then I need to branch out and make myself more accessible to the job market. Too bad some people just don't see this.

I just got my desktop back up and running after being dead for half a year. Burnt a Win7 RC1 disc on my laptop and went to install on the desktop since I planned on getting Win7 anyways. Turns out Win7 hates my DVD drive (Samsung SH-M522C). Updated the firmware on the drive, still hates it. Guess I'll have to wait until I can get a new DVD drive... pisses me off because I loved Win7 on my laptop. It ran so much smoother than Vista, and now I'm used to all the UI tweaks :(

... but when you traveling for the hell of it and have been stuck in the same airport for a day decent food becomes way more important that wifi and internet access.

I'll throw in my two cents having been in an Master's program and dropped out to change programs due to little or no opportunities in the field I was studying.

Since you have a year left, start studying the job market and make a decision for yourself whether or not your BS in CS will get you a job. Look at the amount of opportunities you have available and the qualifications they are looking for in an employee. For most (if not all) graduate programs you won't have to start applying until your last semester of your undergraduate studies so you have a few more months to really look into things. If you don't think you will be qualified enough (or even have a chance) for the jobs available then take your time and get the MS. Should you decide to go for the MS the worst it will do for you is add on to any loans you may if you have to borrow, the best it will do for you is keep you out of a market that you can't get a job in anyways and provide you with something to work towards while waiting for jobs to possibly pick up.

If you have the grades most professors will tell you it is a good/great idea to go on and get your Master's degree. Not every field needs you to get a Master's and not every professor truly knows if it is necessary or not to have outside of academia. Ask your adviser/professor if they know someone outside of academia in your field of choice you can contact to ask questions. While doing this you may just create a new bridge to help with employment.

... and it actually reminded me of the fact I had a PSP. Sad but true. The remake of Final Fantasy Tactics was about the only reason I got one (that and I didn't have to pay for it). Had a few decent games I actually wanted came out I might have bought more than the 4 or 5 games I had at one point for the system.

Piracy is only one problem the system has, lack of a decent library is the other. Seriously, if a few more decent games had come out on the system I might not have forgotten I had one!