Here's how it works here in Finland:
You either
a) buy the phone yourself (HTC Titan is ~590 EUR ~= 773 USD), and then have a plan without a phone. Example plans:
0.66e / month, 0.066e / min, 0.066e / sms
3.90e / month, includes 3000min in-network calls, others 0.069e/min, 0.069e/sms
38.90e / month, 3000 min to all networks, 3000 sms messages.
Unlimited non-NATted incoming-ports-open mobile broadband (HSPA+, max 15Mbps) is 13.90e / month (other speed classes exist), or 20.85e / month total for an extra SIM card ("MultiSIM") + USB modem (i.e. you get unlimited broadband in both your phone and computer for that price).
These contract are normally non-fixed-term, so you can cancel/switch operators anytime. Note that in Finland only outgoing calls are paid by the mobile user, incoming calls are paid by the caller (mobile numbers have a separate number block).

or b) buy a plan with a phone. This is a bit different from the US subsidies in that you pay *nothing* up-front, and the plans are actually the same as in (a) above, but there is an additional separate monthly cost for the phone. However, the "subsidy" is very small, only a few percents (e.g. HTC Titan total additional cost is 576 EUR, just 2.5% below normal market price). These are generally 2 year contracts. AFAIK these kind of bundling contracts are generally not allowed, but a special time-limited law was enacted in 2006 allowing such contracts to be made for 3G phones only, and it has been extended at least once since.

The prices above are for Saunalahti, but other carriers have very similar pricing and plans.

At least my impression from all this is that we seem to pay more for the phones, but our plans are otherwise way cheaper (when compared to the US)...

At least here in Finland I don't usually have to stop at intersections when there is no traffic. I don't think it is 10 seconds (that's a long time), but still enough for you to not have to slow down while waiting for the light to change (or at least slow down only very little)...

There is no separate audio pin/channel, the audio data is transmitted during the blanking periods (or whatever the empty space between frames is called) and therefore work equally with both DVI and HDMI cables.

I think you are confusing Tizen with Meltemi, which is the new Linux based OS for low-end Nokia devices.

Well, at least one picture shows a recent-looking label with "18.05.12", which looks to me like a due date for next inspection or something like that...

Of course it always could be something else entirely.

I have exactly the same setup.

When I'm at some other computer and need some seldom-used password I can't remember, I just look it up on my phone.

At least in Finland it works the other way, i.e. the seller has to prove that the problem was caused by improper use (Source).

There are Syncany and SparkleShare, but neither seems to satisfy your requirements yet as they are still quite new projects and work-in-progress (without e.g. android clients afaics).