I have never delt with this so I wouldn't know. Is there any way for them to detect the transfer to another device? If not this is as stupid as half their other policies

A reason other than 'justifying' the space station would be that it is likely a lot cheaper to run a test like this on the ISS than to launch one or more test satellites that each require their own power systems, etc.

Dell used to at least with their color laser printers (was definately nice getting a $350+ printer from them on sale for $200-$250 when the toner itself cost $250)

I am curious if anyone knows the cost comparison between a laser printer's toner vs using a continuous ink system (I think I got that name right....) with an inkjet printer. Probably be similar to if you replaced the toner yourself but some toner cartridges have other parts that need replaced every few cartridge replacements on other laserjets. Might be the imaging drum but it has been a long time since I read up on it.

Actually in at least some cases there is an extra fee to the merchant when someone pays with a rewards card. I know this was in the terms of the contract when I was using a merchant account for online payments. I was charged an extra 1% for rewards cards and some other special card that I now forget.

If it was requested by a larger number of people more banks would stock $2 bills. If you had a larger group especially they would probably special order them for you.

I don't think I waited that long to register but I know it had been a few years at least. I may have also had another account that I have since forgotten, not sure.

I kind of doubt that someone just replaced a fan and got banned for that reason. I suspect it (if that is legitimately all he did) would have been either due to a) a mistake in the banning process or b) a switch that detects the case being opened or another form of detection to check if the case has been opened (maybe a wire that gets snapped unless you know exactly what you are doing)

What I was referring to is the fact that it doesn't necessarily have to be made with any less quality than something more expensive just because it is cheaper, since you are hopefully saving money just by the smaller screen/battery.

It depends though. Something with a smaller screen, no dvd drive, etc. should be possible to make cheaper for the same or less money.

It could probably be an option to choose what types of alerts and how close to you the issue needs to be in a system like this. With a tv broadcast they have to alert everyone watching even if just one county at the edge of their viewing area is affected.

In regards to it being a two way communications system.... I believe at least at one point mediacom cable boxes would jump out of on demand programming for test alerts. Although if you have a test mode and a real mode you can't be sure the real mode isn't going to behave like the test mode (not showing up on the screen) unless you actually make the tests visible.

This was always fun with a quiet tv show or on demand video that you were listening to fairly loud on a stereo and all of a sudden you (and probably half the building) hear the alert tones because they are 10 times as loud as what you were watching.

An alternative to blasting everyone on the network with a test they could probably limit it to a few test xbox systems that are running the latest firmware, etc. with different configurations to make sure everything is functioning since the last updates.

Since this is an opt in system you also would likely have the option to opt out of test messages or choose how they are displayed (a warning in the corner, a full screen opaque message, a watermark on the screen, etc.

Intelligent audiophiles don't fall for the $1000 cables, etc.

When you want to listen to a lot of movies at dolby reference levels without any noticeable distortion in a larger room you are going to spend a lot more on speakers because movies frequently output levels below 20hz (even if you can't hear the sound it is outputting you can feel it and definitely hear the port noise on the subwoofer)

The problem is a lot of the people who think they are audio knowledge gods will buy the $1000 cables even if lab equipment can't detect any difference.

There is a significant difference between someone buying $5000 speakers at best buy and buying $5000 quality speakers. Most of the people with intelligence spending that much on equipment probably can tell a difference in quality.

On the other hand you have people who spend $5000 on repackaged $50 speakers and think they notice a difference in quality. These are the same people who believe using Monster Cable wiring is going to improve their sound over using any other quality wire (no 22 gauge speaker wires to hook up 500 watt speakers, etc.)