Perhaps that reason is that Starbucks has economies of scale in place that small independent coffee shops don't. I'm sure Starbucks got a great deal from AT&T to provide the WiFi service, and is paying far less per month per store than any cafe would from their local ISP.

e-readers don't normally consume WiFi either. Most have built-in 3G, and even the ones that don't only use WiFi when purchasing new books and the occasional web browsing. And here's a tip: most people don't buy e-readers for web browsing.

The other point is that there is a happy medium between a shop being overrun by customers buying one coffee and staying for 3-4 hours, and the same shop banning all electronic devices, books, newspapers, and anything else that might keep customers in the store for longer. Your local Panera's seems to have found one such happy medium.

The prize is a $10,000 iTunes Store gift card, not $10,000 in cash or a $10,000 Apple gift card. Last I checked, the iTunes store doesn't sell MacBooks.

Well, if the version numbering converged to something interesting like pi (or e, or the golden ratio) I could see people wanting it.
Then again, that kind of system wouldn't be rational.

If you run Mac, you can get an iPad and use Plex. The desktop app is free, and the iPad/iPhone app is $5. It pretty much every video format and resolution on your desktop to a target resolution you set on the device (normally based on the device's resolution, though you can lower it for low bandwidth situations) and sends them over the network or internet. I've gotten 720p and 1080p mkvs playing on my first-gen iTouch, with various audio formats including DTS-EX, Dolby Digital, AAC, FLAC, MP3, etc. This only downside is, for the moment, that the mobile app doesn't allow audio or subtitle track selection. This is expected to be added soon though. I guess you might consider needing a separate server daemon running on your desktop a downside as well, but on the plus side the daemon can scrape your files and download metadata (without modifying the original files that is). There currently isn't a PC app for the media server, but that's coming soon in response to Plex's inclusion in the new LG TVs and Blu-ray players. Also coming is an Android app, which can open you options beyond the iPad.

Actually, since a license is free for non-commercial use, it's most likely to show how many people are too lazy to fill out an online form or register an account (possibly giving their email up to spammers--I mean marketing). Kinda like using bugmenot to get into free-to-register websites.

During the mid- to late- 90's I'd heartily agree; Square's RPGS were great in those days, and I still pick up Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI from time to time. These days, their popularity is more due to leftover nostalgia and riding on the coattails of their classics. Which, if response the the latest two games is an indicator, may soon be running dry.

Would the following answer ranges be sufficient?
a) 0-1
b) 2-3
c) 4-5
d) 6+
I think not...

Speak for yourself. I just want to get in my car, tell it where I want to go, and lean back while it drives me to my destination. Or if I end up somewhere without my car, I can't call it with my cell phone and ask it to meet me somewhere.

In other words, I want KITT...without all the fancy weapons and turbo boost. British accent optional.

I have a mouse with a back button that maps to alt-left behind the scenes. Most other built-in functions I use mouse or keyboard-shortcuts for as well, so my most-clicked buttons would all be from extensions. Or to close background tabs.

I still remember being a kid in the early 90's, and playing games like Time Traveler and Holosseum in arcades. Apparently they were very successful financially, though they didn't last too long.

If it was me running my own personal documents site on my own server at home, so that all my desktop/laptops/etc could access my documents and I could control the security needs as much as I want, then yes I do trust myself more than Google.

It works for comic books and graphic novels. Many of them come out monthly or bimonthly, take about 15-30 minutes to read an issue, and have ongoing plot-lines. TV shows takes either 30 or 60 minutes to watch, come out weekly, and many of those (think Lost, 24, Fringe, etc) have ongoing plot-lines.

On a slightly related note, I finished GRR Martin's 4th ASoIaF book in two days, and have been waiting nearly five years for the 5th book. Which was originally the second half of the 4th book, but was split up because of size.

Still waiting, Mr. Martin...

don't head out on the dot at 5pm most evenings

You essentially confessed you want your workers working overtime without compensation. Coming from the perspective of a worker that's really quite an offensive comment. Had you wrote "if you're often behind in your work don't head out on the dot at 5pm most evenings" then it'd have been no big deal.