Has any attempt at spinning the OS actually worked? Newton, Palm and Symbian come to mind as previous failed attempts at doing the same thing.

The article does mention that it is only possible to connect to a hard-coded list of WiFi hotspots.

Starbucks is also selling a pleasantly decorated space where its coffee can be enjoyed while surfing the internet. Otherwise, they wouldn't have tables, just a bar in the Italian-style.

The similarity to WebOS is no coincidence since Matias Duarte was the chief designer at Palm before moving to Google. He even gave demos at the Pre/WebOS launch.

The 'government' doesn't spend down its reserves to make up a deficit. It would affect American companies' ability to trade and would possibly hurt the dollar.

Yuck. You're right. My IT director lied to me. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124591.aspx

If it's work email, then it's not your information. I would rather not have work emails from jobs I no longer have on my device.

My employer uses Exchange ActiveSync and will only wipe work-related information if the phone is stolen or if you are no longer employed there. Not sure why virtualizing a second instance of the OS would be more desirable to ActiveSync in most situations.

Is Google targeting the PDP-11 now?

There are consequences for being an asshole. Card's opponents enjoy the same right to free speech that Card does and exercised those rights for calling for him to be pulled for the project. Ultimately, his publisher decided it didn't want to be associated with his asshole beliefs. Nothing controversial about that.

Why would Apple bother to bribe a Slashdot contributor? That trope should die just on the basis of logic.

iPad apps don't have a single UI paradigm. I don't see why Metro wouldn't work fine for MS apps.

Not for iOS or Android. Symbian and Windows Phone are the only mobile platforms supported.