BRAVO Kimvette:

hit the nail on the head!

SAAB had an amazing history of pioneering technologies and unique Sweedish design esthetics (which really is unique, and is more than IKEA).

They got buried in GM (who actually did a decent job rebranding Cadillac in the market), but never knew how to position SAAB in the market.

Wish this was finalized a few years ago prior to the 9-5 redesign (though it looks nice).

Here's praying that as they go forward and aren't required to pull from the GM parts bins we should see some real changes.

Someone in SAAB: PLEASE look back to the 900 prior to 94 and bring back the whale tale long slant hatchback...put that on top of the amazing best-in-class X-drive and you've really got something....like the Mini, not for everyone, but some unique bodies don't need to change for change's sake.

the 9-5 redesign has been waiting in the wings...it has been held up from production by SAAB's pending doom.

http://jalopnik.com/5320311/2010-saab-9+5-for-the-big-boys/gallery/

You can call customer service and have the "minute remaining" reminder removed. Very simple.

I suspect, just as they've added the Samsung Finesse that other phones will be coming, so I went with a very simple phone to test out the service...and have been thrilled with network availability, quality of voice, and most of all PRICE.

I couldn't be happier with my test phone. Went with a simple LG 220C: solid, quick and easy UI, so tiny it disapears in a pocket, excellent bluetooth range, speakerphone, and weighs under 3 oz..

$45 unlimited phone, sms and "mobile web" which works well for access to webmail services like gmail, hotmail and yahoo...though the lack of qwerty keyboad on mine vs yours would be a real disadvantage for heavy users of webmail & texting...also, I’m OK with the “1x” data rate for “mobile web”...but the Samsung Finesse does have access to “high speed EVDO data” and one could guess as more phones become available they too will have this capability.

Some have reported problems with ST's C.S., I've had no problems with language or courtesy on two different calls. It has been suggested that if you have a problem w/ ST C.S. then call Net10 / or TracFone's reps...this is well documented - check Howard forums and some blogs/reviews.

Ohhhh...no deposits, no suprises, no contract.

I was only too happy to leave AT&T / Cingular after 12 years and being trampled by Cingular’s acquisition of AT&T and dismantling network features for us older “blue” customers trying to force upgrades...

The RC Release Candidate is downloadable for another 2 days (until the 20th, I believe)...so just try it.

The DRM seems like it always has...if you own the media, or it is DRM free, then you shouldn't have a problem. The amount of annoying dialogs for permissions is wayyy less than Vista. It is smooth, fast, better laid, and I've not had a single crash or let down over the last few weeks of trying it out. The layout is much cleaner, OS X users will immediately "get" the dock (whether you like it or not is another issue)...

My main curiousity was the Media Center (got a deal on a PC from a friend that is dedicated to that purpose, leaving me to do my "work" on an old PowerMac) and it is amazingly good vs. Vista's complete F%^%*!? dissapointment.
I was adamant that MS owed Vista MC users some love, and felt shafted to need an OS to finally get a WMC that works, but this is soooo much better all the way around...and @ the pre-ordered $49 goes a long, long way to fixing the hurt.

The RC will work well into 2010, so freakin' load it up and see for yourself...what do you have to loose...?

For the record, my main machines have been macs since 84, occasional Win and Nix experiences. I'm overdue for a new desktop, hate Apple's choice of iMac with fixed graphics and screen, or a $2000 Pro Mac sucks... This could really be the jump ship point for me to be a reverse switcher...

Ohhh, I'd worry...Adobe is so completely F'n incompetent it is scary.

On Mac OS X they've not been able to write update their programs to handle case-sensitive file systems--which have been an OS option since 03--and have caused many a user problems.

They're so f'n oblivious to end users that they don't list non-case-sensitive file systems as a requirement for reader (though they do for the Creative Suite and Reader...?).

The program is so poorly coded, that even though it does install on a case-sensitive file systems (whithout offering a waring to the end user to download or install the software), its problems aren't just working with other third party files, it can't even refer to subroutines within it's own code appropriately as they aren't consistent within their own code...so you can't, for instance open up the Preferences dialog box... there are numerous other interface and coding issues...

True, Apple doesn't include one, nor do they support it, but EyeTV is excellent, and MythTV is now available on Macs.

But, to suggest that there are more MacMinis being run as media centers is probably way way off.

To say "Mini too has the same tuning issues until Apple updates the channels." is just plain retarded.

This isn't a troll post:

I am one of MANY users affected by Microsoft's choice to release the "WMC TVPack" that fixes many of WMC's problems...but the release was ONLY SENT to OEM vendors of hardware. The OEMs ONLY included the TVPACK in new sales, leaving all Vista Premium and Ultimate users who bought or DIY built a Media Center prior to the TVPack release up a creek.

Now, MS has release yet another update to the TVPack, but there is no sane way for the above affected users to take advantage of this.

Alternatives include: going to unsupported/unsecure sites or torrents to download the TVPack, or doing arcane editing of registry & system files to try and do workarounds.

Should one download the TVPack from the non-MS sites and risk the possibility that they're corrupted, your path is:
- do a complete OS reinstall
- add TVPACK
- do all software updates
- oh, BTW, kiss your existing library of non-copy-protected off-air recordings good bye in the process.

While not the first Windows machine I've ever used, it is the first I've ever owned and I just want to thank Mr Softy for giving me the high hard one!

You were on the right track, but your point of reference is way off. Try something like this calculator which adjusts $$ for inflation:

http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

What cost $2800 in 1955 would cost $21457.27 in 2007.

Also, if you were to buy exactly the same products in 2007 and 1955,
they would cost you $2800 and $377.12 respectively.

Or look for a CPI (consumer price index) calculator, like:

http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl

which believes according to it's data that
$
in
has the same buying power as
$22,278.81
in 2009

So, corvettes have risen in price dramatically faster than the general "basket of goods" tracked by the CPI.

Not all checks are based on breath/air analysis. Saliva based checks are available that screen for drugs, such as this: http://www.angelscope.co.uk/oral_drug_tests.htm

If pot were to be legalized, the technology would develop quickly as the $$ would flow into the market to increase tests (eye/pupil dilation tests, saliva, urine, etc..) to meet the needs.

And, even if a person can pass a field sobriety test, or the saliva test, they may still be charged with traffic violations, even if they can't be given a DUI. But illegal drugs in any quantity would be grounds for DUI in my understanding.

Also, wasn't it shown that severe sleep deprivation to have an effect on driving ability the same as having several drinks? How do you test for/punish that?

http://oem.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/57/10/649?andorexacttitleabs=and&HITS=10&sortspec=relevance&hits=10&andorexacttitle=and&maxtoshow=&andorexactfulltext=and&FIRSTINDEX=0&fulltext=blood+alcohol+level+.05+sleep+deprivation&resourcetype=HWCIT%2CHWELTR&searchid=1&RESULTFORMAT=1

you sure as hell didn't buy just any generic / third party video card. There are almost none on the market, and they specifically have Apple's hand in the pot - For years and years (been using macs since 84) graphics cards have been a very very sore spot.

Manufacturers have indicated an interest, but been largely unable to tie together the whole package:

You NEVER see XFX, BFG, Saphire, etc. making ATI or NVIDIA cards...there are very very few designs available from very few retailers, and have ONLY been manufactured directly by ATI or Nvidia... why? Apple would rather you buy another machine than have you upgrade...

There was a very active community dedicated to flashing PC cards with Apple ROMs, and most of the core of this crowd are in the OSX86 project.

Apple killed the FireWire on the MacBooks to keep a definitive edge to the Pro line. Now that there's finally a decent graphics built into the consumer line, and the cosmetics, trackpad and keyboard (backlit) are on the consumer macbook this really sets the dividing line.

Apple has a long history of segmenting their products for marketing reasons (like all companies) and disabling features that may even be built in for mass production economies of scale to segment the market.

Two of the best examples of their douchebaggyness come in QuickTime: Unless you buy the $30 Pro version, you can't save content that others have made freely available on the net, and, until recently, you couldn't view the content in "full screen" without Pro. Blatantly disabling simple must have features to jack off users who've already bought their hardware, their OS, their iLife...and how the hell do you buy an iLife package which is built on the QT frameworks and they don't through those functions in???

I've been using macs since the very first, but am more than ever ready to do OSX86 with a Linux dual boot and try life weaning myself off them as I look to upgrade from my still smooth running PPC machines.

And, BTW, FW for me is important, I've got several externals that are FW based, am not pro by any means...but real world performance on my machines is night and day...better speed than usb 2, and lower cpu usage...no brainer.

And, as I've shopped PC cases and motherboards, the FW is much much more widely available then I thought as I look outside my mac only hardware world to the future. Bad news.