I have a quad core i5 desktop and I rarely use it now except for home video encoding/decoding and editing and to stream media to my TV, and most of that is offloaded to the GPU. I use my PS3 and Wii for game playing. Even my relatively new HP DM4T (2010) laptop has been gathering dust lately. I've been spending most of my time, like most people, on my tablet, a HP Touchpad running CM9 android.
For personal use, CPUs simply do not matter any more, just battery life...
For corporate use, CPUs matter as we keep trying to pack more application servers on VM machines.
I'm in my 40's and just completed a Masters degree in IT Management from Brandeis University, I already had a Bachelors in both Business and Computer Science. The degree spanned two employers, both of which offered employee education reimbursement.
I guess you could say that I am now three degrees above zero... ; - )
A Masters degree is 10 courses and can be completed in 3 to 5 years when going part-time. For most Master's programs, if not all, you first need a Bachelors degree. Some educational institutions will recognize work experience as an equivalent.
It sounds like you have not completed a Bachelors degree. A Bachelors degree takes 120 credit hours or 30 per year over 4 years. It's a lot of work and time which is why most students go full time. Basically, you wouldn't be completed in time for it to help your career.
The first step to get a Masters degree, assuming you are working full time and are not a contractor, is to determine if your employer has an education reimbursement program, what their limits are per year, and what you need to do to apply. If they do, you next need to research the type of Masters degree you want and the schools. Narrow down the schools to your top 5 and begin calling their Admissions department to determine if you can use your work experience and what, if any, additional courses you will need to take. While doing this, talk to your manager and let him/her know that you are interested in advancing your career by taking a Masters degree. Go into how it will prepare you to take on a greater leadership role, in project management and as team lead. Once you have all of the information about the school, put it together in a package with your employer education application and begin the employer approval process. Once approved at work, you then need to apply to the school and get accepted. The rest is just a lot of hard work...
The reason why most drivers do poorly on distraction tests is because most drivers do not know how to drive in the first place, they just know how to point the car and make it go. In this case, "knowing how to drive" means knowing the capabilities of your car, how it handles in various weather, how to read the traffic in front of you, how and when to be aggressive vs defensive, etc. On top of that is learning how to do stuff without taking your eyes off the road.
The solution to most distracted driving is to implement hands-free features such as bluetooth, voice control, collision sensors, backup cameras, etc. The problem is that these features add to the cost of a car and, as such, are slow to filter down to the more basic models.
However, distracted driving has always been with us in one form or another (i.e. make-up, cute girls, spilled coffee, dogs, etc...). No matter what you do, there will always be that one idiot who does something stupid while driving.... There is no way to legislate away stupidity...
If you have a Ritz or Wolf Camera nearby, I find that their prints are high quality. I used to take my film to them for processing and still use them for digital prints. They are more expensive than most, but if you print in bulk (100+) the price drops to be comparable to the other services. I share most of my photos online now, so I only print when I am updating my photo books, maybe once or twice a year. I have never had any of their prints fade and they have always reprinted bad prints, no questions asked.
One thing to keep in mind is the equipment that the photo shop uses. If they use Kodak equipment, your photos will turn out on the warmer side (oranges and reds have a little more contrast) whereas Fujifilm equipment tends to be on the cooler side (blues and greens have more contrast). My local Ritz uses Kodak equipment and produces warmer photos, which I prefer.
I've tried the local Walmart and Pharmacies, but the quality just isn't there. I just joined Costco, so I haven't had a chance to try their services.
Global climate change is an ongoing process that is affected by a large number of factors, both on the planet and off (i.e. solar cycles). The debate is the amount of contribution attributable to humans, what activities we can change to make things better (whatever that is), how much that short list is feasible, and how to get people to globally accept the necessary changes to their lives.
I posit that there is no one individual on earth today who can intelligently discuss all of these factors. We are still in the fact gathering and model building process. How can you debate the issue with little factual information to stand on? Each day we get closer, but we are still not there yet.
I liken anyone who wants to have a debate on environment science at this early stage of scientific research to a religious zealot who believes what they want without any evidence. It's the lack of evidence that makes this topic open to interpretation.
How can we predict what the global climate will do? After all, we can't even get the local weather right!!
The "Like" system works well for goods that do not require a personal touch. Where it falls down is individual taste and fit, requiring that personal touch. The reason why women go out shopping together is because their friends can instantly judge the personal factors when they try on that cute dress. The point is, when it comes to clothing, trusting a stranger's opinion is much worse than trusting your own....
The article expresses the same lament that car buyers have had since the invention of the automobile, every manufacturer does things differently. A car is the ultimate closed ecosystem. Each manufacturer has unique parts, control layouts, maintenance codes, etc. This is done on purpose to generate additional cash flows from maintenance and repairs.
As for integrating the car entertainment and video systems, I recently bought a Kenwood DNX9990HD eXcelon 2-DIN Multimedia DVD Receiver With Navigation/Bluetooth/HD Radio which I am installing this weekend. It has full integration support for my iPod/iPhone/iPad, backup camera, external video, USB storage, and external audio. It also has built-in voice controls to control the various functions. The point is that, despite the opinion expressed, aftermarket integrated solutions do exist.
You could write a thesis on a an iPad, you just need a bluetooth keyboard.
I have written research posts for an online university course (taking a masters degree) using the on-screen keypad. Granted, it took MUCH longer than it would have on my desktop with dual 24" LCD displays. It took about 3x as long as it would have on my laptop, but the form factor allowed me to work while my mother was shopping for shoes (my parents were visiting from Canada and she wanted to do some shopping). Plus, the battery lasted well beyond the 4 hour limit of my laptop. The point is that if your thesis concerns any sort of field work or if you need to get work done while traveling, it may be the best alternative for the situation.
I do agree, however, that the current word processing options for the iPad doe not offer any advanced formatting options, you're pretty much stuck with the basics.
I always feel sleepy between 3:00pm and 4:00pm. I used to keep this time open at University to go to the Library and take a nap at one of the desks. On the weekends, during the summer, I just put a ball game or a Nascar/Indy race on TV and take a 15 to 20 minute nap. The white noise, crowd sounds form the ball game or engine purr from the car racing events, puts me right to sleep.
I think the Windows 7 Start Menu is a considerable improvement over XP.
I honestly don't see how. I rarely use Windows any more, but when I boot into Windows 7 on my laptop I can never find the program I want to run on the new start menu. As far as I'm concerned it's a disaster zone.
That's why the very first tweak that I applied to Windows 7 was to re-enable the quick launch bar. Essentially what Microsoft has done with Windows 8 is turn the quick launch bar into the primary desktop. This is perfect for tablets, but I'm not sure what the usability will be like for more advanced uses.
I'm willing to bet that this device has the same fatal flaw of most electronics, water... I'm thinking that throwing water at this device could render it useless pretty quick....
At least for me, buying a SUV means that I can pull a 1300lbs boat, haul gear inside without it getting wet, throw a spare tire up on the roof for when I do go off road (camp road is a dirt track through the woods), and have a safe vehicle with AWD in the snow, sleet, etc. that we get in the Northeast. I can only afford one vehicle and, since it's just me, I only need one vehicle. Granted, I use it for commuting 95% of the time, but for the other 5% other vehicle types just wont do. I get about 23MPG for highway driving, which is pretty good.
My biggest concern is that, with the mandated fleet fuel efficiency standards, car manufacturers are being forced to move from V6 engines in mid-sized SUVs to supercharged V4 engines. People who haul boats will have very little choice for their next SUV other than to either buy from the limited number of V6 mid-sized or go to a full-sized SUV, which would be even less fuel efficient. No matter how much they trick out V4 engines, they just are not built to handle the stress and provide the power needed for towing.
Maybe I joined Google later than others, but the first thing that I did when I joined Google was turn Web History off so, nothing for me to delete.
However, I agree with other posters that it's unlikely that this would make a difference. I am sure that through a combination of tracking cookies, stored backups, etc. my web history could be recovered with enough effort and resources.
Apple is positioning the iPad for school work as a textbook eReader. Parents are required to pay a lot for school supplies, as it is. Now they will be asked to pay for both an iPad (to read text books) and a Laptop (to write papers). Ideally the text books would be available for both the iPad and for the Kindle, which is much less expensive. However, Apple has been known in the past to strike exclusive deals with schools and publishers. As a result, the iPad needs a content creation tool that students can use to write basic reports, reducing the need for a laptop. My thought is that it would be in the best interests of Microsoft that this tool be Microsoft Office.
I am taking online courses towards a Master's degree and have used my iPad to write 300 to 400 word essays for weekly questions. It's not the easiest tool to do this, but it does work when you are on the go. Of the three tools at my disposal for creating reports, I prefer my desktop with dual monitors. I can keep my report open one screen and my research in the other. It's definitely much more efficient. The Laptop is second, because I have an actual keyboard. The iPad is last, but definitely the most mobile.
My biggest pet peeve about the current iPad is how hard it is to get content on and off. It would be so much easier if Apple would just add a USB port so you can use a USB device (USB memory key, USB card reader, USB to the camera, etc.).
The problem with scoring rules to enforce behavior is that you need to make sure that your scoring rules are solid. On top of that, you would also need to make sure that your walled garden is, well, walled... In other words, if you want a pool dug, you will have to set physical parameters in the shape of the pool (i.e. stakes driven every 6 to 8 inches) or a virtual parameter like a virtual wall (i.e. similar to the one used for the Roomba).
The article is right about a couple things: TV UIs suck and remotes suck even more.
My mom can't operate a modern TV. I mean like not AT ALL. If it's anything more challenging than volume up or down, it's too much. She doesn't get it.
That's exactly why, when I bought my mom a full HD system with blu-ray, I also bought her a Harmony One remote control. I pre-programmed it for all activities. She just has to press one virtual button on the touchscreen to turn on the TV, AMP, satellite box, switch to the right HDMI input, etc.
Obviously I LOVE my mom more than you love yours... (grin)
I would agree with the idea of software being nothing but abstracted mathematics. However, there is one slight issue, what about operating systems? I understand that most, if not all, of the Slashdot community would prefer all operating systems to be non-patentable and open source. However, there are some benefits to close source operating systems, especially to business who require 24x7x365 support, enterprise management tools, and feature/UI stability. I agree that trivial software processes should not be patentable, but when you put a series of trivial processes together to create an OS, a game, or an application, these should be patentable as they are non-obvious, non-trivial, and rises to the level of creation.
Sure, Techno Whiz, Whatever you say... It's not like some retail outlets can be better than others depending on staff, management, etc. Obviously with your keen assessment, you are right and I am wrong....
I never rely on Best Buy for advice, support, or knowledge because I do my research before going to the store. I only rely on Best Buy for two things, to make a purchase and to be able to return said purchase if I have a problem with it. I have never had an issues with either of these processes at my local Best Buy. Your experience is obviously a tad different.
My thought is that the average Slashdot reader, who are less than 1% of the population, would have a major problem with Best Buy if they tried to rely on them for purchase decisions. The reason is that, as geeks, we are very picky about our technology decisions. We will notice if the color gamut is off by more than 5%. Most people don't even know the meaning of color gamut and couldn't care less.
The theory presented is that Best Buy is dying due to lower than normal sales and lower margins. This is presumed to be caused by poor customer service based on personal experience with the writer's local Best Buy store and some inventory issues for items that NO retailer had in stock during the Christmas season.
The truth is actually more boring. Best Buy sales are down because the economy has been in the toilet. Best Buy margins are down because margins are down for all electronics. In addition, the mad rush to 3D that electronics manufacturers were hoping for never happened. Very little of this has to do with customer service.
Personally, I have never had a problem with my local Best Buy. I've been able to return items without question and they have been very helpful when I am looking for a particular item. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big proponent of Amazon. But there are many people like me who just don't feel comfortable buying appliances and expensive TVs over the Internet.
It's incorrect to use the Band-Aid analogy as both Band-Aids and generic bandages do exactly the same thing.
In this case you have a technology being referred to as Super-WiFi when none of the existing, or upcoming, WiFi branded devices will work with the technology. So there is a real meaningful difference.
It's more like going to the store and asking for a shovel and being given a garden hose...
I live in the Boston area so the night sky is hard to see. I usually take a week off during the summer and travel to the family lakeside camp in New Brunswick, Canada. There, the night sky is so clear you can see satellites, plane lights, shooting stars, etc. It's amazing just to lay out on the dock and wonder.
I agree. The TV should remain a dumb device, much like the computer monitor. The TV manufacturers see the churn in the cell phone space and just drool. However, I don't see people spending $2K for a new TV every 12 to 18 months.
In summary, the OP is looking for a small camera that is not a DSLR but has all of the DSLR features macro, zoom, fast, etc.
I could recommend getting a Canon S95 or S100 which would provide a pocketable camera with near DSLR photos and decent macro. Both of these cameras have larger sensors so they do well in low light. However it has a very little zoom.
I could recommend a Canon PowerShot SX40 HS which has a 24 – 840 mm (35×) zoom. It's the size of a small DSLR. It would give you much better photos than a phone, but not as good as a DSLR.
Personally, I have a S95 that I always carry with me when traveling. It's a great dinner, club, walk around camera. It's also great for people shots as it is less intimidating than my DSLR. I also bring a 40D with me with a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS lens that I use for travel photos. It doesn't have a huge zoom on it, but it does a good enough job.
The problem with any decent zoom lens for a DSLR is that it is large and heavy. Carrying it around all day can be a pain, just to get that one shot that you needed the zoom for. Personally, I find myself taking wider scenic shots than close-up zooms. Of course, the OP could be into taking pictures of birds and animals, so this may be needed.
My office has a Windows 7 image that they will deploy on request and has been upgrading XP users. However, I am still on XP because it takes me a week to rebuild my computer with all of the apps that I regularly use for my job as a Network Engineer. One would think that all I would need is Putty, but I also do a lot of product testing, lab testing, design, and documentation, etc. In addition, I am in the middle of two business divestiture projects and one integration/merger project. I just haven't been able to afford the downtime to do this.
At home, I have always been a first adopter. I was running 2000 when it was in Beta, ran Vista when it came out, and am running Windows 7.
I ran into a problem with Windows Media Player 12 just before the holidays. It stopped synching with my old Creatlive Labs Zen Vision:M MP3 player. My thought is that a Microsoft update caused the problem because synch also fails on my laptop, which is also running Windows 7. The only way that I could get it to sync was to download the Windows XP Mode VM from Microsoft and use the older version of WMP. So, while I am running Windows 7 at home, I am still using pieces of XP for legacy devices.
(Note: I'd buy an iPod, but it doesn't integrate with WMP and I hate iTunes. I've tried the latest version of WinAMP and looked at others, but none of them offer dynamic playlists and I use playlists extensively.)
Slashdot Mirror
I have a quad core i5 desktop and I rarely use it now except for home video encoding/decoding and editing and to stream media to my TV, and most of that is offloaded to the GPU. I use my PS3 and Wii for game playing. Even my relatively new HP DM4T (2010) laptop has been gathering dust lately. I've been spending most of my time, like most people, on my tablet, a HP Touchpad running CM9 android.
For personal use, CPUs simply do not matter any more, just battery life...
For corporate use, CPUs matter as we keep trying to pack more application servers on VM machines.
I'm in my 40's and just completed a Masters degree in IT Management from Brandeis University, I already had a Bachelors in both Business and Computer Science. The degree spanned two employers, both of which offered employee education reimbursement.
I guess you could say that I am now three degrees above zero... ; - )
A Masters degree is 10 courses and can be completed in 3 to 5 years when going part-time. For most Master's programs, if not all, you first need a Bachelors degree. Some educational institutions will recognize work experience as an equivalent.
It sounds like you have not completed a Bachelors degree. A Bachelors degree takes 120 credit hours or 30 per year over 4 years. It's a lot of work and time which is why most students go full time. Basically, you wouldn't be completed in time for it to help your career.
The first step to get a Masters degree, assuming you are working full time and are not a contractor, is to determine if your employer has an education reimbursement program, what their limits are per year, and what you need to do to apply. If they do, you next need to research the type of Masters degree you want and the schools. Narrow down the schools to your top 5 and begin calling their Admissions department to determine if you can use your work experience and what, if any, additional courses you will need to take. While doing this, talk to your manager and let him/her know that you are interested in advancing your career by taking a Masters degree. Go into how it will prepare you to take on a greater leadership role, in project management and as team lead. Once you have all of the information about the school, put it together in a package with your employer education application and begin the employer approval process. Once approved at work, you then need to apply to the school and get accepted. The rest is just a lot of hard work...
David
The reason why most drivers do poorly on distraction tests is because most drivers do not know how to drive in the first place, they just know how to point the car and make it go. In this case, "knowing how to drive" means knowing the capabilities of your car, how it handles in various weather, how to read the traffic in front of you, how and when to be aggressive vs defensive, etc. On top of that is learning how to do stuff without taking your eyes off the road.
The solution to most distracted driving is to implement hands-free features such as bluetooth, voice control, collision sensors, backup cameras, etc. The problem is that these features add to the cost of a car and, as such, are slow to filter down to the more basic models.
However, distracted driving has always been with us in one form or another (i.e. make-up, cute girls, spilled coffee, dogs, etc...). No matter what you do, there will always be that one idiot who does something stupid while driving.... There is no way to legislate away stupidity...
If you have a Ritz or Wolf Camera nearby, I find that their prints are high quality. I used to take my film to them for processing and still use them for digital prints. They are more expensive than most, but if you print in bulk (100+) the price drops to be comparable to the other services. I share most of my photos online now, so I only print when I am updating my photo books, maybe once or twice a year. I have never had any of their prints fade and they have always reprinted bad prints, no questions asked.
One thing to keep in mind is the equipment that the photo shop uses. If they use Kodak equipment, your photos will turn out on the warmer side (oranges and reds have a little more contrast) whereas Fujifilm equipment tends to be on the cooler side (blues and greens have more contrast). My local Ritz uses Kodak equipment and produces warmer photos, which I prefer.
I've tried the local Walmart and Pharmacies, but the quality just isn't there. I just joined Costco, so I haven't had a chance to try their services.
You can find a roundup of photo services here: http://digital-photo-printing-review.toptenreviews.com/
Global climate change is an ongoing process that is affected by a large number of factors, both on the planet and off (i.e. solar cycles). The debate is the amount of contribution attributable to humans, what activities we can change to make things better (whatever that is), how much that short list is feasible, and how to get people to globally accept the necessary changes to their lives.
I posit that there is no one individual on earth today who can intelligently discuss all of these factors. We are still in the fact gathering and model building process. How can you debate the issue with little factual information to stand on? Each day we get closer, but we are still not there yet.
I liken anyone who wants to have a debate on environment science at this early stage of scientific research to a religious zealot who believes what they want without any evidence. It's the lack of evidence that makes this topic open to interpretation.
How can we predict what the global climate will do? After all, we can't even get the local weather right!!
The "Like" system works well for goods that do not require a personal touch. Where it falls down is individual taste and fit, requiring that personal touch. The reason why women go out shopping together is because their friends can instantly judge the personal factors when they try on that cute dress. The point is, when it comes to clothing, trusting a stranger's opinion is much worse than trusting your own....
One could still kick a football... In fact, they do, just not as often.... (grin) So, you're point is.....
The article expresses the same lament that car buyers have had since the invention of the automobile, every manufacturer does things differently. A car is the ultimate closed ecosystem. Each manufacturer has unique parts, control layouts, maintenance codes, etc. This is done on purpose to generate additional cash flows from maintenance and repairs.
As for integrating the car entertainment and video systems, I recently bought a Kenwood DNX9990HD eXcelon 2-DIN Multimedia DVD Receiver With Navigation/Bluetooth/HD Radio which I am installing this weekend. It has full integration support for my iPod/iPhone/iPad, backup camera, external video, USB storage, and external audio. It also has built-in voice controls to control the various functions. The point is that, despite the opinion expressed, aftermarket integrated solutions do exist.
You could write a thesis on a an iPad, you just need a bluetooth keyboard.
I have written research posts for an online university course (taking a masters degree) using the on-screen keypad. Granted, it took MUCH longer than it would have on my desktop with dual 24" LCD displays. It took about 3x as long as it would have on my laptop, but the form factor allowed me to work while my mother was shopping for shoes (my parents were visiting from Canada and she wanted to do some shopping). Plus, the battery lasted well beyond the 4 hour limit of my laptop. The point is that if your thesis concerns any sort of field work or if you need to get work done while traveling, it may be the best alternative for the situation.
I do agree, however, that the current word processing options for the iPad doe not offer any advanced formatting options, you're pretty much stuck with the basics.
It's why we need nap breaks at work... (grin)
I always feel sleepy between 3:00pm and 4:00pm. I used to keep this time open at University to go to the Library and take a nap at one of the desks. On the weekends, during the summer, I just put a ball game or a Nascar/Indy race on TV and take a 15 to 20 minute nap. The white noise, crowd sounds form the ball game or engine purr from the car racing events, puts me right to sleep.
I think the Windows 7 Start Menu is a considerable improvement over XP.
I honestly don't see how. I rarely use Windows any more, but when I boot into Windows 7 on my laptop I can never find the program I want to run on the new start menu. As far as I'm concerned it's a disaster zone.
That's why the very first tweak that I applied to Windows 7 was to re-enable the quick launch bar. Essentially what Microsoft has done with Windows 8 is turn the quick launch bar into the primary desktop. This is perfect for tablets, but I'm not sure what the usability will be like for more advanced uses.
I'm willing to bet that this device has the same fatal flaw of most electronics, water... I'm thinking that throwing water at this device could render it useless pretty quick....
At least for me, buying a SUV means that I can pull a 1300lbs boat, haul gear inside without it getting wet, throw a spare tire up on the roof for when I do go off road (camp road is a dirt track through the woods), and have a safe vehicle with AWD in the snow, sleet, etc. that we get in the Northeast. I can only afford one vehicle and, since it's just me, I only need one vehicle. Granted, I use it for commuting 95% of the time, but for the other 5% other vehicle types just wont do. I get about 23MPG for highway driving, which is pretty good.
My biggest concern is that, with the mandated fleet fuel efficiency standards, car manufacturers are being forced to move from V6 engines in mid-sized SUVs to supercharged V4 engines. People who haul boats will have very little choice for their next SUV other than to either buy from the limited number of V6 mid-sized or go to a full-sized SUV, which would be even less fuel efficient. No matter how much they trick out V4 engines, they just are not built to handle the stress and provide the power needed for towing.
Maybe I joined Google later than others, but the first thing that I did when I joined Google was turn Web History off so, nothing for me to delete.
However, I agree with other posters that it's unlikely that this would make a difference. I am sure that through a combination of tracking cookies, stored backups, etc. my web history could be recovered with enough effort and resources.
Apple is positioning the iPad for school work as a textbook eReader. Parents are required to pay a lot for school supplies, as it is. Now they will be asked to pay for both an iPad (to read text books) and a Laptop (to write papers). Ideally the text books would be available for both the iPad and for the Kindle, which is much less expensive. However, Apple has been known in the past to strike exclusive deals with schools and publishers. As a result, the iPad needs a content creation tool that students can use to write basic reports, reducing the need for a laptop. My thought is that it would be in the best interests of Microsoft that this tool be Microsoft Office.
I am taking online courses towards a Master's degree and have used my iPad to write 300 to 400 word essays for weekly questions. It's not the easiest tool to do this, but it does work when you are on the go. Of the three tools at my disposal for creating reports, I prefer my desktop with dual monitors. I can keep my report open one screen and my research in the other. It's definitely much more efficient. The Laptop is second, because I have an actual keyboard. The iPad is last, but definitely the most mobile.
My biggest pet peeve about the current iPad is how hard it is to get content on and off. It would be so much easier if Apple would just add a USB port so you can use a USB device (USB memory key, USB card reader, USB to the camera, etc.).
The problem with scoring rules to enforce behavior is that you need to make sure that your scoring rules are solid. On top of that, you would also need to make sure that your walled garden is, well, walled... In other words, if you want a pool dug, you will have to set physical parameters in the shape of the pool (i.e. stakes driven every 6 to 8 inches) or a virtual parameter like a virtual wall (i.e. similar to the one used for the Roomba).
The article is right about a couple things: TV UIs suck and remotes suck even more.
My mom can't operate a modern TV. I mean like not AT ALL. If it's anything more challenging than volume up or down, it's too much. She doesn't get it.
That's exactly why, when I bought my mom a full HD system with blu-ray, I also bought her a Harmony One remote control. I pre-programmed it for all activities. She just has to press one virtual button on the touchscreen to turn on the TV, AMP, satellite box, switch to the right HDMI input, etc.
Obviously I LOVE my mom more than you love yours... (grin)
I would agree with the idea of software being nothing but abstracted mathematics. However, there is one slight issue, what about operating systems? I understand that most, if not all, of the Slashdot community would prefer all operating systems to be non-patentable and open source. However, there are some benefits to close source operating systems, especially to business who require 24x7x365 support, enterprise management tools, and feature/UI stability. I agree that trivial software processes should not be patentable, but when you put a series of trivial processes together to create an OS, a game, or an application, these should be patentable as they are non-obvious, non-trivial, and rises to the level of creation.
Sure, Techno Whiz, Whatever you say... It's not like some retail outlets can be better than others depending on staff, management, etc. Obviously with your keen assessment, you are right and I am wrong....
I never rely on Best Buy for advice, support, or knowledge because I do my research before going to the store. I only rely on Best Buy for two things, to make a purchase and to be able to return said purchase if I have a problem with it. I have never had an issues with either of these processes at my local Best Buy. Your experience is obviously a tad different.
My thought is that the average Slashdot reader, who are less than 1% of the population, would have a major problem with Best Buy if they tried to rely on them for purchase decisions. The reason is that, as geeks, we are very picky about our technology decisions. We will notice if the color gamut is off by more than 5%. Most people don't even know the meaning of color gamut and couldn't care less.
The theory presented is that Best Buy is dying due to lower than normal sales and lower margins. This is presumed to be caused by poor customer service based on personal experience with the writer's local Best Buy store and some inventory issues for items that NO retailer had in stock during the Christmas season.
The truth is actually more boring. Best Buy sales are down because the economy has been in the toilet. Best Buy margins are down because margins are down for all electronics. In addition, the mad rush to 3D that electronics manufacturers were hoping for never happened. Very little of this has to do with customer service.
Personally, I have never had a problem with my local Best Buy. I've been able to return items without question and they have been very helpful when I am looking for a particular item. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big proponent of Amazon. But there are many people like me who just don't feel comfortable buying appliances and expensive TVs over the Internet.
It's incorrect to use the Band-Aid analogy as both Band-Aids and generic bandages do exactly the same thing.
In this case you have a technology being referred to as Super-WiFi when none of the existing, or upcoming, WiFi branded devices will work with the technology. So there is a real meaningful difference.
It's more like going to the store and asking for a shovel and being given a garden hose...
I live in the Boston area so the night sky is hard to see. I usually take a week off during the summer and travel to the family lakeside camp in New Brunswick, Canada. There, the night sky is so clear you can see satellites, plane lights, shooting stars, etc. It's amazing just to lay out on the dock and wonder.
I agree. The TV should remain a dumb device, much like the computer monitor. The TV manufacturers see the churn in the cell phone space and just drool. However, I don't see people spending $2K for a new TV every 12 to 18 months.
In summary, the OP is looking for a small camera that is not a DSLR but has all of the DSLR features macro, zoom, fast, etc.
I could recommend getting a Canon S95 or S100 which would provide a pocketable camera with near DSLR photos and decent macro. Both of these cameras have larger sensors so they do well in low light. However it has a very little zoom.
I could recommend a Canon PowerShot SX40 HS which has a 24 – 840 mm (35×) zoom. It's the size of a small DSLR. It would give you much better photos than a phone, but not as good as a DSLR.
Personally, I have a S95 that I always carry with me when traveling. It's a great dinner, club, walk around camera. It's also great for people shots as it is less intimidating than my DSLR. I also bring a 40D with me with a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS lens that I use for travel photos. It doesn't have a huge zoom on it, but it does a good enough job.
The problem with any decent zoom lens for a DSLR is that it is large and heavy. Carrying it around all day can be a pain, just to get that one shot that you needed the zoom for. Personally, I find myself taking wider scenic shots than close-up zooms. Of course, the OP could be into taking pictures of birds and animals, so this may be needed.
My office has a Windows 7 image that they will deploy on request and has been upgrading XP users. However, I am still on XP because it takes me a week to rebuild my computer with all of the apps that I regularly use for my job as a Network Engineer. One would think that all I would need is Putty, but I also do a lot of product testing, lab testing, design, and documentation, etc. In addition, I am in the middle of two business divestiture projects and one integration/merger project. I just haven't been able to afford the downtime to do this.
At home, I have always been a first adopter. I was running 2000 when it was in Beta, ran Vista when it came out, and am running Windows 7.
I ran into a problem with Windows Media Player 12 just before the holidays. It stopped synching with my old Creatlive Labs Zen Vision:M MP3 player. My thought is that a Microsoft update caused the problem because synch also fails on my laptop, which is also running Windows 7. The only way that I could get it to sync was to download the Windows XP Mode VM from Microsoft and use the older version of WMP. So, while I am running Windows 7 at home, I am still using pieces of XP for legacy devices.
(Note: I'd buy an iPod, but it doesn't integrate with WMP and I hate iTunes. I've tried the latest version of WinAMP and looked at others, but none of them offer dynamic playlists and I use playlists extensively.)