Actually, I picked up a pair of B&O Redline 60.2 speakers (1980s) for about $200, and they really sound superb (I am a music student). Not only that, but they look great and allow for placement flexibility (i.e. wall mounted, floor standing, etc...). Driven by a B&O BeoMaster 2400 Receiver ($100), I have an excellent system that looks and sounds great. However, I agree that at the $10,000 price point, there are far better sounding systems...
I really find text ads (such as those found on Google) to be nonintrusive and even useful at times. The big difference I have found between text and graphical banner advertisements is that the text ads tend to relay actual information to the end user, rather than try to impress the end user with brilliant but often completely uninformative graphics. I am only inclined to click on an advertisement when it actually tells me things about what that company offers. This is why I don't think that text ads will fall under (at least my) oblivion.
Using a laptop instead of one of these?
on
Mini-Box M-100
·
· Score: 1
I hope this isn't too offtopic...
This unit would be a terrific centerpiece for my home theater / audio system, but since I already own a laptop, I don't really want to purchase another piece of equipment (more money+space). I'm considering using my laptop (1.5Ghz, ATI Radeon Mobility 16MB, S-Video out and VGA-out to get HDTV: nothing incredibly special, but it works well) as the centerpiece, but I'm just wondering if anyone else is doing this. I'm going to need a decent sized LCD or plasma panel display (ideally around 22"-30") that has a built-in HDTV tuner, since I haven't found out any kind of TV tuner that would work with my laptop (no, the USB ones don't work with HDTV, and the picture quality is quite bad anyway). I will also need some kind of remote control (RF would be the best). I will plug it into my sound system, and simply use the computer's remote control to adjust volume/change tracks/etc. Also, would it be wise to purchase a higher quality external sound card? Any feedback at all would be very helpful (this pertains to the Mini-Box and like devices as well!).
James Cameron: "I didn't really care for [Terminator 3], and to be perfectly honest I felt that I told the story."
I agree completely. Terminator 2 simply finishes the story that T1 begins. They are simply producing T3 because they know they will make a hefty profit off of releasing yet another sequel to a highly popular duet of films, and Cameron knows this. I'm not saying that T3 will be a horrible movie, but I don't think that it's really necessary.
I have been searching far and wide for a way to get decent video into my laptop...the USB tuners have a very low picture quality, because USB 1.1 doesn't have a high enough bandwidth for the video (it has to be compressed considerably). So far, I've found one USB 2.0 tuner, but I heard that it still doesn't compare to any PCI model, or for that matter, an actual television. And, I can probably forget getting HDTV into my laptop....help me if you know how !
Upon reading many peoples' response to the wiring of 3rd world countries, I don't think that everyone is considering all of the benefits that the Internet may bring to the people (mostly indirectly). Regarding business Internet usage, there is no denying that the Internet has proven to be an indispensable tool that both saves money and time in the long run. I think that setting up Senegalese companies with connected computers will help out the people in the long run. With proper communication, it will be possible to give food to those who really need it with far more efficiency.
Contrary to what many of you believe, Senegal is not one of the most impoverished nations in Africa (try Sierra Leone)...
I think that before this can become a truly viable solution, PDA battery life must increase. Since this drains battery power (from what I understand), many PDAs will be unable to record an entire concert straight through. On a side note, I believe Sharp is going in the right direction with the Zaurus SL-5600's longer life battery.
Actually, the next Indy movie is set to cost $130,000,000 up front (Indiana Jones 4, starring Ford and Connery, directed by Lucas and Spielberg). You're telling me that's not a mainstream movie??
This already exists. Just remove your heat sink, and replace it with a decent-sized slab of meat. Overclock your computer incessantly, and in no time, blammo! Hamburger/Chicken Sandwich/Cooked Haggas!
Upon closer inpection of the "iGrill", it appears to be smaller than an average-sized laptop (using its USB plug as a relative size comparison). I see this as an insult....George Foreman thinks of geeks as overweight slobs and thus made an incredibly small grill to prevent the slobs from adding too much mass to the bodies. Perhaps this is a good thing?
yes....i know it's not real. i sort of wish it was....
Somebody should design a tiny device specifically to run the "iGrill", one that has a bunch of little control knobs on it. That way, you wouldn't even need a computer to run it...think of the possibilities!
Samsung makes some great displays in varying sizes that combine video and PC inputs (some even have a TV tuner built in with a remote control). I have used a 170MP for a year now and it has worked flawlessly (17" LCD with built-in TV tuner and remote control). These units are FAR less money than the equivalent LCD TV: just doing a quick search at pricewatch.com brought up the the 170MP for $450 shipped (CompuHQ.com), and you can use it as a PC monitor!.
Re:Comparison not apples vs. oranges
on
LCD Price Fixing?
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· Score: 1
Actually, my $499 laptop (after a couple rebates) has a 14" screen. And there are plenty of LCD TVs with very small screens that go for insane prices (Sharp's 10" model goes for $579.00 and their 13" model for $799.00 at Best Buy). It seems as though there is some sort of price inflation going on here.
Re:Where's the problem?
on
LCD Price Fixing?
·
· Score: 2, Informative
Yes, but try finding a good way to get TV on the laptop. So far, I haven't found any (granted, I haven't really looked in the past month or two). All of the TV tuners are either old PCMCIA ones or USB ones (lacking the bandwidth to have decent picture). The only solution I have found is to buy an expensive analog-DVI (firewire) adapter and a separate TV tuner.
"They argue that nearly a third of consumers already change carriers on a regular basis, and the new rule will only cause the provider-switching phenomenon to grow and, in turn, lead to more loss of customers and more damage to their bottom lines."
Uhhh.... where does this 30 percent switch to? Other cell phone companies. If they merely switch providers, that means that the industry isn't losing any customers. If people completely stop using cell phones, then the industry loses customers. Also, if the cancellation fee applies for ending the contract, they end up with $200-$250 (I'm not sure exactly where it stands with every provider) anyway. The companies that will lose money are the providers that provide the poorer service, so they do have reason to worry.
But really, I think that user interfaces should be as absolutely minimal as possible (for the reasonably advanced user). They should require as few keystrokes or mouse movements as can be, simply put. If a a gesture really does save time (and is accurate, mind you), then by all means it should be used.
I have been using my cell phone as my only phone for at least two years now, and I haven't received a single telemarketer call. I am fairly protective of my number, but I don't hoard it from the entire world as many of us do. One thing that may help is the fact that my cell phone has the (917) area code, which is New York's separate area code for mobile phones. This allows people to instantly indentify the number as mobile without having to check databases. What are the specific laws regarding mobile telemarketer calls? I tried to find detailed information, but have not yet seen it here.
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WOW! You can change the background now? Incredible! I can not only change it, but I can change it easily by myself!
I wonder if, as a paying Verizon DSL subscriber in NYC, they'll give me access to this for free or a discount?
Actually, I picked up a pair of B&O Redline 60.2 speakers (1980s) for about $200, and they really sound superb (I am a music student). Not only that, but they look great and allow for placement flexibility (i.e. wall mounted, floor standing, etc...). Driven by a B&O BeoMaster 2400 Receiver ($100), I have an excellent system that looks and sounds great. However, I agree that at the $10,000 price point, there are far better sounding systems ...
I really find text ads (such as those found on Google) to be nonintrusive and even useful at times. The big difference I have found between text and graphical banner advertisements is that the text ads tend to relay actual information to the end user, rather than try to impress the end user with brilliant but often completely uninformative graphics. I am only inclined to click on an advertisement when it actually tells me things about what that company offers. This is why I don't think that text ads will fall under (at least my) oblivion.
I hope this isn't too offtopic...
This unit would be a terrific centerpiece for my home theater / audio system, but since I already own a laptop, I don't really want to purchase another piece of equipment (more money+space). I'm considering using my laptop (1.5Ghz, ATI Radeon Mobility 16MB, S-Video out and VGA-out to get HDTV: nothing incredibly special, but it works well) as the centerpiece, but I'm just wondering if anyone else is doing this. I'm going to need a decent sized LCD or plasma panel display (ideally around 22"-30") that has a built-in HDTV tuner, since I haven't found out any kind of TV tuner that would work with my laptop (no, the USB ones don't work with HDTV, and the picture quality is quite bad anyway). I will also need some kind of remote control (RF would be the best). I will plug it into my sound system, and simply use the computer's remote control to adjust volume/change tracks/etc. Also, would it be wise to purchase a higher quality external sound card? Any feedback at all would be very helpful (this pertains to the Mini-Box and like devices as well!).
James Cameron: "I didn't really care for [Terminator 3], and to be perfectly honest I felt that I told the story."
I agree completely. Terminator 2 simply finishes the story that T1 begins. They are simply producing T3 because they know they will make a hefty profit off of releasing yet another sequel to a highly popular duet of films, and Cameron knows this. I'm not saying that T3 will be a horrible movie, but I don't think that it's really necessary.
Hmmm ... let's see ... 3 copies * $0.52/copy total = $1.56 total. We're dealing with a lot of money here!
I have been searching far and wide for a way to get decent video into my laptop...the USB tuners have a very low picture quality, because USB 1.1 doesn't have a high enough bandwidth for the video (it has to be compressed considerably). So far, I've found one USB 2.0 tuner, but I heard that it still doesn't compare to any PCI model, or for that matter, an actual television. And, I can probably forget getting HDTV into my laptop....help me if you know how !
A mobile phone that's being released in the US before Europe/Japan? I've been waiting for this all my life!
Contrary to what many of you believe, Senegal is not one of the most impoverished nations in Africa (try Sierra Leone)...
I think that before this can become a truly viable solution, PDA battery life must increase. Since this drains battery power (from what I understand), many PDAs will be unable to record an entire concert straight through. On a side note, I believe Sharp is going in the right direction with the Zaurus SL-5600's longer life battery.
Actually, the next Indy movie is set to cost $130,000,000 up front (Indiana Jones 4, starring Ford and Connery, directed by Lucas and Spielberg). You're telling me that's not a mainstream movie??
It sounds as though somebody's been reading/watching the Lord of the Rings a bit too much ...
......now I have to wait even longer to find out how the series ends!
This already exists. Just remove your heat sink, and replace it with a decent-sized slab of meat. Overclock your computer incessantly, and in no time, blammo! Hamburger/Chicken Sandwich/Cooked Haggas!
Upon closer inpection of the "iGrill", it appears to be smaller than an average-sized laptop (using its USB plug as a relative size comparison). I see this as an insult....George Foreman thinks of geeks as overweight slobs and thus made an incredibly small grill to prevent the slobs from adding too much mass to the bodies. Perhaps this is a good thing? yes....i know it's not real. i sort of wish it was....
Somebody should design a tiny device specifically to run the "iGrill", one that has a bunch of little control knobs on it. That way, you wouldn't even need a computer to run it...think of the possibilities!
Samsung makes some great displays in varying sizes that combine video and PC inputs (some even have a TV tuner built in with a remote control). I have used a 170MP for a year now and it has worked flawlessly (17" LCD with built-in TV tuner and remote control). These units are FAR less money than the equivalent LCD TV: just doing a quick search at pricewatch.com brought up the the 170MP for $450 shipped (CompuHQ.com), and you can use it as a PC monitor!.
Actually, my $499 laptop (after a couple rebates) has a 14" screen. And there are plenty of LCD TVs with very small screens that go for insane prices (Sharp's 10" model goes for $579.00 and their 13" model for $799.00 at Best Buy). It seems as though there is some sort of price inflation going on here.
Yes, but try finding a good way to get TV on the laptop. So far, I haven't found any (granted, I haven't really looked in the past month or two). All of the TV tuners are either old PCMCIA ones or USB ones (lacking the bandwidth to have decent picture). The only solution I have found is to buy an expensive analog-DVI (firewire) adapter and a separate TV tuner.
Uhhh .... where does this 30 percent switch to? Other cell phone companies. If they merely switch providers, that means that the industry isn't losing any customers. If people completely stop using cell phones, then the industry loses customers. Also, if the cancellation fee applies for ending the contract, they end up with $200-$250 (I'm not sure exactly where it stands with every provider) anyway. The companies that will lose money are the providers that provide the poorer service, so they do have reason to worry.
But really, I think that user interfaces should be as absolutely minimal as possible (for the reasonably advanced user). They should require as few keystrokes or mouse movements as can be, simply put. If a a gesture really does save time (and is accurate, mind you), then by all means it should be used.
I have been using my cell phone as my only phone for at least two years now, and I haven't received a single telemarketer call. I am fairly protective of my number, but I don't hoard it from the entire world as many of us do. One thing that may help is the fact that my cell phone has the (917) area code, which is New York's separate area code for mobile phones. This allows people to instantly indentify the number as mobile without having to check databases. What are the specific laws regarding mobile telemarketer calls? I tried to find detailed information, but have not yet seen it here.
I'd have to say this is a good thing for the future of open source ...
....what a splendid word!