You're impressed because they gave you a site license on the cheap. "pay where they can" isn't something you find on a purchase page. Customers that reuse the same licensing key over and over on different boxes are pirates. Don't kid yourself.
Small businesses need you to buy licenses for each machine you install it on. Salaries add up real fast, advertising is torture (Google is really expensive), Over-time happens so much, Rent, Infrastructure, etc. If it's too much to commit to this, you lean towards FOSS. Nothing wrong with either side of the fence, just don't kid yourself.
Now, if you just hate the concept of being accused of wrong doing because your box blew itself to bits. That's a function of customer service. You'll find the software company that doesn't accuse you of wrong doing, but gets in there and fixes you up ~ them's the boys you want to keep doing business with. That would be the company I work for. *Nobody* likes activation, but we have proof that it does make a difference... and our job is to ensure that customers get more value out of our software and customer service to make up for the bad.
As a student, get that money far away from yourself as possible, but not too far. Short term (3 month) government bond should do the trick. You will make absolutely no worth while money off whatever cash you might have... so just make it so you won't spend a chunk of it on the next 'emergency'.
As far as generic investment advice, just do this:
1) keep your visa card perpetually paid off --- 18% investment right there, guaranteed 2) when you buy a house, every year scrimp up an extra 5k or more to put back down (just after you pay your taxes / receive refund) --- 5-7% investment right there, guaranteed
cheap ass geezer advice:
3) when working, find yourself a daily treat. maybe a fancy coffee. this will help to save you from buying big toys and blowing your money for short term fun. 4) eat light before going out drinking, you'll get your buzz that much faster and for less 5) when ordering drinks order your limit up front (?4 drinks? hard to gauge with your weak American beer) and tip the waitress while sober
I'm okay with rehashed titles, provided there's the same feeling of fun. The mario series is a good example. I am craving to play their newest title which they put out for the DS.
So many game developers focus on graphics, artwork. and performance. (imo) They spend only a portion of their time and effort making the game fun, balanced, and / or intuitive. It makes it tough to continue a series and keep it alive if the strongest thing you have is the 'cool' factor. It's tough to continually make things 'cooler'.
It's the one application I can't live without. Ever try to copy and paste from one "rich" app to another? Notepad to the rescue! It strips off that font color / background color / font size in a flash. Oh, and don't get me started about calc. I love that thing. I stopped hunting for my calculator somewhere in the 90's and never looked back.
Besides, it's more like (cut 'n pasting with calc: (40-15)= ) 25 GIGS!
Your survey says nothing about "hi-def" playback. PS2 already has DVD playback, so it's like asking if it's okay (or not) to remove dvd playback. If anyone asked me if it was okay to remove dvd playback from sony consoles, I would say sure. I've already experienced the dissapointment of sony console movie playback.
Additionaly, there's a difference between "want" and "afford". If somebody asked me if I wanted a red porche, I would say yes.
First, I ain't a damn shill. Second, I read both articles and they each have merit ~ not a lot, but some.
Have you ever loaded a large (>28mb) XML document which has lots of nodes? Depending on the XML processor, it can suck very very badly. IE will tank your machine, and not in a hurry either. I wouldn't dream of opening a file that large in a word processor. Performance is a valid topic.
XML, as a file format medium, is designed for extensibility and visibility. XML file "performance characteristics" are irrelevant in this context because they're one off events (read in, and write out). The ZDNet study doesn't actually refer to this.
If you go about using XML as an in-memory layout (say implementing DOM) it's slow and crappy (but fun and flexible). This is where the argument comes from. This explains the metrics they're reporting.
Now: XML format 1 vs XML format 2.
Microsoft infers: "hey, you're using XML as an in-memory layout. That stuff sucks for performance and resource gobbling. If you used our XML format it'd be so much better." (this is because Microsoft's layout is intentionally "more flat" and uses less "nodes").
OO infers: "If we stop using XML as an in-memory layout, we'll pull off great performance characteristics. However, any app that uses the format might not follow suit. We don't need your stinkin' format."
However, until they stop this, it's a valid argument. It's also remedied by OO, easily enough, but there's lots of changes to undertake it, it's quite boring, and bugs can easily creep in. It'll be a bit before OO puts Microsoft in their place on this one.
I saw this once on star trek, where Westley helps trap his mom (and the enterprise) in a shrinking bubble. If our star really is in the center of our solar system, we're so screwed.
I've just spent the past four days living and breathing Microsoft's Windows Vista Beta 2.
I did not try to install the Vista Beta on the computer I'm using to write this. I'll bet you can figure out why.
After a weekend of frustration -- more than 30 hours of my time -- and some help from Microsoft -- I have Vista almost Beta 2 running (somewhat) on a laptop.
--- Because [he] bombed three installations previously?
No. Because he's stupid or lazy or both. His main machine, the one he works on to do his work, wasn't even in the running to beta test. I can tell he didn't even try to install or use any of his applications... because he spend all of his budget trying to get it onto *laptops*.
He doesn't talk about *anything* a reviewer would talk about when testing an upgrade: ie: did they fix something that irked him previously? is the performance better / worse? Maybe indicate if he got to run the Glass interface? What his machine index was? How he felt about the weird 3d task switcher etc. What was his testing rig like? etc.
Belinda and Gates are attacking a different set of problems and they're doing it everywhere. I think their viewpoint is that this project's priorities are out of whack. Education is great, provided the person will live to use it.
We believe health is the cornerstone of human development. When health takes hold, life improves by all measures. Conversely, poor health aggravates poverty, poverty deepens disease, and nations trapped in this spiral will not escape without the world's help. In Africa, the cost of malaria in terms of treatment and lost productivity is estimated to be $12 billion a year. The continent's gross domestic product could be $100 billion higher today if malaria had been eliminated in the 1960s. And if HIV infection rates continue at their present levels, the world will likely see 45 million new infections by 2010 and lose nearly 70 million people by 2020. That's 70 million of the most productive members of society - health workers, educators, and parents.
Therefore, the foundation's Global Health program works to ensure that lifesaving advances in health are created and shared with those who need them most. Our primary focus areas are HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, child survival and childhood immunization, and maternal and reproductive health.
To begin, we invest heavily in research to help discover new and better products, particularly vaccines. The foundation also supports work to develop products that can be manufactured and distributed. Then, once a product is developed, we work to make sure that there are systems in place to adopt and sustain these new drugs as they become available. The foundation is a major supporter of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). This alliance has provided basic immunizations to over 8 million children who would not otherwise have been immunized. As a result, GAVI has already saved an estimated 500,000 children's lives.
---
The most pessimistic person could view this project akin to what Apple did when working with schools to get Apple software & hardware in cheap: become the defacto standard via goodwill. Get in early so that when they leave school they come back. Besides, that same person's pessimistic view will believe that they'll be stolen from schools as they'll be the most valuable thing in the school. (due to the fantastic engineering fortitude which is obvious to all).
But... how will this increase computing speed? Surely some scientist can make something up. Think of the children growing up right now with 3.2ghz dual cores!
Yeah, and it was LEGAL. Under the watchful eye of Bush it was canned for one that was ILLEGAL. I just hope the didn't use a one way hash of the phone number larger than say 32 bits. Bill is pretty crafty.;)
I'm sorry you're dissapointed. Marketroids intentionally do a horrible job explaining what the usb->bluetooth adapter actually supports. Your belkin adapter doesn't support the headset profile. You likely are able to synch contact info or something. I avoided this trap with luck (and an internet terminal at the store) so don't feel bad!
I did try to steer everyone away from using this stuff with computers though. The computer industry is completely overlooked when it comes to bluetooth headsets. Besides, they botched the implementation on Wintel so you're not missing much... which is sad. If you're dead set on trying again, the GP has a link to an adapter that I know works... where to get it? dunno.
Frankly, this is the best thing to happen to the patent system in a while.
I do think your post is insightful, but we're talking about the LEGAL system. The system where small business and people get fisted in the bum by large corporations. Optimism is to be avoided. The patent system, "for the little guy", uses the legal system ~ so it's no surprise we hate it too.
To improve the patent system, they would have had to do something. The legal system is the one reacting, attempting to adjust for obvious abuse... against the large corporation. Sounds to me like the legal and patent system is "working as intended".
The only difference made by this ruling is that the large corporation can avoid an injunction and keep on trucking doing what they want, provided they pay the fines. So to me, this is the worst thing I could see happening, ever. Now if you have enough money, there's nothing that can stop you in the US except a jury (who is likely hand-picked to avoid the outcome I want most).
Please, don't use this new "feature"-laden crapware.
imho, It's fantastic they're keeping it competitive, even at the cost of new bloat. I would hate the alternative softwares creeping into my mom's machine due to some fancy baubble added to some other offering. Microsoft's offering is free: free of cost & free of spyware and malware. That's the best feature of all.
Really, what more possible features could you need in a media player other than the usual play, pause, rewind, etc. buttons, and some useful codecs
I don't consider it done until I have full control when playing a dvd. 1) don't disable buttons, 2) allow me to click on the table of contents to take me there. ps: I'd rather use this than any of DELL's crapware they install, by leaps and bounds. Maybe now they'll installs less crud ~ cause it'll be built in?
They're using WIRELESS technology. Read TFA! You'll see it there, plain as day.
I doubt they even solved any of the original problems they brought to the table eons ago! The idea is that every OUTLET could have internet access. Everyone who has an existing electricity feed could get internet access (imagine third world countries, etc). You'll notice that the article says that without a "smart grid" it won't work in rural areas. A good chunk of the world is rural...
Might as well invent a square wheel while they're at it.
What a let down. I was praying for Pocket Internet Explorer to get a shot in the arm. This release is great for both embedded developers and ISVs, but I got nothin! Then again, I might get a surprise... when I find out my new fangled PVR runs windows (ce) outside of a firewall. Surprise!
I couldn't agree with you more. I don't see the problem they're trying to solve... unless the problem is 2D porn. I doubt "the world-famous futures think tank, SRI International" would own up to it though. Well, maybe Phillip Torrone might. Check him out down at the bottom, he looks like a/.'er.
When they get our current "2D" internet right, I'd be okay with them moving on.
My googling efforts seemed to say that any BT USB device should enable me to connect my BT headset (Bluetrek 6217 from Orange) to my PC for VOIP and Unreal - well, for everything! Is this true?
Not all USB->BT adapters are equal! You have to get an adapter that supports the headset profile. I used a dlink DBT122. Some adapters support only the mic or headphone profile, and that won't get you far. Your average salesman in the store won't know and likely sell you the wrong adapter (stores usually stock the cheapest of the breed).
Otherwise, yes. Use it with your cellphone. Use it with Skype. Use it with teamspeak. Walk around the house and answer incoming voip calls with it. I mean, if you already have the device, I say go for it. If not, I still suggest using a wired headset... it just works better.
The article reviews BT headsets, and most people believe that these suckers are for cellphones only and thus we should restrict this conversation to cellphone usage only. I don't consider it off-topic to discuss these devices and their use with computers ~ this is slashdot!! Another post recently added something I didn't know: there are better drivers ~ but then the applications are next up the chain to screw things up (by now allowing the user to specify the sound device).
Re:Not Bluetooth nor phone headset, so Off-Topic
on
Bluetooth Headset Roundup
·
· Score: 1, Informative
You don't appear to know what the article was about, since the device you linked can't be used with the Headset Profile of a Bluetooth mobile phone.
I know what I speak of. My wife and I play online games, and we like wireles devices. I did the research into what is involved to use these sweet looking devices with our machines (and usb->bluetooth adapters). As of last week, I've managed to find homes for our past flirtation with these things (2 sets of 2 bt headsets).
The real failure, of our flirtation, was mostly due to the bluetooth drivers and the way they configure the system to channel all sound. Microsoft did something *really* silly with their audio. The article links to a plantronic headset that got a "B", however, they did something quite special: they provided a solution for long term use with an aux battery. brilliant. But still, don't do it.
The linked product you refer to is what we both wear, and obviously does not support the headset profile, because... wait for it... it's a *USB* device. Basically, I've found that these bt devices are fantastic for cell phones, but they just aren't great for wearing all the time *or* using with your computer. It's a fact... and I'd like to save any fellow/.'ers from the same mistakes ($$) I made. However, that might be a huge leap of faith on my part for the reader [you] to connect the headline of my post against the subject of the article.
Seriously! They are uncomfortable, 'noise'y and it blows having to recharge batteries. If using with Wintel, the drivers suck: I hated having *all* the sound channel through the ear piece! That means that games would channel all its sound into my right ear with the person I'm talking to. meh!
It looks flimsy, but it isn't. It's lightweight, comfortable, and has volume / mute control in the cord. I love the idea of wireless, but sometimes you just can't let go of wires.
What games have you been playing that chose 6 CD over DVD in a platform that would support either?
Games for Wintel. Every game I wanted to buy, thus far, has had CD packaging... or an option to get dvd packaging at a preium (i.e.: collectors edition). I always find myself installing the stack of cds out of principle.
coop535: Games deciding DVD Format?
My point is that *games* aren't forcing this dvd war. Movies are. Movies that I won't buy and put into a console that has an "added benefit" of being able to play movies. To refer to the "video games as a deciding factor" should have been "Microsoft / Sony"... but that'd be more of the same headlines.
I would laugh at any suggestion that video game format would even slightly influence the industry.
And thus my "who really cares" comment. You and I both agree that this is laughable, as we just want disks that hold more bits and is more resilient to scratches. I'm going to wager that these consoles are going to handle disk defects horribly just like they have in the past, and be sub-par players.
Never you mind about DRM that might prevent you from bringing it to your friend's place and playing it there... or hell, even renting it. If anything, we gamers would vote towards keeping the old dvd players in and the added DRM out!
Slashdot Mirror
You're impressed because they gave you a site license on the cheap. "pay where they can" isn't something you find on a purchase page. Customers that reuse the same licensing key over and over on different boxes are pirates. Don't kid yourself.
Small businesses need you to buy licenses for each machine you install it on. Salaries add up real fast, advertising is torture (Google is really expensive), Over-time happens so much, Rent, Infrastructure, etc. If it's too much to commit to this, you lean towards FOSS. Nothing wrong with either side of the fence, just don't kid yourself.
Now, if you just hate the concept of being accused of wrong doing because your box blew itself to bits. That's a function of customer service. You'll find the software company that doesn't accuse you of wrong doing, but gets in there and fixes you up ~ them's the boys you want to keep doing business with. That would be the company I work for. *Nobody* likes activation, but we have proof that it does make a difference... and our job is to ensure that customers get more value out of our software and customer service to make up for the bad.
As a student, get that money far away from yourself as possible, but not too far. Short term (3 month) government bond should do the trick. You will make absolutely no worth while money off whatever cash you might have... so just make it so you won't spend a chunk of it on the next 'emergency'.
As far as generic investment advice, just do this:
1) keep your visa card perpetually paid off --- 18% investment right there, guaranteed
2) when you buy a house, every year scrimp up an extra 5k or more to put back down (just after you pay your taxes / receive refund) --- 5-7% investment right there, guaranteed
cheap ass geezer advice:
3) when working, find yourself a daily treat. maybe a fancy coffee. this will help to save you from buying big toys and blowing your money for short term fun.
4) eat light before going out drinking, you'll get your buzz that much faster and for less
5) when ordering drinks order your limit up front (?4 drinks? hard to gauge with your weak American beer) and tip the waitress while sober
So many game developers focus on graphics, artwork. and performance. (imo) They spend only a portion of their time and effort making the game fun, balanced, and / or intuitive. It makes it tough to continue a series and keep it alive if the strongest thing you have is the 'cool' factor. It's tough to continually make things 'cooler'.
It's the one application I can't live without. Ever try to copy and paste from one "rich" app to another? Notepad to the rescue! It strips off that font color / background color / font size in a flash. Oh, and don't get me started about calc. I love that thing. I stopped hunting for my calculator somewhere in the 90's and never looked back.
Besides, it's more like (cut 'n pasting with calc: (40-15)= ) 25 GIGS!
A Windows Vista Premium Ready PC includes at least 40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space.Additionaly, there's a difference between "want" and "afford". If somebody asked me if I wanted a red porche, I would say yes.
For starters (and off the top of my head): Intel, IBM, Apple, Sun, Nvidia, Dell. I would include SCO, but they're touch and go.
Seriously though, I'd kill to have Microsoft's problems though: having billions of cash on hand and shopping for that new toy.
Are you kidding? Fantastic. It's a RTFA pop quiz. Lots have failed it (Zonk included), and it's good to see.
Have you ever loaded a large (>28mb) XML document which has lots of nodes? Depending on the XML processor, it can suck very very badly. IE will tank your machine, and not in a hurry either. I wouldn't dream of opening a file that large in a word processor. Performance is a valid topic.
XML, as a file format medium, is designed for extensibility and visibility. XML file "performance characteristics" are irrelevant in this context because they're one off events (read in, and write out). The ZDNet study doesn't actually refer to this.If you go about using XML as an in-memory layout (say implementing DOM) it's slow and crappy (but fun and flexible). This is where the argument comes from. This explains the metrics they're reporting.
Now: XML format 1 vs XML format 2.Microsoft infers: "hey, you're using XML as an in-memory layout. That stuff sucks for performance and resource gobbling. If you used our XML format it'd be so much better." (this is because Microsoft's layout is intentionally "more flat" and uses less "nodes").
OO infers: "If we stop using XML as an in-memory layout, we'll pull off great performance characteristics. However, any app that uses the format might not follow suit. We don't need your stinkin' format."
However, until they stop this, it's a valid argument. It's also remedied by OO, easily enough, but there's lots of changes to undertake it, it's quite boring, and bugs can easily creep in. It'll be a bit before OO puts Microsoft in their place on this one.
I saw this once on star trek, where Westley helps trap his mom (and the enterprise) in a shrinking bubble. If our star really is in the center of our solar system, we're so screwed.
- I've just spent the past four days living and breathing Microsoft's Windows Vista Beta 2.
- I did not try to install the Vista Beta on the computer I'm using to write this. I'll bet you can figure out why.
- After a weekend of frustration -- more than 30 hours of my time -- and some help from Microsoft -- I have Vista almost Beta 2 running (somewhat) on a laptop.
---Because [he] bombed three installations previously?
No. Because he's stupid or lazy or both. His main machine, the one he works on to do his work, wasn't even in the running to beta test. I can tell he didn't even try to install or use any of his applications... because he spend all of his budget trying to get it onto *laptops*.
He doesn't talk about *anything* a reviewer would talk about when testing an upgrade: ie: did they fix something that irked him previously? is the performance better / worse? Maybe indicate if he got to run the Glass interface? What his machine index was? How he felt about the weird 3d task switcher etc. What was his testing rig like? etc.
Belinda and Gates are attacking a different set of problems and they're doing it everywhere. I think their viewpoint is that this project's priorities are out of whack. Education is great, provided the person will live to use it.
Letter from Bill and Melinda GatesWe believe health is the cornerstone of human development. When health takes hold, life improves by all measures. Conversely, poor health aggravates poverty, poverty deepens disease, and nations trapped in this spiral will not escape without the world's help. In Africa, the cost of malaria in terms of treatment and lost productivity is estimated to be $12 billion a year. The continent's gross domestic product could be $100 billion higher today if malaria had been eliminated in the 1960s. And if HIV infection rates continue at their present levels, the world will likely see 45 million new infections by 2010 and lose nearly 70 million people by 2020. That's 70 million of the most productive members of society - health workers, educators, and parents.
Therefore, the foundation's Global Health program works to ensure that lifesaving advances in health are created and shared with those who need them most. Our primary focus areas are HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, child survival and childhood immunization, and maternal and reproductive health.
To begin, we invest heavily in research to help discover new and better products, particularly vaccines. The foundation also supports work to develop products that can be manufactured and distributed. Then, once a product is developed, we work to make sure that there are systems in place to adopt and sustain these new drugs as they become available. The foundation is a major supporter of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). This alliance has provided basic immunizations to over 8 million children who would not otherwise have been immunized. As a result, GAVI has already saved an estimated 500,000 children's lives.
---The most pessimistic person could view this project akin to what Apple did when working with schools to get Apple software & hardware in cheap: become the defacto standard via goodwill. Get in early so that when they leave school they come back. Besides, that same person's pessimistic view will believe that they'll be stolen from schools as they'll be the most valuable thing in the school. (due to the fantastic engineering fortitude which is obvious to all).
But... how will this increase computing speed? Surely some scientist can make something up. Think of the children growing up right now with 3.2ghz dual cores!
Yeah, and it was LEGAL. Under the watchful eye of Bush it was canned for one that was ILLEGAL. I just hope the didn't use a one way hash of the phone number larger than say 32 bits. Bill is pretty crafty. ;)
PS3 = BMW? You have to add the following clause: the BMW shuts down if you feed it "non-BMW gas".
I did try to steer everyone away from using this stuff with computers though. The computer industry is completely overlooked when it comes to bluetooth headsets. Besides, they botched the implementation on Wintel so you're not missing much... which is sad. If you're dead set on trying again, the GP has a link to an adapter that I know works... where to get it? dunno.
I do think your post is insightful, but we're talking about the LEGAL system. The system where small business and people get fisted in the bum by large corporations. Optimism is to be avoided. The patent system, "for the little guy", uses the legal system ~ so it's no surprise we hate it too.
To improve the patent system, they would have had to do something. The legal system is the one reacting, attempting to adjust for obvious abuseThe only difference made by this ruling is that the large corporation can avoid an injunction and keep on trucking doing what they want, provided they pay the fines. So to me, this is the worst thing I could see happening, ever. Now if you have enough money, there's nothing that can stop you in the US except a jury (who is likely hand-picked to avoid the outcome I want most).
imho, It's fantastic they're keeping it competitive, even at the cost of new bloat. I would hate the alternative softwares creeping into my mom's machine due to some fancy baubble added to some other offering. Microsoft's offering is free: free of cost & free of spyware and malware. That's the best feature of all.
Really, what more possible features could you need in a media player other than the usual play, pause, rewind, etc. buttons, and some useful codecs
I don't consider it done until I have full control when playing a dvd. 1) don't disable buttons, 2) allow me to click on the table of contents to take me there. ps: I'd rather use this than any of DELL's crapware they install, by leaps and bounds. Maybe now they'll installs less crud ~ cause it'll be built in?
I doubt they even solved any of the original problems they brought to the table eons ago! The idea is that every OUTLET could have internet access. Everyone who has an existing electricity feed could get internet access (imagine third world countries, etc). You'll notice that the article says that without a "smart grid" it won't work in rural areas. A good chunk of the world is rural...
Might as well invent a square wheel while they're at it.What a let down. I was praying for Pocket Internet Explorer to get a shot in the arm. This release is great for both embedded developers and ISVs, but I got nothin! Then again, I might get a surprise ... when I find out my new fangled PVR runs windows (ce) outside of a firewall. Surprise!
When they get our current "2D" internet right, I'd be okay with them moving on.
Not all USB->BT adapters are equal! You have to get an adapter that supports the headset profile. I used a dlink DBT122. Some adapters support only the mic or headphone profile, and that won't get you far. Your average salesman in the store won't know and likely sell you the wrong adapter (stores usually stock the cheapest of the breed).
Otherwise, yes. Use it with your cellphone. Use it with Skype. Use it with teamspeak. Walk around the house and answer incoming voip calls with it. I mean, if you already have the device, I say go for it. If not, I still suggest using a wired headset... it just works better.
The article reviews BT headsets, and most people believe that these suckers are for cellphones only and thus we should restrict this conversation to cellphone usage only. I don't consider it off-topic to discuss these devices and their use with computers ~ this is slashdot!! Another post recently added something I didn't know: there are better drivers ~ but then the applications are next up the chain to screw things up (by now allowing the user to specify the sound device).
I know what I speak of. My wife and I play online games, and we like wireles devices. I did the research into what is involved to use these sweet looking devices with our machines (and usb->bluetooth adapters). As of last week, I've managed to find homes for our past flirtation with these things (2 sets of 2 bt headsets).
The real failure, of our flirtation, was mostly due to the bluetooth drivers and the way they configure the system to channel all sound. Microsoft did something *really* silly with their audio. The article links to a plantronic headset that got a "B", however, they did something quite special: they provided a solution for long term use with an aux battery. brilliant. But still, don't do it.
The linked product you refer to is what we both wear, and obviously does not support the headset profile, because... wait for it... it's a *USB* device. Basically, I've found that these bt devices are fantastic for cell phones, but they just aren't great for wearing all the time *or* using with your computer. It's a fact... and I'd like to save any fellow /.'ers from the same mistakes ($$) I made. However, that might be a huge leap of faith on my part for the reader [you] to connect the headline of my post against the subject of the article.
Seriously! They are uncomfortable, 'noise'y and it blows having to recharge batteries. If using with Wintel, the drivers suck: I hated having *all* the sound channel through the ear piece! That means that games would channel all its sound into my right ear with the person I'm talking to. meh!
Plantronics dsp 400.It looks flimsy, but it isn't. It's lightweight, comfortable, and has volume / mute control in the cord. I love the idea of wireless, but sometimes you just can't let go of wires.
Games for Wintel. Every game I wanted to buy, thus far, has had CD packaging... or an option to get dvd packaging at a preium (i.e.: collectors edition). I always find myself installing the stack of cds out of principle.
coop535: Games deciding DVD Format?My point is that *games* aren't forcing this dvd war. Movies are. Movies that I won't buy and put into a console that has an "added benefit" of being able to play movies. To refer to the "video games as a deciding factor" should have been "Microsoft / Sony" ... but that'd be more of the same headlines.
I would laugh at any suggestion that video game format would even slightly influence the industry.And thus my "who really cares" comment. You and I both agree that this is laughable, as we just want disks that hold more bits and is more resilient to scratches. I'm going to wager that these consoles are going to handle disk defects horribly just like they have in the past, and be sub-par players.
Never you mind about DRM that might prevent you from bringing it to your friend's place and playing it there... or hell, even renting it. If anything, we gamers would vote towards keeping the old dvd players in and the added DRM out!