If you do get an electric car make sure you have the ability to add a 240V outlet/connection at your home so you can fast charge in your driveway/parking spot.
I bought a portable power connection unit and fast charge at home, work and in-laws.
Public charging stations use multiple payment systems and are often occupied.
BTW, welcome to the Golden State, it's a great place to live, in spite of the nay-sayers.
Fellow 500e owner here. Seconded your opinion in all points.
As I wrote in another comment in this thread, I actually did the math, and based on my driving needs cost-wise the 500e is a net savings (including cost of the car) for me (compared to the car I was driving when I decided on the 500e) over five years.
Plus, it is fun to drive. This is subjective, of course.
It's clearly not for everyone and every situation, and even though Fiat offers free rentals at major agencies for those longer trips, I am glad that we have a second (ICE) car in the family.
I have one, too, and love it, too. It is a very fun car and actually more practical as a commuter car than my previous car, a 2009 Audi A4
With the subsidies, the effective price is about 20K which seems right, especially since fun-wise it is more comparable to the fuel-based Abarth version
You forget the government incentives. $2,500 from the State of California; $7,500 from the federal government and $2,000 from FIAT themselves.
The effective difference is is then $3,350.
I actually did my homework, and the result was that for my old car (Audi A4, 25 mpg avg.) at 4.29-4.49 per gallon (Premium Fuel) the savings with the FIAT 500e for my daily commute were such that with the incentives, the rest of the car cost amortizes in about 5 years.
So I have a 30-35 mile one-way commute in the greater LA area with a mix of freeway and surface streets and I opted for an all-electric Fiat 500e with an 88 mile range. It works well as a daily driver, plus it is fun to drive due to great torque at 0 rpm. No need to accelerate slowly on the on-ramp
Electric vehicles are actually best in stop-and-go situations which is why I altered my commute to include a bit more surface street (incidentally this also allows for completing errands on the way to or from work in a more time efficient manner). This bit of detour via surface streets adds maybe 10 min to my drive and allows me to arrive home after a full roundtrip with no recharge with more than 25% charge left.
However: I admittedly do have an advantage to most people as my work has a 30A 240V outlet close to the parking lot that I can plug my portable charging station into (a Level 2 device); this will top me up in 1.5 hours, i.e. I leave work with a full charge, thus massively increasing the vehicles utility on the way home.
For me the electric vehicle was a simple cost-benefit calculation. With government subsides and incentives, it will have cost the same to purchase as the gas powered version and operating costs are significantly lower. Based on my commute and my previous car, I estimate that in 5 years I will have saved enough money in gas and maintenance vs electricity to fully pay for the vehicle (in compariosn to have kept my current car)
We do have a second gas-powered vehicle and Fiat gave me 12 free rental days at major rental car companies for free for 3 years, so that covers longer trips.
As others have said, I think for many people in urban environment an electric commuter car could work, for more rural place snot so much.
The biggest issue will be charging when you need to if you don't own your home or have to streetpark. I happen to be lucky enough to be able to charge at 240V at home, work and at various family in the area.
Public charging stations are hit and miss, many different payment systems (I am a member of 3) and often occupied (by vehicles charging or ICE vehicles blocking the spot) and sometimes non-functional.
Literally, YMMV. It works for me.
I am glad that the background for the decision is coming to light after all the vitriol.
Having managed a (partially) telecommuting workforce before, nothing is more frustrating than not being able to reach people or get answers in a timely manner.
It really depends on the combination of management, tasks, and individuals to make telecommuting work.
In my personal case, admittedly, we had insufficient procedure for measuring progress to ensure equal productivity through telecommuting, and people were quick to take advantage of that (yes, I am admitting management failure here) This was not in an IT-related field but a more traditional business field.
All in the AppStore. Found by a quick google search, no less.
Maybe the reason for the lack of choice in such apps is that there is just not a big market for them since the built-in iOS apps meet the needs of... wait for it... MOST users.
Suffice it to say, the walled-garden argument is not the end-all reason for the lack of certain apps.
Personally, I don't see how switching my (income-earning, tax-paying) lifestyle to a welfare one would be a win, but I am sure you must be right.
After all, people everywhere in the US are just lining up and asking for wage decreases in order to earn as little as possible so they can apply for federal programs...
Wealth is different from income and is taxed differently, usually much to the advantage of those with wealth.
The great myth is that wealth is always earned (through income and wise choices) by the person benefitting from it. In the real world, wealth is passed on.
Sorry, just not true.
Before the iPhone, an unlocked Treo 650 cost about USD 650 (without contract). Some fashionable dumb or feature phones - like the Matrix Nokia chromed slider - retailed up to USD 1000 at the time - with contract and all.
It's fugly and looks awful to use (holding to the ear I mean).
Futhermore, compare this to the Motofone (admittedly also awful to use) which sold for about half 3 years ago.
I agree with the concept of doing away with touchscreens and apps and so forth as not everyone likes/uses them (my favorite phone ever was the Nokia 6210), but why make it look and be useable like the awful cheap-ass China audio remotes (lookin at you Bose!).
I firmly believe there is a market for the concept, but my mom would not like this at all, 'nuff said.
Check out AVM
http://www.avm.de/en/Produkte/FRITZBox/index.html
I have 7270 working just fine here in the US (ordered in Germany) with Verizon DSL. Built-in. SIP adapter. Has the ability for custom firmware (freetz.org) add-ons with proper firewall and other (dd-wrt-like) stuff.
The 7390 model has gigabit but there is no custom firmware for it yet.
HTH
While Org Chem might not be necessary in everyday practice one could argue that neither is Math (Calculus, Statistics), Physics etc. The truth is however, that all those basic science courses teach more than just the subject, namely how to think scientifically - and this is of great value to physicians of any specialization.
In addition, to understand some of the biological and molecular aspects of disease an understanding of the sciences is absolutely vital. Otherwise physicians may as well be glorified plumbers (surgeons come to mind, but I digress...;) )
While medicine is sometimes (rarely) an art rather than a science, the fundamentals are inherently scientific and need to be taught more rather than less.
Regarding German autobahns: I think the full statistic was that while there are less accidents per passenger mile traveled, the percentage of fatal accidents happened to be higher.
I'm German, but even I can't change the laws of physics: for a given increase in speed, the inertia increases geometrically, meaning you crash much harder when you go just a little faster.
But living in California, I must say I am absolutely amazed at how many people manage to crash their cars and in the process kill themselves and others at relatively benign speeds (60-70 mph, 100-120 kph). No day without witnessing at least one serious acident on my from and to work.
Your confusing Divx with Divx;), the former being a limited-time DVD-rental/viewing scheme, the latter being a video codec named in honor of the stupid former (therefore the wink;) )
Since when does the supplier legally tell you what you can sell a product for?
Since there are distribution agreements.
Try to find iPods siginficantly below Apple's MSRP...
If an item is in demand - or perceived to be in demand - distributors are willing to enter into a distribution agreement that may set selling price. This is not collusion or illegal, it is *one* way to minimize risk in a fickle market place (such as the music or consumer electronics industry).
That said, is it good for the consumer?
On the one hand no, since there is no "cheaper" source, on the other hand yes, since it makes it possible for smaller distributors to have some business and not loose it to their huge competition (think local store vs. WalMart). This keeps everyone honest.
The real problem I see with the music industry, however, is that its business shifted to where it now sells non-tangible goods (IP, essentially, since the medium is irrelevant), which may not be well served by traditional business models. The fact that they are clinging to to the "old ways" shows a lack of vision and, yes, greed.
Slashdot Mirror
You should read Seveneves by Neal Stephenson, if you like this kind (orbital mechanics) kind of stuff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Apple_Inc./
;)
Seems like Apple did invent everything before Android makers did
Fiat offers an 8-year warranty on the battery. That translates to 240K for my driving needs.
The range is not great, but Fiat offers free rentals at major agencies for three years for long trips.
As a daily driver for the average commute it is totally sufficient (and saves the owner money, considering the incentives in place)
I bought a portable power connection unit and fast charge at home, work and in-laws.
Public charging stations use multiple payment systems and are often occupied.
BTW, welcome to the Golden State, it's a great place to live, in spite of the nay-sayers.
As I wrote in another comment in this thread, I actually did the math, and based on my driving needs cost-wise the 500e is a net savings (including cost of the car) for me (compared to the car I was driving when I decided on the 500e) over five years.
Plus, it is fun to drive. This is subjective, of course.
It's clearly not for everyone and every situation, and even though Fiat offers free rentals at major agencies for those longer trips, I am glad that we have a second (ICE) car in the family.
With the subsidies, the effective price is about 20K which seems right, especially since fun-wise it is more comparable to the fuel-based Abarth version
No, they are still being manufactured and sold. I bought mine in March 2014, Manufacture Date Feb 2014.
The price difference is $15350
You forget the government incentives. $2,500 from the State of California; $7,500 from the federal government and $2,000 from FIAT themselves.
The effective difference is is then $3,350.
I actually did my homework, and the result was that for my old car (Audi A4, 25 mpg avg.) at 4.29-4.49 per gallon (Premium Fuel) the savings with the FIAT 500e for my daily commute were such that with the incentives, the rest of the car cost amortizes in about 5 years.
Plus the car is fun to drive.
Electric vehicles are actually best in stop-and-go situations which is why I altered my commute to include a bit more surface street (incidentally this also allows for completing errands on the way to or from work in a more time efficient manner). This bit of detour via surface streets adds maybe 10 min to my drive and allows me to arrive home after a full roundtrip with no recharge with more than 25% charge left.
However: I admittedly do have an advantage to most people as my work has a 30A 240V outlet close to the parking lot that I can plug my portable charging station into (a Level 2 device); this will top me up in 1.5 hours, i.e. I leave work with a full charge, thus massively increasing the vehicles utility on the way home.
For me the electric vehicle was a simple cost-benefit calculation. With government subsides and incentives, it will have cost the same to purchase as the gas powered version and operating costs are significantly lower. Based on my commute and my previous car, I estimate that in 5 years I will have saved enough money in gas and maintenance vs electricity to fully pay for the vehicle (in compariosn to have kept my current car)
We do have a second gas-powered vehicle and Fiat gave me 12 free rental days at major rental car companies for free for 3 years, so that covers longer trips.
As others have said, I think for many people in urban environment an electric commuter car could work, for more rural place snot so much.
The biggest issue will be charging when you need to if you don't own your home or have to streetpark. I happen to be lucky enough to be able to charge at 240V at home, work and at various family in the area.
Public charging stations are hit and miss, many different payment systems (I am a member of 3) and often occupied (by vehicles charging or ICE vehicles blocking the spot) and sometimes non-functional. Literally, YMMV. It works for me.
I am glad that the background for the decision is coming to light after all the vitriol.
Having managed a (partially) telecommuting workforce before, nothing is more frustrating than not being able to reach people or get answers in a timely manner.
It really depends on the combination of management, tasks, and individuals to make telecommuting work.
In my personal case, admittedly, we had insufficient procedure for measuring progress to ensure equal productivity through telecommuting, and people were quick to take advantage of that (yes, I am admitting management failure here) This was not in an IT-related field but a more traditional business field.
I have used both and am quite impressed.
The Bitfenix is a bit "cheaper" feeling than the LianLi, but better for CPUs needing better cooling.
Agree on the PSU, though.
Samba is a dance. Your confusing it with the term "Sambo" which is generally considered a racist term.
The shadow gives the impression that the flag is still in its unfurled state (like on the photo from the landing).
Since there is gravity on the Moon, wouldn't the fabric have come down to hang close to the pole, i.e. just like it would on a calm day on Earth?
But it's obviously difficult to tell what one is looking at exactly.
Sorry, but I call shenanigans:
... wait for it... MOST users.
email client: eMailganizer
Browser: Atomic
MP3 Player: MP3Player [that's the name]
All in the AppStore. Found by a quick google search, no less.
Maybe the reason for the lack of choice in such apps is that there is just not a big market for them since the built-in iOS apps meet the needs of
Suffice it to say, the walled-garden argument is not the end-all reason for the lack of certain apps.
It's a welfare system, and they win.
Personally, I don't see how switching my (income-earning, tax-paying) lifestyle to a welfare one would be a win, but I am sure you must be right. After all, people everywhere in the US are just lining up and asking for wage decreases in order to earn as little as possible so they can apply for federal programs... Wealth is different from income and is taxed differently, usually much to the advantage of those with wealth. The great myth is that wealth is always earned (through income and wise choices) by the person benefitting from it. In the real world, wealth is passed on.
Sorry, just not true. Before the iPhone, an unlocked Treo 650 cost about USD 650 (without contract). Some fashionable dumb or feature phones - like the Matrix Nokia chromed slider - retailed up to USD 1000 at the time - with contract and all.
Futhermore, compare this to the Motofone (admittedly also awful to use) which sold for about half 3 years ago.
I agree with the concept of doing away with touchscreens and apps and so forth as not everyone likes/uses them (my favorite phone ever was the Nokia 6210), but why make it look and be useable like the awful cheap-ass China audio remotes (lookin at you Bose!).
I firmly believe there is a market for the concept, but my mom would not like this at all, 'nuff said.
The power supply is universal and comes with appropriate plug adapters. Just FYI.
Check out AVM http://www.avm.de/en/Produkte/FRITZBox/index.html I have 7270 working just fine here in the US (ordered in Germany) with Verizon DSL. Built-in. SIP adapter. Has the ability for custom firmware (freetz.org) add-ons with proper firewall and other (dd-wrt-like) stuff. The 7390 model has gigabit but there is no custom firmware for it yet. HTH
In addition, to understand some of the biological and molecular aspects of disease an understanding of the sciences is absolutely vital. Otherwise physicians may as well be glorified plumbers (surgeons come to mind, but I digress... ;) )
While medicine is sometimes (rarely) an art rather than a science, the fundamentals are inherently scientific and need to be taught more rather than less.
...and he would still not have been able to mod, as he is also the grandfather to his own wish.
I'm German, but even I can't change the laws of physics: for a given increase in speed, the inertia increases geometrically, meaning you crash much harder when you go just a little faster.
But living in California, I must say I am absolutely amazed at how many people manage to crash their cars and in the process kill themselves and others at relatively benign speeds (60-70 mph, 100-120 kph). No day without witnessing at least one serious acident on my from and to work.
Your confusing Divx with Divx;), the former being a limited-time DVD-rental/viewing scheme, the latter being a video codec named in honor of the stupid former (therefore the wink ;) )
Since there are distribution agreements.
Try to find iPods siginficantly below Apple's MSRP...
If an item is in demand - or perceived to be in demand - distributors are willing to enter into a distribution agreement that may set selling price. This is not collusion or illegal, it is *one* way to minimize risk in a fickle market place (such as the music or consumer electronics industry).
That said, is it good for the consumer?
On the one hand no, since there is no "cheaper" source, on the other hand yes, since it makes it possible for smaller distributors to have some business and not loose it to their huge competition (think local store vs. WalMart). This keeps everyone honest. The real problem I see with the music industry, however, is that its business shifted to where it now sells non-tangible goods (IP, essentially, since the medium is irrelevant), which may not be well served by traditional business models. The fact that they are clinging to to the "old ways" shows a lack of vision and, yes, greed.