With most providers, you can see usage information and associated fees, usually delayed by a few hours. Fees and taxes aren't included, but they're once-monthly, and calculated based on your final total - and that's not what you asked for.
And you can still use it for one month and cancel after that, paying the ETF. If you want the phone, you'll pay that much, since that (sans the one month of usage) is what the phone is actually worth, right?
My Verizon plan was $79.99 + $10 txt + $5 insurance. That's $94.99. With taxes, which varied, it would come out to ~$98 or 99. So, while the original OP exaggerated a bit (especially for the iPhone, which would cost ~$10 month less), it's not difficult to spend that much per month.
I switched to the iPhone, and saved $5 month + $5 insurance (=$10).
All this conversation about "OMFG THE IPHONE IS SOOOO EXPENSIVE" is really just a way to get visitors to the site - it applies to every single 3G phone out there, and (as I've shown) even more in some cases.
Our Dell projector, the 2400mp, handles widescreen just fine. Our laptop pushes 1280x800 to both the LCD panel (native res) and the projector. The projector scales it _proportionally_ to fit, giving the appearance of a widescreen projector. Text is still quite legible and usable (haven't had a complaint yet) despite having been scaled.
Might be worth looking into whether your projector can handle the same, or for a new model that can.
Couldn't (and shouldn't) a distributed file system be designed for such possibilities? Like, say, only storing redundant, encrypted portions of files on each desktop?
A Linux livecd (http://www.ubuntu.com, for example) usually has drivers to read (and write, if you have ntfs-3g enabled) NTFS formatted drives. Linux NTFS drivers ignore the Access Control Lists in NTFS, so permissions are not a problem. I've used it in similar scenarios, when Windows would give me headaches.
Alternatively, if you are administrator of the machine, you can reset the permissions of a directory (and its contents) from within Windows, though I can't say I can recall how to do so offhand.
While I do middle click when I'm using my external mouse (I use my MacBook as a desktop most of the time), I haven't found a way to middle click with the trackpad. I Google'd a bit, and didn't seem to find anything referencing 3rd button emulation with the trackpad.
I also have no idea about support for gestures under other systems.
Yes - all of them. There's a system preference to allow two fingers to equal a secondary click, and I absolutely love it. Similarly, you can drag two fingers simultaneously anywhere on the trackpad to scroll.
I am not 100% positive that this is the case, but it's definitely possible that Apple (or Dell, HP, etc) gets a deal on the drives for purchasing them from Seagate/Maxtor/etc without a warranty from the manufacturer. Therefore, it's Apple/Dell/HP that's providing the warranty on the drive as part of the system as a whole, not a component.
Don't believe me? Try replacing your OEM drive through a drive manufacturer's RMA process. It'll get denied.
Yes, and hopefully that will help them grow further. However, from when they were founded 10 years ago until the HD TiVo is available, they've had to deal with that problem.
Here's to hoping that TiVo can regain some ground in the DVR market - I know I would love it.
Perhaps it's just me, but the biggest dealbreaker that really put me off of TiVo vs. $cable_co_dvr is something as simple as changing channels. I wasn't able to get a cable box with the ability to be controlled by a serial port, so I had to use the IR blaster. Thumbing through channels in that manner is INCREDIBLY slow and annoying.
Now, if there was a choice between Moxie and an integrated TiVo device, like DirecTV did, I'd jump on it.
How is this different from them buying all Dell (or HP / Brand X / Whatever)? Just now that by buying Apple, every computer can use an OS that runs Photoshop, et. al. that isn't Windows, not just 50% of them.
Before the switch, every user had a choice - Mac or Windows. Every user still has a choice - OS X or XP/Vista - just now they can standardize on the hardware. Unless you have a real beef with Apple hardware (and every hardware vendor has its critics), I don't see a downside to this policy.
This is true. However, if it were the case that the phones were 100% unlocked, a small sequence of events couldn't have happened:
1) Jobs & co decide they want new features that require carrier support, such as visual voicemail.
2) Jobs & co know their phone will sell just for that single Apple character being on it, so they go to telco X (Cingular this time, whoever else would fit as well) and say "Hey, I'll make you a deal, you help us develop these features and give us more control over the whole process, and we'll make it exclusive to you."
3) Cingular reps, drooling, "SOLD!"
If the phones weren't locked to Cingular, or if they were available without any sort of service/contract, the special features like visual voicemail woudln't be possible, and they wouldn't have the control they wanted. It's just another bargaining chip.
Not to feed the trolls, but here goes anyways...
Have you actually called their support? Or, a better question - are these actual servers (PowerEdge) or desktops standing in as servers? I've called them many times, for servers that only cost $1k to ones over $6k. Every time I've gotten an American English speaking rep from Texas. Yes, even on Christmas morning and the machine's technically out of warranty.
Cheap desktops get you cheap support. Real servers get you real support. You get what you pay for.
Agreed. When you can get your whole family in on a game of Wii Tennis, it's easy to see why the Wii is still selling out, and there's still a PS3 in the case at my local Target.
Amen. Excite Truck hasn't gotten the best reviews in the world, it hasn't gotten poor ones either, and I sure have enjoyed it. It's good, mindless fun when the going gets tough in Zelda. When the Xbox/PS3 fanboys go "yeah, but we have better graphics" I can always point out that my system only cost $250 - not $400 or $600 - and is just as fun, if not more.
Slashdot Mirror
With most providers, you can see usage information and associated fees, usually delayed by a few hours. Fees and taxes aren't included, but they're once-monthly, and calculated based on your final total - and that's not what you asked for.
And you can still use it for one month and cancel after that, paying the ETF. If you want the phone, you'll pay that much, since that (sans the one month of usage) is what the phone is actually worth, right?
My Verizon plan was $79.99 + $10 txt + $5 insurance. That's $94.99. With taxes, which varied, it would come out to ~$98 or 99. So, while the original OP exaggerated a bit (especially for the iPhone, which would cost ~$10 month less), it's not difficult to spend that much per month. I switched to the iPhone, and saved $5 month + $5 insurance (=$10). All this conversation about "OMFG THE IPHONE IS SOOOO EXPENSIVE" is really just a way to get visitors to the site - it applies to every single 3G phone out there, and (as I've shown) even more in some cases.
Posts like yours make me wish I had one in my backyard too.
Yeah, I heard they were having trouble activating their cd key.
Our Dell projector, the 2400mp, handles widescreen just fine. Our laptop pushes 1280x800 to both the LCD panel (native res) and the projector. The projector scales it _proportionally_ to fit, giving the appearance of a widescreen projector. Text is still quite legible and usable (haven't had a complaint yet) despite having been scaled.
Might be worth looking into whether your projector can handle the same, or for a new model that can.
Couldn't (and shouldn't) a distributed file system be designed for such possibilities? Like, say, only storing redundant, encrypted portions of files on each desktop?
While it's extremely annoying on the iPhone, that's not how it is on the iPod Touch. There's a nice photo on Engadget of it
A Linux livecd (http://www.ubuntu.com, for example) usually has drivers to read (and write, if you have ntfs-3g enabled) NTFS formatted drives. Linux NTFS drivers ignore the Access Control Lists in NTFS, so permissions are not a problem. I've used it in similar scenarios, when Windows would give me headaches. Alternatively, if you are administrator of the machine, you can reset the permissions of a directory (and its contents) from within Windows, though I can't say I can recall how to do so offhand.
While I do middle click when I'm using my external mouse (I use my MacBook as a desktop most of the time), I haven't found a way to middle click with the trackpad. I Google'd a bit, and didn't seem to find anything referencing 3rd button emulation with the trackpad.
I also have no idea about support for gestures under other systems.
Yes - all of them. There's a system preference to allow two fingers to equal a secondary click, and I absolutely love it. Similarly, you can drag two fingers simultaneously anywhere on the trackpad to scroll.
I am not 100% positive that this is the case, but it's definitely possible that Apple (or Dell, HP, etc) gets a deal on the drives for purchasing them from Seagate/Maxtor/etc without a warranty from the manufacturer. Therefore, it's Apple/Dell/HP that's providing the warranty on the drive as part of the system as a whole, not a component.
Don't believe me? Try replacing your OEM drive through a drive manufacturer's RMA process. It'll get denied.
Like, oh, I don't know... ribbons?! That's it! Ribbons! ...crap.
Yes, and hopefully that will help them grow further. However, from when they were founded 10 years ago until the HD TiVo is available, they've had to deal with that problem. Here's to hoping that TiVo can regain some ground in the DVR market - I know I would love it.
Perhaps it's just me, but the biggest dealbreaker that really put me off of TiVo vs. $cable_co_dvr is something as simple as changing channels. I wasn't able to get a cable box with the ability to be controlled by a serial port, so I had to use the IR blaster. Thumbing through channels in that manner is INCREDIBLY slow and annoying. Now, if there was a choice between Moxie and an integrated TiVo device, like DirecTV did, I'd jump on it.
No need to open up group policy and sift through it. My computer > Properties > Automatic Updates.
(I know I'm feeding the troll, but whatever...)
And the problem with that is...? Just because it's written for a scholarship essay contest doesn't mean that it's not worth reading.
And your data center will float, too!
How is this different from them buying all Dell (or HP / Brand X / Whatever)? Just now that by buying Apple, every computer can use an OS that runs Photoshop, et. al. that isn't Windows, not just 50% of them.
Before the switch, every user had a choice - Mac or Windows. Every user still has a choice - OS X or XP/Vista - just now they can standardize on the hardware. Unless you have a real beef with Apple hardware (and every hardware vendor has its critics), I don't see a downside to this policy.
You mean it isn't?
I kid, I kid!
This is true. However, if it were the case that the phones were 100% unlocked, a small sequence of events couldn't have happened: 1) Jobs & co decide they want new features that require carrier support, such as visual voicemail. 2) Jobs & co know their phone will sell just for that single Apple character being on it, so they go to telco X (Cingular this time, whoever else would fit as well) and say "Hey, I'll make you a deal, you help us develop these features and give us more control over the whole process, and we'll make it exclusive to you." 3) Cingular reps, drooling, "SOLD!" If the phones weren't locked to Cingular, or if they were available without any sort of service/contract, the special features like visual voicemail woudln't be possible, and they wouldn't have the control they wanted. It's just another bargaining chip.
Not to feed the trolls, but here goes anyways... Have you actually called their support? Or, a better question - are these actual servers (PowerEdge) or desktops standing in as servers? I've called them many times, for servers that only cost $1k to ones over $6k. Every time I've gotten an American English speaking rep from Texas. Yes, even on Christmas morning and the machine's technically out of warranty. Cheap desktops get you cheap support. Real servers get you real support. You get what you pay for.
Agreed. When you can get your whole family in on a game of Wii Tennis, it's easy to see why the Wii is still selling out, and there's still a PS3 in the case at my local Target.
Amen. Excite Truck hasn't gotten the best reviews in the world, it hasn't gotten poor ones either, and I sure have enjoyed it. It's good, mindless fun when the going gets tough in Zelda. When the Xbox/PS3 fanboys go "yeah, but we have better graphics" I can always point out that my system only cost $250 - not $400 or $600 - and is just as fun, if not more.
Most likely because it relies on Xgrid, methinks.