ipad

I don't think I will try an ipad. I have a notebook weighing 3 lbs (x31). It seems "light" to me. That's good enough. I was never attracted to touch screens before; I don't even like ATMs. It has xpProXP3 and does everything imaginable. It doesn't have a touch screen, but it does have the best keyboard there is. I have taken it all over the world where it works seamlessly with wifi and everything else. It plays video fine. It has flash. I wished for bluetooth on it and bought a little usb thing for $2.68 which works fine. I don't want a phone that big, I have a phone. I have some hesitations about micro$oft, but my fone and my x31 and my desktop sync fine with windows mobile 6.1, and as a result I don't covet android. The droid is too big...my fone is small and the screen is great. I think we should reserve our judgment pending the competing devices that will follow. I was never attracted to touch screens before; I don't even like ATMs. Prices will plummet. Maybe I'll buy an ipad when it falls to a double sawbuck.

from TW3 to this !!

I am flummoxed. First they promote the over the air digital TV signal and make you go out and get "converters" so you don't hafta buy a new TV ...then you find out you only get 2 channels where you live (I have a 30' tower with uhf/vhf antenna 1h road south of Philadelphia ...no mountains here). The converters sit on a shelf. Then you find out cable TV (I was proud never to have subscribed in my life) is expensive, but if you moan they offer a cheap alternative. The >20yr old overhead wire is what they want to use. I was never a customer, and they didn't know it was even there, so I cut it down. At least for my installation money I got a good high speed wire. Then they install using a contractor who blew my fuses and I threw him out. They sent a Comcast guy (looked a little like the guy on the ad) who finished the job. Lucky I have a basement most of the way but he still drilled a hole and stuck a wire outside to get to my home/office. Then he fiddled and fussed to get miserable DSL speed cable net. I fixed that by getting a splitter that gives more of the signal to the modem and less to the one TV we have. Over the air we received 3 different PBS stations which was great! Now one disappeared (the best one, WYBE). Most of the channels are ads for knives or coins or phone sex. Then there are a half a dozen religious channels; none are my brand. All this for $25 which was for a year and now is up to $37. We get 5 networks and PBS and C-span ...the history channel is fuzzy. So, with fees and taxes we pay $500/year for less than what we had for free Now we are gonna get broadband whether we like it or not. Maybe they could bundle it with health-care. I think people may think I'm impersonating Andy Rooney.