Unfortunately, that's how it is on all carriers (in the US at least) at this point. However, I must say cost-wise Sprint really has done an amazing job, especially with the recent "all carriers mobile included" in all the plans the Pre works on. I pay my $69 - 15% Discount through work and get all my data/mms/texts/calls (my 450 minutes far, far exceeds the amount of landline calls I make). T-Mobile and Sprint seem to be the only ones that aren't trying to nickle and dime everyone to death. If the Pre were on AT&T or Verizon I'd agree since to have the same type of setup with the iPhone/Storm/etc. is probably close to double what I pay for the same. Plus, everyone else does that 22 month phone thing before you can get the discount upgrade rate for a new phone, the Sprint plans for Pre are all "Premier" customers so you get that phone discount every 12 months.

It's ashame really, Sprint has gotten a pretty bad rap and even with their outstanding price point and customer service (yea, they definitely did a 180 in that department and made it pretty decent) people still seem to not be interested in them. Wow, I apologize for the amount of leg humping I appear to have just done for Sprint, but I really am stunned that they still have the worst perspective when I have very few negatives to say.

Lol, Gizmodo and Engadget have the same article title for this.

I was wondering about that myself. I'm assuming it's got a decent processor integrated to handle all of the transfers/RAID/etc which is what the fan is cooling. Pretty awesome stuff.

Woo, would love one.

It amazes me that after the show Sony and Microsoft are putting on that this is the only 'innovation' Nintendo is adding to it's console. What a tragedy of a console from a company I've had so much respect for in the past.

"Now, if only Marky Mark could convince the suits at Time Warner to allocate an hour per episode to this masterpiece, we'd really be in heaven..."

I couldn't have said it better myself. It's ashame that the episodes and seasons are so short when it is probably the best show on tv (cable or otherwise).

Yay giveaways.

James makes very valid points. Google makes it's money off of their amazingly smart way of advertising. In the late 90s/early 2000s other websites were plastering 13482 banners on a page and everyone always hated them. They were the smart ones to innovate and start the modern form of directed advertising online where they could smartly and subtly advertise and make a boatload of money on it.

The reason I explain that is simply that Google's business plan is very unique and successful for them because by being so open and providing things for free intending to lose money (but making it up by earning a trust with the consumer). Now, were Google to suddenly start stonewalling things and trying to have Google Maps actively try to destroy Mapquest then there's an issue, but just innovating and creating a better product when people have a complete choice? That's completely legal. In Google's case, their innovation is both their main asset since it forms so much trust with their consumer base, but it is also the reason they won't run into the problems Apple and Microsoft face with proprietary systems. Google literally can't start locking things down or they will both lose their consumer trust and face antitrust problems. Google is smart enough to try to keep pushing all markets it is in and keep them from stalling out. For example, Android is their way of making sure a half-decade stop in software R&D like Windows Mobile and PalmOS did won't happen again. Google Maps keeps upping the ante over Mapquest which largely remained the same once it got going. Google Voice puts pressure on the cell phone companies to swap to a more efficient VOIP setup (one antenna for voice, one for data, and there being so many different types of voice networks... talk about inefficient and a waste of money and resources) ensures that they're in the game when cell phone networks eventually must start to give the users options and the current scams of SMS pricing, etc. are in the open.

So, in short, Google's "Don't be evil" motto really does stick. They try to just continually innovate, but do it as openly as they can (i.e. their search algorithm will remain a trade secret in the same way the formulas for coca cola and pepsi are since they're the bread and butter of the profite) and currently they're just making sure the bar keeps being raised and that people have options. Without options, people can't choose Google. Without options, Google can't attract people. It's win-win for Google and the consumers.

Oh man, I've been running around for 13 hours instead of driving to save on my greenhouse emissions which will indirectly fix the economy! That's my excuse for being an hour late... (maybe you'll believe me and let me enter still?)

Penguin, I think your point is very valid. I think Palm, especially with all of their former-Apple talent, is smart enough to find a middle ground between Apple and Microsoft/Google (One phone vs as many as we can partner with). I think Palm itself will pump out the Pre and Castle form factors and perhaps one or two others and ensure good quality and cross compatibility.

However, I think Palm in the future could certainly have the chance to play in HTCs playground. HTC could bring a great deal to Palm in hardware and software customizations. Palm has already stated they're not "married" to the idea of WebOS being strictly on their hardware. I think if they allow someone like HTC who will analyze it inside and out and develop quality hardware/software packages and not just pump out garbage like Motorola... I think they may have a business model that takes from the best of both Apple and Microsoft/Google/RIM.

Regardless, the more competition the better for all of us. I am glad to see all of these OSs and companies competing, look at how Apple and HTC quickly responded to the innovations Palm put out, look at how all the companies are working on mimicking Apple's success with the app store, etc. The next few years should be very good to us gadget fiends because none of these companies are going to be able to slack on development like Microsoft and the old Palm did for so long.