Everyone should take note of the fact that each company is desperate for your business and offers 30-day no risk trials (typically with a nominal restocking fee that they inform you of in their pitch) so you can sample from the various carriers and their offerings before settling. Here’s the most straightforward chart o’ pros and cons that resulted in my ultimate decision.

The winner?

AT&T iPhone 4.

The iPhone is far more intuitive, innovative and better executed. I’d really love a led light indicating new messages to eliminate compulsive phone checking. I don’t even miss Flash. From an SEO standpoint, Flash is a foolish choice in site navigation and contents, eliminating a large portion of your audience, including Google search results. Plus, it sounds like HTML5 will have similar, more compatible, capabilities of animation and interaction.

The Droid 2 had its merits. I liked the moon phase widget I could have showing on my home screen, showing a lovely moon in the current phase. I found the physical keyboard to be unnecessary, because it wasn’t as helpful as I’d anticipated. I couldn’t use the physical keyboard by touch without looking because it was too small and the buttons were too close together.

NOTE/DISCLAIMER: This is an October 2010 post I just finished editing today, but still relevant and helpful in smartphone selection.

This describes how men adjust their vocal pitch, lower it when they perceive themselves as superior to another male they are speaking to.

I remember being little, hearing my father address strangers in this bizarre lowered voice that was out of line with his general speaking. I never knew it was a pissing contest, calculated or not.

On a similar primal note, this describes why gentlemen prefer blondes: “blonde hair is a marker of youth as it normally turns to brown as a woman ages.”

“Your class, Payne says, determines everything: your eating habits, your speech patterns, your family relations.”

Humor by Class:
• Humor in poverty = People & Sex
• Middle Class = Situational
• Privileged: Social Faux Pas

If marrying into poverty, your spouse may view you as a possession to be protected. She advises a person to try & see the positives in this, which I find interesting - I cannot fathom the finer points of being owned. :|

Accusations are flying against the author, of Marxism & stereotyping, but I think she is offering ppl an advantage, to better relate to others, to go further.

How could anyone deny that social class affects one’s station in life? I’ve seen ppl hindered by this, both in college & the corporate world.

(Source) - free signup required

As if it were necessary, further proof that homosexuality does occur in nature. An article notes that in captivity, flamingos will pair up boy-boy, girl-girl or boy-girl.

Are these flamingos going to hell? Luckily, according to popular religious theory, animals don’t have souls, so the answer is “No,” - sarcasm dripping heavily.

It’s interesting, flamingos even have a societal hierarchy according to pairings:

1. Male-Male pairs
2. Male-Female pairs
3. Female-Female pairs
4. Single Males
5. Single Females

I post stories like these to point out the normalcy. I am continually perplexed by the fact that sexual orientation is even an issue in this modern age, but living in good ol’ Texas, I know we have a long way to go before everyone is truly treated equally.

SOURCE - Free subscription required

Wii’s Virtual Console leaves MUCH to be desired. To date, there are only 20 Nintendo titles available, contrary to the vast library of retro Nintendo classics that were to be at our beck and call.

I can’t even imagine how they are determining what to release - it’s certainly not based on the title’s popularity, as they’ve released some mediocre, played-out titles.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the innnovation of the system and that it forces the player to be active and work up a sweat - it’s a great system that I definitely recommend. I just don’t understand Nintendo’s strategy, or lack thereof.

Another area they’ve missed the next generation boat lies in what compels people to play. Based on this report, motivators include “sense of independence, achievement and connectedness to others.” Xbox Live excels in this area from their unlockable achievements that add to your gamer points and bragging rights, to the social aspect - notifications when friends come online, voice chat and messaging, collaborative gaming.

In my opinion, the Xbox 360 is the best overall, since quantity and quality of available games are more important than the systems themselves. I will not even consider the PS3 based on its high price - there are no games that can justify that expense for a gaming console. More Wii’s have sold than any other next generation console, if they want to keep up the momentum, Nintendo had better make with the quality games, and lots of ‘em, both in stores and on its Virtual Console.