I had Cingular for about four years and had few problems with it, but then again, someone I know has gotten dicked around by every single phone company out there. It depends what you want, really--if internet access and texts are more important, T-Mobile (as Gris pointed out) is better about making that accessible (what with the Sidekick and all). I've never had any problems with Cingular in terms of coverage area or minutes, and I think they're reasonable enough if all you're going to use the connection for is making calls and texting--they have competitive non-peak times, which can be very helpful if you're doing a lot of calling.

We used Verizon like seven years ago, and never bothered to learn any more after we switched to Cingular, so I don't know about them. And we never got Virgin Mobile in my area, but the folks who had it in the UK seemed happy enough with it.

The thing I like about Cingular (and I'm a reserved Cingular customer - I think their prices are a bit too high, but their coverage is pretty good) is the rollover minutes. BF and I share (we have familytalk and add a line for $10) and if it weren't for rollover, we would have $1,000 bills.

Satisfied Cingular customer for about 6 years now.

Does anyone know why I can no longer access Gmail's website using IE? It keeps timing out saying the security ceritificate or something has expired for the site and won't open. I can access all my other sites just fine with IE.

I can access gmail using firefox fine, too.

I've tried logging off of gmail, restarting my computer, restoring my default security settings, I get fuck all. And it's starting to piss me off.

Hey, does anyone know why Apple's iPods all (except for the original Shuffle, I think) have proprietary connections?

The original reason for that connector was the introduction of USB iPods. Prior to that, all iPods had regular 6-pin Firewire sockets on the top and you could use any Firewire cable to connect or charge them.

There wasn't enough room on the iPod for both a Firewire and a USB port, so some kind of combination connector was needed. Going to that particular connector allowed audio line-out, video out and acccessories like the card reader to be supported through the same port.

Thank you, Rob! I figured you'd come to the rescue.

Happy Apple Keynote Day, everyone!!!

Heh.

Yay!

Here's an ad for a new computer (OK, the ad is a little old - from 1952)

sensational new “fact-power” unleashed by Remington Rand UNIVAC

Yesterday, “impossible”… today, an accomplished fact —

Now, for the first time, a commercial or industrial firm can have — first thing any morning — complete facts and figures, analyzed and summarized, on its previous day’s performance … in production, in sales, in procurement or any other major or minor activity.

The almost unbelievable feats of Remington Rand Univac in computing, sorting, classifying and reporting business data enable management executives to formulate “fact-powered” decisions in the merest fraction of the time previously required. Also, highly pertinent analyses and forecasts that were never even attempted before, are now easy and almost completely automatic. Univac has cleared the way for phenomenal improvements in the coordination of business facilities.

And the same versatile Univac equipment helps management multiply clerical productivity many times over in every phase of record keeping and accounting. Univac is just as effective in a job like payroll preparation or cost distribution as it is in complex statistical and mathematical projects.

Do computers come with "fact power" anymore?

Actually, I think it would have been cool to be among the first users of computers like this....

[link]

The almost unbelievable feats of Remington Rand Univac in computing, sorting, classifying and reporting business data enable management executives to formulate \"fact-powered\" decisions

If only the Bush administration had one of those...