I can't imagine giving BestBuy $15k. I'd rather just pay someone to torture me for two years.

Unless there are no other sources of electronic equipment for at least 100 miles, I would avoid BestBuy like the plague.

http://www.bit-101.com/blog/?s=best+buy

The Who: Baba OReilly

Got one this weekend. Agreed with the touchiness of the buttons, but I'm slowly mastering it. That's the only real fault I find with it though. When I asked for it at the Verizon store, the salesperson said, "yeah, you and everyone else." They had 2 left in stock. She said she'd never seen a phone sell like this one.

Don't forget Noise Explorer
http://www.bit-101.com/fitc/2006/NoiseExplorer.swf
and Perlin Explorer
http://www.bit-101.com/fitc/2006/PerlinExplorer.swf

yes, please.

After alpha and beta testing, there is usually a GMC, which is "gold master candidate". Once that passes it goes to RTM, "release to market". At that point, developers are done. Hands off. That probably happened September 1. Then they had to press a zillion CDs, put them in cases and boxes and shipping boxes, print a zillion mailing labels, stick them on a zillion packages, etc. That takes a couple of weeks. I wish they'd release the download version earlier, but they don't.