I want to be the first to nominate McGranahanster as the Engadget comments MVP this season. Please don't leave us.

To # 1, Not to sound too vicious, but your short-sighted isolationist point of view is pretty pathetic. As an American whose parents are originally from India, attitudes such as yours typically jump out at me. It reminds me of the American anti-japanese sentiment during the asian automotive boom in this country.

Competition doesn't equate to "them" stealing from "us." It simply raises the bar that everyone in the world's superpowers have to strive towards. It's true that many IT and tech support jobs have been outsourced, but that just means that we as Americans have to push our qualifications even higher to sustain our prosperity. Letting ourselves plateau and then complaining about other countries performing our jobs for less seems like a dull-minded cop out. Outsourcing works from the bottom of the job ladder upwards, eliminating those deemed replacable. It is on all of us to not become replacable. Just food for thought.

here's hoping luck plays out for poor college kids

I want to reiterate what #1 and #4 are getting at. Lately it seems there has been a deluge of Engadget effort wasted on highlighting technology items that are not up to par. The entire 'keeping it real fake' series comes to mind.

I understand that occasionally a product comes along that is interesting in its mediocrity, but I don't see a justification for the bravado with which the writing staff is attacking obviously weak targets.

To go on a limb, I would assert that the vast majority of your readership instantly recognizes shoddy tech products, and rarely are amused at the pot shots and time taken towards them. This isn't to say Gizmondo isn't pure trash, it is, but the point is that we all know it.

I implore you to return your focus to the peaks of technology rather than tap dancing on what we all know is the sludge at the bottom of the pile. Thank you.

Is it just me or does Barb sound a little Daria-ish on the podcast, she speaks sloowly. Had to be a function of how late the podcast was. Great stuff guys, keep it coming, enjoy the sleep dep.

team engadget: suffering for the rest of us