The reason everyone is complaining is because it makes WoW even more ez-mode.

As if making leveling a million times easier since pre-BC days wasn't enough, now you don't even have to bother with that anymore. Rerolling was part of the game. You choose a faction and you stick to it, and if you happen to waste a lot of time and effort only to not enjoy that faction and want out, then you had to reroll.

If leveling was still somewhat of a challenge and still somewhat of a time-consumer like it was before the days where Blizz found ways to make WoW easier in every patch, I would have possibly supported implementing this feature. But the way WoW is right now, this feature is just another "Let's make WoW the easiest MMO ever" afterthought Blizz is throwing in so every n00b ever will throw $25 their way.

One of the coolest parts of WoW (and many other MMOs) was the faction system and the fact that if you chose a side and leveled you were locked in.

I know this doesn't effect me because i'm not going to use the service, but i'm so sick and tired of Blizzard constantly making WoW closer and closer to "My First MMO" status. It's so incredibly easy these days, and no choice you make can't be reversed granted you throw a little bit of money at Blizzard.

I think your points are completely moot, because HP has already said it will update the 2133, and that the Mini 1000 is aimed at the casual netbook market.

The Mini 1000 wasn't made for you, so stop complaining about how much HP sucks. I wouldn't buy a MacBook because I need discrete graphics, but you don't see my panning Apple just because they offer them. If you want a 1280x600, aluminum netbook, with all the fancy new specs (read: an Atom, how incredibly exciting) then just wait until the 2133 get's a refresh.

I think Blizzard is just getting too hasty. They created a bomb add-on system for a reason, there's really no use in THEM putting these types of things into the game when a 3rd party can come in and make one that can update anytime (not just patch days), doesn't force itself upon every user, etc.

It's true!

I love Engadget but the second that Blu-Ray drives even become an option in most Macs i'm sure the entire internet (including Engadget) will have three consecutive babies in excitement.

I think Microsoft needs to just hold everything back. MAke it so Blu-Ray drives don't work with Windows until they officially support it. Let's see what kind of reaction that garners compared to what kind of reaction Apple is getting right now for doing the same.

There have been Emerald Dream files in WoW since the game launched. But yes, it is likely that Northrend is next. First the music setlist for Blizzcon, combined with the files, etc. It's likely. But we'll know in a few days anyways I guess.

Mealstrom
Emerald Dream

It'd make sense that Mealstrom was next, as Queen Azshara would be the "last boss", and she pales in comparison to Arthas.

Emerald Dream...i'm not too sure about on the whole. Doesn't seem like it has enough lore to even support it be implemented full scale (probably why they haven't, there have been Emerald Dream files in the game since it launched but they haven't done anything with them yet).

Do they still include demo discs in their magazine? Either way, it's still a good magazine, and free...well, who can argue with that? Thanks Joystiq!

The bottom line is this: nobody can back up any of their claims. Everytime you say; "Oh, the Alliance attract the kids", there will always be someone who is right there waiting to say; "OMG i'm 20-something and my entire guild is 20-something so you're wrong LULZ".

How I see it, the factions are different but equal. Until Blizzard issues a mandatory survey and posts the results, the "kiddy" arguement will never have a right side.

As for pride, as a Horde player I think we deserve the mass amount of pride we have. We have less numbers, and PvP racials. So if a Horde guild get's a world first, it's that much more impressive. The Alliance have more players, which leads to more guilds, and they have a HUGE advantage because their racials are very PvE oriented.

He was referencing the month of Apple bugs.

And before anyone is like; "ZOMG most of those required third party programs or drivers ZOMG!!!"; keep in mind the vast majority of Windows exploits do also.