For a real beginner, I would recommend the Canon XTi and the Sigma 18-200 OS (stabilized) lens.

You'll eventually want additional lens (the Canon 35 f1.8 is superb regular lens...the 50 f1.8 is too long with the 1.6 conversion factor), and Canon makes some really nice glass.

Not that you would go wrong with a Nikon; it really comes down to personal preference. Go to the camera store and try a bunch of different ones and see which fits your hand the best, make sure your nose doesn't trip any of the buttons, and see which pleases you as a user.

I would buy that if it were real!

Tokyoflash has been selling the LED version of this watch for a number of years.

I wish it WERE that big; you youngin's will learn all about reading glasses soon enough...

As promised, the in-flight review.

Took these and my Bose QC2's on a recent flight. After we got to cruising altitude, I put on the Bose. They removed most of the noise except for the high frequency air flow sound. Of course, they sound fine with the iPod.

Then I took them off and put on the Thankos. As expected, without ear plugs, I couldn't hear the music for all the background noise. So I put in ear plugs (the usual NRR 31 foam ones). The ear plugs block all the high frequency sound (even better than the Bose), but they do a very poor job on low frequency sound (the Bose is actually better than ear plugs there). Tried the Thankos with ear plugs, and still was not impressed. The low frequency noise still pretty much drowned out the music except at high volume. It may be that the low frequency noise is directly conducted into ones hearing.

So for airplane use, these things are not really suitable.

Conclusion. These things are fine for listening in quiet places where you want to still be in touch with what is going on around you. Great for walking, or in bed. They live in my night stand, and I do use them regularly. But they're of no value in high noise environments (I suspect they're not going to work real well under that motorcycle helmet).

Still hoping to try the TEAC's someday...if Engadget will provide a set, I'll review them!

That would be sweet...

This would be a delightful item to have...I could find out if there is a working GSM service here in my area.

Such a fine prize would be enough to ween me away from Canon. Can you think of a better reason for me to be chosen?

As many others have noted, the Segway's problem is price. Drop it to 1/10 of it's current level, and it truly will revolutionize how people get around; even at 1/5 it would be a winner. But anything over $999 is too high, and will preclude it from expanding the customer base. For those who say it cannot be made cheaper because of all the 'technology' it contains, well, many a company has gone out of business because of such choices.

I'm the ideal candidate for one - 2 mile commute to work, a sidewalk the whole way I can use, and I can park it next to my desk at work (which is easy to get to, on the ground floor). I've tried one; it's great. But for less than $300, I can put an electric motor on my bicycle, and achieve exactly the same objective.

It's all about the money.

My first calculator was an HP35. Wish I still had it.

I'll be ordering one of these...even thought I have a 48 and 49, I don't really like graphing calculators, esp. when all I require is to simply calculate something. Has anyone here actually use the graphing capability since graduating from college?

I'd buy another 41CX, but have you seen the prices on eBay? HP should reintroduce that model next.

Agreed this would be better with LED's (or at least a backlight!), but for the price, it will do.

(oh, and I agree with the fellow who'd like the 200LX back...but it needs a backlight! DOS will still do...)

Now when will the HP-01 be brought back?