I throw my phone in a Ziploc bag whenever I'm hanging out by the pool. I wouldn't trust it in the event of a full-on dunking, but for random kid/spouse related splashes it adds a layer of safety.

Crikey, 2010 is going to be an expensive year. Crackdown was one of those games I got for free during one of Gamestop's 3-for-2 used games deals, and to be honest I think I ended up playing it more than the two games I paid for. Looking forward to this.

@ColbertSuperNationalist: Well, if it's any consolation I'm sure Dawkins wouldn't mind being mistaken for Sagan. And probably vice versa for that matter.

@chewblaha: Yep, by saying the magic words, "Computer, initiate self destruct sequence. Authorisation code: Picar... uh, I mean Shepard Alpha One"

@arionfrost: There is no romance subplot for Tali, only Kaidan or Liara for a female Shepard and Ashley or Liara for a male Shepard.

@ColbertSuperNationalist: Or Carl Sagan.

@The-Dayman: Very true, brother. Have a good Christmas!

@The-Dayman: I agree. I have a few really hardcore gamer friends, and we all tend to like the same thing. If one of them likes a game, chances are I will too. I tend to buy games months after their release, by which time I know which games people have raved about and played for a long time. Those are the ones I go for.

Think of it this way: It's easy money for developers, who can then pump that cash into developing the truly great games that they really want to make. In a way, they're like Robin Hood. But for gamers.

@RoswellDawhoa: Really?! OMG, I'll be back in a couple of hours...

@mljones: Thanks for letting me know that. My biggest problem on my laptop isn't RAM, it's overuse of my ancient HDD. I was thinking that this extension would actually purge stuff from FF, but if it just dumps it to my already unhappy hard drive it's just going to make things worse. Thanks for the heads up.

@Badongadoodle: Yeah, I get all that. My point was that this phone is just another step in the evolution of Android. Better hardware, the next version of the OS, sold in collaboration with big wireless companies and subsidised by them. It looks phenomenal, if I can get it without a contract I will. But I don't see how…

As a research scientist with over 1,000 laboratory rodents I can tell you without hesitation that mice do not need any help "dating".

Nice to see all of eight people at "the big game" there.

@Mace Moneta: Genius!

@skyline6: You mean I can look like Classic Steve Jobs at a fraction of the price of a whole wardrobe of turtlenecks? Sold! You, sir, are the new Billy Mays.

@virus5891: Just what I was thinking. How is this any different from any other Android phone? Apart from the hardware, obviously.

@Jonn: Good one! I actually hate it when I get IM's like that. Call me old fashioned, but I like grammar. Using abbreviations when you're limited to 140 or 160 characters is understandable, but in an IM? Nah, and especially not when it's coming from a queen. ;p

If you happen to know someone who works in a molecular biology lab (and there are dozens at every major university in the country) you are golden. I'm a grad student in such a lab at USC, and it takes maybe a week to collect enough boxes to move the average apartment. We get sterile plasticware (pipette tips, tissue…