Sure, it has a touchscreen meant for note taking and a bit more compact screen, but those features alone cannot justify the $130 price difference. The nook is more sleek and the color screen is certain an attention grabber even if it’s a bit laggy in use. There is a chance, however, that the $399 price we heard at CES will get a cut before it hits the retail market, though. But even if the E6 is priced at the Nook’s $259 price-point when it drops shortly, it probably still won’t see the same sales numbers.

The Adamo XPS launched with much fanfare last October. People were amazed that Dell could produce such an amazing piece of computing goods, complete with a robotic keyboard as John Biggs calls it. It took a couple of months to get the notebook to the retail market, but then in December Dell started to sell it. Best Buy picked it up a few weeks later. But that doesn’t matter anymore. The Adamo XPS is now just a footnote on Dell’s Wikipedia page. It’s no longer listed with the other Adamo models on Dell.com and according to a Dell Chat Rep, it has been discontinued.

Hopefully Dell isn’t done with the line and we’ll see version 2.0 shortly. Maybe at SXSW. That’s where Dell showed off the Adamo line for the first time one year ago next week.

Frustrated by the delay, he successfully completed the cancellation process on BN.com only to get an email several hours later that stated his order cannot be canceled because it “has entered the shipping process” even though according to B&N’s own website, the Nook will not ship for another three days. Now that’s some bull.

The Nook is hot and rightfully so with the dual-screen setup and Android hackability, but this is not the way to treat early adopters. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising and you want these people on your side. Hopefully there is a plan to compensate the folks whose orders have been constantly pushed back. Even a free e-book credit might be enough for some to forget the frustration.

B&N clearly has a problem here. The last few Nook stories that have popped up have all been about delayed shipments and limited availability. The retail market will not even get the device until early next year. But we haven’t heard anything about the Kindle not shipping on time despite the device being the most popular item sold on Amazon.com. Just saying.

Remember CableCARDs? You probably don’t because most of us have never seen one. They were supposed to be a way to inject the magic of premium cable into OEM devices like PCs and DVRs. Instead they were hard to acquire, hard to use, and generally a bad idea. I would estimate that CableCARDs single-handedly led to current slow demise of TiVo.

The FCC agrees and is calling them a total failure. Here’s what they said in a recent report:

“The Commission’s CableCARD rules have resulted in limited success in developing a retail market for navigation devices. Certification for plug-and-play devices is costly and complex.”

So that said, where do we go from here? Tru2way. The new system will offload “navigation” (basically channel changing) to the device in question and only dedicate the cable signal acquisition to the card itself. What really needs to happen? Smartcard integration with Cable boxes, the same kind you see in satellite systems and Euro cable systems. This lets you take you card, put it into a box, and watch TV.

The problem is this: the cable companies like a nice monopoly. They don’t want their content reaching the Internet (*ahem*). Their short-sighted antics hurt innovation. There’s no way around it.

You’re going to have to wait a bit longer to pick up the $260 Nook in some Barnes & Noble retail stores. The lot that was earmarked for the brick and mortar retail market has been redirected to fullfill Internet pre-orders. Those damn early adopters always get all the fun.

Some high-volume stores will receive limited quantities of the device around December 7th. The company had hoped to get them in stores by November 3oth, but that apparently didn’t happen due to the demand. B&N announced a few days ago that the reader was already sold out and new Internet orders would be fulfilled by January 4, 2010, but apparently that was only for the Internet.

If you must have a Nook ASAP, your best bet is to probably head down to your local Barnes & Noble and inquire if it’s on the short Nook retail list. If it is, pack a bag and a lawn chair and proceed to camp-out in front of the store the day before the shipment is expected. Bring along your favorite book too for a bit of irony.

The MX-5000 works with URC’s Complete Control Program, which allows for most installers to also enable two-way IP and RS-232 setup without any complicated programing knowledge. Two-way communication allows the MX-5000 to remotely display media information and receiver volume levels, along with a lot more.

Now, this remote isn’t meant for the retail market, but rather something a purchased from and installed by an A/V pro. We’re getting a review sample shortly so hopefully the setup isn’t that hard.

Pricing hasn’t been announced just yet but URC told us that the MSRP will be under $1,500.

It may help you to know that a lot of great good buys can be obtained from a UK government car auction. Most public car auctions are a great place to find practically any type of car, including high-end luxury models, at prices well below market value. Next is some info about what you will see at agovernment auto auction.

UK Government Car Auction – How Does the Government Come Up with These Cars Purchased from a Car Auction?

Government agencies routinely seize cars from persons involved in crime or criminal enterprises such as drug trafficking and smuggling. The monies raised at a government vehicle auction go toward further crime fighting efforts. The government is often highly motivated to sell these cars because of the costs associated in storing them. Moreover, because they lose their value the longer they sit, the government loses, as well, if they don’t sell them at a public car auction to obtain the most money from the deal. How does the buyer benefit from the car auction? Just because you can save a total of 30 – 90 percent of the retail market price if you purchased through a vehicle auction like this.

Government Car Auction – Suggestions for Beneficial A Offer

If you want to make a advantageous offer at a used car auction, it is imperative to be aware of the blue book worth of the automobile. predominantly all bidders rely on a reference such as the “CAP Black Book” which has all inclusive information involving the exact worth of pre-owned vehicles similar to those you would probably see at auto auctions. Once you know the market value of a car, try to bid no higher than 30% lower than that amount because if you win the car auction, more expenses will show up such as registering for the auction, and also the entry cost. In case you are counting on driving it, be positive to be prepared to pay for those costs and for any simple repair charges.

It would probably be wise to go to a UK government car auction preceding any bid. Invite a knowledgeable friend and have prosperous day. You will bring home a fantastically good buy!