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good build, also don't forget heatsink, some AS5 (or MX1, or Liquid Pro (LP only if its copper)), and this build will definitely last a solid 2-4 years with proper up keep. And if you decide to get a high quality Heatsink and Fan now, in the future when you feel it's starting to get a bit sluggish, you can overclock the processor a bit.

have you tried a different port on the router? Also try using a different patch cable and see if other network devices (such as a laptop configured for DHCP) work using the line. If they do then you can at least eliminate the router/cable as a problem and focus on the PS2.

I'm probably going to pick up Firefly and Beachhead, but they're virtually the same figure (different head and accessories) so that's not really saying much i guess.

I wish the same thing: dump Aliens 3 and up including AVP (like what they did with Superman).

The DeLorean is a piece of junk; if they keep the exterior but overhaul the rest of the design, then it might be somewhat redeeming, but still not worth it.

That was the figure i was interested in and saw it at Target the other day. The body isn't terrible but the head sculpt is awful (absolutely no justice to the book art), reminds me of the Psylocke figure from ML.

Don't know if it's been mentioned, but you can get Leader Class Optimus from Costco (special boxed with mini jazz & bumblebee) for $35. They have it on a 4 foot round display at my local costco, i have pictures but i'm too lazy to load them.

does she look good in person?

lol that's kind of like when a movie is released and the only one who gave it praise was Maxim magazine.

I have that same recast, it's not done very well at all. I wonder if we could convince someone who currently has an original to do another recast. Furthermore, I have a Metal Siren if someone wants to run some recasts off of that.

This is just my personal opinion, but i wouldn't use Linux as a media PC especially if you're wife is using it. Nothing wrong with the interface (in fact in a lot of regards i actually prefer it), but you will have to train yourself to relearn some steps using Linux that may or may not be worth it. You usually don't need anything particularly special for media center PC's, just the correct optical drives you want (BR & HD DVD) a quality sound card and a quality video card; you don't really need the greatest processor, motherboard or case (mini towers usually do well since they're not clunky eye sores).

This is the first i've heard of them but they look like crap IMO.

I agree, the Raptor drives are ridiculous expensive unless you're a performance junky and price is not an issue. I've seen people run the Raptors in RAID 5 and get some awesome performance, but they ended up spending more on the HDD than on the rest of the computer combined.

I played most of the ones you marked with an asterik but i personally found Grandia II to be a pretty crappy game. That's just my humble opinion of course, but it started out pretty good and then got really crappy towards the end.

Peugeot's have always looked good, they just fall apart when you touch 'em.

If technology were dictated purely on the basis of progression, then the modern computer would be an APU with no HDD purely run on MRAM (magnetic RAM it's faster and non-volatile unlike DRAM, and cheaper to manufacture unlike SRAM) and would be about the size of a PDA. Which would also be able to utilize the microfilm screens (shown above) and the light emitted mobile keyboards. But since the industry isn't ready to do away with SDRAM, or Video Cards, or HDD, we're stuck with big bulky laptop/desktops that either underperform because you're trying to save battery or perform great but aren't (or are barely) mobile.

I'm stunned at how fast you were able to get this thing off the ground; last time i checked you only had maybe a handful of the mechs listed for SDFM now you have nearly everything meticulously filled out and structured. I truly applaud your efforts, this is becoming quite a handy reference tool, and having pictures makes it worth a quick browse through even if you're looking for nothing in particular. edit:gram

I'm not 100% sure about flash support, but the AT&T/Cingular 8525 (it's actually made by HTC) has both 3G and Wi-Fi. Also has Bluetooth 2.0 w/A2DP (stereo bluetooth) and a whole slew of other features. The only complaint(s) most people have since it's so feature packed is if you surf the internet often the battery life is nearly cut in half, and that since it incorporates a sliding qwerty keyboard it can be a bit bulky. If you go to an AT&T store you can check one out, i've goofed with one and found them to be quite nice, just a little bulky for my taste. The only reason i don't recommend the N series are for the same reason Azrael stated: has to be unlocked and it's unbelievable expensive. Edit: Here's a Review

it would be difficult to get a feel for what your wife needs the laptop for, but my coworker just needed a business laptop, so i helped him pick the specs out and then scoured the internet for coupons for each manufacturer. I normally like AMD stuff but Intel makes the best mobile chips hands down, so go with something that's at least 1.83 (idealy 2.16 is great and 2.33 if you can afford it), and a decent video card (the integrated vid cards blow like the GMA 950), other than that try to read reviews online of what's out there and at what price.

I had purchased an HP dv2000t for a coworker, built it online with a finishing price of just under $900. It was 2.16Ghz core 2 duo, 512MB RAM (purchased 2GB Ram on newegg for 80 bucks), 120GB 5400rpm harddrive, a/b/g Intel Pro wireless, DVD+RW combo drive, 12 cell batt, Nvidia 7600 (doesn't need anything special since it's not a gaming machine). So all in all, the price was good, i had used a coupon available at the time which gave me 250 off which is how i got it below $1000 and first thing we did when we bought it is upgrade the OS from Vista home basic to Vista Ultimate ($170 through the EPP program at my office), so total price of the laptop with upgrades was about $1100. Tried searching for something similar from Sony (good luck, Vaio's are ridiculously overpriced), IBM, and Gateway and they were all overpriced. Dell was the only one that gave us a good price for performance but the price still came out to about 1300 with the same specs (a little better video card) before RAM and OS upgrades.

Yeh i've built a couple barebones; one for my brother and one for my younger sister (she's going off to college this year), i have yet to build one for my wife simply due to the fact that i haven't found a case that fits her particular needs. I'm fortunate enough to have a friend at Intel who gets me the T7600 (2.33 Core 2) chip for a little over 200 bucks so it saves me a lot on the builds.

like i said to Meh, if you build it yourself using a barebones laptop from an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) like Asus, Compal, BenQ, MSi, etc. then you'll get all of the desired performance without any of the extra crap. The thing with laptops as far as going with OEM's (HP, Dell, Sony, etc.) is it's not much to do with the manufacturer as the model that you pick from the manufacturer. Plus it has a lot to do with what you're using the laptop for, business laptops and gaming laptops are night and day as far as who to go with, especially if budget is a factor. In regards to the busted monitor, if you search ebay, sometimes you can find a replacement monitor for your specific model laptop. I've had to do that with a friends dell before, and taking it a part and getting the new monitor in wasn't nearly as difficult as it appeared to be.

The laptops all look pretty identical from a specifications perspective; you could always skip OEM's and go with an ODM and build the laptop the way you want it, sometimes you can save a few hundred doing it this way.

there is a way to make (or buy) a wireless relay, i think they're specifically referred to as a wireless bridge; i had someone ask me about this several months ago and found a link at a hack website on how to cook one up at home. An easier solution would be to go purchase a draft-N wireless card since they have increased wireless range of a typical B/G band wireless adapter. Edit: Oh! Depending on your wireless Router options, you should in some capacity be able to set it up as a bridge to his network. Unfortunately, you would need access to his wireless router to mess with some of the settings (and setting up the channels) so that this could work successfully. Again, might be easier just to buy a draft-N wireless adapter.

50 miles is a long distance anywhere but Nebraska; my dad grew up there (Omaha) and i used to have to take trips there now and again for family things. 50 miles in Nebraska is the equivalent of 15 miles in DC, NYC, LA, etc. I remember my last trip there and driving from Omaha to Lincoln and only encountered three cars the whole trip during rush hour! I wouldn't mind living there if I didn't have so many attachments to where i'm at now, and i would have to buy a sports car to make the distances fun.