it is very easy to build something close enough at a much cheeper price, complete with software.

Do software engineers make so little out where you are? I don't know anyone that works with me that would ever consider building somethng like this - they'd all simply buy one. And I work with tons of hardware and software engineers.

I love DIY, but something like this is more for the mild-hackability and slight upgrading. There's no way anyone on a budget could build a unit of that class/calibre for even close to that price. Not to that degree of finish certainly.

You see the same argument all the time for in-car MP3 players. And where are all these products right now? Why is it that no one can finish a product? Why is it that anyone who gets closed to finished is left with a very limited single-purpose pile of crap (in comparison)? Slashdot's new headline story should be to mention how out of the loop the are.

Bruno