User replaceable batteries are good, much in the same way that not getting shot in the face is good. That is to say, non-user replaceable batteries are terrible. Non-user replaceable batteries usually appear as part of a business model, since batteries are consumables that will fail, requiring you to have your device “serviced”, or as part of a design consideration, typically “thin-ness”. They’re very much anti-consumer and anti-environment to the point that the two year push within the European Union that would outlaw the sale of any device without a user replaceable battery is apparently nearing finalization. While I’m not a huge fan of governments trying to save people from their own stupidity, I’m even less of a fan of stupidity. Then again, I’m not going to pretend like people are trying to make sense. It’s nice to see that Notion Ink may be going down a different path than “planned obsolescence”.

Oh, boy.. This tablet should be revealing instead of leaking. Certainly, others are getting too tired following this device.

As nearly as I can tell, the iPad is the only slate with a 4:3 display. That aspect ratio is pretty much dead, unfortunately. It’s hard as hell to find a laptop with a 16:10 display, much less 4:3–and the only 4:3 high-res panels I see for desktops are designed for professional use and ludicrously expensive.

Unfortunately for those of us who want to do serious work, the emo whining about “black bars” has led the industry to cheap out and put 16:9 in everything. =/

They talk specifically about aspect ratio and the reasons they went 16:9 here:

http://notionink.wordpress.com/2010/09/18/week-end-special