I enjoy a “premium” status with United frequent flyer programs, so the change in United’s luggage policy does not affect me.

That said – given how folks can’t carry stuff on aircraft anymore it is pretty vile to penalize folks for checking bags. And candidly – why does it take longer to get my bag after landing than it does to do the actual flight? One hopes they will put some of money to making this system work well. It bugs everyone who makes a “quick” trip to have to cool our heels in the sumptuous environs of the bag claim area waiting for some primate to heave our bags onto the conveyor. The added indignity of having to pay for added extra time we get to tack on to the trip is pretty raunchy.

Since United is extremely proud of their “On time departure” record – why aren’t they putting some level of service around the reacquisition of our bags? Paying to have these guys delay our journey (I do not see hanging out in bag claim as “getting me on my way”) and lose our bags just bites…

*grumble*

OK – Ill admit it – I’ve been on the sidelines while this pointless war has whimpered along. Candidly I would like to see both sides of these arguments taken into a room and beaten with rubber hoses until they expire. But that won’t happen.

So instead we consumers are stuck with a mish-mash of over-priced players and feud from the studios over formats. It seems a lot comes down to the patent portfolio of a few and the DRM schemes. I’ll rant about DRM at some other point – but these arguments have basically seen the rise in HD set sales and virtually no sales for HiDef DVD players.

Now, I have no data to back up the notion that BluRay is gaining momentum as of late. Seems like there are more titles on the shelf at the local stores and the prices of the players is coming down. I’ll also admit seeing the latest of the Pirates trilogy in HiDef was an impressive thing. I’d see it for the cameo by Keith Richards – but I digress.

Given the price of the PS3 – should you make the plunge? Seems like compared to other standalone BluRay player the PS3 is a great unit! Still – I wish they could put Halo on it….