They play games, manage your finances, count calories, allow you to read, get on the internet, play movies and everything in between ;). We have a subscription to Netflix and it plays beautifully on the Nook Color, as well as hubby's phone. You can get bluetooth keyboards for them if you so desire - I will agree I do hate typing on that soft keyboard...lol. Even so I can chat on YahooMessenger or AIM if I want. It does a lot that my computer will do (within reason) but doesn't have nearly the "oomph" LOL.

The main reason for rooting a phone (which would likely be running Android anway) would be to get rid of all the software that the cell phone companies load on the phone that you can't get rid of and to enable features that the cell phone companies block. It WILL void your warranty (as it will on any device, including my Nook Color) - however some phones are very easy to "brick" (or render a useless paperweight) if you don't follow instructions for rooting to the letter. The only phone I'm aware of that's nearly impossible to brick is, strangely enough, an iPhone...lol. Just hook it up to iTunes and voila! - you have your original phone back ;).

As for Renderosity, I've never been afraid of the place. I have a thick skin and can usually give back what I get (although not as glibly..lol). But the outright pettiness and nastiness does get to me by a group that is supposed to be adults. It just shouldn't happen. Only at RO can a group fight over two programs that do essentially the same thing. I don't ever recall Wings3D users fighting with Blender users or Photoshop users fighting with Painter or GIMP users. It's stupid. It's more likely that those people use Blender AND Wings or Photoshop AND Painter. Just like a lot of ppl use Poser AND DS.

Laurie