spotlight works really well as an app launcher with advanced features; the only problem is it lazy-loads everything. my biggest issue was selecting an app quickly using the keyboard, and between that time and hitting enter, a document or other file with the same name would come up as the "best match," and i'd open that instead.
i've since switched to chuck - simple, easy, and all i need. i set ctrl+opt+command+space (bottom 4 keys) to trigger it, so it's easily accessible, and a few shortcuts (tm, for instance, for textmate) to launch apps super quickly. works like a charm, and looks great too.
i had a vacation planned for this weekend... to myrtle beach. first solo vacation i've taken in two years. booked a room on a non-refundable rate (unless mandatory evacuations are called by the governor). $300 out the damned drain. fuck you, hurricane irene.
i used to work in an "open workspace," and i have to say, it wasn't *horrible*, but it wasn't great. the problem is my boss didn't want to spend money on any kind of dividers or sound dampening, and it was an old building with 18' ceilings. needless to say, someone could speak on one end of the building and you'd hear it clearly on the other. it probably wouldn't have been bad with some sound dampening and some division between some of my other coworkers, but... meh, i like working from home now :)
but if you're trying to impress your friends with your knowledge of dubstep (wob wob wob) and moombaton, and you press +, they will not be very impressed with "what is love (baby don't hurt me)".
or you can just google the question and google calculator will figure it out. or wolfram. or the calc app on your pc. or spotlight or the calc app on your mac. or just google calculator for a billion of 'em. or grab your phone. or grab a real calculator. [ end smartass response ]
unfortunately, if you look at the price of modern electronics and apple's history with the iphone, you'll see prices are going down, not up. $299 today buys you an iphone that is leaps and bounds better than the original iphone, and costs half as much than it did ($599) just 4 years ago. it makes no sense to offer an ipad for a higher price - people have enough reservations about having a device that's not quite a laptop but better than a cell phone.