Note that the fancy font effects don’t show up properly in the built-in Firefox browser reader for PDFs, but if you opt to open in Acrobat reader it should display fine.

Nope… not bitter at all.

Short answer, $.

Longer answer, Google throws a ton of money at apps they want to dominate. If the app doesn’t eventually take off and make money, they close it. It’s an integral part of their business model these days, they’re always shutting down apps.

Moral of the story, don’t depend on anything Google. You’re either in danger of having the product shut down, or you’re giving away your data in exchange for a piece of software.

I realize that they aren’t generating a lot of revenue directly from it, but I cannot imagine that they can’t figure out how to monetize the massive amounts of consumer data that could be mined from it.

And no, there will be no more Google Reader. Here’s LifeHackers top 5 alternatives: http://lifehacker.com/5990881/five-best-google-reader-alternatives

We bought both the Britax Marathon and the Diono Radian 100, with the intention of returning one to the store. This way we could do a head-to-head comparison in the car.

They both had similar LATCH connectors. The Britax was slightly easier because its loops stayed in place, rather than needed to be re-threaded/stored.

For fit, the Britax was a clear winner: even with a textbook the same size as their “angle adjuster,” the Radian would not fit behind my driver’s seat in any way that would let me drive, and would make Wayfare (at 5′2″) hit her knees on the dash. The limiting point was that the top of the Radian hit the headrest of the seat in front, so putting it in the middle position (where only a seatbelt attachment would work) meant my driver’s seat would fit where it is with the current Graco Snugride 35 or with the Britax, and Wayfare would get about 2″ more legroom (to the same seat positioning).

The Radian was easier for getting Blueberry in and out: it’s lower, and the more open sides make for a lot more baby maneuvering room. I bonked her head at least once in the testing, and I’m bound to do it more with the Britax in practice. Also since it’s a larger seat, she has more legroom with the Radian.

In the end, despite the many advantages of the Radian, we decided on the Britax Marathon for the fit. It simply seems like it’s going to be too much of a pain in the butt for Wayfare to give up her ability to recline and nap in the car (or recline and reach over to baby) for the next year or two that Blueberry will spend rear-facing in the carseat.

Marathon:

Continuously, easily adjustable strap height. True, there would only be 3-4 occasions where we would have to take the car seat out and re-thread the straps as she grows, but it’s such a pain in the butt that even avoiding it a few times is a perk worth listing.
An easier-to-use LATCH connector. Should make the Britax easier to install/reinstall than the Radian, which would be nice if we move the carseat into the grandparents’ cars from time to time.
Easier to clean fabric.
Visually more side protection (though the crash test ratings appear to end up the same).

Radian:
The major advantage is that it turns into a booster, along with a higher weight limit (100 lbs), so we don’t have to buy another.
Narrower, so it’s more likely we can fit two more people in the back if needed. Also supposed to be narrow enough to go in the middle and fit between the two front seats (though no LATCH there).
Folds up smaller for packing on an airplane.
But, requires this weird little block of foam to sit under it to adjust the angle for rear-facing, which seems chintzy and less safe.