The new market for 3D accelerators and 3D acceleration features has spawned a large crop of 3D video cards with varying capabilities. There are several different approaches that are taken to providing a system with 3D capabilities. While the available cards and technologies are changing rapidly, you will generally find that the cards on the market break out as follows:

* 2D Only (Conventional) Cards: These are regular video cards that do not incorporate any special 3D acceleration functions. Usually these are either older cards, or newer cards that are optimized for 2D performance. When using a card of this type, it is necessary to pair it with a 3D card to obtain 3D acceleration functions.

* Dedicated 3D Cards: These are accelerators that are designed only for 3D hardware functions. Since they do not do conventional 2D acceleration, they need to work with a 2D card in most cases to deliver good 2D+3D performance. Most of the higher-quality 3D cards are of this variety. They typically use a feature connector to connect directly to the 2D card. This lets the 3D card perform its acceleration functions to provide a video stream without requiring its own RAMDAC or bus control logic. This is generally the best solution for high-end graphics but it incurs the cost of two video cards.

* Combination 2D+3D Cards: In an effort to tackle the cost problem of using an additional, separate card for 3D acceleration, many companies are developing cards that perform both 2D and 3D functions. For many users, this is a good, cost-effective compromise. Most of these cards provide from moderate to good 2D performance, and support for some to most of the 3D acceleration features. However, like most compromises, these cards typically don't provide the level of performance or feature support that dedicated 3D cards do. It is important to research these cards well, since many of them support only a small subset of the 3D acceleration features found on 3D cards.

NO ONE! I have tried every place I go, whether it be retail, gas, food, etc. and NOT ONE PLACE takes them! These AMEX gift cards seem to be a huge scam.

Typically 2-3% for mastercard and visa. I believe American Express is more.

Texas Parks and Wildlife charges 2.25% extra to renew your boat registration online. I think that is to make up the credit card charge backs. ( on a $53 fee).

I think creditors also have a minimum charge so that on small purchases ( < $1-4?) the retailer looses money when you use a credit card.

American Express online allows customers to have the ability to check their current statement, review past statements, pay bills online, and even search for rewards.

Any company that accepts America Express credit cards should accept the gift cards.

Yes

No they do not

Guam K mart not accept American express.

Anywhere from $3.95 to $5.95, generally depending on the denomination. The confusion comes from the fact that there is no longer a monthly maintenance fee. American Express Gift Card is currently the only open network card that does not have the monthly maintenance fee after the first 12 months.

You have to apply for the card (you can do this online), and be accepted. In order to be accepted, you usually need to have a steady source of income and a credit rating that shows that you pay your debts.

Here is their address for general inquiries:

American Express

P.O. Box 981540

El Paso,

TX 79998-1540

For bill payment:

American Express,

P.O. Box 360001,

Fort Lauderdale,

FL 33336-0001

And for overnight bill payment:

American Express

US Payment Florida

2965 West Corporate Lakes Blvd

Weston FL 33331-3626

yes!

yes they accept it both online an in-store

Yes, you can

The best website to apply for an American Express card is by going directly through to their website. They offer the best rewards and discounts than a third party distributor would.

Yes, and they have several options for paying online. You can enroll in automatic bill pay and the bill will be deducted from you bank account each month. You can also pay online directly to their website when you wish. You can also use your bank's online bill paying feature to have your bank send an electronic payment.

Yes it does.

Yes. Walmart accepts most major credit cards. If in doubt, check with the service desk.

Update on April 11, 2010:

Walmart is no longer accepting American Express in all Canadian stores.

No. The available funds never expire. However, there is a valid thru date which indicates the card itself cannot be used after that date. The funds in the card are still available and can be claimed by requesting a new card.

david tennant