[MarcusBrutus]

How many legitimate real world services and products currently accept Bitcoins? I understand it is only the Chinese search engine. I also take it for granted that any major Euro/US-based organization (be it Google or Domino's Pizza) that starts accepting Bitcoins will instantly face very serious political repercussions. Given these facts it is astonishing that Bitcoin seems to be heading from strength to strength.

[elux]

>How many legitimate real world services and products currently accept Bitcoins? I understand it is only the Chinese search engine.

The hundreds (thousands now?) of (mostly) small businesses accepting bitcoin for goods and services include gift card vendors. [1]

You can spend your bitcoins on gift cards (a form of virtual currency in itself) which you can use at some of the world's largest retailers, for example Amazon[2] or Walmart [3].

It's a two-step process, but you can use your bitcoins at Amazon or Walmart, today.

[1] https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Trade#Gift.2FDebit_Cards

[2] http://www.gyft.com/shop-for-gift-cards/

[3] http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1om2jm/egifter_now_...

[dwaltrip]

Bitcoin growth will be led by investors and speculators. Day to day transactional use will be a consistently lagging indicator that helps buttress the rising exchange rate floor. Until the whole thing falls apart (or not). Time will tell :)

[Tichy]

I am too lazy to create a lmgtfy link for you, sorry. Google yourself. Lots of places accept Bitcoin. Although I am not sure how many people actually use it for shopping.