If this is true ( yea right)
they will surpass Cambodia for tourists

ONLY drag is its ONLY for Yangoon Airport, NOT Mandalay not land borders ;-(

The new service, found at http://evisa.moip.gov.mm/, is designed to be user-friendly and has been introduced as part of the country’s plans to encourage five million tourists a year by 2015.

The e-Visa is open to tourists from 41 countries, including the US, but only grants entry to the country at Yangon International Airport, making the method unsuitable for those crossing at land borders.

When applying for an e-Visa, travellers are being asked to agree to a number of conditions, one of which forbids the applicant from entering the “restricted area without seeking prior permission”.

Khin Yi, Burma’s Minister of Immigration and Population, said the launch of the service marked a special day for the country. It could ease the burden on the Burmese embassy in Bangkok, which is deluged with requests for visas and tourists there can often expect long queues.

Requests for permits to travel to restricted areas have to be made in Yangon or, in some cases, locally.
MOGOK here i come!

supply an demand
building going on like crazy everywhere i went in July so expect hotel prices to drop in a year.
BTW low season prices are very reasonable in Mandalay and Bagan

MY hotel in Mandalay was $34 for air con wifi, cable flat screen tv
in Bagan i paid only $20 for an air con bungalow
IN Mogok paid $75 for a luxurious bungalow ( only 2 places to sty in town) that would be $150-200 in Thailand or Cambodia
All had breakfast included ( ur standard 2 eggs, toast, banana, coffee/tea)

Fan rooms would have been an average of $10 less.

High season prices double at least and the places are packed

never have because of the high prices (compared to the quality you get)

I dont consider the prices i paid high at all. the room in Mandalay would have been the same price as Phnom Phen but the room would have been bigger only
the bungalow is priced same as what u get in Thailand/Cambodia

Just dont go in high season

also trains EVERYWHERE an dirt cheap
Mandalay - Bagan upper class 8 hours $2.90, Long distance bus's very cheap an better than Cambodia.
Flights everywhere an not overpriced
Motos / Taxi's everywhere and a bit more than a Cambodia.
Food costs on par with Cambodia but not as good and far below thai standards

Spoke with many hotel managers an they all agreed that prices were high but realized they would drop when the new hotels were finished.

Even in little Hsipaw ,which is very popular, there were 4 open GH's/ hotels an 3 more being built and

You can go wherever you want just many places require special permits ( you just pay the extra $$) an you cant get everywhere by road and some require flying in.