Huh?! Are you sure you tested the E-50? No dedicated buttons for INTRO, FILLS and ENDINGS? What do you suppose are the buttons INTRO, ENDING/RIT and the 1-2-3-4 variation-buttons for?

Fade in/Fade out: As of OS v.1.08, you can program the VLink button to tons of different functions, including Fade in/Fade out.

Transpose hard to use? Press it and the display will present you a keyboard where you simply press the desired key you want to transpose to... How much easier should it be? It can't ever be a "one button solution", since the E-50 will never know where you want to transpose to. It will always take 2 'clicks' at least.

Unlike you, I would never prefer the 3000 over the E-50. Not so much because what you wrote about it, but only because of the difference in sound. Roland feels "live", Yamaha feels like "over-produced CD-recording". Mind you, that is just MY opinion. :-)