that's an all-around good entry-level bike.

my opinion on the brakes - Avid Juicy 3's are an entry-level hydraulic brake. if it were my bike, I would pull those off and replace them with the Avid BB7 mechanicals. entry-level hydraulics will require more maintenance while BB7s are "ol reliable." people love them because they just WORK.

the shifters are entry-level but you get what you pay for. components can always be upgraded so if you find a bike that has the majority of what you're looking for, go for it! ebay is a wonderful place...

at the end of the day the most important thing is that you are RIDING (which I need to do much, much more of!)

at this point, this bike is looking like a substantial upgrade for you coming from the Giant Boulder. I think you're doing great so far!