* Posts by EmperorFromage

60 publicly visible posts • joined 20 Nov 2007

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The future of the SIM hangs by a single wire

EmperorFromage
Gates Horns

DVB-H

DVB-H the "other" herpes at MWC - will require new SIM features. ( Similar to a satellite TV conditional access SIM ) ... so there should be plenty of fodder for the SIM marketing droids in pushing DVB-H

Vodafone CEO finds wireless too complicated

EmperorFromage
Alien

What if WiMAX beats LTE ?

WiMax is primarily an IP infrastructure. SIP / Skype / whatever will happily run on top of it. LTE on the other hand is a more insidious creature that comes bundled with IMS - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Multimedia_Subsystem - which is just a way for the carriers to continue gouging their customers by preserving the current pricing structure over an IP network. The current structure has FAIL written all over it, hence the EU commissions need to rein in exorbitant roaming charges.

WiMax has the potential to introduce a flat affordable IP roaming arrangement, and rid us of antiquated differentiated asymmetric billing rates, which never has made any sense. ( Why different price to call A->B than B->A ? )

Samsung bares its Soul

EmperorFromage
Thumb Up

Vibrates

I tried this at the camping congress, the tiny touch screen actually has tactile feedback, and vibrates when it registers a touch, the response to the push is instant, as compared to LGs feeble attempt at copying this feature. ( Vibrates when touched, but only 75% chance of a delayed response on th e phones main screen. )

Actually this feature works quite well, but 90% of the time it is simply a fancy directional keypad. Still cool though.

US HD DVD sales hit new low

EmperorFromage
Flame

Time to bring on compulsory licensing

The copyright industry lives of a set of limited right. These rights have been granted them (mostly) by the people. Once again they have used these rights as a bludgeon to stamp out players more or less unrelated market. This power was not intended thought the grants given in copyright law, and so the law needs to be clarified.

Compulsory licensing needs to be put into effect. Both the HD DVD and BluRay consortium should be allowed to stamp out HD movies on equal terms. This would put the consumers (the people) in charge on who wins any format wars.

This way the most consumer friendly format would gain the biggest market share, and balance would be restored, the Earth would cool down, and the Tasmanian tiger would once again return to our Planet.

Toshiba pitches HD DVD players as... DVD machines

EmperorFromage
Happy

BD+ no thanks, I'll stick with SD a little while longer

I brought home a $100 Toshiba player some months ago, and even though Transformers looks gorgeous in HD, Standard Definition DVDs aren't that bad. I have no plans to shell out for a BD player with festering DRM sores, especially as long as profile 2.0 is up in the blue. I am also keen to see how BD+ will play further havoc with early players.

BD or HD DVD discs might prove to be a really tough sell for the average consumer. I for one will buy the odd HD DVD, and be happy with SD.

Tesla hits ejector button on staff

EmperorFromage
Boffin

Torque problems ?

Electric motors have a torque curve that starts of really really high, and then drops to zero at top RPM. This causes a problem when applying internal combustion engine thinking to the drive train. You simple cant scale components to the approximate BHP rating of the engine. At low revs the high torque will tear cogs and axles to shreds. I know someone that has snapped the axle 3 times on a conventional small city electric car. Just imagine what a damage high performance sports engine can do...

Lord Triesman on P2P, pop-ups and the Klaxons

EmperorFromage
Pirate

Shafted by the studios - back to piracy for me

The last couple of months I have been waving the HD DVD fanboy flag, and bought as many movies as I could. ( Basicly anything worthwile from Amazon ) - but then the studios decided that I need region coding and even more DRM as they stabbed HD DVD in the back. Seems the studioes doesn't want my support at least, so I am back to flying the Jolly Roger instead.

To keep things on topic: Flashing messages "Do you really want to do this", is pointless unless you also provide a legal alternative that also meets the consumers need.

Man uses mobe as modem, rings up £27k phone bill

EmperorFromage
Pirate

The end of GSM / UMTS

The traditional wireless operators have been unable to get grip on sensibly charging for data usage. Granted it is a thorny problem, since bandwith is in fact limited, so the traditional all you can eat buffet is not an option. But it would't take a savant to come up with a workable alternative to what we have today. For instance, if I recieve a video call while roaming in Europe I now pay ordinary roaming fees for receiving such a call, but exorbitant data rates if I try to videocall home. Another example that goes to show that the priceing structure is fundamentally broken.

The only alternative that the telcos have come up with is IMS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Multimedia_Subsystem which is an unashamed powergrab of the telcos. Layered on top on something similar to an unmetered data carrier, they have composed a gordic knot of protocols to maintain the same level of control, and ability to continue the absurd differentiatedl datarates. ( Different for SMS / MMS / video / data / voice etc. ) This technologu brings NOTHING of value to the customer, and is so complex that setting up a single voicecall requires over 120 control messages.

This is why my crystal ball shows the end of GSM / UMTS. Any alternatove technology WiMax or similar that comes along, with somewhat flat rate, and reasonable roaming arrangements will beat IMS hands down, as long as it provides SIP acces at a cost lower than GSM / UMTS voice calls.

Blu-ray widens US disc sales lead

EmperorFromage
Alien

Game not won

As a European that purchased the 99 USD player on a recent trip, and took advantage of the 5 free disk mail in offer, HD-DVD player was effectively free to me.

I still think HD-DVD has a fighting chance:

1) Less DRM ... I can order movies from amazon, my PS3 buddies cant

2) Less DRM ... No BD+ to screw up my player

3) Sales figure skewed by some studios only releasing BR

4) Manufacturing. HD-DVD can be printed in DVD plants, not so with BR

5) HD-DVD movie demand should be on the increase after dumping players.

Nokia 6110 Navigator GPS phone

EmperorFromage
Stop

Bloody expensive maps

If you should desire to get all of Europe, it will set you back 8 x 50 Euro.

This adds up to a grand total of 400 Euro, and the same set of maps can be purchased as a complete pack for just 120 Euro from Route 66 if you buy them for any other phone.

Route66 even claim that the regular software won't run on the 6110, so this sweet phone is bait for expensive maps down the road.

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