* Posts by Brian Gannon

45 publicly visible posts • joined 31 Dec 2007

UK smacks Huawei with banhammer: Buying firm's 5G gear illegal from year's end, mobile networks ordered to rip out all next-gen kit by 2027

Brian Gannon

Re: Naive as it is

This is just one example of how the UK needs to offer more than services and actually start making stuff again.

Despite Microsoft Surface RT debacle, second-gen model in the works

Brian Gannon
Facepalm

Should have used Win phone 8

The Surface and other ARM based tablets should have just used a version of Windows Phone 8

x64 tablets, utlrabboks, laptops and desktops should use windows 8.1

it's not like Apple hadn't already shown the whole world how to do phones, tablets, laptops and desktops.

Windows 8.1: Here at last, but is it good enough?

Brian Gannon
Meh

The 8.1 preview makes some nice changes but unfortunately they are disabled by default and you have to enable them by right clicking on the taskbar selecting properties and then selecting navigation!

So I have

• Enabled boot to desktop

• Enabled same wall paper on desktop and start screen (this makes a big difference, try it!)

• Minimised start screen icons

So when you click the start button you get the start screen which is just a load of shortcuts, click it again returns to the desktop. It now behaves similar to Launchpad on Mac OSX. Think I will just about be able to live with it now.

Nexus 7 and Surface: A bonanza for landfill miners

Brian Gannon

I think both will be a success for different reasons.

Google has become a verb. So the average consumer seeing a Google tablet for £160 will be tempted.

As for Microsoft in the words of my wife who owns an iPad but hardly ever uses it, "at last I will be able to do Excel."

it's really that simple. Apple only needed their iPad to look nice to attract the average consumer. I know loads of non-tech people who bought the iPad without even checking if it could do what they wanted it to do or indeed even having a task they wanted to achieve with it.

Moody's downgrades Nokia to near-junk status

Brian Gannon
Thumb Up

Actually quite like it

I switched from using an iPhone for three years to a Nokia 800. It was difficult at first, being so used to iOS but after a few weeks it really began growing on me and I have been happily using it for several months now. I will probably stick with Nokia / Windows for the foreseeable future. I am seriously considering going for the 900 when it becomes available.

If you get a chance to try one for any length of time its worth doing so, the Nokia Drive app is excellent and has replaced my TOM TOM and it plays m4v files so all my DVDs ripped for my iPad work fine were as previously I had to rip separate versions for iPad 2 and iPhone 3GS. The email client works great, especially with Exchange and the Office integration is fab.

My wife has an iPhone 4S but it no longer interests me. I am surprised as I was certain I would run back to the iPhone with my tail between my legs.

Netflix vs Lovefilm

Brian Gannon

US Netflix Content

I have been using this to access US content, not sure of the legality but works great. The range is much larger than the UK offering. I simply just changed my DNS server on my wireless router to theirs and all my devices now access US content

http://www.unblock-us.com

Petaflops beater: Nvidia chief talks exascale

Brian Gannon
Flame

Power?

Why are we so obsessed about the power profile of these chips. Yes they suck up power but they are sucking up power to improve the world we live in. No one seems to care about what power Coke (or other advertisers) uses to light up their billboards across the World.

Your bloody Christmas tree lights would be better switched off in return for a few extra core hours.

Brit web firms tweet way out of slump

Brian Gannon

Social networking or weak pound driving sales? My money is on the later. Even Facebook cant undo thousands of years of economic tradition.

'Four million Amazon Tablets' ready for autumn - report

Brian Gannon

It's all about e-ink

If you have tried the Kindle or a competitor you will know it's e-ink which makes e-readers what they are. I would like to see a two-sided tablet, an e-ink side for ebooks and and a LCD screen on the other side for traditional tablet use.

In the meantime I think Amazon have the "ecosystem" to be a genuine challenger to the Apple iPad.

Memo to iPad mimics: No one wants a $799 knockoff

Brian Gannon

Couldn't agree more

As a consumer I just want a half decent Android tablet around the £200 / £250 mark. I just cant see value in a tablet costing more.

Toshiba £300 'entry level' Froyo tablet back on sale next month

Brian Gannon

Entry level

I still think £300 is to high for entry level. I would like to see something under the £200 mark. It doesn't have to be all singing and dancing. If anyone could get a 8.9 capacitive screen, Wifi only, Android 3 device out at that price they would clean up.

MozyHome stiffs unlimited users

Brian Gannon

Close shave

Only last night I was thinking of moving from Dropbox to Mozy to take advantage of the unlimted space as I ideally need about 300GB (50GB of which is criticial, the rest would be nice) which dropbox cant currenlty offer.

Online sync'n'store services

Brian Gannon

Another Dropbox fan

I use this too (as an online data backup rather than multiple device sync) and would recommend it. I back up my data to a USB disk but this is in case my house burns down or my PC and disk are stolen. The iphone app is very good too and it allows me to access my many photos from anywhere.

The only complaint is I would prefer to be able to select folders outside of the dropbox folder to backup.

E-book reader demand boom near

Brian Gannon
Thumb Up

It's all about e-ink

I bought my wife a kindle and she loves it. Battery goes months between charges, books can be downloaded (WiFi / 3G) any hour of the day and you can have thousands stored on it. The e-ink technology is very impressive and reading on it is a joy. The kindle itself is attractive and very very light. You can even email Word and PDF documents to it if you don’t have a USB connection available.

It's not a cheap way to read books (although there are thousands of free classics available, and there is a burgeoning torrent collection of bestsellers if you are that way inclined) but it’s very convenient. I would challenge anyone who is sceptical to give it a go and I would imagine most would be converts.

MS drops drive pooling from Windows Home Server

Brian Gannon
FAIL

How to lose your own argument.

Yes I spotted this as soon as I posted, sort of took the wind out of my rant somewhat.

Brian Gannon
Headmaster

What ever happened to gramar

It's OEMs not OEM's

PCs not PC's

FAQs not FAQ's

Sorry but it just really upsets me.

Jobs savages 7-inch tablet competition

Brian Gannon

Too big and dated OS

I had the pleasure of spending the day using an iPad at an Apple event and have to say for me it was too big and too heavy. Also the iOS on a tablet seemed a bit crap to be honest. I don't mind it on a phone but for some reason I didn't take to it on a tablet. I would actually like to see Windows 7 phone OS on a 7 inch tablet, the icons on a home screen model of iOS and Android feels a bit dated to me.

Microsoft adopts invisible mobile pitch

Brian Gannon
Gates Halo

Great angle

The mobile phone market is saturated with copy cat ideas so I really like the approach of a better family / work balance. On more than one occasion I have been chastised by my wife for staring at my iPhone. All though in truth I think the true answer to a better work /life balance is to switch your phone off when you leave work.

I appreciate the sentiment will be lost on most reg readers as their most intimate relationship is with the pizza delivery boy. There is a reason Microsoft is the World’s most profitable tech company. Maybe it’s you who is in the wrong? Ever stopped to think about that?

Virgin Media deletes customers

Brian Gannon
Thumb Up

Might prove a good thing

If one assumes that the sort of person who uses a cloned modem is also the sort of person who likes to try and download the whole internet every night then paying customers should be better off.

Website shares user credit cards with world+dog

Brian Gannon

Hmmm

Says it all really

http://blippy.com/jobs

Max Clifford takes £1m to drop hack probe

Brian Gannon
FAIL

Not even voicemail hacking

It's not hacking of any sort its just guessing a pin number, which is often not changed from the default.

Apple iPad vs netbooks: fight not over yet

Brian Gannon

The market will decide

33 million netbook sales in 2009. Must be doing something right.

German retailer Tweets iPad details

Brian Gannon

Who cares?

Who really gives a f**k about what appears on twitter? The sooner this web 2.0 bollocks dies a death the better. Remember there are over 5.5 billion people on earth who don't give a sh*t about sh*tter, sorry twitter.

FSF launches Windows 7 anti-upgrade letter campaign

Brian Gannon
WTF?

Imagine the support calls

I cant find Internet Explorer, It's Sea monkey you should be using now, OK how about paint, you will be wanting gimp. Where do I find notepad, try kate or eddie or ned or emacs or vi or vim or nano or pico or gedit. No I dont gedit can I have windows back.

GGF plans to steer The Pirate Bay freeloaders straight

Brian Gannon

Magic Beans and Toast

I have some magic beans and a piece of toast which looks like Thor if GGF are interested.

Microsoft's Bing in travel trouble

Brian Gannon

Stop. Lawyer Time

Looks like a case for the idea expression dichotomy. Do yourself a favour and don’t look it up.

Microsoft begins Security Essentials downloads

Brian Gannon
FAIL

Torrents?

You could just download it from here

https://connect.microsoft.com/securityessentials

Good work Microsoft.

RIP Personal Computer World

Brian Gannon

It had been on the wain

Since Kevin Taylor took over as editor the magazine had been on he wain, his editorials were pretty poor and the main features were generally rubbish. the Barry Shilliday Linux column was terrible, trying to encourage people to try Linux with each article requiring an absurd amount of command typing to achieve the simplest of tasks. Fox, Kewney, Whitfield and Laing will be missed though.

Larry Ellison relives reveals network computer netbook dream

Brian Gannon

No thanks

I for one wouldn't want to wait an hour for my Java based net book to boot up.

Linutop 2

Brian Gannon

EEE B202 would be a better bet

I bought an EEE B202 for £70 less, it can run Windows XP / 7 / Ubuntu 9.04 if required, uses less power and is silent. It's bigger but still small enough to be attached to the back of a monitor etc.

A much better option in my opinion.

Virgin Media to dump neutrality and target BitTorrent users

Brian Gannon

@OG

They take a look at the people who are swarming a ridiculous amount a day, connect to the swarm and take a look. A little bit of detective work would soon identify the illegal torrent users. Plus most torrents have a reasonably accurate name to allow people to find them.

Brian Gannon

They are only kicking off the law breakers

More poor reporting. They are only going to throttle those breaking their terms and condition by downloading illegal material. If you download Linux ISOs via bit torrent then relax. If you use iplayer then relax it’s not bit torrent. If you download WoW patches via bit torrent then relax. If you download copyright material via bit torrent all day long then good riddance.

MS issues brown alert over unpatched IE 7 flaw

Brian Gannon

BBC and technology news just dont mix.

Shocking sensationlaist reporting from the BBC. Just don’t go anywhere near porn and warez and you will be OK.

Judge says tech-addled jurors undermine justice

Brian Gannon

Doesn't make sense

" in this case, the parents of the young I Judge appear to have been spot on"

Why? they had no say in choosing his surname.

Eye of newt: Inside Google's AdWords auction

Brian Gannon

Google Adwords is the word

For a few pennies I managed to get my site www.aceruser.com (shameless plug) appear on the first page whenever someone searched for Acer Aspire One. And I only have to pay if someone clicks through. As this is a personal hobby site there is no way I could afford to advertise it any other way.

Can’t say fairer than that.

UK ISPs agree to menace their filesharing users

Brian Gannon

SSL wont help

Can we finally put the SSL / encryption myth to bed? Someone simply needs to download a torrent at the same time as you and they have your IP encrtpted or not. I for one would quite happily see people sharing illegal files booted off my ISP then perhaps people who download large amounts of legitimate data will not be penalised.

Virgin warns 800 punters for file-sharing

Brian Gannon

Disconnect them

Virgin are too soft, boot the obvious freeloaders off the network, that way those of us who use the higher speeds legitimately won’t be capped. I find it hard that people are anti this strategy even if you are an illegal downloader hogging the pipe surely you can see what you are doing is wrong and selfish.

Singapore forum 'scammer' faces caning and prison

Brian Gannon

Actually

Whilst we are all being smart arses it is a Contextual Spelling error. And it should be Disk not Disc.

Asus Eee Box to debut in UK... minus Linux

Brian Gannon

I will be waiting

I will be waiting for the Linux version, as I imagine the savings made from not paying for the XP license will manifest itself in 2GB of memory and a larger hard disk. Ironically I will be replacing the Linux install with XP provided by my employer.

Windows Vista has been battered, says Wall Street fan

Brian Gannon

Does corporate adoption matter?

In essences (certainly in the case of my employer) it doesn’t make a difference whether corporates run Vista or not because they pay for it anyway as part of their annual software license deal. Where it really matters is the home market, people buying new PCs, and by all reckoning this has been a huge success. I use and like Vista on my home machines and it’s a nice consumer OS for email, web, photos etc. I use XP at work because it’s quicker and works well for what I do at work.

Interstate web host foils gonzo porn baron Max Hardcore

Brian Gannon
Boffin

Eight hours!

Did they really need to watch eight hours just to be sure the material was obscene.

Virgin Media and BPI join forces to attack illegal filesharing

Brian Gannon

Ban them all

As a Virgin Media customer I think this is great, doesn’t go far enough for me. I would ban illegal down loaders as well. They are abusing the system, breaking the law and giving Virgin an excuse to throttle my bandwidth instead of investing in upgrading their infrastructure. All those outraged illegal downloaders threatening to switch ISPs then please do so.

NEC goes Back To The Future with XP for biz users

Brian Gannon
Stop

Vista the new XP

Didn’t we all hate bloated XP, when it came out, now we can’t wait to go back to it? How ironic. I Suppose when windows 7 comes out we will all want to roll back to Vista.

Toshiba remains upbeat about HD DVD

Brian Gannon

Not over yet

Don’t think this is quite a big a deal as it first sounds. WB were producing both so HD and Blu Ray so it’s not quite switching camp. What HD need is a studio to switch. This will only happen if people by more HD players, which I think will start to happen because your average dumb consumer and shop assistant will not realise which studios publish to which format. You have to remember the vast majority of these players will be bought by plebs in Argos, Dixons, Currys, Walmart, Costco etc and it is these plebs who will decide which format wins not people like us who understand the differences.

Blu ray has been given a fillip by PS3 sales but this is a false position because PS3 owners had no choice to by Blu Ray or HD but people who are buying standalone players do and they are choosing HD. PS3 sales will start to slow down after the recent price cuts and before you know it sales of HD and Blu Ray players are not too different but HD sales are people who actually want to buy HD films where the majority of Blu ray player owners won’t be buying as many films because they are PS3 owners and predominantly interested in games.

As long as Toshiba’s arse doesn’t go come Easter I reckon it will be a different story. Plus I can’t imagine Microsoft will let Sony get one over on them. (Microsoft back HD in case you weren’t aware.)

That’s my prediction anyway. It’s all about holding your nerve.

QVC debuts Venturer HD DVD player

Brian Gannon

Emperor’s New Clothes

Personally I think HD is a little bit a case of emperor’s new clothes. But if you are going to do it, signup for lovefilm who have a decent HD range and rent them out for about a pound a time depending on your rental plan.