* Posts by Righteously Indignant

27 publicly visible posts • joined 22 Apr 2008

New 4TB drive spaffs half a telly season into your eyes AT ONCE

Righteously Indignant

WD Red?

are these competitors for Western Digital's Red drives? Can they be used in NAS or home servers?

HP Pavilion dm1-4125ea 11.6in netbook

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had the DM1z

I had the previous E350 version of this 'netbook' and I loved it. Picked it up in the US for under 300GBP. I would still have it now if my niece hadn't stolen it!

I was fortunate enough to have a spare SSD to pop into it and it went from being a good machine to a great one! The AMD chippery is more than good enough for everyday tasks.

This screen is the perfect size for the unfortunately ubiquitous 1366x768 resolution - and it really is a noticeable difference from the crap resolution you get on Atom 'books.

Highly recommended for those just wanting something small & light that they can do real work on without paying the earth...

Russia: 'We'll dump the ISS into the sea after 2020'

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Joke

who would have thunk it?

one downvote - I didn't know Sarah Palin was a fan of the Register!

Moto cold shoulders upgrade-hungry Xoom users

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Pint

Even as a card-carrying Apple hater I have to admit..

...that they do support their hardware for a couple of years at least. They won't ostracise you for wanting to put the shiny new iOS on your old 3GS for example... Granted it may lack a few features compared to the newer devices, but there are *genuine* hardware differences between the models.

I have a genuine dislike for Apple products based solely on their proprietary nature. (I dislike Sony for the exact same reason) That said, I will be buying a Macbook Air when the new model is released purely because I cannot find anything that comes close to it in size/weight/battery life. (and promptly installing Windows 7 - because I can. Another thing Apple doesn't restrict. Dammit I'm defending them now!!)

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Motofail

Motorola did the same thing with a bunch of their Android phones too - most notably the original Milestone (US - Droid) They updated the US one to Froyo(?) fairly quickly and then ignored the UK/Europe customers.

They keep pulling the same stunt over and over again, expecting you to replace your device with their latest & greatest rather than giving you software upgrades for your existing devices - even though the devices are more than capable of running said upgrades. (As evidenced by the US consumers getting the upgrades on mostly identical hardware.)

Once bitten, twice shy. I will never buy another Motorola product.

Ten... Core i5 laptops

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1920x1200

what have you got? I want one!!

I am tired of these silly f'king1366x768 machines. Bloody smartphone screens are approaching that resolution FFS!

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FAIL

Latitudes

I've been working with Latitudes since the D610-era and (the failing nvidia graphics of the D620/630s aside) they have proven to be pretty solid machines.

The E6400 is a nice 'professional' looking machine, a look that I think the E6410 enhanced. The E6420, on the other hand, looks bloated by comparison and is actually heavier than the model it is replacing. (seriously - wtf? mil-spec or not they should be reducing the weight) The daft orange stripe around the keyboard (which looks like a tiny island surrounded by a sea of plastic) does nothing for the look of the machine and why is the screen bezel wider than my (considerable) waistline?? Aside from the evident speed boost given by the new Sandy-Bridge architecture I can think of nothing good to say about these machines.

And don't get me started on the E6320 - again with the screen bezel wide enough to land light aircraft on; the utterly useless 1366x768 screen resolution and the hernia-inducing weight. The E4310 is a better machine.

Dell really need to up their game. If this 'refresh' had coincided with a change in docking stations (like the move from D series to E series) I would have started looking at alternative manufacturers for my region. I was /that/ disappointed when I unboxed the first one.

That said... Having seen the results of two E6410s being dropped from only a metre or so I can say they don't bounce very well. Something I am hoping the new E6420 will cope with a bit better. :)

Righteously Indignant
Flame

p**s poor screen resolutions

What is it with this new fad of crippling every new computer with a 1366x768 screen resolution? Seriously - a resolution that low should be limited to netbooks and screens <12". By law.

Not everyone is so blind as to need their desktop icons to be the size of their fist - and some people actually like having a bit of screen real-estate to work with. When will the manufacturers realise this?

I don't care if I have to pay a (small) premium to get a proper screen, but the option should *always* be given.

(yes, I know the Dell E6420 does give the option - but that doesn't excuse the fact that it is crap and is a total disgrace to the Latitude name.)

And any manufacturer that thinks 1366x768 is ok on a 15" screen should be banned from making any more computers. Ever.

It's official: Nokia bets on Microsoft for smartphones

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WinPho7 on a Nokia....

I can't be the only one that is interested in a Nokia handset running Windows Phone 7 surely? Ok, Nokia have been on the decline of late but when they put their mind to it they can put out some impressive, well designed and reliable hardware. (I said reliable hardware, not software...)

Windows Phone 7 is actually quite good to use - once you get past the horror of Zune. (that said, it is better than itunes) So there is potential here for a good OS on good hardware - why all the haters?

I still put Nokia ahead of the likes of LG and Samsung when it comes to hardware quality; Motorola will never see another penny from me after the shafting that was the Milestone; Android just isn't that reliable and is now fragmented to hell and back. Iphones are fine for the people that like them, but I can't get past the forced obsolescence and proprietary interfaces.

I have no beef with HTC, but annoyingly the Mozart is only available on Orange in the UK...

So I am now eagerly awaiting a nice Microkia phone - I may be disappointed, but I like to think that these guys both know this is their last chance so they will go the extra mile. Instead of sniping and all the 'RIP Nokia' - give them a chance and see what they can do.

Motorola Defy Android smartphone

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FAIL

prepared to take Motorola at its word???

The only slight disappointment is the absence of Froyo but I'm prepared to take Motorola at its word that an update will arrive before June 30th...

They've been promising to update the Motorola Milestone to 2.2 for several 'quarters' now. After repeatedly failing to deliver in 2010 they now claim 'early Q1 2011' - which we are already a third of the way through... I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for an update on any Motorola phone. If Motorola can't update the Milestone - which is vanilla Android - what hope does the Defy have with MotoBlur on top?

Bookshop swaps Kindles for real books

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Alert

eh?

I've had my kindle for a few months now and it is invaluable for my daily 2 hour round-trip commute. I've easily read more books in the last few months than in the previous year...

1. If you can't see the diagram clearly then maybe you need an ebook with a larger screen, like the DX.

2. I've only seen OCR errors in books that I didn't pay for... If you know what I mean.

3. I can email books to my mother quite easily - or buy them and send them straight to her device.

4. Amazon's one-click could not be easier... Did you try it?

5. Can't argue against this one - I do think they are expensive considering there is no paper or printing involved. But hopefully that means more goes to the author. Right?

6. Umm... Again, try Amazon. All my books are stored on their servers. I lose my kindle I just replace it, register it and everything gets restored automatically.

For those books you didn't buy you can archive them just by leaving a copy on you computer HDD when transferring it to your ebook of choice. Again, with the kindle you can email books to yourself - so you will always have a copy if you're as anal as me and keep all your sent items! :)

Each to their own, but I love my kindle. I also bought one for my mother and she loves hers too. I'd recommend one to anyone who has a nightmare commute (the Moscow metro in my case) or plenty of time on their hands...

I have the 3G version and it really does work anywhere - I downloaded a new book whilst sat in Atyrau airport in Kazakhstan (reading BBC news at the same time) without having to worry about finding (the non-existent) wireless hotspot...

Nokia updates N97 firmware

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Fuckbeans?

That's my new word of the day!

Toshiba MK6465GSX 640GB laptop hard drive

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WTF?

haven't seen one??

you're not trying hard enough... I have had my WD Blue 640GB for about 2 months now...

I'll be happier when they bring out the 'black' variant but it does what I need it to do!

Motorola Milestone

Righteously Indignant
Stop

A Googlephone for business?

I think this is Moto's stab at a phone business users can use... Cameras really aren't that important. (in fact in some places I know phones with cameras are outright banned!)

Yes, the camera is the wrong side of poor, but I am sure there will be an app soon enough to help things along like there was with the G1 for those that deem it a 'show stopper'.

Damn you Jim Coleman. I was willing to overlook the lack of tasks - mainly as I don't use them - but I have since noticed it doesn't synch my notes from Outlook either - and I do use them!

I still think it is a cracking phone and I still think it is ideal for business users...

Righteously Indignant
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got mine last week...

My impression is that it's a good phone and very easy to use. This is my first Motorola and I have to say it is a well put together bit of kit. The keyboard is ok once you get used to it, and the OS as a whole is responsive and surprisingly intuitive.

I use mine for work mainly, the corporate email took seconds to configure. It has VPN support and VNC is available from the market place so remote support is an option (granted, only in emergencies) For $15 you can get Documents to Go giving you usable Word and Excel document editing along with Powerpoint and PDF viewing. (free version is available but only allows viewing of Word and Excel files)

I'd like it more if it could connect to Office Communicator like my Nokia could but I don't miss it enough to care...

I give it a thumbs up and recommend it to anyone looking for a usable business grade phone that wants something more than RIM and Nokia's offerings without going down the WinMo path.

2009's Top Android Smartphones

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Droid/Milestone

I guess this review was written before the Milestone was available...

I had mine delivered by Expansys last week and all my fears of buying a Motorola quickly disappeared. I've been religiously Nokia until now but the N900 is just too chunky and that Maemo needs a bit more gestation time before being inflicted on the masses.

The phone is just fantastic. None of the shiny bells and whistles overlaying the Android 2 OS, just an honest to goodness smartphone OS (that you can customise the hell out of if that is your wont.)

It took me a matter of minutes to have it up and running with my corporate and gmail accounts, all my contacts and calendar were in place quickly and I've not had a single problem with it so far. The battery took a kicking on the first day I had it whilst I played with all the toys but now lasts 2-3 days with moderate use. The only thing that annoys me about the phone is closing programs... The only way I have found to close the browser is to keep pressing the back button until it disappears! But I'm sure if I RTFM I'll figure it out... One day.

Anyways... Motorola Milestone - BIG THUMBS UP!

Airport rethinks strip-scanner for kids

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Pint

@ futumsh

I travel in and out of Moscow every other week and must have been through these machines dozens of times now - and yes, sometimes you do get a hot chick in uniform giving the blurry image of your naked torso the once-over but I've never had one wink at me yet... Unfortunately.

The bit that always makes me laugh though is that as soon as you're through you can turn around and see the screen to watch the next person come through! The image actually isn't that special, I watched my girlfriend walk through behind me and was quite disappointed by the picture.

The thing that I love the most about the machine is the plaque in front of it explaining it is made in Canada and assuring people in both English and Russian that it is completely safe. It's a safe bet that if it was made in Russia nobody would go near it! :)

In defence of the machine and the technology it really does work quickly and queues are never as long as they are in airports with the traditional metal detectors and wandering hands guy. And most of the time the operator looks so disinterested that I doubt they would care even if Cheryl Cole (or the Russian equivalent of female perfection) was mooching through it...

Beer - because I don't like vodka. And vodka really doesn't like me!

Irish politico in Facebook jub-rub outrage

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nice girl

I sent Emma a blatantly unsolicited email asking her to move to England to replace the gibbering idiots we have 'running' (or is that ruining?) the show over here and she sent a very polite response saying she'd love to!

She also said (and I quote) "I really don't know what all the fuss is about, my friend just tripped and fell over my bag which was lying on the ground ;)" So she has the true politicians grasp of how to answer questions honestly...

All true democracies need more people like Miss Kiernan in my opinion. She is friendly, down to earth and obviously in touch with the people around her. (or at least the people around her are clearly in touch with her...)

Makes me wish I was Irish so I could cast my vote!

UK gov unleashes biometric IDs

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Stop

How much??

Seriously now, can someone give us an idea of just how you can spaff 4.6 BILLION on an 'off the shelf' rfid card system? Mastercard style please...

Here's my guess:

Cost of actual cards: 500,000 (we use cards with rfid in and they are about a tenner a pop)

Admin costs: 0.00 (because johnny foreigner has to pay for the privilege)

Printing equipment: 5,000,000 (I'm feeling generous)

Expenses for all MPs involved: 594,500,00

Cost of various commitees and quangos etc: 4,000,000,000

Will the one-eyed idiot please call an election?

Come the revolution.

Parcelforce website cold-shoulders Linux lovers

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would this be the same bunch of idiots...

...who last week managed to lose my passport and blamed it on the snow? And then said that I would have to wait 10 days before I could complain... I think I lasted about 10 seconds before I was on the phone to their complaints department and in the end I had to send a real courier to go and collect the passport from one of their sorting offices. Which was closed. Because of the snow. F**ktards!

Iranian rocket puts satellite into orbit

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re: Frank Bough

Round of applause for Matt Bryant. Well said that man.

Brown's website is Web2.0tastic

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it might be my fault...

I got into the habit of sending one email a day every day to the unelected numpty asking him why he hadn't called an election yet. Never did get a response...

Heathrow T5 security tackles Transformers t-shirt threat

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some people take things too literally...

I have a t-shirt I picked up in the States that says in big yellow letters 'I'm probably lying' on the front. I have worn it twice whilst flying and got pulled aside and rigorously (not vigorously - no lubricants required) searched both times. As I arrived (at Heathrow funnily enough) I put a jumper over the top of it as soon as my bag came off the conveyor as I didn't want to be searched whilst going through the Green Channel with 3000 fags and 2kg of Golden Virginia on me... :)

The New Order: When reading is a crime

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Stop

not wanting to be difficult or anything but...

Claiming it is an abuse of the Anti-Terrorism laws doesn't make sense... Yes, the Police may have made a 'dreadful cock-up' with the original arrest - but as stated they are no longer pursuing that matter. Would people rather the Police had ignored the report and not investigated it at all?

All that has happened here is a immigrant has been found to be 'less than truthful' in their application to stay and is being - and quite rightly so - deported. If only the Home Office acted this quickly with all failed immigration applications!

The economy: A big Arab did it and ran away, claims PM

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economics versus environMentalists

Ok, so Tim Worstall may know his beans when it comes to metals, but he is clearly clueless when it comes to economics and seems to be yet another greeny trying to get everyone wearing hemp clothing and sandals...

Yes, we desperately need to look at alternative fuels to replace our dependancy on fossil fuels, but taxing us to death is not the answwer and Lord knows our unelected 'representative' doesn't need any encouragement there!

We're never going to be able to properly investigate these alternative fuels as long as it is the oil companies doing the 'research' - we all know they will do the bear minimum for PR purposes and mothball the rest. As long as oil is trading at the unsustainably silly prices it currently is then it is these very same oil companies who are reaping the profit (cue Oil companies posting another year of record profits...) whilst Joe tax-paying Public is forced to pick up the never-ending tab.

As a previous poster has already pointed out, it's not just the car-drivers out there that are suffering from this - whole *industries* are folding because of the corporate greed that infests our 'government'. Ultimately, fuel price rises affect the price of EVERYTHING - at some point, no matter what the product is, it is going to be transported - be that by plane, train or truck and if it costs them more to shift it it'll cost us more to buy it. Simple economics.

By the same argument, you could say that lowering the cost of transportation should also lower the cost of the products or services reliant upon them - could we not investigate to see if abolishing the extra tax on fuels could be countered by raising VAT? Before you start yelling hear me out on this one - read the above sentence again - if the prices of products can fall (because they are cheaper to transport) then raising the % of VAT on them could counter that fall so the products remain at the same price but fuel is signicantly cheaper. This means lower bus/train fares - so we could finally look at making Public Transport a viable alternative... It also means that folk living in rural locations, or simply locations that don't have decent public transport (don't know abut your town but in mine the number of bus routes has diminished significantly over the last few years) can afford to travel to work!

Going back to the 'green' aspect of the argument - the only way we can truly go green is if we take a windfall tax from the next oil company to declare ridiculous record profits and channel it to the research organisations that have so far suffered from repeated cut backs under this pathetic 'government' of ours so they can look into viable alternatives to fossil fuels and protect them so they can do so without the risk of the big energy companies buying up the rights to anything they discover and hiding it away until the last drop of oil is burned...

Wow - quite a rant. Sorry! :)

Windows XP SP3 leaps into the tubes

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IE7

I installed this on a freshly built SP2 machine (mainly to save having to wait for all the usual updates and reboots etc.) and found once it was installed I couldn't install IE7. Admittedly I've only tried it on one computer so far but I'm wondering if anyone else has had the same experience?

eBay slams UK.gov touting ban

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Black Helicopters

Priorities...

I agree with Flatspot too - I am also fed up with labour. They need to sort their priorities out - why is it ok for them to legislate on this alleged 'abuse' of consumer rights and yet they refuse point blank to get involved in the phorm debacle - which is a much more real threat and one that will affect a lot more people...

The cynic in me believes that it may be something to do with being able to cream their own information from the phorm harvest to keep an ever closer eye on an increasingly 'untrustworthy' (that should read 'untrusting') populace.