Posts by JohnP

Google's email service goes down

Sky users affected too!

Not just Gmail users. All Sky broadband customers will be affected as Sky's e-mail system is part of G-Mail. As of 11.42 am UK time, it is still down.

US mulls clicks for cameraphones

to all

Wthere your ohone allows for the disabling of camera sounds, or displays an LED light when video recording etc, depends on which country it was originally shipped to. Some countries (including some EU ones) already have similiar laws, though they tend to apply to all picture/video taking devices, not just phones.

Start-up promises video-on-phone editing chip

Software solutions

There are already a number of handsets with software based video editing solutions, or downloadable apps. It is not battery life that makes video editing on a mobile so difficult, it is the tiny screen and the UI.

Civil servants' pro-Labour memo reignites child data controversy

How much money do you need to be classed as 'Rich'

By ElFatbob

"Ermmm, no. There is a security get-out clause that allows politicians and rich and famous people to be ommitted. This is in case the fabulously secure system is, errr compromised."

or how well known to be classed as 'Famous'??

Wireless-data LED lamps to replace lightbulbs - US profs

switch off

so you can break the data network by the simple act of switching off a light!

Apple faces iTunes case in Norway

CD is in fact a lossy recording format

"As an aside, CD is in fact a lossy recording format, it's just a high quality one"

Actually no, it is not. CD Audio is uncompressed 16 bit PCM sampled at 44.1khz. It is not 'lossy' in the usual sense of the word.

MP3, AAC, WMA are lossy as they literally throw source data away and rely on the decoder to replace it. FLAC is not lossy (Free Lossless Audio Codec).

Propietary format, Propietary player

"I demand my VHS tapes can be played on my DVD player, my Beta tapes on my washing machine and my DVD disks on my toaster.

I can't play CDs in my tape deck.

Or DVD's in my toaster

What are you people smoking? That isn't the argument. If the CD was made by philips wouldn't you expect the same cd to play in a sony player? Same thing goes for the DVD.

The argument is the same format should be able to play on any equipment made by an different manufacturer."

But the format is propietary. Apple may use the 'standard' AAC audio codec, but then make it propietary by adding their own DRM.

So, propietary format, propietary player. Seems fair enough to me.

I don't consider myself a supporter of DRM protected digital content by any means, but I don't see why Apple should be prohibited by law from selling propietary content for their propietary player. Whats next, X-box games MUST be playable on a PS3 or PC!

Googlephone unworthy of Satan tag

No Video

What, No video recording or playback (except YouTube). Does that mean no MMS either? (Same as iPhone)

Probably because they refuse to pay the royalties required by the Mpeg-LA!

Google admits Android App Store Market

So this is one way Google will make money rom Android

Title says it all!

Ofcom considers termination charges

You already pay to receive calls

whilst roaming abroad anyway.

The caller pays for the local leg, the receiver pays for the international leg. So if you have a UK regsitered phone and travel to France, the person calling your UK number pays UK rates, you pay the rest!

Anyway, this could work, if it was optional.

Want lower calling charges, then pay to make AND receive calls.

Don't want to pay to receive calls, then pay more to make them.

The choice is yours

E-voting outfit confesses vote-dropping software bug

Write Once Media

By erasing the card you are erasing the original record, so a recount or any kind of validation of results at a later date is impossible. Why not use write once media (CDR?), with a unique serial number on each disk. The media could be securely stored for recount purposes once the votes have been counted. Also, using two vote counting systems, from different suppliers, would validate the result.

Seems easy and sensible to me.

Never delete the input records.

A quarter of UK adults to go on child protection database

Volunteering not affected??

My wife is 'Akela' (leader) of a local Cub Scout group (8-11 years). She has one regular assistant and up to 30 kids. All parents of kids wishing to attend the group must agree to help out at one of the meetings every couple of months to ensure that the Adults to kids ratio is sensible and also that it meets legal requirements. This proposal would mean that parents of all kids wishing to join the Cub Scout group would have to be vetted and pay £65 for the process.

How many parents will refuse to do this and deprive their kids of the benefits the scouting organisation provides. I don't know the answer but I am sure it will be some, possibly many. And it is the kids that will miss out because of this ill-conceived idea.

Gordon Brown claims a Brit invented the iPod

@davefb - Symbian

"Symbian phones ( which use an OS initially developed in the uk)"

and still is developed mostly in the UK I hasten to add (and no, I don't work for Symbian).