Posts by wim

Google says desktop PC is three years from 'irrelevance'

because google research != research

title says it all

google research = people looking things up on google.

research = looking and testing and trying to understand

Tesco store bans shopping in pyjamas

Japan too

Happens a lot in Japan too. People wandering the convenience store in their nightwear but not barefooted. Traditional wear for the PJ crowd are crocs.

Best I have ever see was in McDonalds. Two girls between 16-28 (I can't see the difference in age) dressed in Minnie Mouse towels as skirt and a tank top.

The McD was close to the red light district so maybe there girls just popped over during a break in their entertainment schedule.

Red Hat sponsors open source religion

failing

I get the site in Japanese. I guess my tor endpoint is somewhere in Japan and I can't see a way to look at this site in a language I am little better versed in than japanese.

I really wished web site developers /designers /marketeers would give me the choice of language instead of deciding for me.

Steve Wozniak, your time is up

Tip for journalists

If you want someone to disappear you should not write about them.

as simple as that.

Japan falls for the iPhone

somebody else read this wrong ?

I really read

Japan fails for the Iphone.

living in Japan and seeing lots of people abandoning the Iphone ship for some reasons.

Softbank (the carrier) sells a cheap plan where you can talk to other softbank phones for free. But not with Iphone. Iphone to Iphone is free. Non Iphone to non Iphone is free but for non Iphone to Iphone communication you have to pay.

Don't ask why.

AU is offering now a cheaper plan also with free communication between all AU sets always.

The softbank used to be free from 01:00 till 21:00

UK judges reject Lucas' appeal in Star Wars helmet case

license

soon you will buy a license to use a playstation instead of owning it.

Except when it breaks then you magically own it so you have to repair it yourself.

A bit like DVD's: you can not make copies but when your DVD stops working you can not request a replacement.

Lots of companies want to have and eat there cake.

WebGL draft spec brings 3D interweb future one step closer

3d porn

Waiting for the first 3D porn site. That will be the first sign it is a viable technology.

Google expands plan to run own internet

snowcrash

It has been a while since I read snowcrash but google sounds more and more like the media mogul from snowcrash to mo.

probably not a good thing.

Cyborg MIT prof touts iPhone-controlled power-jumping legs

solar hat

I guess you will also be happy to wear a solar hat to power you bionic legs ?

I think that the biggest problem will always be energy storage.

The testers tell him that their limit is because of their real leg and not the bionic one.

Let those testers walk every day and see how long it will take before the limit becomes the bionic leg. For fairness he should also limit the weight of the bionic leg and battery to the weight of a real leg. Otherwise the real leg is actually carrying the power supply for the bionic leg.

I think the advances are great but I am still waiting for some real neuron interface bionic leg before I will consider it an upgrade.

Murdoch admits delays on paywall scheme

quality ?

I wouldn't mind paying for news if there was some quality around.

Lately I noticed that if I have a little bit of knowledge of a subject reported in a newspaper, the newspaper makes very easy to prevent mistakes.

And lets not get started on writing proper sentences or proof reading articles.

At this moment I think aljazeera will become a primary news source for me.

Suzuki unwraps Mini-like plug-in hybrid

@ Grease Monkey

Another reason for the popularity of Kei cars in Japan is the fact that the road tax, insurance and 2 yearly inspection is a lot cheaper than a normal car.

Honda designs mainstream e-bikes

2 wheel drive

I think Ohlins produced a kind of two wheel drive with a hydraulic system to the front wheel that gave about 10% power to the front wheel.

I am sure if you google it you can find it.

It never made it in production not even as aftermarket parts.

test riders were very happy with the result.

I do hope that they make these bikes.

Newspapers here in my nick of the woods (kitakyushu) are delivered by cubs and sadly enough the delivery man of my neighbours newspaper has a noisy cub. I have been thinking for the last 6 months when will they change to electric.

E-Wolf unveils extreme sports e-car

sounds according to speed ?

I would prefer the sound to change according to the speed

something like

0-30km/h silent mode

30-50km/h rally car sound

50-100 km/h F1 sound

100 - top speed jet turbine sound

BOFH: Weapon of choice

outsourcing ?

Is the BOFH outsourcing the task to eliminate the engineers ?

I thought there was mention of a lift and thus lift shaft ?

Japan gets battery swapping electric taxis

taxi drivers are going to hate this OR it will not really work

Around my nick of the woods taxi drivers let their engines idle because they want the airco going.

It is common to see an idling taxi with the driver taking a nap for 30 minutes. I wonder if these electric taxis have airco or not.

Japan fine with cheap old mobile phones, ta very much

Japan phones

Are indeed a step ahead of the rest of the world.

One good example is that every Japanese phone has an address book that will store a picture of your contact. I have been looking for an PC address book that could do that but have not found anything yet except the Mac exclusive picture book.

What is the definition of a smart phone anyway ? A phone you can use for browsing ? Editing documents ?

Seeking web security, exploit operators prefer Firefox

Firefox

Is getting slower every time.

And after updating it informs me that my plugins are not going to work with the new version.

It would have been nice to inform me upfront so I could choose not to update.

ah guess I have to figure out a way to get the old version back on my pc.

Mitsubishi iMiEV five-door e-car

` Tony Smith

Electrical engines also produce heat. Not so much as a IC engine but probably still enough to heat the car.

Brit firm stops anti-tank warheads with cloth

commentators of the reg

I always think it is very funny how some people here are specialists on all subjects (climate change, military kit, politics, and so on) and always question the sanity of everything made, invented, enforced.

I wonder if they also accept the same input from their users if they are administrators. I guess that what an admin does is also pointless and retarded from the point of the average user and I am sure a lot of users think they know everything better than their admins.

Maybe it is time to accept that specialists are specialists and that they probably know more than the average commentor here.

Or maybe we should have reviews and articles who cover all angles of the subject.

I am sure everybody will appreciate a title like: "Brit firm stops anti-tank warheads with cloth that is fire resistant and is applied in such a way that bullets do not tore is completely appart, when the clothed tank is fired upon with a machine gun it is most of the times a good indication that someone slightly hostile is in the vicinity and maybe we should return fire, if only out of decency to reply in the same manner as spoken too (machine gun bullets) and probably fire a round or two in the direction of the machine gun fire to make sure that the person who is firing upon is feels that his actions are fully appreciated."

the rest of the article may read what the appropriate actions are to be taken.

A second thought that may enter the thick head of the tank commander is to retreat, search cover behind buildings or other obstacles and so on and so on.

I am sure that the next time you have to install an upgrade on some user's computer you will all be more than happy to provide every user with all the answers to all their questions in detail.

On the other hand I do realize we are talking here about the government/military who have some track record of doing some stupid things. Think velcro (hook and loop used to keep pockets of military clothing closed. (I hope you can find the mistake in that)

and now let the flaming begin.

Kodak retiring iconic Kodachrome film

@ David W

look here for some cellphone made pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40851237@N00/

here for some Iphone made pictures

http://www.chasejarvis.com/index.php#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=5&a=0&at=0

and here for en explanation why it does not matter what camera you use.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/notcamera.htm

E-bike TT race to include e-cars next year

cooling

Batteries need cooling too

Google Squared - the Cuilest search app ever

pics

could you please post the pics of your queries a bit bigger ?

I have trouble reading the text from the results and also the comments you put in red.

Or am I the only one having this problem ?

thanks

Triangular buttons key to touchscreen typing success - inventor

@@wrong order

The keys were arranged so that the neigbouring keys would be the keys with the least chance to be the next letter in an english word.

This was done because on old typewriters the arms blocked if you pressed neigbouring keys.

this had nothing to do with slowing down typists.

Department of Homeland Security to destroy swine flu victims

islam anyone

So who is in favor of Islam now where they don't eat / keep pigs ?

eBay officially not cheaper than High Street

ebay for locally unavailable goods

I use ebay to purchase goods that "don't exist" in the local chain.

I live in a small city (1 million population) in a fairly developed country (japan) but not a single decent pc store to be found here. Graphics cards are at least 50% more expensive than in US/European shops if you can find something you want.

So for me being able to just look for what I need on ebay without having to deal with sales people in a shop that try to sell you a PXI express card when you ask for AGP is perfect for me.

Of course buying something on ebay is always a risk and it is a fact that ebay will do nothing (except to ignore you) when you have a problem.

ACT backs Microsoft in Brussels' IE legal spat

RE: It's just a typical EC shakedown

I'll name an industry leader

What about TomTom ?

Obama & Gates vs the US military-industrial complex

RE Glen Turner

I thought that Japan was not allowed to buy the F22 from US.

The reason was that the Japanese can not keep the technology secret or something like that.

China will be better to just economically target a country into submission in stead of sending a couple of Mig's.

16 teams to field 24 e-bikes in 'zero-emission' TT race

TT electric race is 1 lap

look at the TT website here for the race calendar

http://www.iomtt.com/TT-2009/Race-Calendar.aspx?event={5106828B-61AA-41FD-B7DD-5B003852389E}

Dungeons & Dragons slays its digital distribution

re Eddie Edwards

Visit Vietnam, Malasya, Thailand and you will see stores full of copied books, Mr-only-in-touch-with-local-reality

Swedish web traffic tumbles as IPRED arrives

@ @ "Andnothingofvaluewaslost."

have a look here and try to understand

http://xkcd.com/552/

Hollywood to totally recall Total Recall

why ? here is why

For everybody asking why they do remakes here are some suggestions.

1 they already "own" the idea so they don't have to pay for an idea anymore.

2 Holywood does not make movies they make a product. That product has to be as marketable as possible. Hollywood will tell you what is good and you will believe it. As a fine example look at dark knight. I admit it is a well executed movie but was it really impossible to have an original idea in the Batman universe ? But now they remaked the first batman so they have a license to remake the rest.

3 Holywood hates risks. They think that because a movie was succesful in the past any remake will automatically successful in the future.

So unless the majority of movie consumers shifts away from remakes and hollywood crap you will keep seeing the same movies again and again. Most people now go to see a movie to spend (waste) some time. they don't go to see movies because they appreciate the beauty of a perfect shot or the challenge of a movie that makes you think about society/morals/whatever.

I sugest you start looking at non US movies. Korean movies for example they are fresh and the directors are not afraid to use shots and ideas hat would be impossible in Hollywood. Have a look at Sex is zero (Korean) The brassiere (Hong Kong), Left turn right turn (or right turn left turn can't be bothered to look it up also Korea). Romantic comedies but so refreshing compared to the hollywood crap as what happens in Vegas. those three movies are also watchable with your girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse.

For a very good martial arts movie look at chocolat (vietnam) amazing fight scenes. I think the movie is about 80-85 percent action. Compare that to most modern fighting movies.

Rant over

end of the line

don't look at Hollywood crap anymore if you want to see some changes.

Pirate Bay supporters ram Swedish IFPI website

@ Fraser

actually there is a lightbulb that will last (almost) forever

it is called the sun

too bad it is burning in the daytime when you have enought light and not at night when it is dark.

Dear Obama: Please consider open-source a waste of your time

cost effective ?

Maybe the government should start working with fixed budgets instead of just using more tax money. If open source is indeed more cost effective than closed source they will have an incentive to consider it. I guess the day a government that doesn't waste tax payers money is the day that linux will be truly desktop ready for everybody.

Mitsubishi to unveil i MiEV Sport Air at Geneva Motor Show

sport ?

80 mph = sport ?

World's smallest working fuel cell developed

back to the future

for el reg

El reg

Three metal hydride canisters each contain 10l of low-pressure hydrogen gas and the design will be available to buy online in April

horizon fuell cell

The H-cell upgrade integration kit comes in an elegant casing and has started first prototype shipments in April 2007.

in my belief it is 2009 and will be available points to the future

so how can something become available in 2007 while we are already in 2009 ?

It would be nice if reporters actually read what is written instead of read what they are thinking.

Microsoft preps IE 8 for the web-challenged

Easy solution

let IE8 disguise itself as FireFox or Opera and then the sites that load different scripts/layouts/css for IE will treat it like a stadards compliant browser.

A bit like now Firefox or Opera has to declare itself IE to access some sites but reverse.

It would be a nice ironic twist to the whole browser war.

'Faith-based' investment firm fingers holiday's most sinful games

why do this ?

If they can't read the ratings what makes you think they can read a whole article ?

I teach elementary grades 3-6 (8year to 12 year) and I have kids mentioning GTA San Andreas from time to time in my class. So that proves the total stupidity of parents because I doubt that the kids earn enough money to buy PS3 games ( I think it was a PS3 game that they mentioned).

Phisher-besieged PayPal sends users faux log-in page

online shopping woes

I used to shop regularly online but I find myself buying less and less for a few simple reasons.

most businesses asume you are a scammer / thief / phisher / whatever instead of a customer.

buying anything online but with a different shipping address than your registred address is becoming more and more difficult. You first have to register the shipping address with your credit card company.

being an international consumer is extra annoying. You can not have a second credit card from a different country for paypal. You have to create an extra account. After I did that I found out that my credit card company does not allow transactions with Paypal. Contacting the credit card company revealed the fact that they did not know what Paypal is and thus can not allow Paypal transactions. Actually I think it was more a case of I can't be bothered so I ll just say it is impossible from the credit card company.

so for the last 2 months I have been eyeing a new laptop I would like to buy and I have tried to jump through all the hoops to get this laptop but yesterday something clicked in my mind and now I think I ll keep working with my crappy laptop for another 3 years. So my consumer confidence is indeed on the lowest point but not because of the economic situation but more because of disappointing customer service. The good thing is that it made me realize I do not actually need all the things I want to buy.

I think it is weird that as a customer you have to almost beg companies to sell you something and then you also have to take all the risks of giving them your credit card information and hoping you did not get phished / scammed in the process

French record labels sue, um, SourceForge

viva minitel

I predict the return of minitel in France.

read about it in the online trivia bazaar here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minitel

It would be nice to just ban all communication. paper can be used to print lyrics and thus infringe on music IP rights. solution: ban paper and you also ban the lawsuits.

Still waiting for the digital revolution.

Microsoft marks Windows' anniversary with Windows 7

the future is old

I mean the future is in the older generations. Microsoft is probably aiming at all those Silver Surfers that have trouble with small icons.

Shuttleworth on Ubuntu: It ain't about the money

full systems ?

I am trying to buy a linux laptop that is not overpriced and with that I mean it has to be at a lower price than a similar windows laptop and that comes with some decent hardware.

but it is still a very tedious project. Maybe Ubuntu could talk to some Asian vendors to release a Ubuntu laptop / desktop ?

I would be willing to pay the same price of a windows laptop if I could get some decent support from Ubuntu with that laptop.

So here I am hoping that some shops will start selling decent linux systems.

Samsung unveils Small, Cheap Computer

SCC in Japan = Windows

All the shops here only sell the windows version

No linux to be found anywhere.

Very annoying.

HMV keeps Warhammer-ers from goblins

system requirements

15 GB of free space ??

I mean isn't that a bit much for 1 game ?

Or am I missing something very important here ?

Japanese call on deities to discipline wayward PCs

Techical Blessings

Can only be done with a cattle prod. And for extra efficiency it is better to target the user. Did I say target I meant of course bless the user with some high voltage insight.

Malicious gossip could cost you your job

full circle time

well if you have been denied a job because of this you can then accuse the interviewer of the place where you wanted to work. This will then go on their record and then they will be out of a job and then they are also unfit to work.

I can see that UK will be needing a lot of immigrants to work with your children in the future. May I suggest some (preferably fanatic) religious workers ? Islamitic, Jewish or Catholic they are all in favour of world peace and understanding as we know. This will lead to the British children to become nicely indoctrinated and then at least you can have Intelligent Design being taught in your schools.

So I guess that in about 40 years Britain will be where it was about 600 Years ago.

Happily living out of Europe and I guess I ll keep moving from country to country every 10 years or so until I found a place with a decent government (mutually exclusive terms sadly enough)

BOFH: Burying the hatchet

Very Weird

I didn't notice I was reading an amanfrommars comment until the 4th paragraph.

@JIM

of course it is spelled homur. Just like it is spelled 3 a day on your pillbox. Three is the number where you have just counted more fingers on your hand than fingers left on the same hand.

fantastic four quote

Flame on

BOFH: Smash + grab

tragic accident ?

I thought it was going to be

there has been a terrible accident

good show made my friday a lot better than it was.

North Americans just don't steal handsets, apparently...

NuLabour

This keeps confusing me. I keep reading it as Nul labour since I'am a Dutch speaker this translates into Zero Labour.

Raptor and Eurofighter go head to head

first time overseas ?

If I am not mistaken I think the Raptor has been stationed in Japan for a while. For training together with the Japanese Airforce.

So unless you don't count the pacific ocean as a sea I guess that it is the first time it was visible in Europe but not out of USA.

yes slightly pedantic but I really wish we could get some press people to try to tell the truth or as much as possible.

Yes, that is slightly naive

Microsoft kicks Ubuntu update in the hardy herons

compelling reason for windows ?

I mean the fact that their update server is more stable than their product ?

So maybe they could use the knowledge gained from the update server to actually improve windows ?

I don't think the fact that the update server is very reliable is going to be a reason to buy their products. I would prefer a reliable product over a reliable fix-it-as-we-go-along product. XP Service Pack 3 anyone ?