Posts by Matt 53

Laptop computers are crap

Re: Wise article

I know what you mean, I have a couple of 3" rigid/bendy USB extension cables on the van from some old USB wifi dongles. After doing some searches the closest thing I can find nowadays is the FlexUSB product for about £8

iPad 3 costs Apple 30% more to make than iPad 2

Apple can afford to

... Sell at next to no profit because it's an entry to the iTunes ecosystem. In a similar way to Kindle, mobile contracts, Sky TV, and maybe even printers and Ink - its about the long term profit.

Do android device manufacturers have this assured revenue stream?

Smartphone owners demand bigger screens

Would love a 9-inch screen personally -

- but in the current handset sizes so I can hold it without looking like a fool. Ain't gonna happen, hence the market for smartphones and tablets

Metro breakdown! Windows 8 UI is little gain for lots of pain

Consistency?

I think all would be well if everything was more consistent.

There's 3 main bits of Windows 8 as far as I'm concerned;

Desktop

Start (metro home)

Apps <-- this needs to be easier to find and access

Have a universal toggle button to switch between modes, keep notifications on screen in the same place all the time (battery, wifi, battery etc) and keep common / open apps in a bar on the screen all the time - regardless of the mode (similar to task bar). Certainly don't hide everything - keep some stuff on the screen and make it consistent.

Unfortunately I think I've just described iOS or MacOS. And I'm not even an Apple fanboi.

Brits forced to join waiting list for iPhone 4S

If you're considering O2...

... just walk into an O2 store and ask. My nearest 2 had plenty of stock - no queues. More options than the web based stock checker suggested. But I conceed that buying an unlocked 4s outright may be more of an issue.

Death of laptop reports greatly exaggerated

I love my iPad

But it doesn't allow me to virus scan external hard disks, download essential programs to a USB stick, or run a full range of techie software. It can't burn isos to CDs. Nor can it run without iTunes on a main computer.

So I still occasionally use my UMPC laptop. For the forseeable future!

O2's southeastern crash caused by 'well-organised theft'

That explains today's problems...

Which in all fairness has only been a major problem for a few minutes on and off.

Don't know if they can explain away 2 years of variable signal and/or full 3G coverage but no data in Herne Bay, though...

Win7 machines harder hit by infection as VXers change tactics

Clickpotato

I find a lot of Clickpotato infections in Windows Downloads folders, on client computers, indicating that people are installing it with programs that they are willingly downloading? This doesn't generally depend on any security exploits (other than evading antivirus detection), just peoples' willingness to install any crap from the Internet.

Perhaps these dodgy adware, toolbars, security scans and browsers that appear with just about every free download should be banned - or at the very least require a tick to opt in, rather than an untick to opt out.

Anti-virus skulduggery - upgrade licence clock shock slammed

I thought it was my imagination

But it seems that if you renew early, or pay before the end of a 'free' trial, you lose that remaining entitlement. Not exactly free or fair, is it?

Airport face-scan gate unilaterally imprisons traveller

ah, working days

That's office working days. Not airport working days.

Apple accused of iPhone ban on 'all single-station radio apps'

LOL

I really hope you meant to put <sarcasm></sarcasm> around that!

Security major strops over MS free scanner auto-downloads

Problem is

Many average users don't actively opt in to Mucrosoft Update. Just installing Live Essentials gets you enrolled. Office shoves it down your throat. Changing a simple setting in WU gets you registered. Other companies don't get that priviledge. Perhaps Apple, Adobe, etc should all have access to the update service? Perhaps MS will be forced to shove an AV choice screen in the faces of EU users, just like Browser Choice (that pisses me off too!). Maybe the AV choice would also remove the icons to your existing AV software just to confuse you!

Google buys app, removes from app store

All your apps

Are belong to us

MS update gives some XP boxes the Blue Screen

4 customers with this so far...

All 4 PCs riddled with viruses, including the virtually undetectable atapi.sys TDSS rootkit and koobface too.

Repair all that with a Live CD / BartPE and the PC boots.

Enough said.

Microsoft erases Windows 8 optimism

Oops, mis-read the opening line

Microsoft has apparently killed a Microsoft employee [for] blog posting...

Not sure that would have surprised me!

Google to mobile industry: ‘F*ck you very much!’

Build up interest...

Get third parties to release Android products and whip up interest, then do it all yourself, Google. Because it worked for 3Dfx with Voodoo 3. Ahem.

Fat Reg slims down for spanking new mobile phone version

Wwaaaaaaaaaaa

I want my comments pages back!

Otherwise, very good.

Whitehall plans 'White Noise' phone network collapse

My money is on

A terrorist attack on the ground and/or comms network, and everyone will assume it's just an exercise until it's too late. Confusion all round. Why on earth are these things announced to the public?

O2 finds new way to bind iPhone users

It was the reason I bought the iPhone

Hmm, of course VM won't be that important if you get a couple of calls a day. I get about 50 every day, of which about a dozen go through to voicemail. Absolutely essential feature if you ask me, I miss too many calls having to log in to normal voicemail and make lists of names and numbers, then log back in to listen again and delete ones I've dealt with! VM became my to-do list!

Well worth the iPhone tarrif, but I still wish I could get it on Simplicity!

Google shuts down bank snafu Gmail account

Who....

... does the innocent gmail user sue when he loses access to all his emails, gets his PCs confiscated, and his business goes down the pan?

iPhone solo loss stares O2 in the face

Good news

Even though i'm an O2 customer, this should be good news. It might mean an end to the extortionate cost of getting an iPhone, and the ability to threaten to leave O2 if they p*** me about.

Microsoft's Windows 7 price gamble - and why it's flawed

Glad that MS takes Apple seriously

Apple may have a small market share, but it has a big impact on Microsoft. I'm a 100% Windows user so I dread to think how much more expensive and less innovative (!!) Win7 would have been without any competition. Thanks, Apple.

BOFH: A spot of bother

Great

There is some truth in this though, i get more calls on a friday pm than any other time. all trivial. or theyve had the problem all week. and they all suddenly NEED it sorted by the weekend. grrr

Windows 7 to push up netbook prices

netbooks

Er.... there is still a point for netbooks if they are as expensive as normal laptops. The size.

As a mobile PC technician I appreciate having a Windows laptop with a keyboad weighing 1kg. And a 6 hour battery life. I really wanted one 5 years ago to slip in my toolbag but they didnt exist!

Yes, netbooks are popular because of the price, but considering that underpowered UMPCs were like £1000++ a couple of years ago it's not surprising that netbooks only recently become popular.

Once the prices of netbook vs notebook level out, it will be more of a choice based on peoples needs, not just their budgets. I think many people will go for a normal size laptop, but not everyone. Let people weigh up the pros and cons and decide if they want a small laptop or not.