Posts by Gordon861

Sony closes PC games site over security 'concern'

Got Email Today

I got an email from Sony this morning ...

"We are today advising you that the personal information you provided us in connection with your SOE account may have been stolen in a cyber-attack. Stolen information includes, to the extent you provided it to us, the following: name, address (city, state, zip, country), email address, gender, birthdate, phone number, login name and hashed password. Customers outside the United States should be advised that we further discovered evidence that information from an outdated database from 2007 containing approximately 12,700 non-US customer credit or debit card numbers and expiration dates (but not credit card security codes) – we will be notifying each of those customers promptly."

Oh shit ...

So how can they possibly ever open the system up again?

As soon as they open it up the hackers will probably be trying to us the login details to hijack the accounts.

The only thing they could possibly do would be to send you an email to the listed email address to allow you to change passwords before making the game servers live again, but you can bet the hackers will also be sending out very similar emails in the next few weeks.

So they may have to resort to old style snail-mail to contact all the account holders as this is the only possible way they can guarantee that the right person gets the contact.

I knew SOE/Sony were a shit company after the way they treated us during the SWG NGE mess, but I never knew they would be this bad.

The best sci-fi film never made: Also-rans take a bow

Missed the First Article

But I always thought the World War 2 series by Turtledove would make a great film (or number of films).

Touch Calendar

Another Option

Take a look at Jorte, it does most of the same and it's free!

Duke Nukem Girls give it some on video

NSFW?

I'd hardly call that video 'unsafe', a few suggestive comments and even the digital boobs were pixelated.

The one question it does raise though is if the game has also been sanitized to this level?

Dig deep! Radio asks taxpayers for blank cheque

Drop It

The public has spoken, they don't want DAB, it's old, expensive and doesn't work properly!

Teens who listen to music a lot are at high risk of depression

Dance on a Train

You do get some dancing on the train to music, and it seemed to cheer everyone up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVeqNuHcb-I

PS Who needs a seat when you have a pole?

BBC-led RadioPlayer arrives at last

Delay

Just tried it out, first impressions seems OK.

I compared the feed to SKY (which has a short delay on it) and found that the delay on this is about 15 seconds.

Digital player maker 'incited consumers to break the law', says ASA

Backups

I thought the law was clarified a while back that you were allowed to copy copyrighted works as a backup in case of damage to the original.

Middle England chokes on Nice Baps

Dinaways

There used to be a burger place in Heston, London called Dinaways that was very popular with the late night after pub crowds. The had a couple of car stickers with the slogans "I've gobbled a big one" and "The meat makes you come", which considering that they sold large flame grilled burgers which were the best for miles was perfectly reasonable.

All it took was one person to make a complaint to Hounslow Council and they had to stop using them.

Libya fighting shows just how idiotic the Defence Review was

Typhoon

I did wonder if this was also a chance for the Arab League to see the Typhoons up close in the hope that they might buy some from us, as they are probably the target market for them and the only people with money to spend on them.

UK iPad 2 to cost under £400

Archos

If Archos can get Android 3 onto their latest units(7 & 10) they'll beat the Ipad by at least £100.

Whitehall to puff punters: 'Hide your fags'

Cannabis

Why not license it to be grown at home?

Buy a yearly license that allows you to grow X number of plants(work out how many would supply you for a year) for a year for personal use. License gives the police and authorities the legal right to enter your property at any time to check you growing plants, in the same way as a firearms cert gives them the right to check your locker when they want.

License shops to sell it to over 18's and add a decent tax on it, anyone caught selling illegally gets 5 years inside.

All you need to do is work out the prices and tax levels.

Council busts breast milk ice cream parlour

Employment Opportunities

Perhaps the plan is for this to be the new job given to all the inner city unwed mothers. They can sit around at home with their screaming kids watching TV or playing Xbox whilst being milked to make this ice cream.

As long as the pop out one kid every 18 months they will keep producing milk so they have an excuse now.

Park the Mario Kart, and throw your keys in the bowl

Early April the First?

They have got to be kidding.

Ubisoft site describes it as 'Sexy Party Game' and yet it has a 'Pegi 12' rating.

Grab the popcorn and wait for the Daily Mail and the Tories to see this, this is gonna be fun.

HTC takes a flyer on tablets

Price?

The fact that it is also a mobile phone will mean we are probably looking at £500+ or so.

Also, if you are going to have all the regular mobile phone functions, why no GPS? Would make a sweat in car satnav.

Iranian state telly bins foreign cuisine

Hamburgers?

"an unpatriotic taste for pizza, hamburgers and hot dogs"

HAM ... You sure? I can't really see a country like Iran that is so heavily Muslim exactly taking a liking to pork based products.

After all we all know that the Middle East problems would be solved if they'd all just sit down with a bacon sannie and talk about it. Everything is better with bacon!

Sky loses pub footy case

Wider Implications

I know this result is non-binding right now. But if the final decision is binding what is this going to do to the ruling that the non-UK adult satellite channels cannot be used in the UK?

The law in the UK is already a joke considering that you can view the stuff on the net or buy videos, but you cannot watch it via your satellite dish.

UK tech retailers are rubbish

PVR or DVD Recorder

To be honest I wouldn't be advising someone to by either of these, instead buy a DVD Recorder with a built-in Hard Drive so you have some means to get the files off the machine if you want to keep them.

At least until they bring out a decent priced PVR that will record to a decent compressed (DivX etc) format and comes with a ethernet port so you can pull the files off that way.

Ofcom: T-Mobile probe? Er, not really

T-Mobile Backed Down

T-Mobile Statement:

“On Monday 10 January 2011 we announced that, in line with the rest of the industry, T-Mobile would be reducing its Fair Use Policy for data usage to 500MB a month for all mobile phone customers. Following a further review of our policy, these changes will now be introduced from 1 February, to new and upgrading customers only - not existing customers.

There will be no change to the data packages for existing customers for the duration of their contract and we apologise for any confusion caused. The revision to the Fair Use Policy is designed to ensure an improved quality of service for all mobile internet users."

Lysa Hardy, VP, T-Mobile UK

Information on new data policy:

From 1 February 2011 new and upgrading customers will be given a monthly 500MB data allowance. There will be no charge for those customers exceeding that limit, and those who do will still be able to access important services such as email and web browsing, however file downloading and streaming services will be restricted. Customers will then have the option to increase their monthly Fair Use Policy to 1GB a month by purchasing a Mobile Broadband Booster. This will ensure an improved quality of service for all of our mobile internet users.

Should Help Cancellations

If they change the implimentation date to 1st March that will mean that they are admitting that the change is classed as a change that requires the 30 day notice.

In which case, they leave themselves open to people using that period to get out if they can show that they have been affected detramentally.

The more they wriggle, the more they tie themselves in knots.

T-Mobile Don't Have a Clue

Copy of post made elsewhere for information

-----------------------------------------

Still no notice of changes here.

Just got off the phone with OFCOM and put in my complaint.

OFCOM phone number is : 0300 123 3333 or 020 7981 3040

Call them and tell them why the changes will be of 'material detriment' to you too.

My argument was that as I currently use about 1.2GB of internet per month (which is steadily increasing) my phone will stop accepting data after about 2 weeks into the month, which will basically stop most of it from working. The only way I could continue to have a fully functioning phone would be to sign up to the new booster which gives you a 3GB FUP if you pay £10.64. This would mean an increase in my bill of over 40% which is unacceptable.

As I still haven't been given notice of these changes T-Mobile are also in breach of the OFCOM General Condition 9.3 which requires 30days notice of any change.

OFCOM General Conditions url=http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/telecoms/ga/cvogc300710.pdf]

I also asked about if I am allowed to demand my PAK code and then cancel my Direct Debit in order to stop them taking out the £370 cancellation fee as I feel the fee is in dispute, and was told that I would be within my rights to with hold the monies whilst the dispute is dele with.

When I spoke to T-Mobile cancellations department this morning the guy on the other end had heard nothing about this change and thought I was just 'going from rumors' as an 'Android phone needs much more than 500mb data'. When he spoke to his boss he came back he still couldn't believe it. He also said that the Android phones will be going down to 1.5GB rather than 0.5GB (first time I've heard that one), but I told him that I still wasn't satisfied. He also couldn't supply that in writing, it was just 'what the manager said'.

I was told that if I wanted to complain I should email [e-mail] as they didn't give out a postal address, but Companies House gives you:

T-MOBILE LIMITED

HATFIELD BUSINESS PARK

HERTFORDSHIRE

AL10 9BW

Company No. 04347402

and

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE LIMITED

HATFIELD BUSINESS PARK

HATFIELD

HERTFORDSHIRE

AL10 9BW

Company No. 02382161

OFCOM also suggest that you send in these sort of letters by post (recorded etc) instead of email.

My plan now is to write to them explaining that as the new changes are of 'material detriment' to me I therefore reject these new changes and demand my PAK code by XXXX, or an agreement to maintain my 3GB data limit for the duration of my contract with them.

I wonder if it is also worth adding that if I do need to change suppliers I will be holding them responsible for any increased costs that may be charged until April 2011 (when my contract ends).

Considering that I'm paying T-Mobile £25 per month right now and the 'three' unlimited dataplan is £35, it would only be fair to take T-Mobile to the Small Claims Court for the extra £140.

T-Mobile imposes swingeing cuts on fair use data limits

Latest?

Ok just got off phone with T-Mobile after 50mins.

Phillipines: ALL internet contracts are affected by the new changes from Feb 2011.

Me: OK then I reject the changes to the T&Cs and therefore you leave me no choice but to leave T-Mobile, please give me the PAK code.

Phillipines then put me on hold.

Glasgow: I was told something about this yesturday, let me get the FAQ. Reads through FAQ to me, yes Android Web'n'Walk Plus customers are also included, and it states that customers cannot end their contract due to changes.

Me: UK law says differently and in 2009 OFCOM also found against T-Mobile when they messed with the T&Cs. So I have to request my PAK code then.

Glasgow: I cannot give you the code without generating a charge, I will talk to my manager.

Few minutes later,

Glasgow: My manager has spoken to Technical and they state that Android WnW+ aren't included in the change after all.

Me: Could you (or her) send me an email stating that I can keep my 3gb limit?

He goes back to manager again for a few minutes,

Glasgow: My manager has been told that they cannot send out an email as legal are now looking into sending out some form of clarification about exactly what the changes are. He will call or email me today.

It looks like this change has been rushed through and no one has bothered to spell out clearly who is/isn't affected by it. I cannot faullt the guy at the Glasgow call centre, he was polite and helpful as much as he could be. It's just that the main company seemed to just not bother making it clear what's happening.

On Phone Now

Talking to T-Mobile on phone right now and they say that the 'plus' contracts are affected.

Trying to get code to leave now.

Last Time T-Mobile Changed T&Cs

Just found this post from October 2009 when T-Mobile last played silly buggers with the T&Cs, should be good ammo for this time

http://www.bitterwallet.com/ofcom-back-consumers-right-to-cancel-t-mobile-contract-but-did-t-mobile-contact-you/20352

Get out there and spank T-Mobile!

Not heard yet

I'm on T-Mobile, running a HTC Desire and not been sent the text yet.

I believe that with such a major change to their T&Cs you can just use this opportunity to 'reject the new terms' and take your phone and number to a new provider with zero need to buyout the remainder of the contract.

This is how people got out of the old Screaming.Net and WorldOnline ISP contracts a few years back.

Phone Support

It appears that T-Mobile are being swamped by people complaining about this change. When you phone 150 to get their customer services you get, the T-Mobile jingle followed by "Sorry, we are unable to transfer your call, sending you back to the main menu" which then just repeats until you hang up as it is transferring to itself over and over.

From the T-Mobile forums

http://support.t-mobile.co.uk/discussions/index?page=forums&topic=8010380bff24f8012d6da8429f007d13

http://support.t-mobile.co.uk/discussions/index?page=forums&topic=8010380bff24f8012d6da8429f007cec

Mobile operators handed content billing blueprint

Title

If this happened on mobile ISPs it would only be a matter of time until it ended up on your home internet as well.

But, until all internet providers actually supply you with an accurate way of monitoring your internet use so you can accurately tell how many MB/GB/TB you need each month how can they really blame people for using too much?

Just telling people to download 3rd party apps onto each home PC/Laptop etc just doesn't solve the problems, as these often just record data passing through the network port etc.

MPs shocked at Taser supplier overlap

stuff

I'm suprised they didn't call the new company Tect-Pro.

You will probably find that they have formed a US middle man company to supply the units to the UK company and it'll be owned by the original Pro-Tect owners.

World of Warcraft bot ban ticks off world of critics

What's Next?

I expect the next stage will be a developer asking for a fee to allow modders to continue to modify their titles.

First it'll be the power graphs that tell you how much dps you are doing in real time and tells you what button to press. Then it'll be the ingame maping software that tells you where to find targets/places.

This is only a matter of time.

Judge puts Assange behind bars ahead of extradition hearing

Bail Refused

I doubt he wants to leave the UK anyways, there is probably a reason he wanted to be arrested in the UK rather than elsewhere. We are more likely to let the courts decide to send him abroad rather than let a US snatch squad pick him up.

Alan Sugar's 'cockup braindead in call centre clueless' BT row

BT Coming Back?

From what I heard earlier in the year BT are in the process of moving all their call centres back to the UK due to all the complaints they get about foreign ones.

Everyone from the UK should be telling companies that they are pleased that there call centres are in the UK when they are, and complaining about the fact that they are abroad. This is the only way they will ever bring them back to the UK again.

Who I Am

"After 5 mins told BT bloke on phone who I was" is NOT the same as pulling the "don't you know who I am" line.

If you phoned BT you would also need to tell them who you are otherwise they won't talk to you.

MP wants age verification for net smut

DNS

There is no reason to make things more difficult for every ISP out there, also they would never all be the same or be updated as often.

Why does the charity not just start up it's own DNS and allow any parents that wish to use just connect to that one?

Just setup the Mary Whitehouse DNS and let the Daily Mail readers etc point out what sites should be added to "here be boobs" list and blocked.

Christians vs metalheads in FB flame war

Tolerance?

Dawkins and co don't single out Christianity, instead they are anti anyone that still talks to invisible friends instead of using their brain to realise that none of the 'invisible friends' actually makes any sense.

Cyber cops crush plod-snapper site following Millbank riot

Random Idiot

"it wasn't some random idiot from the street that contact the host"

Correct, it was instead a highly paid idiot that went above his authority by implying that there was no need for him to get a court order to get the site removed.

The MET should have asked for the page to be removed whilst they got a court order to remove the offending post, insted it just seems like it was an excuse to remove an unhelpful site.

Sue the Host?

I hope Fitwatch decide to try and sue the host for acting illegally.

Also if the police don't now try to get every other site that has posted the information closed down it will prove that they were just looking for an excuse to his this site rather than just acting on the evidence of this one post.

Volunteer biker gang foils Westminster CCTV car fleet

Evening Standard

One of our videos got picked up by the Evening Standard today

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23894808-outraged-resident-bags-a-couple-of-parking-cctv-spy-cars.do

Missing the Point

Owen - I think you are missing the point of these cars.

These cars do not detect or stop dangerous actions by any road users, if they did we'd leave them alone. These cars are being used as a more efficent way of collecting parking fines and fines from other ambigous road signs. Westminster Council have a history of issuing tickets even when they know that the ticket is unenforceable if challanged, they ignore government rules/guidance on placement of road signs in the hope that people will be caught out and just pay up.

When the law was changed to allow CCTV enforcement of parking regulations it was done on the understanding tat it was only used where it wasn't safe or practical to do so by a man on foot traditional parking attendent.

Most pedestrians and cyclists don't have a problem with us doing what we are doing in relation to these cars, take a look at a few of the videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuJnIIDqblY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaqPcaneDLw

If these cars were being used to aid Road Safety we would not be doing anything to them but they are in truth just mobile money printers for Westminster.

Re. the Police

We have had a number of discussions with the police about our activities and they are perfectly happy with us following these cars and what we are doing.

This is just another extension of our fight against Westminster Council and will continue, along with our protests every Wednesday at Trafalgar Square. If coming into Westminster on a Wednesday bring a packed lunch, you may be a little while.

Title

These rides started off as a Saturday event and have now expanded to any day people are free. We had a single rider out on Monday who must have saved motorists over £1000 in fines.

There is now a Twitter feed that we update with locations as we find them and people can let us know where the cameras are easily. http://twitter.com/NoToMob

We are also starting to expand operations outside Westminster due to the fact that the Westminster cars have developed a habit of running back to base when we turn up.

Dead baby taunting troll feels wrath of law

Real Life

At the end of the day, don't post anything on the web that you wouldn't do face to face or don't have the bottle to admit to posting to family and work collegues.

If he'd done the same things to these people in person he would also have been locked up, so doing it on the web is no defence.

Power grid scare stories a 'bunch of hooey'

Really?

I thought there was an incident a few years back when the powergrids went screwy due to one part going BANG?

Coalition promises to kill three-quarters of its websites

Closing Museums?

"Maude said that since 11 May, the government had already found another 81 sites - giving a total of 742 websites which are either run directly by the government or run by charities, museums or other bodies with government involvement.

Maude promised an announcement alongside the spending review to cut 75 per cent of these."

Does this mean they will be closing the charities and museums or just stopping them for having websites?

Does it really matter how many sites there are as long as they are being used by the public and kept upto date by the admins?

Cambridge chap's todger topiary gets the chop

Stupid

With incidents like this becoming more common is it any suprise that the Head of the MET wants to make it harder to sue the police?

The idiot that reported this and the cop that threatened to fine him for it both need to get a life.

He should have kept the hedge and refused the fine, then the police would have to drop it or get the CPS to prosecute, which would have been a case worth seeing in the Magistrates court.

Dixons touts tablets

Getting There

I know a few people that have been eyeing the iPad and/or an eBook reader, and keep telling them not to buy anything yet as there is so much stuff coming onto the market in the next month or so.

So far from what I've seen the Archos 70 Internet Tablet looks to be the best hope for price/performance/abilities http://www.archos.com/products/ta/archos_70it/specs.html

Capacitive Screen - yes

Recent OS - yes (Android 2.2)

Fast CPU - yes (1 GHz)

Good Storage - yes (8GB flash or 250GB HD), also micro SD slot

WiFi & Bluetooth - yes

Battery - 10 hrs surfing (will probably be 7 in truth though)

Also has built in webcam.

Just need to see what their service will be like and actually get hands on time messing with one now.

HTC launches Ovi-ogling cloud service

Limited Phones

According to the HTC Sense site it only works on a couple of their very new phones and not most of their range.

McCanns join CEOP quango row

Babysitters

Of course if the McCanns had been using a babysitter, the babysitter would have been prosecuted for neglect when the girl went missing.

Why then, do we hold parents to a lower standard than the minimum wage hired help?

Virgin Media introduces P2P throttling

Throttled

I don't have too much of a problem with throttling during peak hours, I just wish I could get more than a 1.5mb down max on my BT line.

Also any company expecting you to stay within a download limit for a month should supply you with software that will allow you to monitor the stats on your line from their system.

Bill would let feds block pirate websites worldwide

Real Target

I expect the real target will be Wikileaks and so called extremist websites (basically anything considered unamerican)

Trident delay by the Coalition: Cunning plan, or bad idea?

Yes Minster said it best

It's suprising that this clip is still pretty much correct even over 20 years later.

Push the button?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX_d_vMKswE

Pirate Bay beset by tainted ads

Don't Use It

I stopped using the site ages ago due to the number of virus and trojan warnings/infections. Not had any problems since I avoided it.