Posts by KTM Gordo

Apple reveals bare bones iPod touch

Redundancy

"leave readers in The Reg's home nation a little miffed"

Just as you do by using the peculiarly redundant phrases "price point" and "rear (or front) facing".

Unless you're paid by the word, "price" and "rear (or front)" work just fine.

Hey, O2 punters: Kiss goodbye to 4 MEELLION* Openzone hotspots

Hotspot? Lukewarm at best...

It doesn't seem to matter who operates any given 'hotspot': the chances of it working correctly are slim. As an O2 customer (not 02 - no idea who they are) I gave using The Cloud or BT Openzone hotspots long ago as invariably whilst it was possible to connect to the network, routing seldom materialised.

O2 hotspots seems better than most, but there's still no guarantee that they'll work.

And has others have said, finding a BT Openzone hotspot that allowed O2 users to use it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Borked your iDevice? Pay EVEN MORE to have it fixed by Applecare

I think this could be both good and bad depending on the circumstances. At the moment, if your battery fails you get an all-new case on your refurbished phone for the battery service fee: if they just replace the battery you won't get that.

On the other hand, if you drop your phone and smash the screen, then is the cost of a replacement screen going to be less than the former replacement price?

...and a note for Ian 62: "A the old shop" doesn't make sense - ye is an alternative spelling of the, and the 'e' on the other words is silent. Perhaps you meant "Ahh, the old shop..."?

Review: BlackBerry Q10

Re: Qwerty

The problem with the track pad on my last BB was that it was infuriatingly erratic, and moving the cursor with any precision was almost impossible. And yes, I did turn down the sensitivity (with only marginal improvement).

It's good to see BB having another stab at it, but relying on keyboard shortcuts reminiscent of an early 90's mobile phone seems somewhat... well... archaic.

I wonder if the new phone is shock / impact proof... My BB Bold came close to taking innumerable flying lessons through sheer frustration at its general inability to function satisfactorily in any regard.

…and a message to Blackberry: pulling the battery out should not form part of the normal user instructions. What's wrong with a proper 'on/off' key?

Virgin Media TV Powered by TiVo

Lost Simplicity

I had a Virgin TiVo for about a week before I handed it back. As an original TiVo customer I loved the simplicity, the crispness and easy of use of the original. The Virgin version is cluttered, confusing and displays random behavior that's just baffling.

Go in to the TV guide, and it won't start from the channel you're already on (it doesn't overlay like the original) but from random selection of channels.

If you have a Virgin TiVo you'll have the top package of channels, so to filter out the rubbish you can set favourites - which the TiVo will ignore and insist on showing you the whole list unless you select to view your favourites every single time you go in to the guide.

Watching back a programme and once it's finished the display will freeze. Or lose the sound. Or decide that BBC1 HD is an adult channel and demand your password.

If Virgin brought back the original interface, especially the wonderful EPG, remembered the channel you're on, remembered your preferences and generally got the software working it might be worth the £45 a month Virgin want for it.

Train rebrand costs us dear

Erratum

I think you've got a bit carried away - the rolling stock hasn't been repainted by East Coast, and if it had, £250,000 is very little for a lot of paint (the article you link to doesn't mention repainting either).

As someone who travels daily through Kings Cross, where EC trains arrive in London, I can confirm that the re-branding has been minimal and mostly consists of purple EC logos stuck over the National Express (which was stuck over the GNER) lettering.

When it comes to the web site, I'd much prefer it was done properly with correct security certificates etc. than done on the cheap with mis-matched security details and other bugs that could mean my ticket to Leeds is accompanied by a reserved seat to Darlington and I've been charged for a ticket to Inverness.

Street View plays spot the army numberplate

Squares

It seems as though it might be an issue with square registration plates. Or perhaps it's Land Rovers: My Land Rover's plate hasn't been blurred in the (rather nice, and better than the estate agent's effort) photo of my house.

Not that I'm unduly bothered - it's already on public display wherever I park it.

Sony Ericsson suspends Satio sales

Down to the usual standards

Sony-Ericsson seem to have serious product quality issues, and have done for some time. I used to have a P900 then a P910 smart-phone and both of them had the same silly, annoying fault that meant taking it to a phone shop to have it reset several times a week. I was given the P910 to replace the P900 because of the fault...

SE blamed the network; the network blamed SE - either way, I won't be buying SE again.

iPhone app grabs your mobile number

English as she is spoke

I think they word they meant to use in the example shown is "captured" or possible "caught".

Virgin Media in 'which Whitchurch' whoopsie

Some things never change

Five or so years ago, when I was a Blueyonder customer in Gloucester, I was asked by a technical support chap if that was "Gloucester in London". I'd already given them my GL postcode so presumably he could see my full address...

I know some people are not familar with the world outside the M25, but I can't find the London Borough of Gloucester anywhere.