Posts by goldcd

iPhones clock-blocked and crocked by setting date to Jan 1, 1970

Yes, that's pretty much it.

It's a petty jab at Apple, but then as I'm reasonably sure somebody should have tested that it's impossible to brick a phone by entering anything into the settings menu, there's some justification for the ridicule.

Avast forked up its Chrome fork, so flings fix after Google goggles

Not so much laziness

Just google puts their patch into Chrome and then somebody else has to take that patch and merge it into their fork. Now maybe you could set it up so both branches get the patch simultaneously, but a pain to manage.

Being a "little bit" behind on your version wouldn't be too bad - except when Google announce they've applied a security fix and everybody in Chrome is now safe, it's not the hardest thing in the world to identify where they've applied their fix, and then wander off to see if any popular-ish browsers based on Chromium haven't got theirs yet.

Lawyers cast fishing nets in class-action Seagate seas

Ambulance chasing yes - but...

Seagate is the only drive company I will never ever buy from again.

Bit sad, as back in the day they were my reliable go-to.

Samsung trolls Google, adds adblockers to phones

I have no issue with "ads"

I've clicked on many adverts that've been creepily targeted towards stuff I might like.

I like free content, I like buying stuff, adverts are fine.

What I f'in hate are adverts I have no interest in completely screwing up my consumption of content.

So, I welcome with open arms the feature of most ad-blockers to "allow unobtrusive ads", and check that damn box on my PC.

Google rose supreme amongst search engines by pandering to my needs.

When I use my phone to browse without a blocker, it's an f'in disaster in comparison.

I get the feeling that Google isn't quite sure what to do on mobile.

They *could* implement objectionable-advert rules on mobile Android, but then the industry would rise up and accuse google of blocking anything that wasn't their advert, and they'd get raked over the coals.

Best solution for google and myself, is just for advert types to be classified.

1) No Pop-ups.

2) No adverts that auto-play video, that's not in response to wanting to watch a video.

3) No video adverts that can't be simply skipped after maybe 10 seconds.

4) No advert that mentions "secret" or "don't want you to know"

Basically, I think google's adverts they've had for the last decade or so are fine, and why we don't loathe google.

Make those rules a formal standard.

Allow anything that breaks that standard "shootable on sight" by all.

Rooting your Android phone? Google’s rumbled you again

I've used similar

but prefer the "landlord" analogy.

Yes, it's your phone. You have rights - but...the landlord can always get access and you're not allowed to paint all the rooms black, whilst smoking crack.

Now you probably don't have the narcotic/decorating urge - up until somebody tells you you can't. Then you get pissed off.

On the flip side you could root your phone/buy your house and do whatever the hell you damn well please - but you've forfeited the right to demand somebody else fixes the heating when it packs up/install google's new pay app.

Defending the poor google underdo seems a bit strange, but I can't help feel that they'd like as many people as possible to use their app, and if they block people from doing so, they've probably got a carefully cost-analyzed reason.

Don't like it? Don't root, or write your own pay app.

App for homeless says walking on water is the way to reach services

I suspect the 'strange' results

are simply due to a desire to cut down on "You're screwed" results.

We can mock the 'silly' results, but does at least mask the depressingly obvious.

Seagate’s triple whammy: Disk numbers, costs, and flash

There is money to be made.

Just not by Seagate.

Pretty much any modern laptop has an SSD whether discrete or soldered onto the motherboard. Most people simply don't want those big, slow, spinny things (or need them).

I'm an exception with the 4 spinny things I have as a media RAID, but even I "the exception" went with WD after one too many Seagate turkeys.

On my next upgrade cycle that storage is going to be all punted into the cloud (although I said that last time and then chickened out).

Israeli drones and jet signals slurped by UK and US SIGINT teams

Loathe to say this, but 'agencies' should follow good project governance.

If you're going to come up with snappy project names, they should also have stuff like "success criteria"

Define what winning the "war on terror" actually would be, come up with a plan and mark the results of your actions against that criteria.

The bit that makes me cynical, is that if any effort was successful, then it would be surplus to requirements and wound up - and I can't help feeling that's not what those involved want.

Shit, I know my ideal project would be one that runs forever, continually gets more important with more money fed in and never ends.

Best solution I can come up with is to incentivize people to want to wrap up the project and the renounce the monthly pay-cheque. Solve the problem, don't oversee it.

Sainsbury's Bank web pages stuck on crappy 20th century crypto

No shortage of other similar examples

My phone's with Three, and Chrome bluntly refuses to allow me to login.

They also score an F on the SSL Server Test.

I've been bitten by changes, missed patches etc before - but their site's been like it for months.

Forget the drones, Amazon preps its own cargo container ship operation out of China

Good.

(as a consumer)

I occasionally buy something from a no-name Chinese company, via Amazon, based solely upon reviews.

"Anker" is a great example. No idea where it comes from, who owns it, why it exists - but I know the 3 or 4 things I've bought with that label on them have been faultless and incredible value.

There's no wanky "Designed in the USA" label on them - they're designed in China, made in China and deserve to be bought by the world.

Amazon's own brand was the start - I've got a few amazon batteries, amazon HDMI cables and all manner of what I considered to be 'commodity goods'. I was reassured by the amazon brand and amazon ensured whatever OEM they selected made something good.

Next step is surely taking a Chinese brand like Anker and pushing it in bulk. Anker doesn't need to create an expensive UK marketing operation to penetrate the west, one suburban Curry's store at a time.

Amazon has the reach. Amazon has the ability to identify something we're happy with in our tens-of-thousands. If Amazon agrees to shift this item by million, then both sides wins.

Or looking at it another way, currently amazon offers a bazillion different "Li-Ion battery packs that can charge a device over USB".

Assume amazon makes a fixed percentage of sale price on whatever you buy - it makes sense for them to reduce the selection, and reduce the selection to high-quality items.

Trend Micro AV gave any website command-line access to Windows PCs

Good point - but not really the point

I'm sure OSX will let you install Trend (or anything else), prompt you for admin privs and will deploy itself in a beautifully organized fashion.

If the thing you've just given admin privs to then happily allows itself to execute anything it finds on the web as admin - well you're just as equally f'd.

Nvidia GPUs give smut viewed incognito a second coming

Same can be see with other software

If I play Rocket League, the last photo I've viewed flashes up on the screen immediately before the Rocket League splash screen. Can't swear to it, but think I'm using the Picassa photo viewer.

Very strange the first time it happened. Only comes up for less than a second and thought I was seeing things.

Smartphone hard, dudes, like it’s the end of the world!

I did try to look on Google

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/test-centre/mobile-phone/12-cheapest-smartphones-2015-uk-best-android-windows-phone-under-50-may-3600474/

There's about 6 that fit the bill there alone - but unfortunately they all seem to come in way under the £65 mark.

Swiss try to wind up Apple with $25k dumb-watch

Oof.

Yes, you're right - but then you could say the same thing about so much other stuff.

There is something special about watches. Should you have Netflix to hand have a look at "The Watchmaker's apprentice". They might be worn by the status-hungry, but the watches themselves are stunning.

The designer of the IBM ThinkPad has died

I used to agree with you

but track pads with added size and all those multi-touch and gestures are better - apart from when I'm editing text. Nipple is much less intrusive and you almost learn to knock the sides of it, as if you were trying to knock the cursor about.

I can't be the only one to think this, as nipples are now pretty much only available on business laptops. Having both is best of both worlds. My only concern when we switched from Lenovo to HP for latest round of laptops, was whether I'd get my nipple.

Re: Lenovo's latest ThinkPad design did him in. :-)

Might not take *that* long

http://blog.lenovo.com/en/blog/retro-thinkpad-time-machine/

The new Huawei is the world's fastest phone

typo

"which is complaint with the Qualcomm standard"

Actually I quite like this phrase, shall reuse it in scenarios where items notionally compliant to a standard re-use to play ball.

Got a pricey gaming desktop from PC World for Xmas? Check the graphics specs

Their prices aren't actually that bad any more.

Currently typing this on the lovely mechanical keyboard they sold me. They had the cheapest price out there, and picked it up as I walked by the store the next day saving me any delivery costs.

Bought the missus a shiney-shiney new laptop, again cheaper than anybody else out there and had it in my mits within 30 minutes of online price research being concluded.

Of course if you're just wandering in to grab a generic lead, they're going to bleed you dry, but they're pretty competitive on the expensive stuff (both in range and price).

If you want to find a target for you bile, Maplin.

US government pushing again on encryption bypass

Would you give the government keys to your home?

Make it mandatory, or allow them to break down any door they couldn't open?

Motorola’s X Force awakens a seemingly ‘shatterproof’ future

Best so far

BUT as mentioned in the review, I need decent, front-facing, stereo speakers.

I didn't use to. I never thought about speakers. Then I got an HTC..

However it's as close as damn-it to my perfect phone, so maybe I could overlook the speakers..

Re: Broken iphone screens...

Yep.

After all manner of increasingly expensive layered plastic films over the last decade - picked up a toughened glass thingie and was blown away.

Looks better, much easier to fit, feels silky smooth under your finger - and when I did manage to acrobatically pull my phone out of my pocket, hurl it at a wall and watch it crash to the ground - protector was broken, but screen beneath was fine.

British woman loses £1.6 million to romance scam love rats

"she had two people"?

I'm assuming she does at least get excused the "two-timing love-rat" label

VW's Audi suspends two engineers in air pollution cheatware probe

I think of this more as a sweet retirement opportunity.

<I'm Spartacus>

I did it, it was all me, can I please be showered with cash to legally prevent me ever opening my mouth?</I'm...>

Mobe-maker OnePlus 'fesses up to flouting USB-C spec

Maybe true

But a bit harsh. Can't say I noticed an outcry when the cables came out, but having had it pointed out to them they weren't up to spec, they seem to have done the right thing.

Suck it, Elon – Jeff Bezos' New Shepard space rocket blasts off, lands in one piece

Re: Nouveau riche?

Turnpikes, railroads, air-travel, phone lines, electricity, emergency services, blah blah

Fifth arrest in TalkTalk hacking probe: Now Plod cuff chap in Wales

TalkTalk must be praying

that there was at least one adult involved..

Apple's Watch charging pad proves Cupertino still screwing buyers

Re: This kind of crap is why I won't buy Apple products....

That's an ugly socket, but the important point is that it's backwardly compatible with your old micro-USB stuff. Basically two sockets side by side (nowhere near as big as the original ipod one though).

Shortly to be replaced with USB-C on pretty much every new phone that isn't made by Apple though. Small, reversible and all that good stuff

Nano-NAS market dives into the cloud

Re: "sharing files is arguably easier in a cloud service than on the LAN"

I agree - partially.

I've got Tb of media nicely sat on a RAID at home. Works well within the home, and should I wish to access it from outside, I can VPN back in.

VPNing back in doesn't offer great upstream performance, when I'm lying on a hotel bed on the other side of the planet, and and fancy watching a 1080p film. Much better performance from a cloud provider.

Ideally I'd have my primary storage at home, with a continuous little trickle of data to keep a cloud image in sync.

TalkTalk offers customer £30.20 'final settlement' after crims nick £3,500

If we're lowering ourselves to personal insults

I'm reasonably sure Dido is a mirrored Martin Freeman, with some earrings.

e.g.

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/fargo/images/7/74/Martin-Freeman.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140226230335

MacBooks are so hot right now. And so is Mac OS X malware

Yep

Never got the pox on my PCW

PC sales will rise again, predicts Intel, but tablets are toast

I disagree - google has to make money.

I quite like the way they did it, with efficiency. Nobody wants to see giant, intrusive adverts for stuff they have no intention of buying. You have making it go away, advertiser is completely wasting their money.

Google simply stepped in, created a far more attractive advert, and put things on it I might vaguely want to buy.

Maybe you'd prefer all sites had subscriptions - but reality is that internet we know today is supported by advertising. I don't mind Google's adverts (that much).

E-mail crypto is as usable as it ever was, say boffins

Agreed

When it started, everything was designed for the computer literate citizens.

Over time though, people made it easier to get access and use it - and companies who facilitated this made out like bandits.

Security hasn't progressed. Why? Well because there simply isn't the demand for it.

Issue isn't that people can't use PGP keys - it's people don't know they want to use them. If there was a clamour for security tools, somebody would be selling them. My guess is that they'd be bundled in with your "internet security suite" you bought for silly money, from PC World.

HTC's new One A9 will gulp Android updates days after Nexus mobes

and an ugly one

at that

The antenna lines

are from the original HTC One.

The rose gold - oh yes, that's iPhone.

Cameras on HTC are a mixed bag. I loved the original HTC One M7. Only 4MP, but massive sensor (it had a snappy name) and optical stabilization. Could take pretty good photos in virtually no light.

Then on the M8 they took away the OIS and added that rather stupid duo camera. Then on the M9 they slapped on a generic high MP sensor... god knows what downgrade I can expect to get on my next one :(

Bosch, you suck! Dyson says VW pal cheated in vacuum cleaner tests

Yes

All really depends on the test methodology though. If it's representative of cleaning your house, then it's a good feature. If in the real world the sensor is always triggered and vacuum runs at full power always, then it's a test dodge.

However as I can see a real world scenario where you push your vacuum over something that isn't dusty..

Accidental homicide: how VoLTE kills old style call accounting

Indeed

"Better, in the long run, to sell data pipes to mobile users and bid a fond farewell to the old model." - which I suspect is pretty much what we all want anyway.

Resistance comes from within the older telcos. There are a lot of people whose jobs depend on the complexity that's built up. Should their employer just decide to:

1) Build a network

2) Solely sell flat-rate dumb data-pipes to this network

A lot of people are unemployed.

Mobiles companies are terrified about becoming these dumb-pipes - hence all these weird pay-by-bonk apps that as you travel loads seem to be pushing (despite nobody wanting/asking for them).

Fortunately it's inevitable. Hurrah.

BBC shuts off iPlayer to UK VPNs, cutting access to overseas fans

Re: Foot, meet high kinetic energy lead dispensing device

OP was sort of right.

My understanding is a while back BBC shows just played whatever music they felt like and didn't care about the licensing - "they were covered".

Then when they realized they could sell stuff abroad, they had to then buy a proper license for the music they'd used. If that couldn't be secured, then music had to be replaced/removed.

The licenses are usually for x years in y territory. So, you can still have problems if say 1 the 10 tracks you used expires after 5 rather than 10 years in the US, the whole program could only be sold in the US for 5 years, despite 9/10ths being fine for another 5.

Many people make their living from messing around with this stuff.

GCHQ to pore over blueprints of Chinese built Brit nuke plants

Hold on

If we've got the expertise to understand, review and spot flaws in this stuff - why do we need the Chinese in the first place?

BlackBerry opens its Priv kimono just a little wider

It is

just not in stock Android.

Coming in next one, but already there if you install Cyanogen. Can look at permissions app ask for, then accept/deny each one. Or ask for notification to allow. Oh, and can see how many times the app has asked - basically as granular as you'd like.

I think some vendors also have this in their builds. Sony?

Kidnapped IT bod Peter Moore: My journey to Iraq began in Guyana

Re: Been back home recently?

Duly Notes "No, similar schemes are also in operation at Newquay Cornwall Airport and Durham Tees Valley Airport."

So, that's 3 off my list.

Surface Book: Microsoft to turn unsuccessful tab into unsuccessful laptop

RAH!

Can I afford it - no.

But lovely to see something novvel and good out there.

More importantly that announcement came with the sound of a gauntlet slamming onto the floor.

If you prefer the Apple ecosystem that's fine, this isn't for you. If you've bleated that you went with Apple as you didn't mind paying a bit more for a premium product (and my employer seems to have a few higher-management-tools who are running corporate Windows 7 on spendy Apple kit) - think again.

Original surface impressed me, but deep down I knew a keyboard cover would never work however lovely it was. The rest of the surface - well maybe I could finally see hitting your fingers on a screen wasn't entirely pointless. This - I could actually do my job with.

Sure I'm in a minority here, actually having liked Windows since it came into existence. Maybe coloured by my parallel game playing throughout - but let me have my moment of oft-denied-fanboy-pride.

My greatest satisfaction is this coming so closely after the iPad Pro...

Please let MS capture the aspirational-wanker crown, before Apple even has a chance to sniff it.

Apple gobbles Brit AI outfit VocalIQ

Meh?

I'm no Apple fan, but having already got a working product out there that people like - seems to be a good sign that they're mopping up intellect to make it better.

AF-FIR-MAT-IVE: Second suspension for robot-voice helldesker

'professional'

Normally is used purely in the context of responding to the idiotic.

Don't mention, put up with it, overcome it - professional.

Anything else from pointing out the ridiculousness of the request through to failing to deliver on the impossible - unprofessional.

Adblock farms out acceptable ad policy to independent reviewer

I use Adblock (without the plus)

https://getadblock.com/

On chrome at least seems the most popular, works faultlessly. *shrugs*

The last post: Building your own mail server, Part 3

Me Too

Happen to lease a windows based server and after a few abortive attempts with alternatives, have been very happy with this, for what must be getting on for a decade.

Nice little GUI gives you pretty immediate access to whatever you might need, and back end is a MySQL db, so when I did have a "catastrophic server failure" (some numpty trashed my live server), was re-buildable from the bits I'd backed up remotely.

PETA monkey selfie lawsuit threatens wildlife photography, warns snapper at heart of row

Speed Cameras?

As I've triggered the camera, I own the image - and my intent it to withhold usage of my image from the Police (or could cop to the SP30 and then sue them for copyright infringement)..

iOS 9 update set to bork 'hundreds of thousands of EU businesses'

BT itself works well

but I'm unaware of any OS that properly handles connected devices.

e.g. just been back from a trip and my clock radio in my hotel let me connect to it and stream audio. Quite nice to be able to listen to my music in my room through a decent speaker.

Problem was that if I ambled into my room using earphones, my (Android) phone sees the speaker and then immediately switches from my earphones to the clock-radio.

Only way I found of stopping this, was to de-pair the radio.

Couldn't see any option of actually allowing me to control the audio output of my phone to over-ride the 'speakers'

Not an issue with BT, but the piss-poor control my phone gives me. I know it's a bit easier on my PC, it detects BT speakers as a potential output source I can keep connected, and I have a little switcher app that sits in the tray that lets me flick between my 2 soundcards (and various outputs on each) and my mobo bluetooth and whatever that's connected to... but even that's not 'good'

Maybe iOS is better as I'm not massively familar with it, but all a bit of a mess.

11 MILLION VW cars used Dieselgate cheatware – what the clutch, Volkswagen?

Re: Vorsprung durch software

I believe the "test mode" was triggered by the steering-column not being moved.

Which whilst I applaud them for their sensor identification pretty much excludes there being any defense of this "all being a bit of a misunderstanding and a careless decision of an easily fired engine-engineer"

I thought the difference

was simply that the US regulations were an order of magnitude stricter in US, compared to Europe

(and yes this does strike me as slightly odd, based on the US normally not giving a toss and us being a nanny/protective-continent (select as you see fit)).

This is what kicked off this whole thing, when Europeans wondered why they couldn't have these wonderfully efficient versions of cars that were being made available in the US.

It's nothing to do with children

See also large quantities of the internet being devoted to physically assaulting the middle management of established churches.