* Posts by Daniel Bower

134 publicly visible posts • joined 3 Jun 2007

Fitbit picks up Pebble, throws Pebble as far as it can into the sea

Daniel Bower

Again, fitbit are not buying Pebble so they are leaving any customers out to dry.

They are buying some software code and some staff to benefit their existing and future customers.

Its pebble management you should have you're beef with not fitbit. They've royally fucked up somewhere.

Shit i know ( note I am a pebble customer) but that's how it is.

Daniel Bower

If fitbit

Can squeeze some pebble notification/ calendar handling goodness into their watches they're on to a winner.

My wife has the Charge 2 and notifications are pretty rudimentary and clunky compared to my Time Steel. Very clunky.

Also the voice recognition on the Time and Time Steel was unbelievable. Very very rarely any errors in what i had dictated. And that was even when driving and talking pretty quickly at near normal conversation speed. The fact it was doing it all ' in watch' is incredibly impressive.

Way better than Google's attempt on Android Wear and Samsung on the Gear range. Now if Samsung would only buy that little bit of ip and incorporate it into my Gear S3 then I'd be very happy.

Daniel Bower

Re: WTF

The new Gear S3 can do 3 days-i know I've for one. It also blows a Pebble out of the water (I had a Time Steel and thought it excellent but it's nowhere close to the S3).

Daniel Bower

Re: No support or warranties?

Yes it's entirely legal as they've only bought some IP and rescued some staff. They haven't bought the company or any attaching liabilities...

Under-fire Apple backs down, crafts new iOS to kill security safeguard

Daniel Bower

Surely this is just the same as 3rd party car repairs

Didn't we have this while thing when motor manufacturers were trying to void warranties for repairs carried out at independent garages?

That was ruled illegal and so should this if Apple hadn't backed down.

No difference at all as far as I can see.

TalkTalk CEO admits security fail, says hacker emailed ransom demand

Daniel Bower

Surely she has to go...

Interviewer: was the data encrypted?

Dildo: honestly? I don't know...

That alone should seal her fate for two reasons:

One for not knowing and two for not categorically being able to say yes.

As to her comment that all companies face these threats day in day out. Yes they do but most, particularly at companies of this size, so so much better at dealing with them...

Chaos at TalkTalk: Data was 'secure', not all encrypted, we took site down, were DDoSed

Daniel Bower

I hope TalkTalk are the subject of the police enquiries

Looking at what has happened here and given that the CEO of a major ISP didn't appear to really know what 'encrypted' even means never mind whether customer data actually was the police should be investigating TalkTalk for criminal negligence.

Dido is trying to make out she (they) are really sorry but these are really nasty criminals when in fact she is clueless about what happened and how. And isn't this the same lady who was nuzzling up to Claire what's her face when all the porn filter stuff was all the news. Christ she can't keep her own company safe online never mind my child. She needs to go - quickly.

It could have been some Jihadists in Russia or it could have been a script kiddy in their bedroom by the looks of things.

Truly disgraceful operation

Microsoft throws crypto foes an untouchable elliptic curveball

Daniel Bower

Re: Yeah but...

Interestingly the guys that developed Enigma knew it breakable they just assumed that no one who's be bothered to actually look together the resources in time try.

Two vital elements they overlooked. The fact that the operators of Enigma were lazy and didn't follow protocol giving the guys and girls at Bletchley Park something to go at and the fact that Britain is (or certainly was) full eccentrics who weighs jump at the chance of cracking something like Enigma in the first place.

Wi-Fi was MEANT to be this way: Antennas and standards, 802.11 style

Daniel Bower

I am a ham radioist

And yes, homeplug is the work of the devil.

Just run an ethernet cable ffs!

73 de Danny 2E0YDB

Apple Watch: We ROUNDUP the ROUNDUPS. Yes, Roundup-squared

Daniel Bower

Re: Wristjob

My wrist jobs only last a few minutes at most so almost a day sounds positively exciting...

Amazon cloud threatens to SMASH the fundamental laws of PHYSICS

Daniel Bower

I see tears ahead...

Unfortunately this is just the sort of thing my mum (for eample) sign up to and not realise that you actually need to back your data up locally as well as 'in the cloud'.

I can see the email now:

Dear Amazon Cloud User

We are terribly sorry but due to a SNAFU at our data centre, all your photos and other precious memories have been deleted.

As per clause blah blah blah we are not responsible in any way for this loss and if you do not have your precious, irreplacable photos and memories backed up else where then tough titties.

However, as a gesture of good will we would like to offer you a free 30 day trial of Amazon Prime.

Love

Jeff

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde: Fun, but not for all

Daniel Bower

Bought a Cat D write off 147

Off eBay three years ago. Did the cam belt as a precaution and it needed new upper wishbones on the front and apart from that she's been faultless.

Coming on for 92k miles and I've done 40k of those and enjoyed them all. Great car.

Would I buy one of these-in a heartbeat...

Pebble: The brilliant stealth wearable Apple's Watch doesn't see coming

Daniel Bower

Re: 4. Doesn't support Windows Phone...

DISCLAIMER: I am a fully paid up WinPho fanboy.

My understanding is that it doesn't support WinPho as MS are a bit funny about releasing certain API's.

There are a couple of apps available that will allow certain features on Pebble but it is a bit limited.

Shame really as I would have one in a heartbeat otherwise...

Google opens Inbox – email for people too thick to handle email

Daniel Bower

But but but

it will email you reminders. Like a calendar then but much less useful like the rest of the offering.

Here's your chance to buy an ancient, working APPLE ONE

Daniel Bower
Coat

Deep pockets

I assume anyone who buys this won't have to worry about it bending if they keep it in their trouser pockets as they will be deep enough to give it a bit of breathing space...

Chap runs Windows 95 on Android Wear

Daniel Bower

the Rockbox MP3 player firmware

Has Doom on it. Playing it on the tiny screen of a SanDisk Clip Zip is actually quite fun in a not fun kind of way.

Runs surprisingly smoothly to be fair...

Nokia Lumia 735: Ignore the selfie hype, it's a grown-up phone

Daniel Bower

My 930 does crash

Far more than any other WinPho I've had (800, 620 and 925 all of which essentially didn't). That said I am always running the very latest dev preview release so to be expected.

Run the stock releases and is as stable as a meditating Buddhist monk and I am still always surprised that out of iOS, Android and WP it is WP that runs brilliantly on everything from the real budget end of the market to the top.

Tempted by a 735 as a backup phone.

Tearful LOHAN Playmonaut bids adiós to Spain

Daniel Bower

Now to enter the US of A in style...

Your team on stand-by need to be suitably clad in cardinal outfits and when they start questioning you, you need to respond by saying 'I was only sent here to bring this spaceship - I wasn't expecting some kind of Spanish Inquisition'

Your suitably clad team can then leap out and much hilarity will ensue*

*Note much hilarity may not actually ensue as US border control don't really have much of a sense of humour.

Good grief! Have you seen BlackBerry's square smartphone?

Daniel Bower

want one

Have no need or use for one but that is one cool phone.

Innovative, has truly original ideas in a market place where true innovation is as rare as rocking horse shit and looks like as functional smart phone as you'll see.

My TIGHT PANTS made my HUGE iPHONE go all BENDY!

Daniel Bower

I'm never afraid that I'll

Bend my Lumia 930 by putting it in my pocket, or by using it as a lever to lift up the washing machine to fish something or from underneath it, or the hammer nails into granite.

Ok we're not exactly comparing size for size but then I'd comfortably engage in some hand to hand combat with a Lumia 1520.

Phones that you can't put in your pocket-pah. Out of interest have they patented the idea?

Bono: Apple will sort out monetising music where the labels failed

Daniel Bower

Never been able to take U2 seriously

Since seeing Bill Bailey. Just get Jingle Bells in my head...

Don't buy that phone! It ATTRACTS CRIMINALS, UK.gov will tell people

Daniel Bower

Surely we need more data...

I may be barking up the wrong tree but surely the theft rate of any given phone is a function of its popularity and nothing to do with desirability.

I very much doubt (unless Ms May and Co have data to the contrary) that your average yoof out on a mugger spree goes up to their unfortunate victim and asks ''scuze me pal - what phone you rockin'?'. 'A Samusng E2600 - you poor old chap that's not even a smart phone. Sorry top trouble you, on your way...'

I know of three people who have been mugged for their phone and the perps simply said 'Give us your phone or we'll knife you'. They find out the quality of the phone after the event.

So, if there are 10m of phone X in use and only 200,000 of phone Y in use then phone X will come out top of the charts so the whole concept is flawed.

It has far more to do with time of day, location etc than type of phone. Complete waste of time...

Stand clear! Will HTC's One act as a defibrillator for Windows Phone?

Daniel Bower

I've said it before...

...and I'll say it again. I actually like WinPho. I have used it since v7 on the Lumia 800 and now have 8.1 dev preview update 1 ona 930.

Fast, smooth, not a resource hog and there are most of the big name apps are now present and correct and the day to day functionality is there as well. A special mention must be made about Cortana. I had a diary note in for a meeting and she (unprompted) popped up advising me based on the current traffic etc I should really be getting my skates on within the next ten minutes and would I like directions as she had them all ready. She is very very slick.

Where the app situation falls down now is not the big names but the 'hobby' apps. I do both astronomy and birding and the app choice for both is very limited compared to the big 2.

That said some of those in the hobby arena are really quite excellent (and I think it is fair to note that an awful lot of the apps on iOS and Android are pretty dreadful too).

Further the tightening integration between phone and PC just makes the overall package more attractive.

If you don't like it then fine but it does not mean someone else is an idiot for having a preference for it just as I do not think those that prefer Android are idiots (Jobsian fanbois on the otherhand - clearly a couple of bites short of a full fruit ;) )

Barnes & Noble: Swallow a Samsung Nook tablet, please ... pretty please

Daniel Bower

eInk for text - always

I can only agree with others - for pure text based reading the Kindle Paperwhite (other e-readers are available) is very very close to reading text printed on paper.

A tablet just is not. Sure for media rich content a tablet is useful but for plain text give me eInk any day. My Kindle is one of the few things that if it broke I would go straight out and buy another one.

PICS: Nokia Lumia 930 – We reveal its ONE unique selling point

Daniel Bower

Re: Sensors

Yes it has BTLE. I don't know if any phone that is Ant+ compatible...

Daniel Bower

I like it

There is said it!. Picked mine up today as an upgrade from the 925 and it irons out the niggles I had with it. Display is bigger but as it more edge to edge the phone isn't that much larger. The weight it's fine and the whole device feels solid.

It had wireless charging built in which accounts for some of the bulk and Nokiasoft have seen fit to include a wireless charging plate in the box.

The screen is unbelievably good. As a semi pro ' tog beyond ale to accurately review and critique photos is important to me and the display is sublime.

WP have the bloat of Android so the Snapdragon 800 runs the show incredibly smoothly. 32gb storage and 2gb of system ram is a healthy step up from the 925 also.

I have been using WP sound the Lumia 800 came out and have been running 8.1 since it was available on dev preview and its impressive to see how the OS has matured over time. It is now supremely useable, stable and slick.

IMHO a great phone and a keeper for the foreseeable future...

Microsoft's Lumia 930... a real HANDFUL

Daniel Bower

Re: Is this the review of a camera or a phone?

Under WinPho 8.1 all settings including wallpaper, tile position and size etc are backed up and restore pretty much ok.

Some third party app settings are saved but developers are now able to access the API's to enable them to do so.

If you move phones upgrade your current one to 8.1, back everything up and then restore on the new phone.

My 930 comes today...

The British are coming! The British are coming! And they're buying Surface fondleslabs

Daniel Bower
Joke

Stories like these

remind me of one of my favourite jokes:

The are two types of statistician in the world - those that extrapolate from incomplete data...

UK internet filtering shouldn't rely on knee tappers, says Tory MP

Daniel Bower

Claire Perry is an idiot...

Why 2014 might just be the year of the Google Chromebook

Daniel Bower

Dear Google

Could I please buy a Chromebook so that you have access to all my documents as well as my emails and entire browsing history so that you can better profile me and serve me up an endless stream of ads that I am still not interested in...

Nope, not for me I am afraid. Call me old fashioned but I like MY documents on MY hard drive thank you very much.

Justice Ministry to spaff £70k finding out how prisoners like to use ILLEGAL mobes

Daniel Bower

They are used for

Drug deals, continuing with their 'business interests' on the outside, porn lines and speaking to family.

Can I have £70k please?

Pervy TOILET CAMERA disguised as 'flash drive' sparks BOMB SCARE on Boeing 767

Daniel Bower

Was it placed there by

2 Bad Mice?

UK.gov's web filtering mission creep: Now it plans to block 'extremist' websites

Daniel Bower

Brilliant

Does that mean the Daily Mail site will finally go?!

US parents proclaim 811 'Messiahs'

Daniel Bower

Oh what I would have paid

To see Prince William, outside of Kensington Palace say, with maybe just a hint of a twinkle in his eye, 'We've decided to call him Adolf'...

Atomic clocks come to your wrist

Daniel Bower

Am I the only one

Who thinks it looks pretty fucking cool?!

I would love one but think the XYL would be very upset with me when I told her how much I had just spent on it...

'200 million' fanbois using iOS 7 just a week after release - study

Daniel Bower

Extrapolation of data

The marketing persons dream way of making numbers seem higher than they actually are...

BAN THIS SICK FILCH: Which? demands end to £1.50-per-min 'help' lines

Daniel Bower

Use the 'international' number

Banks in particular publish a number to call if you need help whilst overseas. This is always a standard 01 or 02 number and invariable connects you to the standard call centre. Just use this instead...

Doctors face tribunal over claims of plagiarism in iPhone app

Daniel Bower

But...

It is not best practice to rip off someone else's work and pass it off as your own to make a commercial gain.

Most scientific papers are supported by quotes and texts by other authors and researchers but tend to be properly referenced.

Facebook strips away a bit more of your privacy – but won't say why

Daniel Bower

Re: Facial Recognition

Can't tag a non-user of facebook - only people in your friends list.

They could post a picture of you and make reference to you in the comments but not tag you

Brazilians tear strip off NSA in wake of Snowden, mull anti-US-spook law

Daniel Bower

Re: hmmmm....

Or a muslamic terrorist - don't forget the mulsamists. They are out to eat your children,,,

BlackBerry pie sliced up: Nuke-plant OS, BBM chat app, etc sale mulled

Daniel Bower

Re: This isn't looking good

Shouldn't be so surprised asdf. Nokia has played a blinder with the 520 and 620. True budget smartphones at the end of the market where price is more important than OS and delivering devices that run the said OS very smoothly indeed and are well put together.

BB just don't have the luxury of being able to deliver devices like that...

Daniel Bower

Shame really

RIM brought choice to the smartphone market and their early devices were truly innovative. Some people still like have an actual real keyboard on a phone that actually works and BB's are still pretty much the only way to go in the respect.

The Playbook with the latest version of the OS is actually a really nice device and would have been a contender if it had been released in this guise and not the initial hobbled version.

Can they do a Nokia and start clawing their way back in to the game? Sadly, probably not I think...

Serves as a warning to all other manufacturers out there (the mighty Apple included) - if you don't innovate and stay fresh you may die.

Roses are #f00, violets are #00f. This witty code is a boffinry breakthrough

Daniel Bower

There are

10 types of people in this world-those that understand binary and those that don't...

Apple kept us waiting while it searched our packages every day, claim shop staff

Daniel Bower

Doing it wrong

Surely if you get caught with a stolen iThing by one of these checks you must have hidden it wrong...

Microsoft extends Windows Phone 8 support through 2015

Daniel Bower

Definitely obsolete?

To say that WinPho 8 devices will be obsolete is perhaps misleading as WinPho 9 (or whatever they call it) may run on existing phones.

WinPho 7 phones can't run WP8 but there was a significant change in specification which may not be the case going forward.

Elon Musk pledges transcontinental car juicers by end of year

Daniel Bower

Where the **** am I going to plug an electric car in where I live?

I live on a dual carriage way and can only park outside my house at certain times of day. I would have to run a cable out of the house and across the pavement and the little scrotes that infest the area would have great fun unplugging every electric car they saw and the little scrotes bigger brother, mums, dads etc who have cars would probably plug theirs in instead and charge them at my expense.

You would then have to deal with the person who 'tripped over' the power lead and was suing you for a broken neck, stress, trauma, depression and the fact they're an idiot.

I would say on balance that more than 50% of the population (I'm talking the UK here) live in properties where it is not feasible to charge an electric car at home (IMHO you need a drive at least or a garage to be able to charge at home reliably and safely).

The future to me is either the hybrid type which uses an engine to recharge the battery or hydrogen if they can ever get it working properly.

Plug in rechargeable cars are a useful stepping stone and have pushed battery technology forward but they are not the future.

Internet cafés declared 'illegal businesses' in Ohio

Daniel Bower

Welcome to

The US of A - the Land of the free (unless it's illegal, which it is. Or will be).

How long will it take Facebook Home to hit 1bn downloads? 76 years

Daniel Bower
Trollface

No FBH on an iPhone

At last there is a compelling reason to buy one...

Ahoy! Google asks US gov't to help sink patent 'privateers'

Daniel Bower

Re: Is there another side?

I think what they mean here is that you must actually use the design you have patented, not use the patent itself.

So, if you design a superdoitallwidget which has some interest tech in there that you've patented you must actually make the superdoitall etc or properly and fairly license the tech you have developed and not just sit of the design and patent hoping that someone will infringe it at some point in the future and sue the ass off them.

If suing people for infringing your payments is how you make all or the majority of your cash then you are a patent troll (OED feel free to use this definition in future editions).

Cheers

Danny B

John Sweeney: Why Church of Scientology's gravest threat is the 'net

Daniel Bower
Joke

Re: Hmmm

Nah, they be cyclepaths...