Posts by squilookle

Smartphones rocket past consoles for mobile game sales

Convenience, surely

Folk have phones that can play these games, because they buy the phones anyway. Then the games are one or two taps away in the respective App store/Market.

I don't believe this market will die off any time soon, but I believe the novelty will wear off and the numbers being sold will decline.

As for any declines in Nintendo/PSP game sales, I doubt mobile games are the main cause. I haven't bought a 3DS because there aren't really any games for it that appeal to me, I'm blind in one eye (making the key feature worthless to me), and the battery life isn't good enough. I'm sure two of those three things have prevented a lot of people buying 3ds games, as well as general hard times.

Why GNOME refugees love Xfce

KDE is great. It was the first DE I used (I hated Gnome 1) and I always enjoyed using it. The only issue is that, aside from Amarok and the KDE disk burner, all the apps I preferred were GTK and I sometimes found they didn't fit into with the desktop quite as nicely as I would like them to. More of an issue with some distros than others though.

Mozilla updates to Firefox 8, disables add-ons

I got a dialogue box where I had to check the add ons I wanted to enable, I liked that, that's fine. I didn't really look at anything else but I really don't want Twitter support. The browser already has enough Twitter support as it can navigate to the Twitter website... that works fine.

If they could just concentrate on making the browser faster, lighter, improving support for future version of html and css, I would be perfectly happy. I'm currently using Chrome as my main browser, but see no need to pledge allegiance to and be tied to one browser, so I use FF occasionally.

Natwest net and phone banking goes titsup

That will be why they are queueing out the door of the local branch then. Couldn't happen to a nicer bank.

Sonic Generations

@Ragarath I thought the 3d areas of Sonic colours were the best bits and didn't like the side scrolling bits, as the physics and camera angle/distance just weren't right.

Also, Sonic Adventure was an excellent game and shows that Sonic does translate well to 3d if the levels are well designed and if the game does not revolve around gimmicks.

Nintendo pwns notion Wii was only for casual gaming

Haha. I have Super Smash Bros. :)

I have a Wii and an XBox 360, and the Wii still gets alot of use. I would not be classed as a casual gamer. The games on the Wii I have played and enjoyed the most are Metroid, Zelda, Mario (New SMB, Mario All Stars and Mario Kart Wii), Golden Eye, No More Heroes 2, Sonic Colours, Tatsunoko Vs Capcom, Donkey Kong country Returns, and others that I can't think of off the top of my head.

It does have a lot of shovelware (consoles with large install bases do), and it does also have a lot of games for casual gamers, which is great. Like all consoles, it has it's advantages and disadvantages, good games and not so good games.

I find it complements the XBox nicely to give me a really good choice of games, and I believe that those who dismiss it because they think the Wii remote is a gimick, or because they think the console is not aimed at hardcore gamers are missing out.

Android 'stands on Microsoft's shoulders', says MS lawyer

@AC 13:33

I like my XBox and think it is good

It plays games, DVD's and television streamed from my PC: I find it useful because it does these things

Although I know people who have had Xboxes fail on them, mine is still going strong, and it is my first one. I have no issues with its reliability.

I'm not really bothered if its profitable or not, but there are more new games coming out than I have the money to buy or the time to play, so I'm happy.

I also have a Wii, which I enjoy, and have nothing against the PS3, before I get labelled a Fanboi.

Mozilla delivers Binged-up Firefox browser

"Now Firefox users who are Bing enthusiasts can use Firefox with Bing to use the web the way they want without having to take extra steps to navigate or customise their settings to Bing."

Surely just selecting Bing from the list of search engines in the browser was less work than installing the browser again??

Also, is there any such thing as a "Bing enthusiast"? That sounds quite sad to me...

BT gets 14 days to block Newzbin2

Maybe if we were encouraging/forcing the ISPs to spend money on improving their infrastructure rather than on things like this, broadband in [large areas of] this country wouldn't be so crap.

I don't condone copyright infringement, but I feel the studios should be looking at the reasons for it and addressing them, rather than branding everyone a criminal.

Sony names PlayStation Vita release day

I misunderstood you there and do apologise for that.

I agree that the lack of internal memory in the Wii is an issue, as mine has been nearly full for a long time . Despite that, I find both the Wii and the DSi do exactly what they are meant to do and I am quite happy with them (alongside an XBox 360).

"Nintendo have *never* used a standard storage forma"

My Wii and DSi both take standard SD cards...

HTC's iPhone, iPad ban bid derailed by US judge

They're all as bad as each other. Plenty of other industries, the automotive industry for example, are made up of companies offering similar products (all containing four wheels, steering wheels, engines, gear boxes, etc), and not suing each other for it. They really should drop the legal action and compete on making the best products.

GNOME emits 'head up the arse' desktop update

@FreeTard The choice thing is a double edged sword. While it is sometimes nice to have the choice, and the ability to switch UI's if you don't like changes to the one you're using, do you *really* need to be able to do that? Most users don't.

My experience is similar to that of Tristan Young: I use Windows 7 and view it as a tool. It lets me do the tasks I need to on my computer, with no tinkering. I don't need to customise it or change the way it works, I just want to get stuff done. Some people do want to customise and that's fine, but I believe they are a minority.

I used Linux on the desktop for about 6 years, and I enjoyed it but constantly found myself trying different desktop environments and distributions, either because another one introduced a feature I liked the sound of, or because the one I was using changed for no apparent reason and annoyed me.

I am disappointed with the way desktop Linux is going, in general. I think change for the sake of it (GNOME, Ubuntu) over the last few years has damaged some experiences that were rapidly improving, and were catching up to those of Windows and OSX.

I still run a couple of web servers with Linux, and I'm happy with those.

Spotify tethers future to Facebook

I'm on Facebook because it's a convenient way of staying in touch with some people, I'm on Spotify because I want access to their music catalogue. I don't want to combine the two, I haven't felt the need to announce what I was listening to to everyone since I was about 13.

McAfee: Cyber thugs will turn your car into Christine

Cyber thugs will turn your car into Christine

Christine could repair her/itself if I remember rightly. That is a feature my car sorely lacks... I look forward to it.

Microsoft pushes Windows Phone Mango out to Japan

@Robert E A Harvey

Surely the practice of choosing a version number for marketing purposes over choosing a version number to count the releases in sequece is not new, or limited to Microsoft.

Ads watchdog bites Virgin Media over 'con' claims

I left Virgin Media a while ago

because of the customer service. I have since been with Sky and then TalkTalk.

I did get faster speeds with Virgin, but both Sky and TalkTalk advised me on the phone when signing up what speed I would be getting, and that it would be quite abit below the "upto" speed in the advertising.

Bloke ordered to remove offensive numberplate

There used to be one round here

with C4 OCK.

Facebook quietly switches on facial recognition tech by default

Used this for the first time last week

And I have to say, despite the fact I am aware of and concerned about some of the privacy issues involved in this, it *is* very easy to use and convenient.

Red Dwarf to blast off on new adventure

If they produce it more like the old episides...

... and less like the specials, then we might be onto something. The specials were okay, but not up to the standard of the originals (I liked all 8 series, btw).

I just hope they learned lessons and got feedback from the specials and know what to do to make sure these are good. Especially if this might be the last one that they do... this is one of, if not the (depending on your opinion, the latter is mine), greatest programmes of all time, and it is important it goes out on a high. It did go out on a high at the end of series 8, even though I wanted to know what happened. Series 8 is the standard to beat. That's possible, as it was the weakest series they did, but will still be acceptable, as series 8 was still good.

Now, the bigger question here, what are they going to do with the spine of the DVD when it comes out? I have series 1-8 lined up on the shelf and it makes up the Red Dwarf logo. It needs to blend in some how. :D

Summary: I'm nervously looking forward to it

'Thickest burglar' leaves passport at scene of raid

Thank you for addressing that, sir

My concern for the poor bugger who has to trawl The Sun for this crap still stands.

The Sun again?

Oh dear...

Brits won't get PSP price cut, says Sony

Wouldn't have bought one anyway.

I'm happy enough with my DS, despite SCEA CEO Jack Tretton's comment "no self-respecting 20-something is going to be sitting on an airplane with one of those. He's too old for that"*. :)

*http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6307549.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop%3Btitle%3B6

BT reveals fibre-to-the-cabinet plans for 156 exchanges

Some of those exchanges in that list are very close to where I am...

But mine isn't listed. D'oh!

Dig deep! Radio asks taxpayers for blank cheque

My car has an FM radio in it.

I only listen to the radio in the car. I won't be in the market for a new car or car radio in the foreseeable future.

Anonymous hacks Sony PS3 sites

@A/C 09:25 **Sigh**

Let's not confuse the issues of childish console fanboyism/rivalry with the more important issues as stake.

I don't agree with this bit of action by anonymous, or the tone of the message they posted. I do agree with your first paragraph.

However, there are serious issues at stake here with regard to corporate rights vs individual rights, the merit (or lack of) of online forms of protest, your rights to do what you wish with property you have purchased, the rights of a manufacturer to take away advertised features of a product you have purchased.

If you side with Sony on these issues, that's fine, you're entitled to your opinion. If you don't agree with the actions of "Anonymous", likewise.

But don't sneak the "I'm guessing this is [...] upset Xbox fanboys, now their console is sat in last place in the "console wars"." crap into this debate, it doesn't have a place here.

Official: PS3 has more fanboys than the Xbox 360 does

Xboxes are more popular in my circle of friends too...

although I do know four people that have a PS3. I have a 360 and a Wii.

So long as they keep the (good) games coming for the 360 for at least a couple more years, I don't really care which is more popular.

Acer boss quits after board disses his future strategy

I have an Acer laptop

It is one year old and I am very happy with it. Does everything I need it to and has proved reliable so far.

Judge to music industry: 'Worth trillions? Forget it'

Dr Evil icon please

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Apple Mac OS X: ten years old today

I don't like Apple or OS X

But when it first came out, I was pretty impressed by it, and I did want a Mac back then.

It could be argued that those of us using other OSes do have a lot to thank it for, as I believe others have been trying to keep up with some aspects of it over the last 10 years, resulting in better OSes for all of us.

So, happy birthday, OS X.

Channel VAT loophole shrunk, not shut

High Street Music stores

"And we’re going to tackle the exploitation of low value consignment relief that has left our high street music stores fighting a losing battle with warehouses in the Channel Islands"

I use play.com partly because their prices are not bad, but mostly because I often find the high street music stores don't carry the CDs I am looking for. Recent things I looked for included Dubliners and Graham Coxon. I guess there isn't great demand for these artists on the high street at the moment, but they aren't too obscure either. Both were in stock on play.com when I was looking.

So, even if the loopholes were closed, the high street music stores will still be fighting a losing battle, as far as I am concerned.

Play.com spam points to malware downloads

I got the apology email from play

And I got the GSN Adobe Update email.

I won't be closing my account with play, but I think a strongly worded email demanding no more marketing and no passing of details onto third parties for marketing might be in order.

I don't recall what options there were for marketing when signing up with play (I signed up a long time ago), but I'm always careful to opt out of marketing when signing up to things in general.

Interwebs stunned by musical atrocity

It;'s bad

But it's nothing new. Crap like this has been produce in every decade since records could be mass produced. When you look back, you don't realise it, because that crap gets forgotten. We only play the good stuff from the 60's/70's/80's, thinking it was some kind of golden age for music that only spawned great stuff like the Beatles and Queen.

Also, as stupid as the lyrics might be, the whole thing smacks of marketing genius. I nearly fell for it myself by posting it on Facebook, because I thought my friends wouldn't believe how bad it is, they would have to hear it for themselves. Then I realised that posting it on Facebook is what the people who released the song *want* me to do, because that is how it spreads.

Fukushima one week on: Situation 'stable', says IAEA

Keep up the good work, Lewis

It is refreshing given the hype and generally poor reporting seen elsewhere.

Oddly enough, a lot of people I know are commenting on the poor quality of reporting on the incident from the mainstream media, and they seem to be able to see through it. Hopefully, this also holds true outside my circle of friends and we will soon see a backlash against the media that forces them to do a better job. Not holding my breath though.

Fukushima situation as of Wednesday

Actually...

"It doesn't seem unreasonable to assume that if it had been a hydroelectric dam in the path of the tsunami, and right near an earthquake's epicentre, that could have caused a disaster of its own (and far more serious than anything that's happened at this nuclear plant)."

From the BBC:

"A dam burst in north-eastern Fukushima prefecture, sweeping away homes, Kyodo news agency reports"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12709598

WTF is... cloud gaming?

I know it's a little odd considering I've embraced Spotify for music

But no thanks. I like my consoles, I like the extra multimedia features they have, and I like buying/collecting games and displaying them on the shelf. I order them from play.com and then look forward to them arriving for a few days, believe it or not.

Also, I get 2 mb/s at best, and I'm not expecting any kind of upgrade round here in the near future, so any service that needs around 5mb/s is no use to me.

Finally, I don't believe the statement that prices will plummet, for the same reasons as others have already stated in this thread. Even so, I don't begrudge paying for games at their current prices anyway, I think you get much more for your money than with other media, especially DVD/Blu-ray.

So, I'll be sticking with the consoles for the foreseeable future.

That's not to say cloud gaming services don't have a place. They do and I'm sure they will be successful eventually. However, I think the author over estimates the impact they are going to have.

TorrentFreak seeking copyright report’s mysterious author

I know I'm not spelling out a detailed plan that's ready to use here...

...but rather than going after people who download stuff with heavy handed (and often frightening) legal tactics and propaganda, the industries "affected" should engage with the people doing the downloading and find out why they do it.

Maybe they could learn something that they can apply to their business model that would cut down piracy more effectively than their current methods.

I lost respect for the industries crying about piracy (or more accurately, my lack of respect for these industries was confirmed) a few years back when they had adverts linking piracy with terrorism etc, that didn't give the sources of their figures, so you couldn't even check on them.

PS3, Xbox 360 pass water on Wii

Nintendo Urinal Cake?

I don't play many games that rely heavily on motion control any more, but my Wii still sees a lot of use. I have a Wii and a 360, which also sees heavy use.

There are plenty good games out for the Wii, but aside from the large Nintendo franchises, you have to look for them, and know what you're looking for.

Back to the article, I don't quite understand how the PS3 and XBox 360 are supposed to have passed water on the Wii. Yes, the margin of the Nintendo's lead is smaller than it was, but they still appear to be in the lead, and this is in the face of high profile extensions being released for the rival consoles.

I do get the impression the Wii is slowing down, I have heard it said many times that the Wii must be reaching saturation point, and the line up of games for this year does look a little bleak.

Still, you can't rule it out just yet either. It's definitely not finished yet.

Well done Nintendo.

Microsoft says 'sorry' after Japan quake marketing gaffe

Nothing new

It was the advert for nappies (or washing powder or whatever it was) that got me the most - "1 pack = 1 vaccine". It was like saying "Buy our stuff or we let the kids die."

This kind of fake support to blackmail people into buying our stuff or supporting our brand crap needs to be stopped across the board. If these companies really care, they should just donate the money quietly (by quietly, I don't mean secretly, they can tell people and claim some nice, warmfuzzy image for it to an extent, so long as they don't go over the top into tasteless marketing country. I don't know where the line is though, that's another debate) and be done with it.

Whitehall to puff punters: 'Hide your fags'

If we don't know if making the packets plain, etc is going to work

Why don't we commission a study or pilot in a small area and see how that goes, before rushing in and having everything changed, to the point it can't be changed back?

Seems pretty simple to me.

Mozilla delivers first Firefox 4 release candidate

Just downloaded

So far, so good.

I agree with Renato though, I'd really like to see the focus being on performance rather than things like UI animation.

On the other hand, I guess a lot of people, the type who want to browse the web but don't care about the browser they do it on, will judge the browser more on how shiny it is than how it performs, so long as it doesn't take too long to bring up Facebook or YouTube or whatever. I guess this makes the shiny stuff important to market share, and so it has to be done.

Cute download Firefox, 'treat a cub' vid downed by IE glitch

Product placement

is everywhere these days

Neighbourhood watchers in Reading get speedguns

@Tim Parker

Good question.

Firstly, I believe a fair sized chunk of people will be against the idea for various reasons ranging from finding the scheme intrusive to having strong feelings about speed cameras for whatever reason.

Let's ignore that group for a moment and focus on those who will support the scheme, and you will still have a significant number - speeding is a problem on my street and some of my neighbours are pretty passionate about it.

Can you really see people stopping the car (possibly having to find a safe place on the street to park), getting out of the car, walking up to the people taking part in the scheme and saying "thank you"?

It just sounds too contrived for me to believe.

I'm not saying people won't show support the scheme, I'm sure they will, but I don't believe an impressive number are "stopping and thanking" them.

Several people on this thread have picked up on the same quote, so I believe I am not alone.

WTF?

"He added: "The most impressive aspect was the number of motorists who supported the campaign by stopping and thanking those taking part in the initiative.""

By "thanking", they mean "shouting abuse at", right?

Otherwise, I don't believe it.

Xbox 360, PS3 prices to fall this summer

Re: 'But surely if that's the case, won't Sony be the one to lower prices first?'

"The really significant move will be which company is going to be first to announce the next generation console? This generation has been around for a comparatively long time now, but as yet, there's nothing solid about replacements."

My understanding was that the release of Move and Kinect is expected extend the current generation by a couple of years atleast. Not to mention the slim 360 came out less than a year ago.

I think I read somewhere that MS expect to support the 360 to 2015, although I'm not sure if that would be along side the replacement for a while, or if that is when they expected to bring in the replacement.

Either way, I'm personally not ready to move on yet, I still think alot more can be squeezed out of the current generation, and there are still alot of games for the 360 that I want to play.

I think both the 360 and PS3 stand up well today, despite their age.

As for the Wii, I don't think it is finished yet. I think Nintendo can still do some cool stuff with it, and I still play on mine fairly often and enjoy it, but I think it will need a replacement sooner than the others.

Punters take tech to bed, breakfast

I tend to eat my dinner while watching TV on the computer...

but the computer is a laptop and sits on the kitchen table, so I am eating at the dinner table. Oh well.

Microsoft rallies IE6 death squads

False Claims and/or poor maths

If you have javascript turned off, it claims "[100%] of the world was using Internet Explorer 6, which was 9% lower than the previous year".

Scary thought. Brown paper bag icon please? .

Street View Terminator warps into Dublin

"had 10,000 Christmas cards printed "Happy Birthday""

Pint for you, as it'sFriday and that made me laugh.

Also, I might do that on purpose this year. Not 10,000 of them though.

Apple: If you're under 17, you can't use Opera

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