Posts by Vector

Apple: SO sorry for the iOS 8.0.1 UPDATE BUNGLE HORROR

Re: @Vector

Are we sure he's gone? I coulda swore I saw him and Elvis at a gas station in the Nevada desert!

Re: Maids a milking

"Was it an unrealistic deadline or was the realistic deadline simply handled poorly?"

Depends on whether the Reality Distortion Field™ is still in effect.

4chan outraged by Emma Watson nudie photo leak SCAM

pointless

Yet another fine example of ignorance. Go ahead, shut down 4chan. All you'll accomplish is the mass movement of it's participants to the next vogue black forum.

Apple iPhone 6: Looking good, slim. AW... your battery died

@DougS Re: @Vector

"The merchant doesn't have power in this relationship, so they aren't going to get this"

The merchant's power lies in simply not adopting the system. No adoption=useless feature. I know that they've announced some support at the launch, but in the modern world, no data means no real advantage for the merchant, thus no motivation to adopt.

What is Apple's compelling case to the merchant that will overcome losing access to all that nifty marketing data? If they are. Which I very seriously doubt.

Re: Security

"So not only are you safe when the next Home Depot style breach hits (about one per month lately) you don't give their Big Data machine any personally identifying information."

Believe that at your own peril.

At some point, in order to complete the authorization, the card issuer has to connect that "one-time code" to an actual customer account. Since you can bet that your friendly merchant really likes their Big Data and can simply opt out of any POS system that doesn't get it to them eventually, they are probably going to get all that data in a summarized monthly statement from the issuers. Maybe not the card number itself, but just about everything else.

The other question this article brings to mind: Can you still use Apple Pay if your battery's flat?

Exercise-tracking app not QUITE fit for purpose

Headline should have been...

..."Fitness Tracker not Fit to Track"

I sold 10 MILLION iPhone 6es at the weekend, says Tim Cook. What did you do?

Re: Good!

"I'm having trouble seeing what the fuss is about."

I think it's simple really. I suspect there have been a lot of holdouts over the past few years who wanted a bigger phone but didn't want to give up the iPhone. For those people, the 4 series (double the resolution but same size) and the 5 series (wide screen aspect but basically the same size) held little interest. Note the many comments on these very forums from people still using their 3GS's. Now that larger phones have been released, many of those people have finally jumped.

As far as Mr. Cook's claims about these being "better in every way," well, let's see:

• Processor: Pretty much always the case in a new phone
• Camera: Yeah, those keep seeing incremental updates as new tech becomes available
• Apple Pay: Whee! NFC finally! Oh wait, it's not really useful NFC, just a payment system
• Bigger Screen(s): About time. One of them is even an industry standard rez.
• New case design: Purely a matter of taste

So, ok, better, but mainly because some improvements have been long overdue.

Google+ GOING, GOING ... ? Newbie Gmailers no longer forced into mandatory ID slurp

Re: Interesting to see if other services follow

I certainly hope it gets decoupled from Google Play. I've been using Android long enough that my account doesn't have a G+ profile. This means, however, that I can no longer rate or review apps unless I submit to the borg and create one. I find this rather annoying, since I have zero interest in social media.

4K-ing excellent TV is on its way ... in its own sweet time, natch

Re: On being slowly boiled alive with video standards

There is also the fact that Blu-ray players can play DVDs making the upgrade less necessary.

As far as 4K is concerned, some of these techie execs need to crawl out of their studios and go stand in the average person's living room. Are we really going to see screendoor on an 1080p 46 inch display viewed from 8 to 10 feet away? 4K is more like the audiophile market: about 2% of the population will notice the difference and the rest will get on with watching whatever crap is served up.

And, yes, on the net please. The vast majority of the stuff I watch, I'll watch once and never again. I have a collection of DVDs that are gathering dust (at least they were cheap when I bought them). I might pull one or two out to watch in a year.

Wanna keep your data for 1,000 YEARS? No? Hard luck, HDS wants you to anyway

Re: 1000 years?

"we'd still be gawking at those hieroglyphs..."

I've often wondered what archeologists several thousand years from now would make of all these shiny silver disks that started to appear in the late twentieth century.

Apple CEO Tim Cook: TV is TERRIBLE and stuck in the 1970s

Re: @Vector

"Are you trying to convince us that paperback is the ideal reading size..."

No, but I am pointing out that the most common size for modern reading material is much closer to 16:9 than 4:3, so I don't buy the whole "4:3 is so much better for reading" argument anymore than the "you'd have to sand down your fingers to use a 7 inch tablet" pitch or any of the other justifications that come out of Cupertino.

Besides, I don't know if you've noticed, but iPhones have been 16:9 for a while now...

"It's a damned site better than 16:9 for reading..."

Really? Because the standard size for a paperback (178mm x 110mm) is a lot closer to 16:9 than 4:3.

As bankruptcy looms for RadioShack, we ask its chief financial officer... oh. He's quit

Re: Another one bites the dust...

Naw, it's still kinda useful.

I go to Radio Shack for parts (switches, jack, cables, etc), which means I go there less and less.

They had a niche but weren't satisfied to stay in it.

Half a billion in the making: Bungie's Destiny reviewed

Re: Why does the Moon have gravity?

"... to which the answer is "gameplay is crap without it"

No, the real answer is: They were too lazy/short on budget/<insert excuse here> to rejig the physics for the different planets. The Moon and Mars would have significantly reduced gravity compared to Earth. Venus is close enough that you would barely notice (I think. Not like I've ever been there to try it).

Oh, and I don't think I've ever referred to grinding "affectionately."

Apple's Watch is basically electric perfume

Re: Not for fitness nuts

"You can't be a company that washes its hands of water damage (pun unintentional) that at the same time tries to push a device that's designed to be worn without any protective covering on someone doing exercise."

So you're saying it's a fitness tracker that's not fit to track?

Re: Surprisingly disappointing (because of a lack of awareness)

"Yes, there are other smartwatches out there. But this one is actually useful."

Please explain to us how this wrist computer is any more "useful" than the ones from Samsung, Moto, et al? Because from what I've read about it, it can be a timepiece, a fitness tracker and it can display notifications. Oh! and apparently, maps though I question just how useful a map that size would be. Most of this is the same hype I've heard from all the other manufacturers who have failed to gain any traction, IMO because there's little traction to gain.

Many, if not all, of us grew up with the notion of how cool it would be to have a computer wristwatch (in my case, it was envy of Dick Tracy's wristphone, but I'm old) . Now that they can actually be made, you start to realize just how crappy a device that small is as an interactive device.

Apple will probably sell a fair number of these things. Not because they're useful, but because they're from Apple. The same reason most of the press was raving that Apple had "made" a new product segment with the introduction of this watch that, as with every other wrist device to come out thus far, has too little functionality for far too high a price.

Apple's SNEAKY plan: COPY ANDROID. Hello iPhone 6, Watch

"hard to tell them apart, other than the shape of the home button at the bottom"

I always find this rather humorous. When the touchscreen is the dominant feature and the primary interface point, you're going to end up with a rectangle, possibly with a few hardware buttons sprinkled around the remainder. The only other real question is how thin can you make it.

Of course they all look about the same. Until someone comes out with a foldable screen, they're going to continue to look about the same. Once those foldable screens come out, they'll probably all look like mini portfolios.

PHABBA-DABBA-DOO! Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Edge, Gear VR – feast your eyes

Low Latency Audio? On Android!?

Could it finally be?

:slaver:

Toshiba makes play to replace NFC with own speedy short range tech

Re: Buying from a Kiosk

Oh, I like the tech. I just think the scenario posited is dumb. If that's all they can come up with to market this thing, then the poor tech is doomed.

Buying from a Kiosk

"They think the answer is consumers paying for content at things like sports stadiums and pop concerts."

Then they're dumb. Have they stood in a concession line (or the line for the restroom) at one of these events? Just what everyone wants to do, queue up in yet another line. It's particularly idiotic if you consider all the longer range solutions available for that market. Why would I buy the thing over a wireless link on my phone and then go stand in line to collect it? Wouldn't some sort of local wifi access point be a bit more efficient?

Good luck with Project Wing, Google. This drone moonshot is NEVER going to happen

Re: I would like 1 bag of skittles

"Detecting power lines isn't difficult? Against a contrasting background in good lighting, perhaps"

My goodness, how human-o-centric!

You are assuming the drones will be as dependent on vision as people are. I believe they could have a range of other sensors which would be far more effective than sight in power line detection.

Re: I would like 1 bag of skittles

Yeah, most of the "problems" mentioned in the article are overstated. 3D mapping? No real need as long as the drone has an adequate sensor array onboard which should also take care of most of the obstacle issues.

The real problem is going to be physical security. Google and Amazon are going to be real bummed when less savory types start knocking their drones out of the air, not only for the device itself but also for the goodies inside!

Apple 'fesses up: Rejected from the App Store, dev? THIS is why

Re: Suggestion for another rejection criteria

"At least you see better transparency about the required permissions on Play."

Yeah, but in this case, better amounts to foggy smoked glass as opposed to a brick wall. Much as I enjoy the OS, I find Android's permissions to be overly broad and have wished many a time for more granular control over them (read contacts so we can create shortcuts? Don't need that feature: deny).

And, yes, I know I could get that if I rooted my phone, but I'd really rather not. And I really shouldn't have to!

Not even CRIMINALS want your tablets, Blighty - but if that's an iPhone you're waving...

But, but, but..!

That iPhone "find my phone" thingie has made iPhones very undesirable to criminals!

At least, that's the justification lawmakers here in California used to pass their nifty new kill switch legislation.

One step closer to robot butlers: Dyson flashes vid of vacuum sucker bot

Re: I bought a Dyson - wouldn't get another one...

Was it in the last place you looked for it?

End of buttons? Apple looks to patent animating iPhone sidewalls

Re: No, nothing like Youm

"Youm only showed a display wrapped around the edge. No haptics, no virtual buttons, nothing like that."

Looking at the pictures, I'd have to disagree, on the buttons, at least. I see lots of icons positioned on that roll-off part of the screen and I think I even saw a scroller in one pic. You could say an icon is different from a button, but I say if you press it to do something, I hear it quacking.

Besides, in the realm of obviousness, who'da thunk a screen curving over the edge of a phone could be incorporated with a touchscreen to be used for various inputs!? How innovative!!!

NYC, LA mayors hammer Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger

“We look forward

to working with the mayors of New York and Los Angeles as the regulatory review process proceeds..."

...once the deal is approved, screw 'em!

Pedals and wheel in that Google robo-car or it's off the road – Cali DMV

All I have to say is Egg freckles

Microsoft: We plan to CLEAN UP this here Windows Store town

Re: Why on God's green earth......

Never had to deal with iTunes, but I did at one time have to put up with Quicktime on Windows.

That's a nightmare I'm glad is over.

Hello, police, El Reg here. Are we a bunch of terrorists now?

That would only be a serious of offense if you planned to jay walk...

Cargo truck crammed with garbage explodes IN SPAAAAACE

Re: Return in just such a fireball?

I thought exactly the same thing! Have a upvote

Premier League wants to PURGE ALL FOOTIE GIFs from social media

Re: Next....

No need. We will be registering them for you.

If you have questions or concerns about your public submissions bill, please contact...

Dolby Atmos is coming home and it sounds amazing

" when rain falls, all your senses tell you you’re in for a soaking"

Simmer down there, Skippy. Since this is an audio system, I believe that's just your ears (and possibly your butt) talking to you. Other senses need not apply.

The internet just BROKE under its own weight – we explain how

I wonder how gramma is going to feel about managing all the IPv6 addresses she needs in her new IoT™ populated home without NAT?

US cyber-army's cyber-warriors 'cyber-humiliated by cyber-civvies in cyber-games'

Re: Maybe they have the wrong concept?

"There are so many ways to attack a network that it is very unlikely that anyone can know them all and, frankly, the attacker only needs one success while the defender can stop thousands of attacks but fails if there is one discovered vulnerability that is exploited."

And that is why my sympathy goes out to Infosec! It's a thankless job that will eventually land you in the doghouse even if you were 99.999% correct.

Re: How about the NSA?

They'd compete but then they'd have to kill everyone.

Android banking apps vulnerable to cash theft by CAS hole hackers

Is there a list?

"Users should avoid using the vulnerable apps, which were built using Apache Cordova up to version 3.5.0, until they have been updated to squash the bug."

Why certainly, I'll get right on that. Which apps would those be again? So sorry that I don't know precisely what frameworks have been used to develop what apps on my phone...

Reports like these are great for FUD, but not so great for solutions.

Cut price Android on steroids: OnePlus One – should we look gift horse in the gob?

And I really think this is a missed opportunity. If the cover is removable (even with difficulty), why not make the battery removable? I have 2 spare batteries for my GS4 which I almost never use, but I'm sure glad I have them on that rare occasion when I need them.

As to the SD card, Google keeps making it harder to use those things. I certainly wish they'd stop that. I really think they need to crawl out of their Silicon Valley Ivory Tower and see how useful the "cloud" is when you get away from the city. Besides, I'm a Luddite and I don't want to put my files where I don't have control of them.

PEAK LANDFILL: Why tablet gloom is good news for Windows users

@Rampant Spaniel re: "You can already do this. You can even get battery powered screens that hook up via mhl."

You can, but not all your apps will work as expected, though this is, AFAIK, mainly limited to media apps. Some apps just won't run or at least won't stream video if they detect an HDMI connection (Hulu) while others try to do something fancy with the "second screen" (YouTube). Again, this is all just artifice to try and protect revenues for the content providers. It's silly at this point when you can get a full-fledged Wintel (ok, atom but still) PC in an 8-inch (or less) form factor that has none of the restrictions put on mobile OSes.

@Pascal Monett re: Yet today, the PC is king

I don't know what world you live in, but in the one I see, the PC retains it's crown in the workplace at the very least. While you may see some tablets and such running around to meetings and on the go, there's still a PC or laptop on virtually every desk in the corporate world.

The King may be dying, but he's not dead quite yet.

@ Brewster's Angle Grinder re: "...why bother with a laptop- or desktop-sized 'dock' for your mobile phone? Why not just own another device?"

Why pay for another computing device when the one in your hand can accomplish everything you need? And accomplish it without all the grinding to the cloud (which may fail you at the most inopportune time). The dock need not be desktop or even laptop sized. If there's a screen handy, it need only be the size of a keyboard (you pick the size keys you're comfortable with).

"The future might be laptop + phone..."

No, although I know most of you refuse to believe it, the fact is that the future is phone, period.

There is currently no technical reason why a phone cannot be connected to a larger screen, a keyboard, a mouse, etc. The barriers to this scenario are all artifices, built primarily to protect media interests. Eliminate those barriers and you have a platform that could handle the productivity needs of at least 80% of today's market (those that do email, internet and an office suite). As the power of the processors grows (as it is at an astounding rate), the platform will cover the needs of more and more of the market until the idea even of lugging an ultrabook around (and having to deal with what files or documents are on what device) will seem absurd.

At the moment, phones and tablets are considered toys. Phones get less of that moniker because they are useful as communications devices, but neither is considered a viable platform to get "real" work done. Looking back in history, the exact same argument was made about the PC (though in that case, it was the lack of power, not the interface that drove that point of view). Yet today, the PC is king, ruling over both the home and the workplace. Phones and tablets are powerful enough and can eliminate the need for an additional computing device and that's all that's required to start a revolution.

ICANN can't hand over Iran's internet, bomb victims told

Re: A fine idea

"I don't think the USA wants to dip its toe into who 'owns' TLDs."

Actually, I doubt the USA much cares about that fight. ".us" is very much a second-class citizen on the internet. The bulk of US domains use the generic TLDs (.com, .net, etc). Even the government uses .gov and the military .mil.

That being said, this suit is pointless and shows a profound ignorance of how the internet works. Domain names are just pointers to IP numbers. The IP number is the actual address, it's just hard for people to remember.

So, even if these people managed to win their case, the net result would most likely be that Iran would "balkanize" their network using their own naming convention. I doubt they'd even hesitate since it would serve their censorship goals quite well. Thus the floodgates would open to geographic partitioning of the Internet.

OKCupid: OK, STUPID, YES we set you up with BAD DATES. On purpose

from the dept of redundancy dept...

"Yes, it seems we really are that shallow, it seems."

Pedantry served...

Vote now for LOHAN's stirring mission patch motto

Re: Ða Heofenas Beacnian

But I thought the SPB was in Spain...

Microsoft: We're making ONE TRUE WINDOWS to rule us all

@ P. Lee Re: One OS

"Different form factors and screen sizes mandate completely different ways of interacting with an app. In short, even if you did make one OS/kernel/architecture to rule them all, people wouldn't want to run a desktop app on a phone."

Completely different? No. Different, yes but, for most apps, you are still trying to present the same data and gather the same responses, regardless of the form factor. The difference is the how. If you look at the MVC development model, the Model and it's interface to the View and Controller can and should be consistent across all platforms, only the user facing elements of the View and Controller need to change. There will be cases where the platform will dictate variances in the functionality of the app, but that should not require a completely different OS framework. Any API not involved in UI should be the same regardless of platform.

"The upshot is, you still need different app development skills for different form factors, even if the OS were the same."

You should not need different skills, just a different philosophy for the various platforms.

Re: One OS

What you're talking about is chrome. Not Google's browser, but decorations.

Yes, there should be different interfaces for different platforms; touch doesn't work well in desktop environments and a mouse would be funny on a phone. But that doesn't mean the underlying libraries which drive the data to those interfaces can't use a unified API across platforms which would reduce development time for all of them.

Oh girl, you jus' didn't: Level 3 slaps Verizon in Netflix throttle blowup

Re: More ports is still the wrong answer

"The only real solution is to decouple cables from service, as we do here in the UK"

I think that's the real long term solution. Haven't we reached the point in our modern technological society where internet networks should be treated like the roads we drive on? Despite the recent trend towards privatization of a small portion of the US's highways, if the entire highway infrastructure were handed to corporations, the pitchforks would come out en masse!

Yet, here we are, being slowly bled by private entities in order to get access to the internet, all because, as pointed out above, the cables are monopolized.

WiGag war: Tiny low-power chip promises mobes 4.6Gbps Wi-Fi

Austin, huh?

Well, I guess they're well positioned to sue the pant off everyone!

ALIEN BODY FOUND ON MARS: Curiosity rover snaps extraterrestrial

That's not a rock...

it's just an old tarp someone left lying around in the Wyoming desert.

...'cause we've never been to the Moon.

...and we've never been to Mars.

(Hey! where'd the black helicopter go!?)

Elon Musk GIVES UP ON SEX: He'll make do with a 'cheap' Tesla III instead

Just leave it 3

All the l33t kids will know what s3x means!