Posts by Mike Bell

Ghosts of Christmas Past: The long-ago geek gifts that made us what we are

Nice. My parents were as poor as church mice, but they managed to put most of these things my way at Christmas time. My nostalgia trip is complete when I think of the John Bull printing set, Space Hoppers, the Stylophone (fronted by a good guy) and the Chopper bike.

Solar-powered bra maker suffers 20,000 TITSUPs all at once

Bouncy Bouncy

I find the notion of a kinetic energy converter far more appealing.

</dream>

Apple's DIRTY SECRET isn't that secret, or that dirty

Re: Reality Distortion Field

McClaptrap. Looks like Jony Ive doesn't have a monopoly on bullshit.

Back dat app up: Microsoft opens Azure Backup to Windows PCs

Re: Behold the cloud

AKA The Internet. Where much of your digital life already exists whether you like it or not. On the plus side, not every glass is half empty.

Is there ANOTHER UNIVERSE headed BACKWARDS IN TIME?

Re: Time

Actually, the last time I read one of Mr. Barbour's books, he suggested that there was no such thing as time at all. It's all an illusion and nothing moves at all, least of all time. The cat that jumps isn't the cat that lands, etc.

It's hard enough even saying what time actually is. My own favourite: time is that which stops everything from happening at once.

Sonic BOOM: 10 blast-tastic soundbars

Re: The TV manufacturers really have taken us for chumps

I plumped for separates right from the off. Before they pulled out of the business I got myself a lovely Pioneer Kuro plasma monitor. All inputs routed through an AV receiver, and audio sent to a set of 5.1 M&K speakers. It's served me well for many years. Logically, it's a straightforward setup. TV speakers don't interest me in the slightest.

18 million iPHONE USERS HAVE NEVER BONKED to ApplePay

No, not yet. It will be available sometime in 2015.

@Extra spicey nonsense

Rubbish. Have a read.

@Paul:

You can hardly call it a rush. It's initially targeted at the American market where their card payment systems have been many years behind the rest of the world. Over there, signing for purchases, having your card details lifted, and merchants being left out of pocket due to extensive fraud is commonplace. Chip & PIN? You're having a laugh.

Apple Pay is a massive security increase for all concerned parties.

If a card (or all your cards) gets stolen, your life can be very painful indeed. You have the hassle of informing the bank and getting new cards. A thief won't be able to use a stolen iPhone to make purchases. And cards don't have to be cancelled or re-issued. I wouldn't call that infinitely more hassle to replace. I replaced my iPhone a few weeks ago. My new one was in exactly the same state as the old one was within a day.

Apple Pay lets you choose which card you want to pay with. There's no danger of the wrong card being used, or a random transaction being instigated as is the case with a physical card.

NASA prods sleeping New Horizons spacecraft: Wakey, wakey, Pluto's calling

Re: Navigation

We are mapping them well enough for Solar System Navigation.

I doubt that is the case. A neutron star won't help you pin down your location in the solar system any more than using visible 'fixed' stars.

The fixed stars are used by space probes to determine orientation. They don't tell the probe where it is.

Feds dig up law from 1789 to demand Apple, Google decrypt smartphones, slabs

Re: still have a backdoor though right?

Pretty much all data is encrypted in iCloud, bar emails, by default.

Consistent with standard industry practice, iCloud does not encrypt data stored on IMAP mail servers. All Apple email clients support optional S/MIME encryption.

I imagine there are good reasons for storing IMAP data unencrypted out of the box. The protocol supports server-side search, for example.

Blade Runner sequel might actually be good. Harrison Ford is in it

Re: What's so great about Blade Runner?

You're missing the amazing visuals and lighting, which were largely achieved without the help of computers. The question of what it really means to be a human. The question of what it means to have someone else's memories. For starters.

Re: If they re-do the bit where Daryl Hannah

Not that they would "re-do" that bit, but the scene was entirely in keeping with Pris's design: she was engineered to be a "basic pleasure model". The scene lets us know just how easily she gets off.

Disturbance in the force lets phones detect gestures with Wi-Fi

Specifically, as the human moves her arm

So, that's men ruled out, then, apparently.

Whereas, if you're not trying to be a politically correct ponce, the possessive determiner 'his' would have covered all bases nicely.

Apple Fanboi? Stand by to get Beats Music LIKE IT OR NOT

Canteen Radio

^^ Fortunately, I have this thing to listen to at lunch time, so my exposure to awful modern music is kept to a minimum but necessary amount (pub quizzes) without the inconvenience of a subscription.

Bang! You're dead. Who gets your email, iTunes and Facebook?

Re: reminds me

@Valeyard

Except it isn't true.

Much though I wish it were.

Get your CLOCK out, you coders: Apple emits Watch dev kit

Re: Apple Watch, what's the point

No need to wave your phone or your credit card at an NFC terminal; just wave the watch. IIRC, Apple Watch will be able to conduct Apple Pay transactions with phones older than the iPhone 6.

And, as El Reg pointed out a while back, the new messaging system will be greatly appreciated by users in the Far East.

Nokia's N1 fondleslab's HIDDEN BRILLIANCE: The 'Z Launcher'

ZZZZzzzzz

...zzzzz

Bug fixes! Get your APPLE BUG FIXES! iOS and OS X updates right here!

Re: Yeah, but ...

It's not unusual for the phone to be extremely busy for a day or two after you do an OS upgrade. Spotlight will be working in the background indexing your phone's content, for example, at the very least.

This was certainly true for my phone after the upgrade. It settled down after a couple of days and now uses just the same amount of juice that it did before.

I'M SO SORRY, sobs Rosetta Brit boffin in 'sexist' sexy shirt storm

Re: @Mike Bell

@Sorry that handle

It is.

but did you see this bit in the definition: "organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests"?

That's the bit that is all about women.

In contrast with egalitarianism which does not focus on the rights of one particular sex: That asserts the equality of mankind.

@45rpm

Actually, no. The seek for equal rights and standards is egalitarianism, something that I wholeheartedly support. Feminism gets up a lot of people's noses because it's solely about women's rights.

As for this guy in the shirt – he likes gawdy colours and hot chicks. So what? He's just being honest. If he liked cross-dressing that's his preference. It's shameful that he felt the need to apologise like that.

FTC to Apple: Turn your head and cough while we feel for balls-up with HealthKit privacy

@DougS

I share your sentiment, Doug. See section 27 of Apple's App Store Review Guidelines for their HealthKit requirements.

But this probe is about making sure Apple do it right and stick to the letter of the law in the US.

SO LONELY: Woman DARED to get rid of her iPHONE - Apple DUMPED all her TXTS

Re: Oops!!

I really do wish some of you numpties would pay attention.

iMessage will default to SMS delivery on failure IF YOU FECKING WELL ENABLE THAT OPTION.

Re: Oops!!

I thought Apple iMessage would send a message via SMS if it can't deliver it via iMessage, so how can it be clever enough to be able to switch when both users are using an iPhone, but not when one switches to Android?...

The iPhone will do this. If you enable this option. Again, it's a configuration issue. It would be a very bad idea for the phone to ignore that setting after a dormant period, because it would expressly contravene the setting you've made. Also, people often use iMessage to send large attachments. A hefty MMS bill would not be welcome out of the blue. It's for exactly that reason why I have the alternate SMS delivery method turned off, myself.

Re: Oops!!

Lock in? I don't think that is a correct description at all. If you choose to configure your phone to receive iMessages, your chums start sending you iMessages (to your phone number), then you start using the same number on another phone, how is the iMessage delivery system then supposed to magically know what you've done unless you deactivate iMessage? As far as your chums are concerned, iMessage is still your preferred method of receiving messages.

If, as an iMessage user, you take out your SIM and just put it in, say, an Android phone, what is the iMessage delivery system supposed to do with the iMessages that your chums are still sending you? Answer: buffer them up. Not magically turn them into regular SMS and send them to the phone network. That's not a lock-in. It's a configuration issue.

Got an iPhone or iPad? LOOK OUT for MASQUE-D INTRUDERS

Re: I hate to say it...

I agree with you for the most part. But I'd like to see you cite one of these mythical worry-free fanbois that are mentioned so often on this forum. They don't seem to post here, funnily enough. Fanboi though I am, I've never said that my iPhone is invulnerable. Indeed, if it were, how come it gets security patches with every OS update?

Having said that, iOS security is still very strong indeed, and the relative lack of malware on the platform is testament to that. Especially given the vast number of iPhones that are out there presenting juicy targets for the bad guys.

Interstellar: An awesome sci-fi spectacle – just cut the hamminess, please

Re: Phil Plait hates it

"So never mind tides. What would happen to a person when time dilation is so different on one side of the brain that the signals are out of sync with the other side?"

For time dilation to vary by any significant amount over a range of a few centimetres (the width of a brain), there would be no getting away from the fact that huge tidal forces would be involved. I suspect your brain - and the rest of your body - would be stretched out mush long before you started having mental problems.

Hide your Macs, iPhones and iPads: WireLurker nasty 'heralds new era'

Re: Ah but......

Apple have since reported that the identified apps have been blocked to prevent them launching. Naturally, they don't go into details.

There's an excellent investigative report that you can download here. The report makes it clear that the iOS apps that WireLurker offers to install are signed by enterprise certificates.

Re: Ah but......

Yes, it would be interesting to know. My guess is that they've got a stolen certificate or two from somewhere. That would be the simplest way to do it.

Re: Ah but......

Bollox.

I don't mind calling myself a Fanboi. And guess what, I've adopted the recommended practise of getting my apps from the App Store. Not from some third party dodgy Chinese App Store or from an unrecognised Apple developer. In fact, with my current settings, my Mac would not allow me to obtain software from such a store.

Enterprises are at liberty to install iPhone apps from an OS X computer. There's nothing new about that.

In fact there's nothing new in this report at all, apart from the fact that it's a big deal in China.

Don't install bad software from places you don't trust. If you don't give a shit, someone will take advantage of you.

Apple's strap-on will set you back just '$5,000' – what a BARGAIN!

Re: Hmmm choices choices....

I could have a Omega Seamaster Professional with change left over or a blinged up Apple Watch for possibly a bit more.

Yeah, but could you stick it up your fanny and have your boyfriend buzz you with it?

On second thoughts, don't answer that question, Jason. I don't want to know.

The late 2014 Apple Mac Mini: The best (and worst) of both worlds

Even with only a handful of basic applications open, this Mini is already consuming just under 7GB of the installed eight

There's a common misconception that modern Macs are memory-hungry. It's not true - far from it. That's why the last two OS versions can run quite happily on pretty old hardware.

In Yosemite (in fact since Mavericks) OS X has aggressively made use of the RAM at its disposal (unused RAM is wasted RAM). You would not believe how many users squeal in anguish when the amount of memory in use is indicated as high.

OS X users should instead look at the "Memory Pressure" trace in Activity Monitor. If it stays in the green, you're OK.

Apple patents autographs. Checkmate, eBay

I imagine it would have some value if the author was troubled to paint each autograph uniquely prior to upload. That could certainly be a technical possibility that could be enforced.

Otherwise, zilch value, really.

Droids - everywhere! Is Apple really even in the game any more?

Skynet

In case anybody is in any doubt, that is what Android is becoming.

Except... James Cameron didn't imagine that Judgment Day would be made all the easier by gadgets that embrace malware with open arms.

</AndroidBaiting>

Apple spent just ONE DOLLAR beefing up the latest iPad Air 2

Re: Pah!

"In plain terms, all this indicates that Apple is pretty much selling us the same bloody thing as last year, with a few minor tweaks."

Ignoring for a moment the additional core and doubling of RAM, I'd really like to see trial by combat between Jasper and Richard Brenner. That would be entertaining journalism.

iPad Air 2: Vulture chews on new Apple tablet

Re: Balanced review of an Apple product !

I've had mine about a week, and its battery life is very similar to that of previous iPads. i.e. pretty good.

I have never, under any circumstances, seen my iPad's battery reserves drift below 30%, and that's been after a lot of use, without charging up the night before.

Unless you are insanely joined to your iPad for 9 hours or more in the day, battery life is not an issue.

Assuming no photos or video or music, 16GB is probably quite adequate for general use. As a tool for communication with a distant relative, plenty enough.

The vast majority of iPad users don't run out of juice within 9 hours (longer than a normal working day). For them, the inconvenience of additional weight and longer charging time would not be welcome. For me, that definitely would not be welcome.

The iPad is designed to be held and moved around. So light is good. Light is very good.

Apple's OS X Yosemite slurps UNSAVED docs into iCloud

Re: So how else did you...

Good. This is exactly how it should work.

A little disappointed that El Reg are continuing to run a re-tread about "Last week it emerged that the Spotlight search feature in Yosemite was passing on location and search data to Apple and its partners". That was a real FUD story if ever there was one.

Fanboi-and-fanfare-free fondleslabs fail to fire imagination

Re: Well I'm happy

Ditto.

I upgraded from an ancient iPad. The speed bump is phenomenal.

I can understand that, in a shop, it looks fairly much like any other iPad, and why wouldn't it, it's a minimalist device? But the additional grunt, RAM and Touch ID sensor are very welcome upgrades IMO.

The DRUGSTORES DON'T WORK, CVS makes IT WORSE ... for Apple Pay

Note to El Reg

This one's going to run and run. Popcorn at the ready.

If a cabal of US vendors want to cripple NFC (which covers both Apple Pay and Google Wallet) in favour of their own maverick payment system (CurrentC) they might want to think seriously about how users are expected to use it. Answer: Apple and Android phones!

It wouldn't surprise me at all if such apps were blocked from respective App Stores before long.

Re: Apple Pay flop

Maybe you haven't been keeping up with current events, but anywhere that supports NFC supports Apple Pay. And within the next year, US merchants will be obliged to provide secure equipment on pain of fraud liability.

You really want this page to show every last one?

This is going to kill their business

Never underestimate the purchasing power of an enraged fanboi. Judging by the thousands of forum comments, they're going to all walk across the road to an omnipresent competitor going by the name of Walgreens.

Re: The store check-out experience

general small talk as they remove their card from their wallet, place it in the reader, and enter their pin.

Don't be silly. Americans don't have Chip & PIN.

T-Mobile US chief SUCKS UP to Apple, gently ridicules rivals over SIM lockdown play

Re: Complicated ?

Yes, really.

Carriers will fall over themselves to give you a new traditional carrier-only SIM for nothing. You don't have to pay Apple a penny, unless you want to obtain another unadulterated Apple SIM, un-crippled by the likes of AT & T.

Wanna hop carriers with your iPad's Apple SIM? AVOID AT&T

Re: Sort of defeats the object then

Not really. If you choose to ignore the warning and go for a lock-in, that's your own stupid fault.

If nothing else it's a useful shaming device that puts the carrier's lock-in tactics right in your face.

FYI: OS X Yosemite's Spotlight tells Apple EVERYTHING you're looking for

Apple don't really talk to El Reg, which is understandable. But they do talk to imore.com

Apple's response there kicks a few wild accusations into the long grass.

Lest anyone needs reminding, Apple doesn't need your personal data in order to conduct its business. Plenty of other tech firms do.

Hey, iPhone 6 fanbois: Apple's bonk to 'Pay' app IS GO

Re: Zapp is clearly the future.

Don't forget to type in that 5-digit passcode while you're at it, for all the world to see.

Sorry, but solutions like this missed the boat.

Re: So in summary

Do you ever read stuff on the internet?

Re: Sounds bloody insecure

Actually, I suspect that Chip & PIN is significantly less secure than Apple Pay.

All you need is a compromised card reader (plenty of those have been deployed by criminal gangs) or someone looking over your shoulder to see the PIN. Neither of which is possible with Apple Pay.

Apple releases MEGA security patch round for OS X, Server and iTunes

Re: They want three years, between upgrades?

Nope. Starting with Mavericks, which introduced Apple's variant of memory compression, older computers were supported.

The same is true today. If a computer can run Mavericks, it can run Yosemite, released a couple of days ago. It can run on Apple computers that were made in 2007.