Posts by Dave Lawton

What happened to the 'Most Read/Commented' list of articles on the front page?

Re: Most read/ commented

Drew, thanks for this, I really missed it.

Any chance of having it above Spotlight, rather than beneath it, please ?

Re: feature overboard!

Do not like Spotlight, which appears to have replaced it.

Please bring back 'Most Read/Commented, it's much more useful.

Time for a restore/backout me thinks.

BOFH: Uninterruptible patsy supply

Re: Confused

No, it's definitely Friday, it's BOFH day, therefore it MUST be Friday.

Google readying on-device malware scanner for Android

Re: The best response to malware is a permissions system that isn't broken

There's an equivalent to this, if you're a T-Mobile customer. It's called TopApps. It is installed at some point after you fit the T-Mobile SIM, and the user can't remove it. It has all of the above, with the exception of 'modify battery statistics', and it nags every day about needing updates. I wish there was a way to permanently kill it.

Analogue TV snuffs it tonight on UK mainland

Re: @ Lee Dowling

Thanks for the extensive reply Lee.

I'm told that the current Pi no longer has the composite output, so was halfway looking out for one of the earlier ones.

If you don't ask, you can be sure of not getting :)

@ Lee Dowling

Hi,

Now that you aren't using your Pi any more, can I beg it off you please ?

The Jupiter Ace: 40 years on

Re: It came out of Tangerine.

Didn't really fade away, it metamorphosed into the ARM 1, with the help of a few brilliant engineers.

Ten backpacks for tech-heads

Dakine

Nobody has mentioned this company, which does surprise me.

Although what I have would appear to be no longer a current model, and it's got no tag to identify it, something similar is their Duel 26L.

I bought mine in 2008 for £70 (I think - it is 4 years ago), and it's still giving sterling service, having accompanied me all over the country since. It's capable of carrying a Thinkpad T60 (1680 x 1050) with all the bits, all the junk I carry around with me (and that's a lot) and 2/3 days worth of clothing. Only one thing I can fault it on, it only has a carrier for 1 water bottle, otherwise I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

Booksellers club calls in Kobo to aid indies

Re: If only Kobo eReaders weren't trash

Sorry, can't agree with that. Bought a Kobo Touch in March, after trying all three models on display in WH Smith.

Very pleased with the battery life, which does appear to be a week between charges, and page turns seem to take 0.5s.

Think I've spotted live ones in Currys as well. A small point, Kobo have promised, in writing, that they will NOT do an Amazon, once you've bought something, it stays bought, even if they have screwed up.

Build a bonkers hi-fi

Re: SL1200 MK II?

With a suspension so poor, it was only possible to cure bass feedback by mounting them on concrete slabs.

The less said about Ortofon Concordes the better, always played 2nd fiddle to Stantons, esp 680SL.

Nokia outs budget phone pair

@ h3

Samsung GT-B5722 (I have one of these -great), fits your requirements, but not Android, thinks it's Bada.

Later model Samsung GT-B7722.

HTH

Boffins baking big-data single chip architecture

Spintronics

Is that a cousin of Spindizzy ?

Apple blocking Dropbox SDK over in-app buying

Re: No

Isn't insisting that the price can not be different 'Retail Price Maintenance' ?

That's illegal, at least in the UK, don't know about elsewhere.

HTC One S Android smartphone

Simple - vote with your feet

If this and the X are flops, maybe they'll think twice before making stupid decisions like non-removable battery, micro sim & no micro SD slot.

The V would appear to be a completely different phone, more like a Desire.

So I've gone with a Galaxy S II to replace my Desire, & will watch with interest over the next 2 years until my next renewal.

HTC One X Android smartphone

Re: so close, but misses in some important areas

@ Shuflie

My understanding isn't flawed, (I think it a stupid move), but HTC's is :-

> Dear Dave Lawton,

> Thank you for your email regarding your HTC One X query.

> My name is David and I am a Technical Support Agent for the HTC Written Team.

> I understand that you wish to inquire why the HTC One X supports micro-SIM cards.

>

> I'm sorry to hear that you are not pleased with the introduction of micro SIMS to HTC phones.

> I do apologise Dave, but this is just the way this phone has been designed.

> Furthermore, micro SIM cards have a larger storage space than the standard SIM cards.

Not impressed with another manufacturers' buy in to Steve Jobs' stupid idea, nor the converters to make them back into standard size, whole idea is just a waste of time.

@ Kyoraki

I know that you have to remove the battery to change the card since I do own a Desire.

The problem with the One series is that it lacks even that internal slot :(

Re: so close, but misses in some important areas

No SD slot, what were they thinking ?

Apparently they have used the micro-sim, because it has more memory than the standard sim,

That made me 90% certain that I wouldn't buy one, & the lack of the SD slot has done for the other 10%.

Any recommendations for a replacement for my Desire, contract renewal is due in a couple of weeks ?

IT guy answers daughter's Facebook rant by shooting her laptop

@ Matt Bryant Re: Squirrel Hunting ?

In the UK the Grey squirrel IS a pest. It's not native to these shores, unlike the Red squirrel, which the Grey is doing its best to wipe out. The Grey needs eliminating, before the Red is lost altogether, it being considered an endangered species already.

ViewSonic V350 dual Sim Android smartphone

Any phone can be dual SIM - no not really

It just isn't the same. I have a Samsung Dual SIM phone, a GT B5722, runs Bada, I think.

It just works (overworked phrase I know). Single dedicated button to switch between which SIM does the outgoing calls, both are live for incoming, does about a week between charges.

It's an old model, but the replacements are quite nice, and reasonably priced.

Usually have to be imported, but do what I did, & keep checking CEX shops & website.

Ubuntu Linux shop reveals 'TV for human beings'

@ Microphage

This is a four year old version

Your point please, cos it ain't obvious to me.

Jim Westwood, home micro revolutionary

Another unsung hero

Could we please, please, please have a similar article on Sophie Wilson ?

If thine brown eye offend thee, blast it with a laser

@ JoeTheAnnoying

Y'know, I always wondered why I could see better in the dark than most people.

Thanks for the illumination (pun intended).

Though fortunately mine are a sort of grey-blue, rather than light blue, so I can manage without sunglasses when it's overcast, but struggle even with them on a bright summer's day.

Don't do it people, it ain't worth it.

Dell bundles Ubuntu Linux on PCs in China

@ Thad

Look for EasiWriter, or if including mathematical formulae is your thing, then TechWriter is the one you want. You'll have to buy it, but the author's tech support is excellent & free.

HTH

Firefox preps native Android interface

Other things need doing first.

Like using the Android screen rendering engine.

I don't know what is in use ATM, but it's bloody awful compared to Stock, Dolphin, & Opera.

The other thing that springs to mind is the preferences section, which is abysmal compared to the desktop version.

</rant> There's other stuff, but that will do for now.

Open-source hardware group puts out vid system-on-a-chip

@ Richard 12

i take exception to that, 500 quid wouldn't even bought the Pular dimmer packs (driven by the Zero 88 Mercury) that powers my non-DMX kit, let alone the DMX stuff.

Taxmen extend biz record check pilot

@Phil Endicott

Check out "Flat Rate Scheme for VAT"

It's not for everyone, but if you qualify, it adds a tidy sum to your cash flow.

Nokia pitches cheapest voicephones yet

@PRN

Better still look for Samsung B5722 (2.7")or its replacement B7722(i) (3.2"). Wildfire sized, touch screen, dual sim, around 5-6 days on standby, not as cheap as the Nokia though, probably around 150 GBP.

HTH

Toshiba outs 'world's thinnest, lightest' tablet

@Dave 88

Just like they did with the NVidia Tegra2 Based AC100 notebook

Linus Torvalds dubs GNOME 3 'unholy mess'

@ Old Handle

The Windows interface, like most of their stuff, is just a poor copy of someone elses.

Google "RISC OS", but don't just read the first site.

Official ones

http://www.riscosopen.org/

http://www.riscos.com/

DARPA project seeks immortality, suspended animation

@ Peter2

It's not as clear-cut as all that, see

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/02/03/broadcasts/main156476.shtml

also

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLr15BBBtrc

(5 min extract from BBC Horizon programme)

CERN 'gags' physicists in cosmic ray climate experiment

@NomNomNom

That's great to hear, can you quote some links please.

So the incidence of sunbathing induced skin cancer et al, should start to drop off.

The problem with all the fuss over climate change, is that it has drawn attention away from issues, which do need, and can be, tackled, like pollution from our 'highly technological society'.

And no, I don't have answers, but would suggest a read of the 'Seafort' series, starting at the beginning (it's SF), for a possible scenario, if we don't tackle it.

Jabra Stone 2 Bluetooth headset

Without in-ear ?

I can't wear in-ear types (long story), but I would like something unobtrusive like this.

Any suggestions please ? (Sensible ones only :) )

'Indestructible' rootkit enslaves 4.5m PCs in 3 months

Test for / Remove the root kit?

Go to http://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208283363

Currently V2.5.8.0 dated Jun 28 2011

So should deal with the latest version.

MS advises drastic measures to fight hellish Trojan

Re: Image the machine with Ghost

Yes, & Yes.

Yes.

Having used Ghost to produce an image, then on a different machine, use Ghost Explorer to extract the data files you forgot to back up.

HTH

Aunty squirts serendipity into TV apps

Re: iplayer on iPad

> Wrong... the iplayer can run fine on an iPad (there's an app for that!)

Did you read wot I wrote ?

iPlayer (Flash) for Linux, Mac, & Windows was the thing I was asking about.

If a dedicated application can be produced for iPad, & Android, how come we still have to use the Flash crap.

Re : Second TV

I don't believe a word of it. I still don't know anyone, either friends family or colleagues, who has a tablet of any description. It won't stay that way forever, but as tablets are a very new market compared to the other platforms, it doesn't take many people starting watching iPlayer on their iPad to get a growth rate of 67%.

Please forgive my inattention, since iPlayer (Flash) can't run on the iPad, then it has to be a 'native' app, so why is the mainstream version still Flash based ?

Dolphin Browser HD

Support fail

I tried this browser last year, when it didn't have nested bookmarks, found a few other issues, reported them to the support team, who couldn't even be bothered to reply, let alone actually help.

Could never understand why it couldn't be the default browser, instead it used to ask to be the default for every page opened. That might be an Android issue, but I don't think so since FF4 doesn't do it.

95% Na, more like 60%

Gave up on it at that point.

ARM-based MacBook Air test sample spied

Re: sell, sell, sell

> Also, if Apple are putting ARM stuff in their iPhones, iPads etc, this will be great for them

iPhones, iPads do already, and have only ever used, ARM based processors, like 90-odd % of the mobile devices available.

I don't understand why, but there seems to be a great reluctance to say this by device, and chip, manufacturers.

I can't remeber the exact figures, but combined ARM shipments is ~ 100x Intel's, and there are already 2 ARM devices in use for every person on the planet.

BOFH: Every silver lining has a cloud

Back on form

Brought tears to my eyes, glad I'd put the coffee down before reading.

Simon, More, please More

Nintendo blames puzzled public for 3DS sales shortfall

@Annihilator...Demos

OK, this will only be of use if you are fairly close to Doncaster in South Yorkshire.

However it might be true of other branches.

Several of the assistants in HMV were more than happy to demonstrate, had a demonstrator unit already set-up, were knowledgeable about it, allowed the end user to try it out (for around 15 minutes), and were not pushy when it became obvious that the purchase wouldn't happen that day.

Excellent customer service.

I didn't suffer from any eye-strain, or nausea from the 15 minutes I used it for, but I did find the 3D effect very position sensitive.

HTH

Samsung countersues Apple on new ground

@ poohbear

Don't know about the Mazda issue, but the Golf wasn't VW's first hatchback, that honour belongs to the Sirocco.

BOFH: People get annoyed when you try to debug them

Me first post - no chance

No, I don't need a new keyboard, but I nearly fell out of the chair.

Please, please, more often, it's been agony waiting.

ARM's Intel challenger set for 2012 release

@ Mage

Servers are all fine, There are already some ARM based server products.

Where you referring to ZT Systems / Calxeda, or someone else please ?

If it's the latter, then some details would be nice.

The best sci-fi film never made: Also-rans take a bow

A reminder

Don't forget that these are the ones that DIDN'T make the top 50.

Check out http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2011/04/15/sci_fi_film/ for some titles which possibly weren't emailed

@ Herer

The Starglider story - you probably mean Arthur C. Clarke's The Fountains of Paradise, only made the also-ran list :(

Whitehats pierce giant hole in Microsoft security shield

@ dogged... if only you were right

Some actual details would be considered useful.

Re: These are not the security holes you are looking for

"It all started when MS ditched the home market DOS based OS and consolidated on the NT platform with XP. Prior to this, people who wrote software for the NT platform understood that it was a network based OS with tightly regimented ACLs, and if they didn't take this into account, their software would not work."

Let me re-write this for you.

"Prior to this, even Microsoft wrote software for the NT platform which didn't take into account the likelihood of tightly regimented ACLs, and this software would not work unless it ran with administrator privileges."

There, fixed the reality for you.

So, what's the best sci-fi film never made?

Re: irish donkey Rama short

That is awesome, not to be missed.

http://vimeo.com/1989082

A fifth of Europeans can't work out how much a TV costs

Re: Embarassing? - only for them

I looked on with amazement when a bank teller reached for a calculator, to add up 4 cheques, all of value £15.00

Steve Wozniak ready for return to Apple

A title, why does a reply need at title ?

I think you mean Sophie Wilson (ARM), don't you ?