appear to have received a bomb threat from Anonymous according to YLE (http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news/2012/01/police_investigate_anti-piracy_group_bomb_threat_3165279.html)
If nothing else, this sort of activity keeps us entertained as the entertainment industry screams about piracy, the ISPs shout about freedom and unreasonable cost and the freetards throw temper tantrums.
is there any particular reason you lot are suddenly plugging all sorts of Amazon products? Dropping advertising revenue? Unreasonable salary demands by the writing peasantry?
Personally, I find it a bit of a turn-off, but my employer would probably chalk that up to change resistance, so it may not be you - it's me. Really.
While CarrierIQ's software does seem to 'see' keypresses and content, it doesn't necessarily follow that it logs them, much less transmits them 'home'.
I have nothing to do with the handset biz, but nothing I've read so far (discounting media hysteria) would constitute 'proof' of actual snooping.
The only thing we can definitely blame CarrierIQ for is sloppy software: if their software does what it says on the tin, then it should have been written to avoid any appearance of privacy invasion.
...then any loud-mouthed idiot with a blog could claim protection under journalist protection laws. I'm sure the US has an association of journalists. Maybe membership of that body should be the litmus test.
I agree completely. Great it's gone, too bad they didn't follow due process. Whether or not law enforcement is inept at these things, the fact remains that they are 'law enforcement'. Anonymous is not 'law enforcement' - Anonymous is 'vigilantism'.
The cynic in me also wonders if this is Anonymous trying to generate some positive press...
One of the topics missing in this review is the availability of accessories. Transcription pedals (mentioned above) are pretty much essential if you're going to be using a voice recorder much - they free up hands for typing while you either transcribe what's been dictated or summarise the discussion.
I think it's a key area where these devices compete with phones - shame they're not covered.
Once you ignite the motor, pressure in the chamber will increase very quickly, so unless you have a monster vacuum pump (or a fairly large hypobaric chamber), you won't be able to reliably assess the burn (e.g. does the motor burn properly, or does it fizzle enough to raise the pressure in the chamber and only then burn properly).
Two things spring to mind:
- a large-ish tank of some variety, connected to the test chamber via a pipe to effectively increase the available vacuum (similar to the expansion tank on your central heating system)
- a pressure sensor under the motor to measure the engine thrust, particularly during the first one or two seconds - to be compared against a similar burn performed with the chamber at normal pressure.
...a BIOS that required you to confirm a BIOS reprogramming by flashing up a text screen. I'm guessing this feature died because Joe User didn't want his Windows BIOS update utility crashing Win95 every time he updated the BIOS.
With most BIOS now able to update themselves from a USB drive directly from the configuration screen, I guess it should be possible to reinstate this feature.
Maybe this is all a ploy by Apple's marketing department to attract attention to the new shiny shiny.
Protos from all manufacturers get lost all the time, and while corporate security types get quite excited about it, it's not usually a disaster - especially not this close to launch when any competitor worth their salt knows all about the new toy anyway.
I think the term 'hacktivist' lends an aura of respectability where it doesn't belong.
While I don't agree with the ideas behind whole Wikileaks exposé, there at least was a certain defensible point in exposing things that had otherwise been covered up.
What we are seeing now is nothing shy of digital terrorism by a bunch of anarchist script kiddies throwing a temper tantrum.
"We asked Vodafone to comment on the research, but have yet to hear back from the mobile phone giant. We'll update this story as and when we hear more."
I'm assuming this wasn't a "please give us a comment in the next 10 minutes" job by El Reg.
"...they're actually making us pay for it."??? Clearly, Smith is a sucker for advertising. Nobody is 'making' him pay for anything.
And yes, I am a parent of two children young enough to want one of these. However, In contrast to what the three 'experts' from the Sun seem to think, I am more than capable of deciding for myself whether or not the kids should have a given toy. In fact, I'd rather they have a toy McDonalds kitchen than some of the more violent Nerf guns/Wii games/Disney films...
Apple has a point here - policing charity donations is a notoriously difficult thing to do.
The solution, of course, would be to allow linking to the developer's website, where further explanation could be posted, free of liability for Apple, or by requiring registration with some of the charity policing organisations already in place in most countries.
Of course, Apple then risks no longer screwing charities out of 30%...
Think Steve will ever have an 'oh, shit!' moment on this business model? Didn't think so...
"The ASA’s jurisdiction covers the UK only, so the ASA cannot usually look into complaints about ads published in foreign media or that originated from abroad."
The article clearly notes the ad was broadcast from London, which presumably still falls within the ASA's remit.
Although I would be the first to admit that perhaps (within the EU) the target market should be the deciding factor for jurisdiction...
Because other companies have been doing this for years, and don't have nearly as much naughtiness in their supplier base.
If Apple is finding this many issues with its suppliers, you have to wonder if they have been deliberately ignoring the whole 'corporate social responsibility' thing for the past few years in order to push profits. Didn't they also score comparatively badly in e.g. the Greenpeace eco-friendly electronics rating?
So - it's great they've finally jumped on the bandwagon, but kudos go to the companies that got on it first.
First, Wal-mart does not limit your choices. If you don't like their offering, you can buy elsewhere. Apple users don't have that freedom. If you own an Apple product, you can only shop at Apple.
Secondly, Wal-mart does not carry magazines on the condition that - if you take a subscription - they get a cut. You are free to make any deal you like with the publishers. Here, Apple is saying that you are not free to buy your subscription directly from the publisher if you want to use paid content on your Apple device.
Personally, I think the whole business model is reprehensible, but it has obviously paid off very well for Apple, and most consumers don't seem to care much.
With hotmail, gmail, flickr, facebook and so on, consumers are used to getting something for 'free'. With p2p filesharing, this experience is further enhanced that you can get (nearly) anything for 'free'.
And with all this 'getting' comes (insidiously for service providers) a sense of ENTITLEMENT. Somehow, the industry (or guvmint, or whoever) is going to have to get it into consumer minds that you get what you pay for.
As with antivirus, phishing mails, patching your windows install and so forth, this looks to be a long, slow battle. I wish us all luck.
I would hesitate to claim any kid of 11 (autistic or otherwise) would appreciate the consequences of having someone else modify their account.
No doubt this whole story got quite a bit bigger than mom anticipated, so I think it's a nice gesture by Microsoft. A decent thing to do, the more so since they didn't have to.
As all the commenters above have noted, this is tech that has been in frequent use around the world for years. Finnair has offered SMS boarding for years and Lufthansa, KLM and others have offered 2D bar codes on ALL mobiles using THE INTERNET rather than some Jobsian-controlled binary interface to a subset of smartphones.
Maybe other airlines are not releasing boarding pass apps because THEY ALREADY HAVE ONE . it's called a browser.
The only innovation I see here could be the ability to buy the ticket while on the go, but any detail on that real news seems to have been cut in favour of Cupertino eye candy.
Some NAS boxes are able to use one or more these services, which can be quite handy. My Synology can use S3, which from my perspective is a big vote in favour of S3.
The concerns voiced in other comments with regard to data privacy are enough to have kept me off it so far.
...and I thought it was just me that had noticed this rampant fanboiism. Thanks Stob!
And yes, the other books are just as bad, if not worse here and there. Tech bits aside, though, they're not bad reading.
I have noticed that any author using fruity products tends to describe them in loads of (irrelevant) detail, whereas those using non-fruity products seem to stick to the plot (and get equally many techie bits wrong). I can't help but wonder why that is... Does Apple pay for product placement? Or do these guys get decent service when their kit breaks?
Let's take this a step further: if I have push mail on and my smartphone receives an email (or short message for that matter) while in possession of police, is that fair game? I didn't have that message on me when I was arrested.
Another question: if my phone is locked, are they allowed to hack it? Presumably no, since they did not have access to the information on the device when I was arrested, but it's a slippery slope in any case.
OTOH: any perp that doesn't use an autolocking phone is probably dumb enough to have made lots of other mistakes as well, so it may not make a difference in terms of conviction rates...
I don't think anyone is worried about the transmitting bit, though I am frequently gobsmacked by alleged adults who cannot control their crackberry/mobile addiction long enough to taxi to the gate (although I know many places let you use your phone as soon as the plane clears the runway).
The point here is that if something goes wrong on landing, the little tyke won't be able to hear cabin crew instructions and may do something stupid, dangerous or both.
I don't condone beating the little shite, but the parents have clearly overlooked something in the upbringing here (and yes, I am a parent too).
Amusing Dutch term - it means media such as CDs, DVDs and flash drives, but can also cover hard drives, etc. I wouldn't read too much into that though.
...is stuff like portability. i.e. I can rip the SIM out of my handset and put in a SIM from a different operator and voila: my handset works for a different operator.
Simlock partially blocks this, but most countries have rules on removing simlock. In any case, it beats the pants off having to port a whole handset from one network to another.
Software SIM might be nice, provided you get the same handset portability.
Amazon is far from the first to do this (there are numerous online bookstores that offer excerpts), but somehow it's the company offering the most bulletproof consumer-lock-in that gets the kudos. I guess this is partly because their marketing is more effective, and partly because they spend a lot of R&D money on features that can persuade users to be locked in...
Bit like an iPhone
I wonder if consumer disinterest will eventually kill open standards.
Register
353 posts • joined Thursday 12th April 2007 22:03 GMT
Page:
Posted Monday 16th January 2012 15:33 GMT
Edwin
yay → #
In Experts: We're stuck with passwords – and maybe they're best
next, install webcam and deduce the right ones by process of elimination over a few weeks :)
Posted Thursday 12th January 2012 06:17 GMT
Edwin
Meanwhile, the Finns → #
In Dutch clog up The Pirate Bay (again)
appear to have received a bomb threat from Anonymous according to YLE (http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news/2012/01/police_investigate_anti-piracy_group_bomb_threat_3165279.html)
If nothing else, this sort of activity keeps us entertained as the entertainment industry screams about piracy, the ISPs shout about freedom and unreasonable cost and the freetards throw temper tantrums.
Posted Monday 19th December 2011 22:59 GMT
Edwin
Wondering... → #
In A Brief History of Virtualisation, now on Kindle
is there any particular reason you lot are suddenly plugging all sorts of Amazon products? Dropping advertising revenue? Unreasonable salary demands by the writing peasantry?
Personally, I find it a bit of a turn-off, but my employer would probably chalk that up to change resistance, so it may not be you - it's me. Really.
Posted Wednesday 14th December 2011 09:38 GMT
Edwin
Doesn't mean it's a bad idea though. → #
In Feds propose 50-state ban on mobile use while driving
Just amend the law to allow anything that uses the car speakers and a fixed microphone.
Posted Tuesday 13th December 2011 10:36 GMT
Edwin
Is it possible... → #
In FOI request turns up Carrier IQ surprise
That this is all just a storm in a teacup?
While CarrierIQ's software does seem to 'see' keypresses and content, it doesn't necessarily follow that it logs them, much less transmits them 'home'.
I have nothing to do with the handset biz, but nothing I've read so far (discounting media hysteria) would constitute 'proof' of actual snooping.
The only thing we can definitely blame CarrierIQ for is sloppy software: if their software does what it says on the tin, then it should have been written to avoid any appearance of privacy invasion.
Posted Thursday 8th December 2011 00:02 GMT
Edwin
Oh dear... → #
In El Reg's life of Steve Jobs - now available on Kindle
Kindle only? Oh well, not for me then.
I'm disappointed El Reg. Would an open standard ebook format have been too much to ask for?
Posted Wednesday 7th December 2011 11:46 GMT
Edwin
Because → #
In ‘Blogger not a journalist’ says Oregon court
...then any loud-mouthed idiot with a blog could claim protection under journalist protection laws. I'm sure the US has an association of journalists. Maybe membership of that body should be the litmus test.
Posted Wednesday 30th November 2011 11:54 GMT
Edwin
As part of the 99% → #
In Anonymous launches OpRobinHood against banks
I would be more interested in seeing these clowns behind bars.
Unless I qualify for large donations of course (cash only, please)
Posted Tuesday 25th October 2011 09:42 GMT → #
Edwin
In Anonymous shuts down hidden child abuse hub
I agree completely. Great it's gone, too bad they didn't follow due process. Whether or not law enforcement is inept at these things, the fact remains that they are 'law enforcement'. Anonymous is not 'law enforcement' - Anonymous is 'vigilantism'.
The cynic in me also wonders if this is Anonymous trying to generate some positive press...
Posted Monday 24th October 2011 10:53 GMT
Edwin
Thanks? → #
In El Reg in SHOCK email address BLUNDER
It is indeed an impressive list (and yes Neil, I found you on it)
I agree a notification to the 46k plus recipients would be in order. I can send you a copy if you'd like.
Sorry El Reg, but there is NO excuse!
Posted Thursday 29th September 2011 11:09 GMT
Edwin
There is an answer! → #
In Amazon revamps E Ink Kindle line
Buy a Sony (or Nook, or some other brand of ereader)
Amazon is not the only game in town...
Posted Saturday 24th September 2011 02:46 GMT
Edwin
Accessories → #
In Ten... digital voice recorders
One of the topics missing in this review is the availability of accessories. Transcription pedals (mentioned above) are pretty much essential if you're going to be using a voice recorder much - they free up hands for typing while you either transcribe what's been dictated or summarise the discussion.
I think it's a key area where these devices compete with phones - shame they're not covered.
Posted Wednesday 14th September 2011 14:20 GMT → #
Edwin
In LOHAN to suck mighty thruster as it goes off, in a shed
I think the idea behind rocket motors is that they provide their own oxygen...
Posted Wednesday 14th September 2011 11:15 GMT
Edwin
The pressure issue → #
In LOHAN to suck mighty thruster as it goes off, in a shed
Once you ignite the motor, pressure in the chamber will increase very quickly, so unless you have a monster vacuum pump (or a fairly large hypobaric chamber), you won't be able to reliably assess the burn (e.g. does the motor burn properly, or does it fizzle enough to raise the pressure in the chamber and only then burn properly).
Two things spring to mind:
- a large-ish tank of some variety, connected to the test chamber via a pipe to effectively increase the available vacuum (similar to the expansion tank on your central heating system)
- a pressure sensor under the motor to measure the engine thrust, particularly during the first one or two seconds - to be compared against a similar burn performed with the chamber at normal pressure.
Posted Wednesday 14th September 2011 10:30 GMT
Edwin
I once had... → #
In Malware burrows deep into computer BIOS to escape AV
...a BIOS that required you to confirm a BIOS reprogramming by flashing up a text screen. I'm guessing this feature died because Joe User didn't want his Windows BIOS update utility crashing Win95 every time he updated the BIOS.
With most BIOS now able to update themselves from a USB drive directly from the configuration screen, I guess it should be possible to reinstate this feature.
Posted Monday 12th September 2011 12:01 GMT
Edwin
Mythbusters! → #
In LOHAN eyes hardcore partner's impressive girth
built a hypobaric chamber when they were testing whether or not bulgarian airbag implants will explode during flight.
This strikes me as the sort of test they would be delighted to assist with!
Posted Friday 9th September 2011 08:21 GMT
Edwin
Call me older-fashioned... → #
In LG may axe up to 30% of overseas mobile staff
But to me, LG will always be the manufacturer of the Prime 2C card in my very first scratch-built PC.
Posted Thursday 8th September 2011 06:01 GMT
Edwin
Alternative explanation... → #
In Apple seeks product security boss after iPhone loss
Maybe this is all a ploy by Apple's marketing department to attract attention to the new shiny shiny.
Protos from all manufacturers get lost all the time, and while corporate security types get quite excited about it, it's not usually a disaster - especially not this close to launch when any competitor worth their salt knows all about the new toy anyway.
Posted Monday 8th August 2011 10:36 GMT
Edwin
Hacktivists? → #
In Anonymous and LulzSec spew out largest ever police data dump
I think the term 'hacktivist' lends an aura of respectability where it doesn't belong.
While I don't agree with the ideas behind whole Wikileaks exposé, there at least was a certain defensible point in exposing things that had otherwise been covered up.
What we are seeing now is nothing shy of digital terrorism by a bunch of anarchist script kiddies throwing a temper tantrum.
Throw the book at 'em.
Posted Monday 1st August 2011 12:07 GMT
Edwin
Where's Kevin Warwick? → #
In Fanboys find way to NFC an iPhone
'nuff said
Posted Friday 15th July 2011 06:43 GMT
Edwin
Actually... → #
In Voda: Femtocell phone-hacking vuln was fixed in 2010
...the first article clearly stated:
"We asked Vodafone to comment on the research, but have yet to hear back from the mobile phone giant. We'll update this story as and when we hear more."
I'm assuming this wasn't a "please give us a comment in the next 10 minutes" job by El Reg.
Posted Monday 6th June 2011 13:39 GMT
Edwin
Good idea? → #
In Movie-goer punts 3D-to-2D cinema specs
Possibly not - imagine driving down the road with a low-hanging sun in front of you and glasses with different polarisation for each eye.
As someone without (decent) stereopsis, I quite like this 2d glasses idea.
Posted Wednesday 2nd March 2011 12:54 GMT
Edwin
sorry → #
In Health experts flip over McD's burger-flip toy
"...they're actually making us pay for it."??? Clearly, Smith is a sucker for advertising. Nobody is 'making' him pay for anything.
And yes, I am a parent of two children young enough to want one of these. However, In contrast to what the three 'experts' from the Sun seem to think, I am more than capable of deciding for myself whether or not the kids should have a given toy. In fact, I'd rather they have a toy McDonalds kitchen than some of the more violent Nerf guns/Wii games/Disney films...
sheesh
Posted Wednesday 2nd March 2011 12:48 GMT
Edwin
to be fair... → #
In Apple T&C upsets philanthropic developers
Apple has a point here - policing charity donations is a notoriously difficult thing to do.
The solution, of course, would be to allow linking to the developer's website, where further explanation could be posted, free of liability for Apple, or by requiring registration with some of the charity policing organisations already in place in most countries.
Of course, Apple then risks no longer screwing charities out of 30%...
Think Steve will ever have an 'oh, shit!' moment on this business model? Didn't think so...
Posted Wednesday 2nd March 2011 09:50 GMT
Edwin
I want in on... → #
In Ex-PM blocked Steve Jobs knighthood
...whatever office pool was started in Vulture Central concerning comments on this article.
Posted Wednesday 16th February 2011 14:11 GMT
Edwin
Yes but → #
In Watchdog turns a blind eye to Danish fu*king
"The ASA’s jurisdiction covers the UK only, so the ASA cannot usually look into complaints about ads published in foreign media or that originated from abroad."
The article clearly notes the ad was broadcast from London, which presumably still falls within the ASA's remit.
Although I would be the first to admit that perhaps (within the EU) the target market should be the deciding factor for jurisdiction...
Posted Tuesday 15th February 2011 10:47 GMT
Edwin
Why Apple doesn't deserve to win: → #
In Apple suppliers: Child labor, bribery, suicides
Because other companies have been doing this for years, and don't have nearly as much naughtiness in their supplier base.
If Apple is finding this many issues with its suppliers, you have to wonder if they have been deliberately ignoring the whole 'corporate social responsibility' thing for the past few years in order to push profits. Didn't they also score comparatively badly in e.g. the Greenpeace eco-friendly electronics rating?
So - it's great they've finally jumped on the bandwagon, but kudos go to the companies that got on it first.
Posted Monday 7th February 2011 10:24 GMT
Edwin
you're missing the point → #
In Apple's app store policies: What will they provoke?
There are a couple of important differences here:
First, Wal-mart does not limit your choices. If you don't like their offering, you can buy elsewhere. Apple users don't have that freedom. If you own an Apple product, you can only shop at Apple.
Secondly, Wal-mart does not carry magazines on the condition that - if you take a subscription - they get a cut. You are free to make any deal you like with the publishers. Here, Apple is saying that you are not free to buy your subscription directly from the publisher if you want to use paid content on your Apple device.
Personally, I think the whole business model is reprehensible, but it has obviously paid off very well for Apple, and most consumers don't seem to care much.
As the article says - that may be changing now.
Posted Friday 4th February 2011 13:52 GMT
Edwin
the real issue is consumer mindset → #
In Flickr flap illuminates cloud concerns
With hotmail, gmail, flickr, facebook and so on, consumers are used to getting something for 'free'. With p2p filesharing, this experience is further enhanced that you can get (nearly) anything for 'free'.
And with all this 'getting' comes (insidiously for service providers) a sense of ENTITLEMENT. Somehow, the industry (or guvmint, or whoever) is going to have to get it into consumer minds that you get what you pay for.
As with antivirus, phishing mails, patching your windows install and so forth, this looks to be a long, slow battle. I wish us all luck.
Posted Monday 31st January 2011 14:44 GMT
Edwin
and @tough Finnish phones... → #
In Finnish regulator calls for iPhone refunds
Nokia states that your battery may not work at these temperatures.
This is subtly different from Apple claiming the warranty is void if you try to use your iPhone below freezing.
Posted Friday 28th January 2011 12:15 GMT
Edwin
Something nice about MS? → #
In Microsoft hits autistic Xboxer with cheat evidence
I would hesitate to claim any kid of 11 (autistic or otherwise) would appreciate the consequences of having someone else modify their account.
No doubt this whole story got quite a bit bigger than mom anticipated, so I think it's a nice gesture by Microsoft. A decent thing to do, the more so since they didn't have to.
Posted Monday 24th January 2011 19:05 GMT
Edwin
HOW many of us? → #
In Smartphone makers to embrace multi-core chips
Either El Reg or Strategy Analytics needs to do a little clarification here...
Will 15% of smartphones contain multicore processors by end 2011?
Will 15% of the world population be using smartphones with multicore processors by end 2011?
Will 15% of Reg readers be using smartphones with multicore processors by end 2011?
Will 15% of new smartphones sold contain multicore processors by end 2011?
Will 15% of the smartphone models on the market contain multicore processors by end 2011?
The numbers involved in the different cases are pretty dramatically different...
Posted Wednesday 19th January 2011 12:12 GMT
Edwin
News because it's an app? → #
In Heathrow Express treats iPhones as tickets
I'm sorry El Reg, but this story is utter tripe.
As all the commenters above have noted, this is tech that has been in frequent use around the world for years. Finnair has offered SMS boarding for years and Lufthansa, KLM and others have offered 2D bar codes on ALL mobiles using THE INTERNET rather than some Jobsian-controlled binary interface to a subset of smartphones.
Maybe other airlines are not releasing boarding pass apps because THEY ALREADY HAVE ONE . it's called a browser.
The only innovation I see here could be the ability to buy the ticket while on the go, but any detail on that real news seems to have been cut in favour of Cupertino eye candy.
Posted Monday 17th January 2011 11:55 GMT
Edwin
Missing feature? → #
In Online sync'n'store services
Some NAS boxes are able to use one or more these services, which can be quite handy. My Synology can use S3, which from my perspective is a big vote in favour of S3.
The concerns voiced in other comments with regard to data privacy are enough to have kept me off it so far.
Posted Monday 17th January 2011 11:03 GMT
Edwin
Cheers! → #
In Ace Reg reporter in career suicide shock
And maybe we could get a new column on the joys of reporting on tech to myopic luddites?
Posted Tuesday 11th January 2011 10:24 GMT
Edwin
If you're going to be pedantic... → #
In The Girl with the NSObject Class Reference tattoo
...then please get it right!
Only Danish and Norwegian (well, and Faroese) have the ø. Swedish, Finnish, Icelandic and the various Sami languages don't.
(and clever title btw)
Posted Monday 10th January 2011 13:11 GMT
Edwin
Bigend? → #
In The Girl with the NSObject Class Reference tattoo
Oh dear... that's really bad. Does he know Apple stopped using Motorola chips a few years ago?
Posted Monday 10th January 2011 12:17 GMT
Edwin
Whew → #
In The Girl with the NSObject Class Reference tattoo
...and I thought it was just me that had noticed this rampant fanboiism. Thanks Stob!
And yes, the other books are just as bad, if not worse here and there. Tech bits aside, though, they're not bad reading.
I have noticed that any author using fruity products tends to describe them in loads of (irrelevant) detail, whereas those using non-fruity products seem to stick to the plot (and get equally many techie bits wrong). I can't help but wonder why that is... Does Apple pay for product placement? Or do these guys get decent service when their kit breaks?
Posted Wednesday 5th January 2011 13:12 GMT
Edwin
Confused... → #
In Doctor Who to marry Doctor Who's daughter
Wow. That is a properly Gordian knot of interpersonal relationships. Just goes to show time travel is a bad idea.
Posted Wednesday 5th January 2011 10:01 GMT
Edwin
Luddite judiciary → #
In Cell phone search needs no warrant, say Cal Supremes
Let's take this a step further: if I have push mail on and my smartphone receives an email (or short message for that matter) while in possession of police, is that fair game? I didn't have that message on me when I was arrested.
Another question: if my phone is locked, are they allowed to hack it? Presumably no, since they did not have access to the information on the device when I was arrested, but it's a slippery slope in any case.
OTOH: any perp that doesn't use an autolocking phone is probably dumb enough to have made lots of other mistakes as well, so it may not make a difference in terms of conviction rates...
Posted Friday 31st December 2010 14:39 GMT
Edwin
you're missing the point → #
In In-flight fight for stubborn iPhone-loving teen
I don't think anyone is worried about the transmitting bit, though I am frequently gobsmacked by alleged adults who cannot control their crackberry/mobile addiction long enough to taxi to the gate (although I know many places let you use your phone as soon as the plane clears the runway).
The point here is that if something goes wrong on landing, the little tyke won't be able to hear cabin crew instructions and may do something stupid, dangerous or both.
I don't condone beating the little shite, but the parents have clearly overlooked something in the upbringing here (and yes, I am a parent too).
Posted Thursday 9th December 2010 22:50 GMT
Edwin
Digital Data Carriers → #
In Dutch police arrest 16-year-old WikiLeaks avenger
Amusing Dutch term - it means media such as CDs, DVDs and flash drives, but can also cover hard drives, etc. I wouldn't read too much into that though.
Posted Wednesday 1st December 2010 08:08 GMT
Edwin
Way cool! → #
In Gear4 UnityRemote
until Jobs decides to block hardware interface apps from the AppStore.
Hope they come up with Symbian & Android editions of the software, but they do seem to be a Cupertino-only shop...
Posted Wednesday 24th November 2010 01:11 GMT
Edwin
a license for re-entry? → #
In Elon Musk's SpaceX gets unique commercial re-entry licence
This is most amusing.
How does that work? You need a license from the FAA if you want to deorbit above US airspace? Or do you need one to land in the USA?
"I'm sorry sir, but your license to deorbit has expired. You will need to wait while your new application is considered"
Posted Monday 22nd November 2010 14:17 GMT
Edwin
The big deal... → #
In Apple scraps 'never-formed plans' for iPhone SIM in 2011
...is stuff like portability. i.e. I can rip the SIM out of my handset and put in a SIM from a different operator and voila: my handset works for a different operator.
Simlock partially blocks this, but most countries have rules on removing simlock. In any case, it beats the pants off having to port a whole handset from one network to another.
Software SIM might be nice, provided you get the same handset portability.
Posted Monday 15th November 2010 13:44 GMT
Edwin
the real problem is... → #
In Calls for US nudie perv scanner 'opt-out day'
...when someone stuffs their bra with semtex and blows up a plane. Then these same privacy whiners will be asking who is protecting them.
Not that their point is invalid, but it's a little too easy to claim this is all about blurry monochrome porn
Posted Monday 15th November 2010 09:56 GMT
Edwin
indeed → #
In Multi-colour e-ink to splash down in six months?
'grey-and-slightly-darker-grey' suits me fine, though vizplex was a nice upgrade over the original displays.
Posted Friday 12th November 2010 11:42 GMT
Edwin
not mil-spec → #
In Great and Good honour the designer of world's first laptop
I think the requirements for space use are a little heaver - like radiation-hardening and truly extreme temperature differences.
Posted Wednesday 6th October 2010 13:31 GMT
Edwin
sour grapes? → #
In Ex-General Electric boss unleashes bile on HP board
seems unlikely, but hey...
Posted Wednesday 29th September 2010 12:13 GMT
Edwin
Nothing new, only a UI innovation → #
In Amazon browserizes Kindle book samples
Amazon is far from the first to do this (there are numerous online bookstores that offer excerpts), but somehow it's the company offering the most bulletproof consumer-lock-in that gets the kudos. I guess this is partly because their marketing is more effective, and partly because they spend a lot of R&D money on features that can persuade users to be locked in...
Bit like an iPhone
I wonder if consumer disinterest will eventually kill open standards.
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