Posts by Mike Richards
3339 posts • joined Wednesday 28th February 2007 21:13 GMT
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Posted in ASA: You can't say 'f**k'
Clarification needed
Is it the trailing 'k' that makes f**k offensive to the ASA. If I were to write f*** in my screamingly witty advertising would that be okay?
Clearly the real problem lies in...
...the completely unregulated market in curtains.
For some unfathomable reason it's perfectly acceptable in modern society to go into a shop and spend hundreds of pounds on a set of completely opaque curtains without having to go through a background check or show identity.
I'm glad ACPO have clarified the problem, now we need to know more about this shady operation which goes under the innocent cover name of 'John Lewis'.
The Home Office: Be Safe, Be Suspicious.
Posted in UK set for eBook pricing showdown
One extra cost of eBooks
Unlike normal books they are VATable. But there's no reason why they should be MORE expensive than regular dead trees.
Oh and why so many typos in eBooks? Things like a 1 where it it should be an l, a 5 in place of an s, strange spacing - are they optically scanning books to turn them into eBooks? And these are on books released in the last five years, so there should be an electronic manuscript somewhere.
Posted in UK set for eBook pricing showdown
Typos
Loads of them in books sold through Watersones.
The worst being China Mieville's 'Perdito Street Station' in which whole chunks of the book had been randomly duplicated throughout the text making it effectively unreadable. And their conversion of 'Voices' by Arnaldur Indriðason is poor - okay they're having to deal with Icelandic names and places, but Unicode supports Icelandic characters. The book has them all correct and present, in the eBook they are missing or completely incorrect ones substituted. If I was an author I would be furious at the way my work was being treated.
Waterstones don't want to know about bad conversions, you'll have to fight to get your money back.
So far nothing wrong with Kindle titles, but I've heard of some titles having an eccentric approach to page setting and spelling.
Don't knock the Indy
After all they identified el Reg as a hotbed of lesbian Internetitude.
It's a simplification
This boils down (ahem) to the fact that so far as rocks are concerned hydrogen is almost always there because they've been in contact with water during their formation. Lunar rocks are almost all igneous rocks that have crystallised from a melt, so if you find hydrogen in the minerals, you know there was water dissolved in the magma. Here on Earth, dissolved water can account for several percent of magma by volume. As magma cools, the water can either be ejected from the solidifying rock, or it can be incorporated by created hydrous minerals such as hornblende, micas and serpentinite.
What's unusual about lunar rocks is that they are almost entirely made up from anhydrous minerals making it very likely there was no water circulating when they were crystallising. The current results have come to a similar conclusion through a different means.
Lack of water on the Moon is quite significant as it helps support a theory that the Moon began life as an extremely hot object - far hotter than would be normal for its size - suggesting it was created by a massive impact on the Earth. It also helps geologists work out the rate the Moon solidified and perhaps if the lunar interior is still molten. Water dissolved into magma dramatically reduces the melting point of the rock. If there isn't any in the lunar Mantle it makes it highly unlikely that the interior contains any molten rock and that makes it even less likely that there is any ongoing, or even (geologically speaking) recent vulcanism.
HTH.
Wrong end of the stick
Sorry Lewis, this changes nothing about the possibility of mining ice at the Lunar poles.
This research has nothing to do with asteroidal or cometary water on the Moon; it's to do with primordial composition of the Moon's Mantle where the lunar basalts originated. Essentially they were asking the question 'was water present when the Moon was largely molten?'
And the answer appears to be 'no'. It confirms what has long been suspected - the lunar interior doesn't seem to contain much dissolved water - unlike the Earth. It also helps support the theory that the Moon was formed when something about the size of Mars hit a partially differentiated protoEarth, splashing off a lot of the less-dense, metal poor Mantle and whacked up the temperature to the point that anything with a low vapourisation point was boiled away. Since Apollo brought back lunar samples there's been quite a lot of evidence that the Moon was water-poor and had a high temperature origin, this helps confirm it.
There might well be ice at the poles or at isolated places in the regolith, but that will have arrived later in comets rather than come up from below.
What's the syringe icon for?
Does it let you use cell phone tringulation, GPS and the iPhone's internal compass to find the nearest dealer?
Russians solved that problem
The N1's real problems were down to quality control (one rocket exploded when either welding slag or a loose bolt was sucked into a turbine) - so they fitted filters, and to the computer software controlling the engines - which they gradually debugged.
The N1 was killed by Brezhnev before its fifth test launch which the engineers were confident would work. But America had got to the Moon, the Soviet economy was beginning to stagnate and they needed to find the money to design a rival to the Space Shuttle.
I'd be more worried that they're talking about a new rocket design that can't survive a single engine failure. Saturn could (and did) complete its mission with one engine out. The Shuttle can get to orbit on two main engines (one in the last few minutes of flight). Let's hope they don't think of putting people on top of that one.
Besides, why are we buggering around with rockets at all? Project Orion now please - 6000 tonnes to orbit on the back of 800 nuclear explosions - what's not to like?
Missing information
How exactly do you train a dog that's prepared to fall out the back of a plane without chewing its handler's arm off?
Whispersync
Works like a charm - it is a bit freaky the first time you pick up a book on a different device and it's already cued; but then it becomes one of those 'that's brilliant!' things.
What a party
Has anyone ever wondered who drew up the guest list?
'So we've got Mia Farrow - Nelson always liked 'Hannah and Her Sisters', Naomi will add a bit of glamour - so all we need now is a war criminal - is Charles free?'
Strange question...
'How frequently have you experienced a 'dropped call' on your iPhone?'
The answer should be a range such as 'once a day', 'once a week', 'one or two times', 'never' that sort of thing. Yet it's reported as a percentage.
Is that meant to be the number of people who have ever had a dropped call or what? Without context that number is meaningless.
Oh and I thought you were joking when I saw the words 'independent research boutique' - you weren't. If you need me, I'll be weeping gently.
Posted in Solar plasma aurora storm ONGOING UPDATE
Bright over the Atlantic
They were visible on the BA flight I took from Boston last night. People on the left-hand side of the plane had a spectacular view of green and red plasma somewhere near Iceland.
I was on the right-hand side of the plane.
Can it tow a caravan?
Because that will cement its position as the most pointless method of transport ever invented.
HBO isn't the competition in the UK
Sky have bought exclusive access to their catalogue as well.
'refutement'???
You *are* Sarah Palin and I claim my $5.
[GRIN]
Russell T Davies is a futurologist???
Posted in US law to neuter libel tourism
Special sauce
Unlimited damages and a burden of proof on the defendant are the main ingredients. Oh and judges like Justice Eady.
'Polo-necks - available colours: Black only!'
The white version is supposed to be shipping in a few months.
Posted in Boffins authenticate Apple 'Antennagate'
Correction
'As others have posted, the 4G is a much better phone, overall, than the 3G/GS. It, er, umm, just might not get as good a signal if you hold it a certain way...'
Actually it's a crap phone but a fantastic iPod.
The fanbois (and I think that's the first time I've ever used that phrase), are really getting annoying now. Following Steve's almost apology they've moved on from 'there is no problem' to 'well there might be a problem if you don't have a bumper.'
The closest comparison I can think of is if you bought a sports car but found it was undriveable unless you covered up its beautiful body with that of a Ford Escort. That's where the fanbois (twice!) are right now. Jonathan Ive's designs don't mean squat.
Posted in Boffins authenticate Apple 'Antennagate'
All of which is true, but...
...no one seems to be able to explain why Apple didn't discover the problem before launch. Did no one hold the phone - like a phone? did no one try weak signal areas? did no one hold the phone without a bumper.
Apple's testing was not thorough.
Looking forward
To Lewis' tasting test.
I wonder how grumpy he'd get with a few tots of this in him?
C'mon Lester, raid the Reg's kitty - it'll be worth it.
How strong?!!!!
My dad got some of this in a swap of ciggies for rum between the Army and the Navy. They kept it in an aluminium bottle - which turned black as soon as it came into contact with the grog. That's a pretty awesome drink.
Anyone else got this vision?
Of Meg Hillier wandering around the country thrusting her ID card under people's noses saying - 'look! look! it's me! I can prove my identity with one of these!'
Posted in Swiss do lady-friendly iPhone 4 launch
Clearly this is the real reason for...
...the burkha!
All Swiss geeks can cover themselves in a small tent and queue up for an iPhone safe in the knowledge that if Orange get a little too intrusive as to your gender you can slap a fatwa on them.
Posted in Chilean tarantulas menace Bolton
These things freak me out
So would a 20 MT thermonuclear explosion centred on Oldhams Estate in Sharples be considered an over-reaction?
Looks like a promising future for journalism...
...at the Daily Star's new stablemate - Channel 5.
Posted in Samsung UE46C8000 3D TV
Cable tidies
It'd be nice if the manufacturers of TVs remembered we all have to put cables into the things and fitted them with some form of cable tidy - if not to neaten the back, to reduce the strain of heavy cables pulling on fragile sockets.
Oh and this set in particular - a start-up noise? Dear god why?
Posted in Before the iPad, there was the Newton
Not so down on the eMate
Sadly my 2100 is no more, but I was surprised to find the eMate still booted. And it's a clever piece of kit that could have gone places with a little more time and effort on Apple's part. Think about it, a computer designed for kids - a tough polycarbonate case that can survive being dropped, a carry handle, completely solid state, easy to use software, and able to share resources over a network - hmmmm sounds awfully like the OLPC XO-1.
No, you've all got it wrong
Haven't you all realised this is a huge problem for the smartphone industry? For years and years now they've been shipping defective handsets that lose signal strength if you foolishly choose to hold them; but no one had noticed.
Except Steve Jobs - he saw there was a problem and in his neverending quest for perfection decided to alert the world. He ordered Apple's unparalleled designers came up a handset that loses signal if you so much look at it; invested in a hugely expensive advertising campaign to promote the 'wrong' way to hold the phone - and look what happened - phone signal strength is headline news!
Success - but are we thanking him for this?
It's only thanks to Steve Jobs that the industry was forced to confront this shameful situation.
[warning post may contain traces of sarcasm]
Alternatively...
We could use it to surveillance Scandinavia in the summer months. After all, is it just me who suspects the Swedes are up to something bigger than ruthlessly dominating the flat pack furniture and Eurovision market?
Likes F.A.B. to me
As someone who grew up overdosing on Gerry Anderson programmes, this is what the future is meant to look like.
Ridiculously swoopy exterior - check!
Ludicrous high technogubbins - check!
I want one now.
god help us all
I bet you these cards are used to buy made-up drugs like cake.
So informative
I can't wait for the 'Which?' report on this.
It'll probably get better reception than the iPhone as well.
Isn't Typhoon meant to be an air superiority fighter?
In which case it is perfectly reasonable to compare the two planes.
Unless of course BAE have suddenly decided it's an awesome ground attack plane and are busy charging us again to turn Typhoon into a dead dog like the Tornado ground attack variant which was slightly better at killing its crews than Iraqis in Gulf War 1.0
Oh and it looks a bit crap too - compared to the sci-fi swoopiness of the Raptor or even the Russian fighters, it looks all cheap and nasty. Two things Typhoon most certainly isn't.
American SST
It's also worth pointing out the US spent as much on their SST as we did on Concorde. We got the most gob-smackingly gorgeous, stunning piece of technology since someone thought of knocking the edge off a piece of flint; They got a plywood model and a huge chip on their shoulder.
It must have been even more embarrassing when they realized the Soviet Union had also got a working SST and they didn't.
Does anyone think over-land supersonic flight would have been banned if the US had an SST of their own?
And I'm not sure how many passengers would have wanted to get on an all titanium Mach 3 jet - the Blackbird's tanks only seal when the airframe gets hot.
Hmmm
I wonder how long this American high mindedness will last if the Saudis decide to buy Typhoons; especially when Tel Aviv gets on the phone to say their F15s are getting mighty old...
Ah so it wasn't just me
Who thought that was a very strange way to compare two phones. Especially after telling us that AT&T doesn't let on how many calls are dropped.
Posted in Daily Mail promotes 'the new Betamax'
Can't be long
Before the Mail runs a story that DAB gives you cancer.
Well done Lewis
Is this a prototype which will be tested to destruction, or the final PARIS?
If the former, please be aware I am available at very short notice for all forms of experimental testing and will bring my own 2lb geological hammer and thermite.
Not quite
'When the lava cools and solidifies, there is often an open space left above its surface, forming a tunnel.'
The surface of the lava cools rapidly and solidifies to form the hard surface, but the conductivity of basalt is so low the lava in the middle of the flow continues to remain liquid. The molten lava flows downhill under gravity and reappears near the toe of the flow advancing it somewhat. Eventually the supply of new lava from the vent ceases, the remaining lava in the tube drains downhill and you're left with a tube. If you go to Hawaii or Iceland you can walk along some lava tubes and they are very spooky places.
Similar tubes have also recently been spotted on Mars.
On a selenological note - if they're big enough they might make a good place to build a lunar base as the overlying rock will provide some insulation from heat, cold and any meteorites whizzing around.
The bumper doesn't fix the REAL problem
Apple better hope the solution lies in software, because the bumper isn't going to help. Yes it fixes the dropped signal issue - but the real problem for Apple is the growing perception that the company has produced a lemon.
Apple can continue to advertise the phone *as a phone* without bumpers - in which case they're possibly guilty of misleading advertising; or they can run adverts with the phone + bumper showing one of the f'ugliest things I've seen in a long time. Every time you see an iPhone + bumper you're going to think 'ah yes, that's the phone you can't talk on.' And Apple's rivals won't have to try too hard to find their advertising pitches.
If Apple thinks the 'solution' is to cover up their design it's a reasonable question to ask 'why do you pay Jonathan Ive?' There's little point in going to the expense of designing beautiful hardware if it only works when covered up.
The only long term solution is a fix that means the bumper is optional - even if you want to make telephone calls; rather than a necessary piece of the kit.
This problem is probably even more serious than Microsoft's 360 failures. Microsoft could at least claim the RRoDs only appeared after prolonged use and that it hadn't appeared in testing. If the WSJ's sources are correct, then Apple had been made aware of shortcomings in the design but chose to ship anyway.
The iPhone 4 - it's a great iPod but a terrible phone.
Yup
Pick it up and it goes from four bars to 'No-service' in thirty seconds flat.
Kudos to Apple, I'm pretty sure my phone turns into a brick *even faster* after installing this update.
UK as well
I'm on O2 and the problem is as bad as ever after the patch.
The use of the word 'carriage' is a good one
Because it's not too specific and can be extended to other forms of wheeled transport without requiring the text of the law to be rewritten. It's left to the courts to decide if a mode of transport is a carriage or not. If only more law was written like this (but then I'd prefer Roman Law anyway rather than our system, but that's getting me started...)
Meanwhile.
There's a similar case; Corkery v Carpenter (1950), where a man was found guilty of being drunk in charge of a 'carriage' under the Licensing Act of 1872. The court ruled (and it has been subsequently upheld) that bicycles constitute carriages, so I don't think there's much hope of this case deciding otherwise.
Except that's not the way law is written
'I think it should be fairly self-evident that "ride" here means riding some animal, or an animal-drawn vehicle. And I think it's pretty clear even to lawmakers that such things are not motor vehicles. So.'
Had law makers wanted they would have specified animal-drawn vehicles. They did not so we can't make the assumption the law is limited to animal-drawn traffic. The law was drawn up to reduce the risk to pedestrians from ALL non-pedestrian traffic. Vehicles with engines or motors fall under its remit.
Not quite
From my experience, if you're in a weak signal area the iPhone is not as good as the 3G no matter how you hold it, and if you hold it like a normal human being the signal drops to nothing in a few seconds.
Posted in Apple to shrink MacBook Air
12" Powerbook
A gem of a machine and it was sad to see it go. Best machine Apple have ever made for travelling, it was small enough to throw into a bag, and unlike most computers, tough enough to survive the tender care of airlines and the TSA.
This is disastrous news
It keeps MLF in a job for five more years.
