Posts by Bill Ray
127 posts • joined Tuesday 27th May 2008 13:55 GMT
Re: I have to laugh...
Oddly enough it used a proprietary protocol as it pre-dated Bluetooth (actually it was just a wireless doorbell with the buzzer replaced with a relay, polled from a PC), but I'd argue it was still more practical than this one.
Bill.
Re: Bonk Cards
No more than the cash it's intended to replace. Every few transactions you'll be asked for the PIN (depending on how dodgy the transactions look) and you'll be easy to find on CCTV as each transaction is time stamped, but you'll probably get away with a few tenners.
Bill.
Re: Technology and fathe
Just place your faith in the Internet, and it will provide.
Newton wi-fi drivers...
http://www.deleet.de/ray/newton/802.11b-FAQ.html
Newton web browser...
http://www.unna.org/unna/internet/web-browsers/NetHopper3.2/
Who needs an iPhone?
Re: Children and contracts...
Children can have contracts, backed by a parent, but Vodafone's point is that it's not just changes to the price of a contract which will require notification.
Vodafone actually says its happy to let people know when a contract price, or any of its prices, change, but when a sex line ups its per-minute pricing the current wording from Ofcom could require the operator to tell every customer about the change.
Bill.
Oddly enough I asked the same question, but (according to Motorola) a front-facing camera wouldn't be pointing the right way when clipped to the lapel (moving the radio was not an option, given operational use) and as its intended to record evidence being able to see the screen while taking a snap was considered more important.
I'm sure there would be technical reasons too, but that's the justification I was given.
Bill.
Re: When the S3 was anounced last year
The Miracast look-a-like, for replicating the screen, did eventually emerge:
http://www.clove.co.uk/samsung-allshare-cast-dongle-samsung-galaxy-s3
It's rather nice, though overpriced. Some have complained it drops connections, but I've been using it happily with a Note 10.1 without incident.
Wireless charging, on the other hand, still needs a hack.
Bill.
Re: Re: Crowd-sourced experience
The answer to that question is very interesting, and the key to DeviceScape's technology. The short version is that it uses a DNS request (which can pass through wi-fi before authentication), the longer version is here:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/11/21/unlimited_mobile/
Bill.
P.S. Turns out Republic isn't using DeviceScape, but the technical details are still pertinent.
Re: It's Kinect
Apologies for the spelling, but when it comes to the resolution I've spoken to several companies working on titles for the console who assure me that finger resolution is impossible - it's something they constantly get asked for, but can't do.
Kinect is impressive, and will evolve, but for the moment systems such as EyeSight are offering better resolution.
Bill.
BT's wi-fi is indeed a chargeable service, but this wi-fi will be branded Barclays and will be free.
BT is providing the infrastructure, Barclays is paying the bill.
Bill (the author of the piece, not the bill being paid).
Oddly enough I saw that back in May last year, and took it up with the DVLA who responded (after some chasing):
DVLA has issued the Biometric Residence Permit on behalf of the UK Border Agency since November 2008. This is an excellent example of cross-government co-operation.
...so the UK Border Agency subcontracts the work to the DVLA.
Bill.
Re: Why another London channel?
The reason London is interesting is that if London can't make money from Local TV then nowhere can.
The London franchise covers the largest number of people, and is the most contested, so its the business (if not the channel) to watch.
Bill.
ATVOD is appointed by Ofcom, at the request of parliament, and companies providing video-on-demand services are legally required to register with ATVOD and pay the fee.
ATVOD regularly gets into disputes with companies who claim they aren't providing VOD services, and Ofcom has the power to arbitrate in such instances, but if Ofcom says you're providing VOD then you have to pay ATVOD.
Local TV companies particularly hate ATVOD, as they're borderline viable anyway, and ARVOD's sliding scale of pricing was only introduced when loads of people complained (to Ofcom) that they were stifling innovation.
Hope that provides some clarity - it's a strange situation, and something we'll be watching closely.
Bill.
My understanding is that only the Siii supports any sound over USB, and there's a campaign to have it bundled in the stock Android release:
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=24614
I tried a couple of USB audio devices (just in case) and had no luck with them at all.
Bill.
Re: Question whether this works with standalone computer monitors with HDMI
Yeah, works fine on a monitor as long as it has a digital in (DVI) and you have a suitable cable.
However: the monitor I tested it with isn't wide-screen, and the output is, so everything got a bit squashed and I couldn't find a setting to fix that.
There is also the question of audio. With no Bluetooth or audio jack you'd have to do without audio entirely (unless your monitor supports audio over HDMI, in which case it's hardly a monitor at all).
Hope that's of some use.
Bill.
Re: Bll Ray *must* be US based
The comparison was intended to remind people how much they're tracked already, but was perhaps too flippant.
UK Telcos do track, and store everything for two years with the RIPA removing any need for a warrant in the UK - I covered the subject in some depth back in 2007 and little has changed since then:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/04/location_information/
For a really dramatic example there's:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/30/cell_tracking/
The accumulation of tracking data is, or should be, a concern to all of us with insurance-by-mileage being the next likely battleground.
Bill.
Re: Re: Some glider pilots might get jealous...
You might be right, but it looks so much better with the caster at the fount.
I shall run some tests and see how it goes.
Bill.
Re: Carter...
The system is happily playing back from a NAS right now, in fact I keep the application there too so I can modify it without having to touch the 'Pi.
The server is mounted by a script executed during boot (sudo update-rc.d myScript defaults), which goes on to run the app itself.
Didn't make it to the gig, much as I'd have loved to.
Bill.
That datastore shouldn't have been there, it got sucked up into the ZIP file and was only a handful of albums I was using for testing.
Not that I'm apologising for Carter, I'm just relieved that the rest of my collection wasn't shared.
Bill.
Re: Missing Context
I'll try to do that, thought the multiple ways people reference radio frequencies is one of my pet hates (referring to AWS, MW, UHF, et al just confused things).
In the UK the channel numbers start at 302MHz, and they're 8MHz wide, so Channel 22 starts at 478MHz (302 + 8*22).
Wikipedia adds four to that number, pointing to the middle of of the channel rather than the start, but the best list is on the JFMG site (https://www.jfmg.co.uk/Pages/freq/tvchannelfrequencies.htm).
The problem us some people who've bought new antennas to get digital signals, some of which won't go that low, but no-one knows how many or if it's going to be a big issue.
Bill.
Re: Why this losing of TV
The temporary multiplexes will indeed by DVB-T2, and MPEG4, so should indeed push viewers in that direction.
Bill.
Re: Re: Inquiry
Children - well, the arrival of the first, and living 10 miles from the nearest shop, that helped too.
Bill.
Re: Inquiry
Smoked for 20 years, stopped about 9 years ago, miss it every day.
Bill.
Re: Money
That is accurate - neither photographer nor business pay Google anything, ever.
Google gains by enhancing the local listing, and perhaps selling some ads to the business, and adding a Street View feature that Apple/Nokia will have a hard time aping.
Bill.
Re: Re: other apps
No, this article wasn't paid for.
I like OpenSignalMaps, but I do think the launch of Root Metrics was interesting both from the detail they're reporting (speed of connection as well as strength of signal) and the business model.
Bill.
No pricing.
Thanks for the link, but you'll notice that the Three offering has no pricing information.
That's because Three don't sell it as such, just give it to those customers who might leave otherwise as mentioned in the article.
Bill.
Re: Re: never really understood
Not banned by Ofcom, but not mandated either.
There was a call for intra-country roaming to be forced on the network operators, but Ofcom did indeed decide that this wasn't in the customers' interest (as operators would have less incentive to extend their coverage), so there has never been any restriction on operators doing this if they wanted to.
But they they didn't.
Bill.
Orange and T-Mobile are indeed bits of EE, but customers currently with either brand will need to "upgrade" to an EE contract to get 4G connectivity.
As for the Computerworld report, I did see it, but don't believe EE will share its monopoly even if Virgin says it is "in discussions".
Bill.
Re: Stupidity
The nice chaps at Nature posit something very similar:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v489/n7414/full/489170a.html
Re: Solving real-world 'problems' .....
Oddly enough I did, and higher too. Sadly I haven't the knowledge to know why it didn't work, but then if I did I'd be well outside the target demographic.
Bill.
Re: Gossip column
I did. Well... I thought I did, yes... I did.
The link was in the text, so one would have to read the piece to find it, but here it is naked:
https://developer.blackberry.com/builtforblackberry/documentation/10kterms.html
I'm afraid I've no head for gossip, I can never remember who's supposed to have offended whom, but if it's gossip you're after I will try harder in future.
Bill.
Re: 999
To be fair to the designer one does have to press the "emergency call" button three times before a 999 call is made, but other pocket-dialling would seem inevitable.
Bill.
Re: Re: Freeview
Tyne Tees is, I think, the last region to go entirely digital, which will happen September 12.
http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/when_do_i_switch/tyne_tees
...but after London switched the media lost interest and while we'll probably note the last analogue signal in these pages most people are under the impression its a done deal.
On the plus side you should get an improved Freeview signal after the switch, but you'll need to retune your TV unless it can do that itself.
Bill.
Re: Bill, have you come across TheSpace? Give it a plug please?
I've mentioned The Space a few times, in fact did a story when it launched. It's part of the Cultural Olympiad, and one of the bits worth having I think.
I would like to see some Shakespeare in English though, my kids aren't really up for subtitles but I'd like to bore them a Globe performance or two.
It also crosses the line between VOD and IPTV, making it the first Freeview channel to be regulated by ATVOD rather than Ofcom, which is interesting if you're following that debate.
Bill.
Re: El Reg Guide
Have a chat with the nice chaps at Vision TV:
http://www.visiontvnetwork.co.uk/
...hand them some cash and they'll put you in the EPG, and point to your server when someone switches to that channel, which is how the God slots and China Central TV got there.
Bill.
Re: Funny you should say that
That would be entirely accurate, if we want the New iPad to use 4G in the UK then we'll have to move Freeview down the dial again replicating the problems (and probably even requiring new filters for all concerned).
But at least those touting the 2012 fondlepad will be able to use 4G networking, by 2020 if all goes well.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/04/02/700mhz_plan/
Re: Re: Agreed
Thank you for being, apparently, the only person who understood (or was prepared to explain) my meaning here.
Bill.
Re: Does it handle multitouch?
I've touched both, and the HiWave stuff is better.
But HiWave were using a pressure-sensitive pad, introducing the click only when the pressure exceeded a threshold to replicate the experience of a physical button, so one has to imagine what Senseg could do with pressure sensitivity.
Overall I'd still say the HiWave kit is more subtle, and granular, and combined with sound makes for a very compelling experience - assuming one wants to recreate physical buttons.
GAGA: Spinning blades, welding, wi-fi, what could possibly go wrong?
Thoughts and ideas relating to the GAGA project to build an autonomous lawn mower, ideally before the grass gets completely out of hand.
Re: TU To ME...
They're still touring you know:
http://www.thechucklebrothersontour.co.uk/
Bill.
Re: link
'ere you go, fortunately you won't need much Mandarin:
http://www.weibo.com/borisjohnson
Re: Re: "spate of recent unexpected replies from Apple PR,"
We're on polite terms with Apple these days, or at least we were before this piece, but every day in communication with Cupertino is a gift to be savoured.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/12/30/apple_statement/
Bill.
Posted in Paying by connection speed?
Paying by connection speed?
wispa thinks we should pay for our broadband based on the speed of connection we actually achieve, varying every month depending on how fast we can download stuff.
That might not be technically possible, given the range of places from which one downloads things, but even if it is would anyone want such a contract?
Posted in Music and relationships
Music and relationships
If you're sharing your life with other humans, how do you organise your music?
Does it all go into one server with a shuffle button, or do you maintain separate collections? At what point in the relationship does one combine music collections with a partner?
If the relationship fails do people really sit down and decide who gets which MP3 file, and if it works do the kids (if kids there are) get to put their music into the same pot (do I really have to add "Music Rox" to my playback list)?
Posted in Still buying CDs?
Worse, I burn my MP3s
I can't seem to cope without a physical CD on the shelf, even if I'll never play it. The last few albums I bought were only available electronically, so had to be carefully burnt onto a CD around which a printed cover was wrapped so they could be placed on the shelf never to be touched again.
It's still my backup, in case these computer things never really take off.
Bill.
Re: Re: New small print
...and just in case there was any doubt. The new iPad won't be able to use UK Broadband's 3.5GHz LTE either, in Swindon or anywhere else.
Bill.
Re: Agreed
Thanks for the comment, and sharing your experience.
RIM has been in touch with me to track down what went wrong when we tested the software, but our installation clearly only supported mail synchronisation with Google.
Since then we've reset the tablet, and set up the account again, and happily report that it's working fine. We'll be amending the story to that effect.
Bill.
Re: maybe
Following that piece we bought a big round of pastries, from a place just near the London office, and got charged for those so perhaps it was just a Scottish thing.
I suspect it's an anomaly who's time is past.
Bill.
Re: Allo Allo
That's "bonk" as in "bonk on the head", or a short, sharp, tap, so no typo and no references to my Uncle's TV performance (he was also the dead body in Faulty Towers. and drove the bus for the Magical Mystery Tour, but enough of my family history).
Bill.
Re: Why is North-South more popular than East-West
Oddly enough it has nothing to do with radio, but the fact that our country isn't square and most of the international routing is via London, so links running down the country are more popular than those running across it.
The same thing applies to roads, and railways, sorry it wasn't explicit in the piece.
The point is that some routes are more popular than others, so Ofcom wants to know if it should charge more for the popular ones.
Bill.
Posted in 1 euro in every 7 spent on a Visa card
Re: What if..
Payments can be made using current induced from the reader, as required by the NFC spec.
However, you won't be able to use the phone's screen to check your balance and see if you can afford that new battery.
Bill.
