* Posts by Random Noise

129 publicly visible posts • joined 16 Sep 2008

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Dubya: I introduced PRISM and I think it's pretty swell

Random Noise

Running out of options

As the list gets smaller the options seem worse & worse.

He's going to end up in Sealand.

Toshiba boffins build nuke-proof 'bot

Random Noise
Terminator

And we shall call him..

And we shall call him ZZ One.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_Unintentional

Rats with GPS backpacks prepare to sniff out landmines

Random Noise

Intead of rats

They should send in an aardvark instead of rats:

www.aardvarkclearmine.com

Wags unroll Twitter toilet paper

Random Noise

Reg Hardware?

I would hope it was software. Nothing worse than wiping with bog roll as rough as sand paper.

Auto-correct cock-up sends schools into lockdown

Random Noise

Re: Re: Re: WTF

Or for the misogynisticly inclined "Gun Ho!"

Linux PC-in-a-stick to cost coders £139

Random Noise

Seen that before somewhere

So it appears they've licensed the 'Always Innovating' HDMI Dongle?

http://www.alwaysinnovating.com/products/hdmidongle.htm

Spec seems the same to me.

What's in the box, Windows sysadmin?

Random Noise

All of the above on a Zalman hard drive

Lost of useful tools above this post, lots of great live CDs etc.

I use one of the zalman external usb enclosures:

http://www.reghardware.com/2011/09/05/geek_treat_of_the_week_zalman_zm_ve200_external_hdd_case/

This not only lets you carry round as many of the handy live CDs as you want, it has a write protection switch & with a large enough drive you can also use it to save the images you make with clonezilla etc on it. It's really a number of tools in one!

Only Issue I've had is either 1) crappy old BIOS which can't seem to boot from it because its a usb device and 2) if the ISO files are at all fragmented they wont mount properly.

Bug silences Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Random Noise

Even more newsworthy..

..tucked away at the bottom of the article is the even more newsworthy 'Vodaphone in not overloading a handset with their own bloatware' shocker!!!

Boffins' PETMAN robot mimics human gym rats

Random Noise

Love the way it walks.

It struts like Liam Gallagher with a nostril full of marching powder.

Red Hat engineer renews attack on Windows 8-certified secure boot

Random Noise

Simple solution

Surely a simple solution would be inlcusion of a jumper somewhere. If the jumper is not set (default) then only a digitally signed OS will boot.

Change the jumper & when booting the firmware pops up a message to state 'unsecure boot' or whatever then carries on.

Only people who have an idea what they are doing will open up the chassis & start meddling with jumpers. You need hardware access to the machine to change the jumper so no nasty virus can change the setting.

The warning screen lets anyone who has had their machine physically hacked know that something is up with it.

Seems like a simple solution, but I can't imagine its in the best interests of M$ to do so.

On the other hand they could be staring down another anti-trust if they're not careful.

Android Tablet Firefox betas ready for trial fondling

Random Noise

Honeycomb browsing

I've tried pretty much all the H.C. browsers on my Transformer & the one I've preffered so far is Opera.

All the other browsers just dont perform quote as well. The new Dolphin Tab is quite promising, but seems to siffer from the rendering problem which affects the stock browser (if you scroll too fast the page loads in in blocks).

Tried the FF beta a while back & wasn't too impressed. Might give it another go to see if it's much better now.

Still even Opera isnt perfect. Seems to often have buttons missing in javascript forms which sometimes means to can't 'submit' the form.

New UK 'leccy meters remotely run via Voda 2G

Random Noise
Thumb Down

Switch off my freezer?

Great, come back from work to a big puddle on the floor. What could possibly go wrong?

How to... re-energise your Android smartphone's OS

Random Noise
Alert

words of advice

Although I'm guessing a high percentage of El Reg's readership are fairly switched on to this kind of thing, for any first time flashers a few words of advice.

1) Backup everything before flashing. And by backup I mean back it up to a seperate device. Some roms require that as well as wiping your phones internal memory that you repartition your SD card. You've just potentially lost all your photos, contacts, text messages etc.

2) Look for an unbricking guide prior to flashing. If you've just killed your only phone handset & still have 12 months to go on your contract it could be brown trousers time. Fortunately there is usually a way back from a bricked device, but better finding a guide specific to your handset & reading through it / watching a youtube vid BEFORE you start.

I do highly recommend trying new ROMs. I've loaded a Sense 3.0 rom on to my original HTD Desire. I get all the pretty interface action from the desire HD, with a phone small enough to fit in my pocket without getting any 'is that a phone, or...' comments.

Scientists devise 260GB CD-size glass disc storage tech

Random Noise

Ghosting

I can see some ghosting of the right-hand image on the image in the middle. Doesn't really matter too much for a picutre, but how will that affect 1s & 0s of digital data?

Canonical ARMs Ubuntu for microserver wars

Random Noise

Not quite a Netbook..

It may not exactly be a netbook, but the Asus Transformer port of Ubuntu by Lilstevie is humming along quite well. Once it's 100% complete it'll be a pretty decent Netbook / Tablet which runs on a Tegra2 (ARM based) chip.

Not exactly Netbook priced, but 16 hours of battery life, plus the ability to detech the keyboard & use it as only a tablet makes it pretty good in my book. 3G model coming soon as well..

Glasgow cammer not thrown in slammer

Random Noise

cam

Filmed on a phone as well? The quality must have been pish.

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Android tablet

Random Noise

yup, preordered

I couldn't find anywhere in uk with stock- to be honest I haven't rechecked Currys since I just ordered from Amazon with the promise of getting one when they're back in stock.

I know you can get the tablets in quite a few places but I wanted the tablet + keyboard combo.

Might have to cancel order & try from Currys instead.

Random Noise

Waiting..

I'm waiting for a Transformer which I've pre-ordered on Amazon.

While reading the comments about sticking *insert your favourite flavour of* linux on the Transformer I came across these guys:

https://www.alwaysinnovating.com/home/

They seem to have a couple of pretty cool Transformer like devices. The specs aren't as good, but hot switching between OSes? That's pretty awesome. I'm genuinely in two minds now...

BT earmarks 66 more exchanges for fibre-to-the-cabinet upgrade

Random Noise
Unhappy

Boo.

2 exchanges in Aberdeen & mine isn't either of them.

Welcome your robot overlairds, robots

Random Noise

Dead beasties in the flap?

Sounds like you could use Flo control http://www.quantumpicture.com/Flo_Control/flo_control.htm

Gaddafi's missus joins Lads from Lagos

Random Noise

Oh No!

Didn't you read the heartfelt plead not to disclose this? Now the Muammar Gaddafi will surely kill the poor woman!

Microsoft wraps Windows 8 in Ribbon UI?

Random Noise

I too know the pain of the ribbon

As has been said countless times above changing to the Ribbon is a nightmare.

I actually found something helpful on the M$ website tho:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/guides-to-the-ribbon-use-office-2003-menus-to-learn-the-office-2007-user-interface-HA010229584.aspx

Half way down the page the 'Interactive Guides' are quite handy - its a wee flash program which displays the old 2003 toolbars. Click on the function you want & it shows you how to find the dammed thing in 2007 (May not be much use for 2010, I dunno).

PARIS concocts commemorative cocktail

Random Noise

My Suggestion

Is 'The Cloud Buster'.

When I saw the picture I actually thought it was an orgone generator (or epoxy with metal shavings to those who don’t believe in Reich's science).

Good name to commemorate something released from space tho IMHO.

Filthy PCs: The X-rated circus of horrors

Random Noise

What I've learned

It seems that ants are negatively charged - they're all stuck to the positive pin on that capacitor.

Undead Bredolab zombie network lashes out from the grave

Random Noise

You computer is infected

If I saw a pop up that told me my computer was infected with a link on how to remove it I certainly wouldn't click it.

It sounds the same as every other fake antivirus pop-up.

While commendable on the part of the Dutch authorities I can see this not really working.

On the other had if people follow it & think that this is the standard when they get infected then nex time they do get a fake pop up they will reinfect themselves.

Thieves jam key-fob lock signals in mystery car thefts

Random Noise

Bad Design

Aside from the issues of what crypto etc is used on these key fobs the thing that annoys me is the lack of a physical lock on my car door. I have a key to start the ignition, but if I'm being jammed, or simply have a flat battery in my keyfob I cant lock/unlock my car even though i'm standing right next to it with a key!

It's just annoying design on the manufacturers part. Of course they dont want to 'spoil the lines' of the car...

O2 blamed for iPhone's data sucking

Random Noise

O2 Messages

I recently moved from O2 to T-Mobile to get a Desire (had nothing against O2, but given that I was a loyal customer of several years the fact that they wouldnt even match the deal T-Mob were offering made me leave)

I still keep getting annoying O2 marketing messages despite several calls to customer service to inform them that I am no longer an O2 customer and do not want to receive thier texts.

Annoyingly the 'Text STOP to xxxx' doesnt even work as I'm not on their network anymore.

At least these are just text messages I can ignore, but I can undertand how hacked off people must be from getting silly network info messages popping up every 2 mins.

Opera Mini de-betas on Android

Random Noise

Nah

Tried it, but as others have said the rendering can be hit or miss. Much prefer being able to zoom in as much as I want with the default browser.

Maybe the next release will be a bit better.

Autopsy on wacky Jacqui's ID astroturfing

Random Noise

Hmmm

"The report even included a quote from a mylifemyID member, Bill"

*cough*BillRay*cough*

Play BP Offshore Oil Strike

Random Noise
Coat

Oil bet you'll regret that joke...

...you must be a barrel of laughs

Finnish police raids target virtual thieves

Random Noise

Phishing

I wonder if they fact they were 'phished' will have any bearing on it at all.

If someone tricked me in to handing them my house keys and they went in & stole my furniture I'm sure my insurance wouldn't be too keen to pay out as it's my own fault for giving away my keys. It's not the same as someone picking my locks and breaking in.

Granted it's not a perfect analogy...

Cisco bugs surrender control of building's critical systems

Random Noise

Could be worse..

..as anyone who has seen 'Demon seed' will tell you. You could have the computer which controls your house impregnating your wife with freaky gold baby!

Met terror squad beats all complaints

Random Noise
WTF?

Bustin' heads for justice!

Vic Mackey would be proud!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shield

Hawking: Aliens are out there, likely to be Bad News

Random Noise

Reservations

Might not be so bad... Maybe after a few hundred years they will let us run our own casinos. Before you know it we'll be swimming in gold pressed latinum.

'al-Qaeda suicide cat' sends US Iraq war robots out of control

Random Noise

Pussama Bin Laden

First the cats, next thing we know it'll be the bomb dogs.

Swiss HSBC data breach victim count trebles

Random Noise

Hmm

So an insider who happens to live in France stole data which the French gov are now using to investigate tax fraud in a country where usually they cant get access to bank records?

Smells a bit fishy to me.

Young people are lazy, think world owes them a living - prof

Random Noise

Real problem

"stop hassling the kids and start picking on Western society's real problem group instead"

What you mean the work-shy politicians who want more money all the time for fuck all real work?

Feds open school spycam probe

Random Noise
Big Brother

Suspect

"only happened on 42 occasions when the machines were reported lost or stolen"

So in the case in question was the laptop reported lost or stolen? Why was the image taken of the kid?

Given the hints El Reg was dropping last week as to what the 'inappropriate behavior' was does it not seem more like perhaps a keyword has triggered some kind of alarm which has caused them to take the image.

Perhaps even more scarily they're just flat out lying and the camera are randomly monitored after all.

Seems like they need to be justifying why the snap was taken of the kid in the first place. Maybe it shows him doing something untoward, but the fact is *something* had to give them just cause to take it in the first place.

Rootkit blamed for Blue Screen patch update snafu

Random Noise

Daemon tools is a rootkit

I remember reading somewhere that Daemon tools has rootkit like qualties-

well it uses rootkit like sneakyness to hide itself from copy protection software. Maybe this is why it buggered up your machine.

Avatar renders this earthly life meaningless

Random Noise

We need to talk about Lewis...

Jesus, there are some strange people out there.

We all know the real reason is that these people want to hook up with a chick with a tail.

Imagine the possibilities......

BT names 63 more exchanges for fibre upgrades

Random Noise

Glasgow - Newton Mearns

The Glasgow exchange being upgraded is in a more well to do area as well.

Newton Mearns is where the Spears-singing, previously-ponytailed talent-twat Darius comes from.

The best (of the worst) patent claims of 2009

Random Noise

iGloves

Hackaday have a link to make your own igloves:

http://hackaday.com/2009/11/25/make-any-gloves-work-with-a-touch-screen/

Now even your frilly marigolds can be made to operate an Iphone

My hospital HAL - Google man moots syringe that says no

Random Noise

Come now Montag

And if you don't have a chip with your medical records on it? They set the mechanical hound on you to give a different sort of injection...

Vigilantes R US: Private enterprise takes over

Random Noise
WTF?

Odd

When you click on 'articles' the map that appears seems to have Maddy on her own listed as a category right in between sexual assaults & perverts .

Also, 'Disabilities' seems to be its own category. I didn't realise being in a wheel chair was a criminal offense these days.

Judge Dredd 'Black Box' recorder/spy kit for guns unveiled

Random Noise

Unreal

"Additional enhancements for increased functionality to the system are on the horizon as new technologies are explored."

Cant wait for the sniper to updated in real-time that they are 'Unstoppable' & 'Godlike' with each successful head shot

Facebook status bolsters alibi in armed robbery case

Random Noise

RDP

Clever use of RDP could have you 'working on your computer' ("honest Guv, check the IP logs") while committing a crime anywhere you want.

Ares 1-X booster rocket dented in test flight

Random Noise

Have to agree..

..how can NASA not have more than 1 method (a camera) for sensing whats going on?

Come on NASA - stick a wii remote in the black box and you'll get some good info back.

Auto thief foiled by guardian satellite

Random Noise
Grenade

Go one better

>Put a spike in the steering wheel then when they crash they remove themselves from the gene pool. If they are stupid enough to nick the car, they won't be wearing a seatbelt.

Why not go one better & install a Magnavolt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyuKEK7wmsw (Poss NSFW if your boss doesn't dig Robo).

It doesn't even drain your battery...

Child porn threat to airport's 'virtual strip search' scanners

Random Noise

I seem to recall..

..a while back hearing about this technology.

At the time GE or whoever it is that manufactures the kit insisted that it would have a privacy filter which automatically 'pixellated' the genital area. Does anyone else remember hearing this?

Secret teen hacker army ridiculed

Random Noise

Skillz

"by suggesting it is both reprehensibly criminal and simultaneously a useful national security skillset"

Just like being able to blow someones head off at 100 yards really.

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