* Posts by Darius

11 publicly visible posts • joined 9 Jun 2009

BT squares up to Google Voice with Ribbit Mobile

Darius

Hutchinson

I thought it was Hutchinson that brought out the Rabbit?

O2 could impose out-of-contract iPhone lock-in

Darius

Unlocked the norm?

I wonder if Apple will simply sell unlocked sim-free iPhones in the near future and leave it to the networks to sell locked phones with their contracts (to which they subsidise). It would make sense.

I'm not sure why genuine unlocked iPhones cost £700-£900 when the pay as you go iPhones on O2 cost £340-£540. O2 don't subsidise pay as you go phones that heavily.

Orange predicts death of bosses and birth of P2P offices

Darius

Just to clarify!

For the record, I don't have a PA! The wake up call and diary run down is is just what Orange 'predicted' would be the norm in the future!!!

Wildfire did work (not to the extent that Orange predicted) but 'she' made calls, took messages and even told a joke occasionally. Orange withdrew the service because didn't want to invest time in something that wasn't going to make them money. This is despite purchasing the Wildfire technology for over £100m. It was probably slightly ahead of it's time. Callers couldn't quite grasp that the PA (that answered the phone in a similar fashion to a human) was a machine. Oddly enough, it seems that nowadays we do spend a lot my time talking to machines!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/1999/07/20/orange_adds_wildfire_virtual_pa/

Darius
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Wildfire!

Orange predicted ten years ago that we'd wear a tiny earpiece in our ears and that we'd be woken up by the voice of Wildfire (a virtual personal assistant) and that 'she' would organise our day, remind us of meetings, make calls for us and organise flowers when necessary - just like a real PA. However, the future was not so bright for Wildfire as they got rid of her and so changed the future!

'External force' fractured French iPhones, says Apple

Darius
FAIL

Apple won't even look at the evidence!

The screen of my iPhone suddenly shattered in my hand just after I unplugged it from charging. Screen seems to have shattered from the inside as the top surface is fine. O2 (in the UK) didn't want to know as it was more than a year old (but still in contract).

I contacted Apple and they said there were no known issues (even after the recent press reports). I asked if they would at least look at it and they said no. They suggested I contacted O2 to establish my consumer rights (like O2 are gonna care). So it doesn't surprise me that Apple have seen no evidence of screens cracking due to overheating - because they are refusing to look at the evidence in the first place.

HTC Hero Android smartphone

Darius

Time for Apple to update iPhone

Think Apple need to update the iPhone and allow customisable home screens and not just a screen with lots of icons on it. I think that is the Hero's biggest selling point.

Barclays online banking borked

Darius

PINsentry

@Tom Chiverton 1 and Vitani

Valid point re logging in without PINsentry but I use an account aggregator which automatically logs in to all my accounts and updates all my balances - except for Barclays. Grrr!

Darius
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PINsentry

I think the new website is ok - at least they are making an effort unlike some other banks. However, it's the PINsentry device annoys me about Barclays. You need it just to log in which is frustrating as most of the time I just want to check payments have gone in. None of my other banks with PIN devices make me enter a security code just to log in. It's security gone over the top imo.

WD unfurls 1TB Scorpio

Darius

PS3

Shame it's too big for the PS3. It does fit my laptop though so I may purchase one.

iPhone 3G S in the UK: what you need to know

Darius
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Disappointed

Disappointed at the high cost of the 3GS.

Disappointed that Apple did not announce a smaller iPhone (Palm Pre/Vodafone Magic sizes are much better).

Disappointed that the tariffs are still poor value compared to O2 standard tariffs. 500 text allowance on all tariffs - it'll take 4 text messages to send an MMS!

Darius

TomTom

From the TomTom website:

'the TomTom car kit that offers secure docking, enhanced GPS performance, clear voice instructions and hands-free calling, while charging your iPhone at the same time.'