* Posts by Waspy

181 publicly visible posts • joined 4 May 2012

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Billionaires see wealth double during pandemic as tech bros lead the charge

Waspy

Re: Worstall I always wondered what happened there. Reg used to feel a lot more centre right or at least classical liberal-ish until recently, even the comments section has got a lot more angry and left wing. My fave Andrew Orlowski was a self-described left-winger but v happy with hard economic facts (and indeed happily writes excellent articles for the Telegraph today). It's a mystery to me.

Microsoft fiddles with Fluent while the long dark Nightmare of the Print Spooler continues for Windows

Waspy

Re: "Snipping Tool and Snip & Sketch apps have been replaced by a new Snipping Tool"

https://getsharex.com/

saves all screenshots you make, can highlight, annotate, add text, make gifs. Can even run as portable, i love it.

Quite why MS can't just make this I do not know

Zorin OS 16 Pro arrives complete with optional 'Windows 11' desktop

Waspy

I have this on my Dell latitude

I love it, Zorin 15 really is polished, stable and easy to use.

I have recently donated an older ultrabook to the mother in law, and for that I went for Linux Lite simply due to its ease of use and low resource requirements but Zorin was also a potential candidate

UK.gov's new single enforcement body does not cover rogue umbrella companies, contractor campaigners complain

Waspy
Boffin

Re: did something change that makes people more exposed now than at any time before?

IR35 hasn't 'just come in', it's been around over 20 years. Not that many contractors or businesses ever realised this. HMRC just keep piling on more tweaks to an unworkable nonsensical regulation and create untold unintended consequences (and still get nowhere near the tax take their useless models predicted)

Need a new computer for homeschooling? You can do worse than a sub-£30 2007 MacBook off eBay

Waspy

Some of the finest keyboards to ever exist

Have an upvote, old ThinPads are amazing, I have an X201 and X220 and they run great on Solus and Zorin OS respectively, although the 201 has an annoying hardware-level bug that turns the wifi off a lot. They also have some of the finest keyboards known to man. Except perhaps my Dell E7250, a laptop my partner had left lying around from an old job that I resurrected with Zorin. The keyboard is unbelievable.

Amazon Lex can now speak British English... or simply 'English' if you're British

Waspy

American English is English

Sure I read somewhere that, in a similar vein, Brits changed their accents after USA independence (mainly in the south), so the USA still broadly sounds more like 18th century Brits than modern Brits do. Northerners have deviated a little less, having decided not to insert a 'r' into 'bath', 'grass', 'lass' etc

We've reached the endgame: Bezos 'in talks' to turn shuttered department stores into Amazon warehouses

Waspy

Re: Catalog pick-up locations

yep, but Sainsbury's own Argos so the brand remains as long as Sainsbury's see fit to keep it alive. Reports suggest there's a price mismatch between what you can buy in Sainsbury's and Argos so I am wondering how long the current arrangement will continue

Apple's at it again: Things go pear-shaped for meal planner app after iGiant opposes logo

Waspy

Acorn Computers

Sad we never got to see Apple vs Acorn

'That roar is terrific... look at that rocket go!' It's been 52 years since first Saturn V left the pad

Waspy
WTF?

Half an idea...

MrReal has spent an entire evening proving the Dunning-Kruger effect. Keeps him occupied I guess

How much do you think Cisco's paying erstwhile Brit PM David Cameron?

Waspy

Wonder if he'll recount

The hilarious story of when he went to see his old chum barrack obama to ask for help in banning encryption? And got a polite laugh in the face

Apple: Don't 'overreact'

Waspy

Peak peak apple

The endless peak apple stories peaked too soon

Obama puts down his encrypted phone long enough to tell us: Knock it off with the encryption

Waspy

Re: Conspiracy Theory

Don't know who is down voting you Blokeintejas, it all sounds very conspiracy theory to me.

Buy a slice of the next Facebook with just your credit card and browser

Waspy

Re: Crowd investing

"Oh I wouldn't do the stock market, it's a cowboy casino, probably lose all my money".

"But you've just spunked a load of money on a private project for just a fridge magnet and t-shirt"

"..."

Apple: We're going to sell $77bn worth of iStuff this holiday season

Waspy

have an upvote, i agree. the market is in awe of the mediocre. the OS you seek is...BB10. It does everything you could want...except esoteric (and many not-s0-esoteric) apps. carry on as before then...

Five things that doomed the big and brilliant BlackBerry 10

Waspy

Can't agree enough... And aside from the early bugs and marketing blunders it's one of those 'how can this product possibly have failed?'.

Such a great product and people never knew why they should buy it over what is basically a shitty simple app launcher with separately siloed apps, email and files. (I'm pointing at both android and iPhone, neither is as productive as a BB10). People have just settled for what apple have told them a smartphone is.

And one more thing... As Andrew points out, the gestures could be confusing to a new user but I didn't hear one shiny shiny gadget reviewer complain when ios got a whole load of gestures.

Oh, and thinking of gadget reviewers, read the verge review of the passport to find out why most tech journos are lazy, ignorant and contributed greatly to the reason why there is now simply a smartphone duopoly. //rant over//

Ps I also fully admit that BlackBerry seem to have done as much as possible to sabotage themselves

More BlackBerry layoffs: 200 Venice devs binned amid Android shift

Waspy

If won't come to your stuff, bring it to them...

Such a shame... But blackberry only have have themselves to blame, they were late to market and unless you explain just what it is about your product people should buy into then the market typically goes for a 'good enough' solution. Android is good enough. Personally for me, whilst android has all sorts of clever tricks up its sleeves now it's still a bit clunky and bb10 is hands down the most productive os I've ever used... The hub is incredible, the multitasking intuitive and fluid etc etc. Unfortunately no one has used it and everyone thinks that blackberry is either bust or that bb10 is the same company phone they hated in 2009.

If blackberry can bring some of that magic to the platform everyone has settled for then they may just make it through.

SPACED OUT: NASA's manned Orion podule pushed back to 2023

Waspy

Re: "Astronauts will fly for the first time on EM-2

Crowdfunding? This is a proper company, you mean IPO? Yes I too would happily buy many shares from that firm but Musk has ruled that out until he has got properly into space.

Apple iPhone 6S: Same phone, another day, but TOTALLY DIFFERENT

Waspy

Re: What about the memory?

Hate to be the smug one here but blackberry 10 streams and multitasks quite easily between apps, even audio or youtube streams via the browser. No it does not do what you describe when getting out of the car and doing other things before wanting to play Spotify again (my passport has a dedicated media pause/play button on the side). It runs android apps too. Yes I'm expecting loads of downvotes. Yes everyone finds it hilarious and odd that I use a BlackBerry in 2015. Yes BlackBerry should marketed the fuck out of bb10 cause its core functionality is better than ios or android but everyone missed the memo. Did someone mention webos and meego?

So, was it really the Commies that caused the early 20th Century inequality collapse?

Waspy

Re: Waspy

Not disagreeing with you at all Matt, all of this is learnable, now more than ever, but do people bother? I would perhaps argue no, seeing as most people seem to think property is the only thing safe enough to grow your wealth (you and I know this to be false, as is the often held premise that 'stock markets are a casino'). I myself am self taught but know that most people don't want to or can't be bothered to learn any more than they need to (which is often nothing at all). Same goes for NI...people on the whole just will not invest that surplus into wealth growing funds and will find themselves at the sharp end of no money and illness. Maybe you think this is their own fault...perhaps you are right, but I don't see it as simply as that.

I also suspect you will find a direct correlation between no health insurance, no 401k and very little money, although I haven't got time to get links so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Waspy

And who teaches Mr Median about how equities, bonds and commodities work? I'm pretty libertarian myself but this knowledge has to come from somewhere - presumably in your ultra laissez-faire utopia you don't want Mr Median paying for education if he does not want it.

So let's look at somewhere where until recently health insurance was not mandatory - did usa workers invest their insurance money in the s&p and dow jones? Nope. Whilst there may be some truth in what you say, your idea is about as rooted in reality as communism.

BlackBerry vows to make even fewer phones

Waspy

Same here, love my passport but most people either think BlackBerry have gone bust, still only make the legacy style curve phones or simply have an irrational hatred of them.

Anyway, I've said countless times in reg forums that bb10 devices would prob be perfect for most businesses over needlessly expensive iphones and Googlefied Samsungs but those same three sorts of people are also running IT departments so BlackBerry don't get a look in. And really, BlackBerry only have themselves to blame.

Jolla cuts hardware biz loose to concentrate on Sailfish licensing

Waspy

totally agree

People don't care, they buy phones like their cars, tvs and fridges - in general they buy their mates and family have and what is perceived to be the best (iphone), failing that they will buy a samsung (that is, in the world of carphone warehouse normal phone customers, the 'alternative' choice) and if they are feeling really different they may get a Sony, HTC or maybe even a nokia/ms windows phone. Not even BlackBerry gets a look in (I have a passport and people laugh at it...quite why I don't know, it suits my needs best and for my own reasons I dislike ios and android).

I actually had a jolla for a while...I liked it but really, no one is going to buy it at this stage...too much of an unknown quantity and no one likes to buy what their mates don't have (apart from me it seems)

Give us your software BlackBerry, we love it. The phones? Meh

Waspy

Great company, great products...

I love my Passport and BB10 - nearly all the flexibility of android, the security of blackberry, the rock solid hardware of an old school Nokia and the user friendlyness of an iPhone (with far superior multi tasking). Oh and the Hub. Did I mention the Hub?

However for whatever reason people seem to think BlackBerry are dead and high street presence is near non existent so perhaps an android with BlackBerry goodies make sense and the leaner, meaner company seem pragmatic enough to realise this. Personally I think it's a crying shame bb10 isn't a bigger success...but I said that about meego and webos too which goes to show the best doesn't always win.‎

I really wish them well.‎

Creationist: The Flintstones was an accurate portrayal of Dino-human coexistence

Waspy

Re: Best to ignore them

Fair enough, yes, at the risk of sounding as arrogant as the people I berate, I am willing to adjust my beliefs based on evidence...but the point was that this guy's evidence was less than flimsy and he focused in on one stupid little detail (missing the bigger picture). If he'd provided pretty convincing evidence that there was no moon landing then I would investigate further and possibly eventually concede but let's be honest here...that is never going to happen cause in 46 years no good evidence has been forthcoming (vs plenty of evidence for the event) and it's a pretty stupid claim in the first place.

I actually think teaching the actual scientific method/how evidence works/critical thinking at school would vastly improve our society...your lovely story gives me hope!

Waspy

same with conspiracy theorists

I wasted about an hour of my time recently arguing with a moon hoax idiot...he seemed to ignore every bit of logic fired at him and cherry picked the things that supported his (preconceived) explanations. "I firmly believe no one went to the moon so I'm going to use everything I can find to prove it". Same effect is found in religion and extreme political ideas (such as communism). They would seemingly argue until heat death.

Best to ignore them and hope the sum total of these people goes down over time (although it is taking a frustratingly long time...)

Baidu now backing Uber's bid for Nokia maps

Waspy

The last vestige of the old Nokia is going then

Real shame, but makes total business sense. I wish the new Nokia best of luck, they've managed to get out of a terrible market and make their business profitable again... Still doesn't stop me dreaming of a meego future and the latest descendant of the N9 though!

Law changed to allow GCHQ hacking ... just as GCHQ hauled into court for hacking

Waspy

name a 20th Century dictator...

Cameron seems to be Increasingly using the language of former fascist and communist dictators with his drive to protect freedom by restricting freedom. Gchq's shenanigans are only another facet of this whole sorry rhetoric.

I'm waiting for the UK enabling act next

What is Apple's idiot tax on Watch these days? 'About $265 or 80%'

Waspy

Re: Idiot?

"And so called "comedian" Stewart Lee..."

I'm really not sure Stewart Lee's pieces on political correctness were aimed at The Reg...he's political correctness gone mad though, absolutely mad I'm telling you

Met Police puts iPads, Windows and Android mobes on trial

Waspy

"Any idea why Blackberry was excluded from consideration?"

I thought this too, BB10 devices would be as suitable as any other (and much better really imho, definitely more secure). I suspect it's because the general (wrong) consensus is that, even amongst many IT managers, BlackBerry has gone bust.

Steely wonder? It's blind to 4G and needs armour: Samsung Galaxy S6

Waspy

unless wireless charging plates are included

People just aren't gonna use it. And this from a wireless evangelist - I loved wireless charging on my Pre 3 and I love wireless charging on my Lumia. In fact people probably won't even know it's there, and if they do there is no way 90% of those people will bother ponying up even a tenner for a charging plate.

No, people will start raving about wireless charging when Apple's marketing juggernaut starts talking about it...much as I hate to admit it.

Nice thing to have though for those who can arsed, props to Samsung

Vince Cable opens hipster-friendly London tech creche

Waspy

vince cable is about as business savvy as gerald ratner

...ever since he sold the post office for less than...near enough a pack of postage stamps. Why is he still allowed to speak?

Yay! Wearables! It's the future! Uh-oh! I'm going to be sick

Waspy

you might be right Dabbsy apple watch might be succesful

...but I'm not sure who on earth the $12k version is aimed at - if you can afford it, who's gonna take you seriously when you could have bought a pateke Phillipe instead? Bonkers.

Having said that, I did see a friend of a friend claiming that "battery life is ok cause I'll charge everyday at my desk, the vibrate function will be useful for not waking up my wife and kids early in the morning, really looking forward to using that". You mean like a $15 Timex with vibrating alarm and a 5 year battery? Guess apple will be hoping there are people looking for an excuse - any excuse - to buy the cheaper one!

Apple Watch: HOT WRIST ACTION plus slim $1299 MacBooks - and HBO TV

Waspy

Re: The 'Pink Pound'. Dollar, Euro, etc

Revealing your prejudice with a version of the old "not being a racist but...".

Classy.

BlackBerry gets flirty with QWERTY IP, launches $275 Leap

Waspy

Slightly confused...

Chen seems to be making all the right moves, which is wonderful to see. Still slightly confused as to who the Leap is aimed at though, most 'young career builders' I know (I am guessing they are in the 21-34 age range) think BlackBerry is out of business. No joke. They need to raise their profile with this demographic before they start trying to flog phones to them, especially as most phone shops don't even offer BB10 handsets on contract anymore.

3 spectastic Lumias for price of 1 rival flagship: Microsoft sells biz on cheapie experience

Waspy

I have a high opinion of WinPho

It isn't perfect but I think it is probably more appropriate for many people than an iphone or samsung which costs 3-4 times the price. This is when you discover there are two types of people in this regard: the ones who have never heard of WinPho "hahaha, windows on a phone? Why would I want that, is it gonna crash all the time..." etc etc. And the second type who have actually used it and on the whole seems to really like it.

Good luck to MS, seems like if they can make more inroads with this strategy into enterprise then people will be exposed to WinPho more (and possibly actually want to use it personally). And don't get me started on businesses that waste thousands on iphones when Lumias and Moto Gs exist...

Wake up! BlackBerry QUIETLY updates BB10

Waspy

Re: There are still Blackberry users? - @waspy

@arnaut the less

sounds about the same as me, 2 live email accounts too, I probably use my q10 more in the day from the sounds of it though but even left on the side it seems to drain pretty quickly. I also have a 64gb sandisk card so no cheapie. Oh well, might try a full reset when I have the time, thanks for your reply.

Waspy

Re: There are still Blackberry users?

Agree with everything you said, but puzzled by your 2 days battery life - I love my q10 but the 10 hr battery life is a sore point and one of the main reasons I was looking to change up to a passport. Do you have maany things turned off for this kind of battery life?

You'll NEVER guess who has bought I Taught Taylor Swift How To Give Head dot-com

Waspy

Two Words:

Barbra Streisand

What do UK and Iran have in common? Both want to outlaw encrypted apps

Waspy

Re: Oh not again

Have an upvote. This is exactly the issue - people just do not understand or care. As long as their ipads work ok IT is a boring, dry subject. And politicians all lie so I'll stay at home and ignore politics.

You don't even need to be technically knowledgeable about the subject (what i know about cryptography you write on a stamp) but I understand the ethical and democratic issues around this whole sleight of hand and it terrifies me. I don't even believe anyone person or group is deliberately being 'evil' par se, I just think gchq et al are obsessed with getting their brief done (and ignoring all pesky issues on democracy), I think the politicians in power are clueless on both civil liberties/how computers work and the electorate, in the main, are even more clueless and apathetic. All of which doesn't change the eventual outcome regardless of anyone's intentions, sinister or otherwise...we are slowly sleepwalking away from the idea of a modern democratic state. Education is the key.

TCL confirms plans to 'bring back' Palm – provided you tell it how

Waspy

Re: No going back ...

Yeah, BlackBerry face such a populist backlash from certain IT jounos it isn't funny. One verge reviewer berated the Hub on the Passport for showing TOO MANY emails and messages. Wtf? That's kind of the point. He also failed to work out how to select which accounts show there (which would have mitigated his bizarre complaint), which is baffling as you simply press the arrow at the top. I've also seen other reviewers complain that it wouldn't run Hangouts or other esoteric email replacement apps which I expect no one outside glossy tech mags and small Web design studios actually use.

BB10 is very powerful like you say but it's difficult to get this point across to 26 year old latte-sipping journalists who are in love with their androids and iphones...a new palm brand would indeed have a similar struggle on its hands with these gatekeepers.

Waspy

just so happens the one idea I would be open to

Would be a new webOS powered Palm device. Shame.

Chip bods ride the Snapdragon, yell: Mobes are consoles, lightbulbs are mobes

Waspy

come on Reg

You missed a golden opportunity for a sub-head: "Qualcomm touts its new bright idea"

You can have that one for free

Nvidia flops out teraflop X1 for self-aware cars

Waspy

Re: Self drive

This, rather than the technology itself is what will hold up adoption of the self driving cars. And once the legalities have all been worked out, public perception has to be managed and trust gained.

Most commentards here will understand that statistically machines that drive themselves should be far safer than meatsacks, but the average driver actually thinks they are really good at driving despite the fact that daily traffic accident stats say otherwise. Can you imagine when driverless cars go mainstream and there is the first fatality involving an autonomous car? It wouldn't even need to have been the fault of the car, the pitchforks would come out.

Waspy

Re: Great , even more technology for its own sake

I think part of the problem is that an autonomous car neither wants or needs you

NASA's 'crazy' plan yields dramatic pictures of our X-ray Sun

Waspy

Re: see...."Thunderbolts of the Gods"....on youtube

Haha, I thought you were taking the piss and then I looked up Thunderbolts of the Gods. Have a downvote on me!

Pitch Black: New BlackBerry Classic is aimed at the old-school

Waspy

Re: Grampa Phone

Hmm, have you actually used BB10? It's actually very efficient. And while we're on the subject of specs, go out in the street and ask any Sony, Sammy, HTC etc owner what specs their phone has. I doubt very much if a) any of these people actually know and b) that they give aa shit. You'll probably get a few blank looks when you mention Android ("but mine's a HTC").

BlackBerry are a known quantity - rock solid email and built to survive a nuclear war. People know it for what it does, much like they do for iphones. I hope BlackBerry do well with this.

Apple patents NEVERSMASH iPHONE for fumbling fondlers

Waspy

Ooh Turkish Best Kebab in Dalston...

I reckon losing an iPhone for a Turkish Best Kebab seems a fair deal, especially at two in the morning!

Windows Phone will snatch biz No 2 spot from Android – analyst

Waspy

Re: Perhaps they could convince the BBC to talk about them all the time

*checks the latest Rory Cellan-Jones blog*...yep, iphone mentioned very favourably, all is present and correct...

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