Posts by Giles Jones

Why?

Why do they spend time developing such attacks knowing full well that copycat criminals will abuse them?

Many criminals don't have the intelligence to devise such schemes and rely on information released so called "security researchers".

Slow pace of change?

So what's with the slower pace of change? In the 80s Atari released about three consoles in 9 years, 2600 (VCS), 5200 and 7800.

I thought Moore's law was still true, so you would imagine the hardware is still improving. I guess it is the software holding things back? Writing a game is such a big project now that it takes a long time to get people up to speed with a new console.

I would imagine this is why a lot of innovation (in terms of new characters and games) is happening on mobile device.

LOL

It's a location assist cache. It lists data around where you have been, sometimes miles away.

For instance, I had data saying I had been to London when I hadn't. So what use is this data for tracking anyone if it lists loads of places you've never been to? All it really shows is what country you were in on a particular date.

Not to mention, you have to have access to their phone or computer to get the data.

Of course, there was a patch a while back that reduced the cache size and stopped it being backed up. But why let that get in the way of a court case eh?

HTC's patents

HTC's patents are all low level microelectronics patents for really mundane crap that nobody cares about. Much of them are likely to be patents that should be aimed at the suppliers of components to Apple.

Anti-trust won't allow it

Google's search and advertising dominance means it has to tread very carefully when trying to restrict competition.

The question that will be asked is are Google using their dominance in online services to monopolise the handset market?

Sure, Android may be free now but it may not be for much longer? after all, they haven't released the source for the latest release. Okay that may be because it isn't ready for phone handsets but it's a slightly worrying sign of what may come.

PDA

Something around the size of smartphone but without the phone is called a PDA. They died off years ago.

So why would Dell want to make one now?

Garbage patent

OSX is a Unix based OS and Macs use EFI which is an Intel invention.

So which component is infringing?

This seems like the modern practice of suing the person using the product rather than the person who create it.

Oh dear

So they can't even port their own software over to their phone?

Honestly, they really don't have a bright future. Perhaps the experts in BES were laid off?

Too many variables?

It could be for numerous reasons.

There are plenty of people on really ropey slow broadband connections. There are plenty of people with poor wireless routers.

Perhaps the fix is to buffer more?

When you stream then you do need good bandwidth with not too much jitter.

Monoculture

So if they don't recommend lots of Macs then they think the enterprise customers are better off on Windows?

A monoculture of computers and software is what helps viruses take down an organisation's systems.

If OSX was so poor Google wouldn't have dumped all their Windows machines for OSX.

Excuse?

It's okay it was a limited trial called Google Drive BETA.

Fly instead

Not the first time he's smashed it up.

But you have to ask why? given the state of our roads and the traffic on them you're better off learning to fly a helicopter and fly yourself around rather than spend money on a car you can't do more than 70MPH (legally) in.

I'm sure Rowan can afford to.

LOL

Is there any whale song in the music? :)

It seems new logos are falling out of fashion, so the logo designers are doing apps now.

Hardware costs

So did the console design itself, market itself, walk to the stores by itself?

There's a margin of profit, there's a margin of R&D costs and so on.

A Blu-ray disc costs pence to make, but you think the content on it was made for nothing? of course not.

The problem

The problem is everyone pushing TV using different hardware. Isn't that the whole reason the current TV system is a success? you can view numerous channels no matter what brand.

Choice?

So long as camera mounts are non-standard then you'll buy what body fits onto your lenses.

Those starting out right now should be more interested in buying a decent lens than the body. But everyone I know who has bought an SLR has stuck with the very average kit lens, bad move.

Have they even used it?

There are lots of apps in app stores and it is becoming rather tricky to find something you don't yet know of. But to say you need to break up the app stores into lots of smaller ones is a bit ridiculous.

That's like saying Google should be split into multiple search engines, one for news, one for music, one for entertainment.

You can see why Intel are still largely a chip maker.

Diversion

Nice diversion from Bankers and MP's expenses.

Comparing apples with oranges

Apple is a hardware company first and a software company second.

Microsoft is almost 100% software except for XBox 360 and some failed attempts at an iPod competitor.

Totally different outlook.

Durrrr

Physical ccess to the machine means all sorts of hacks are possible, regardless of OS.

Lock your computer behind a door if you are really bothered.

In Linux I remember getting root access without password by dropping into LILO or Grub and entering single user mode.

Brand

It doesn't seem to matter what brand you buy or fit, someone will have had one die and complain about it. Some complained on forums about Apple fitting Western Digital drives before now.

It's rarely the magnetic surface that fails (except in the infamous IBM glass platter drives), so if the data is still there then I believe the manufacturer should be made responsible for data recovery!

Simple reason

If you have to support multiple versions of Android it gets painful. Someone might want HTC but another want a Samsung.

Multiple GUIs are a support nightmare. Talking through the process with someone a phone where the interface is totally different to the one you know just isn't going to work.

Erm

Guess what, you can brick a PC by using some Windows BIOS flash software.

I'm sure there's some software that could do the same for SATA drive firmware.