Re: Missed chance
"which they've had to pay LG a subsidy to make"
Do you have a source for that or is it just a rumour that you are now presenting as fact?
Posts by DaLo
732 publicly visible posts • joined 30 Aug 2012
Review: Google Nexus 4
Facebook testing $100 fee to mail Mark Zuckerberg
Sunday 13th January 2013 22:12 GMT
Re: Its more wide spread that you may think.. but it works
You can whitelist your address with third-party e-mail providers but you can do it yourself for free. I'm guessing this is how these 'certification companies' work they just fill out the forms for you.
I don't know why someone would pay a company thousands to do this. As long as you use best-practice guidelines for the relevant e-mail provider including SPF, domain keys, fixed IPs and fill out the forms (a couple of hours work at most) and then don't spam or be tagged as spam by a user and bingo your mail will have a high chance of being delivered.
New tool jailbreaks Microsoft Surface slabs in 20 SECONDS
Guess who'll grab Facebook Sponsored Stories payout? (Hint: Not the victims)
Wednesday 9th January 2013 10:41 GMT
EPIC!
A story about Facebook sponsored stories which turns has half the story talking about the failings of Google...oh, yes it's another Orlowski story.
However to use EPIC as a source, when they have made it their mission to complain and get investigations into Google one of their primary tasks in recent years is maybe not so impartial. Another company seems to be doing that a lot as well, enter Microsoft. How many times has EPIC complained about Microsoft...zero.
A surprising number of organisations seem to be pursuing complaints about Google which have a link or backing from Microsoft in recent years. Could EPIC be one of them?
Well maybe, the members of their advisory board include Cynthia Dwork who works for Microsoft Research, along with Dannah Boyd (Microsoft), Stefan Brands (Microsoft) and Ray Ozzie (Chief Software Architect, Microsoft). They also host events at Microsoft's policy center.
Truly EPIC.
Which qualifications are worthwhile?
Tuesday 8th January 2013 15:15 GMT
Tricky...
One thing to consider - however good you are at building a home PC working in a corporate environment is very different. Helpdesk requires remote troubleshooting without being sat at the PC and dealing with users who are scared to even tell you what the full error message is. It isn't fun and it isn't glamorous, however it is the first step on a rung of a ladder (usually to second line support).
With the amount of graduates who are looking for IT jobs who have got a computer degree and are willing to work for minimum wage the market is tough out there. I would agree that for an experienced candidate a degree is little more than icing on the cake and doesn't stand for much in real terms.
So your first step is to decide whether you want to be a specialist or a generalist. Then look at the job boards for jobs you might be interested in. Keep a spread sheet of every qualification they state is either essential or desirable. Mark them down as such.
After looking through 50 jobs in your area you should be able to see which qualifications are deemed the most sought after (or even the minimum) you need for your role.
Then check out the length of time it takes to do the course (and availability in your area and your timetable), the costs and any extras you need (like time in industry or software or reading materials).
Your spreadsheet should now show you the best qualifications V cost V time to complete. This should give you a good idea of which course is the best to invest in.
Entry level jobs could be either helpdesk or a support technician. A technician is a bit more hands on and usually works for smaller companies. It is (IMHO) more interesting and allows you to quickly build up a skillset. A helpdesk can be a bit monotonous and could be specialised to a certain sector or package and so it isn't so valuable.
If you are lucky enough to get a job then keep pushing for promotions every 12~18 moths or look elsewhere. You will gain the most experience if you move around a bit and don't get stuck in your ways picking up bad habits from one company. Also try to extol the benefits of your employer paying you to train on the job.
In reality getting your first job will be your hardest at this stage and so you really do need a spot on CV (don't waste much time on your home build PC work it's not very relevant, work more on your logic problem solving, people skills text), a great interview technique and an instant likeable personality.
Good luck.
CES?
Tuesday 8th January 2013 00:47 GMT
Re: CES?
Oh yeah I see some more now, not sure how they missed my perusing earlier. I think maybe the Microsoft/iPad story I thought was old news so didn't scroll down past there...
Still a little thin on the ground but looking forward to the news about the new range of LG fridge freezers ... you are going to cover those aren't you?
Victory on mobile belongs to Google in 2013
Saturday 5th January 2013 17:29 GMT
Isn't that a great thing about Google?
Anybody can make a search, lots of people already have. Anybody can switch search with absolutely no hardship or outlay or even need to transfer any legacy data.
I could switch search from Bing to Yahoo, to Ask, to Google, to etc for every other search in a day with no impact whatsoever (assuming all the searches provided the results I need)
However Google has remained dominant in search for so many years. As an investor that would be a big positive.
As for mining your data to sell ads - every company 'mines' your data to sell you anything. Any company with something to sell and has a significant marketing budget tries to get as much information about their customers as possible to sell them something. You can bet your socks that Apple and Microsoft are taking as much of your data as possible to do the same thing.
FTC clears Google in anticompetitive probe
Friday 4th January 2013 01:52 GMT
Re: The loss of their FRAND patent 'weapons' isn't going to save money or give them ...
"The difference is that Google refused to licence them on FRAND terms to Apple, got slaped about by the FTC and has now agreed to license them on FRAND terms globally to anyone who wants them, which includes Apple."
Er... they always allowed them to be licensed on FRAND terms by Apple. However Apple didn't want to negotiate the terms so asked a court to do it. No one got slapped about (or slaped). Whether the terms that Samsung was asking was too high is up to negotiation and possibly, now, the American courts. However if the rates for some of the other patents that are being asserted for (often invalid) patents are anything to go by there might not be a strong case.
Thursday 3rd January 2013 21:48 GMT
Re: The loss of their FRAND patent 'weapons' isn't going to save money or give them ...
I think the point is the patents are already FRAND so agreeing to let them be FRAND makes no difference.
They were already available for anyone to licence, the cost of licensing them can still be negotiated, but this agreement doesn't make any difference.
Samsung confirms Tizen-based mobes to debut this year
Friday 4th January 2013 01:45 GMT
Re: Nobody?
It makes sense for Samsung to explore alternatives - It's no use them becoming dependent on a single supplier to make sure they stay in business. Therefore it's best to have plenty of backup options available.
However they are unlikely to 'jump ship'. Android is a major reason why Samsung are the largest phone manufacturer in the world and their profits are heavily filled by their Android offering. As well as brand credibility where they are in the top echelons of phone manufacturers (if not the top) .
So they will carry on with their Android offerings for as long as people keep buying them, Google keeps developing it and they are making money out of them. However if any of these things stop then they need to be able to have a credible (and mature) OS to move towards. It might take another 10 attempts after this to get there and it might be 2050 befor eit is needed but it's no use being another Kodak or Polaroid or Microsoft who rest on their foundations and watch the world pass them by.
The amazing magical LED: Has it really been fifty years already?
Taliban official's email blunder leaks 400+ contacts
Saturday 17th November 2012 18:49 GMT
Speaking of e-mail blunders
How did the ICO deal with the register when it did exactly the same thing?
We never did get an update.
Android and Apple OS shares show mountain MS must climb
Wednesday 14th November 2012 16:48 GMT
Re: From my weblogs...
Not necessarily. That shows Mobile Devices, not smartphones. iPADs are probably the top consumer of websites for mobile devices at the moment.
I would doubt many people do 'normal' browsing on smartphones very often. Android tablets, although making up good ground with some fantastic devices, can't yet match the prevalence of 10" iPads, especially outside of Asia.
Apple, HTC kiss and make up
Monday 12th November 2012 12:43 GMT
Re: Payment of License fees?
"HTC must have said it, otherwise they wouldn't have said the fees won't materially impact their balance sheet."
What HTC said was "There is no material adverse impact on the financials of the Company".
Which mentions nothing about licensing fees and as that is an investor statement it could be anything from there was no costs at all or that HTC had to close down their litigation costs with a final payment or a settlement fee of some kind. It is a big leap to suggest it means licensing fees were paid.
HTC are unlikely to have given The Register an exclusive on specific details for a confidential agreement between themselves and Apple.
"Either that, or the Reg author made the whole thing up, which I find hard to believe."
You haven't been around here long have you?
Accidental discounts land Apple in NZ's Disputes Tribunal
Tuesday 6th November 2012 09:52 GMT
Re: He Was Hoping To Get $89 Worth Of Stuff For $0.83 - Really?
I can't see the courier idea being legitimate. Apple would be the customer of the Courier and has contracted the courier to provide a service. Apple then decided to cancel or change that service. I can't see how the goods automatically belong to the customer just because they are in the Couriers possession.
I'm not saying that the customer isn't entitled to those goods by contract law or other law that is applicable in the antipodes he may well be. Just saying that intercepting the courier would be theft, unless of course the courier had been initiated by the customer (however still not theft, just the courier might be liable for giving the goods back).
Google expects Apple to block its not crap iOS maps app
Monday 5th November 2012 22:25 GMT 
Apple Apology?
"As bad as Apple's Maps is, Cupertino is hardly likely to admit it made a mistake and let Google back into its operating system environment – Tim Cook is a great pragmatist, but the loss of corporate face would be too much."
Eh? What poor journalism, a little bit of background checking would've quickly revealed something which was all over the media a few weeks ago, namely Tim Cook's apology for iOS Maps: http://www.apple.com/letter-from-tim-cook-on-maps/
Admitted making a mistake and recommending Google (and others) as an alternative.
Kim Dotcom offers free internet with own submarine cable
Renault Clio IV and R-Link Android console hands-on preview
Map law could see China confiscate mobes at Customs
Wednesday 17th October 2012 05:57 GMT
Re: Bleh.
I wouldn't be so sure. There was a spate of Chinese Officials confiscating guidebooks at certain borders due to mapping "errors". There was no argument or understanding, just took the book and didn't give it back.
It is unlikely to happen on the Hong Kong/Chinese border but some of the lesser ones, maybe. I'm pretty sure it will be returned for a wad of Yuan though.
My advice, would be password protect it and then plead ignorance for as long as it takes to wave you through.
Carphone Warehouse lauds Nexus 7 while eagerly eying iPad Mini
Tuesday 16th October 2012 13:18 GMT
Re: Still no update for me :(
You can force the update ahead of schedule just by deleting the system framework data - no root or anything awkward to do just go into app settings and click the delete data button on the Android System Framework (or similar name).
Then go to about tablet and recheck for updates and it will magically appear.
Incompatible IT systems blamed for bank sale collapse
Monday 15th October 2012 12:32 GMT
Re: Huzzah
That seems a bit poor of the post office, who often have these tales of reuniting letters to recipients even with minimal address information.
They couldn't, with a seeming valid postcode deliver to an address that was in other respects the same but had the word Road after it?
Cue deliverer's reconstruction: "Hmm, I have a letter to be delivered and the postcode has led me to street called Frognal, but the address says 'Frognal Road'. Can't be the same place, better return it to the head office at the post office's expense and greater effort to myself."
British car parks start reading number plates
Monday 15th October 2012 12:21 GMT
Auto billing?
But was this auto billing in Chester? Obviously general ANPR to make sure you don't overstay is common everywhere.
Crazily, they introduced it in a local B&Q. I went there and was going to shop there and at the Morrison's next door, however with the new ANPR and 1 hour limit that it said on the sign, I parked in Morrison's instead.
However about an hour and half later I went back to B&Q and parked, went in an bought the stuff I was going to buy.
I later get a parking charge notice as the sign also said "no return within 4 hours"!.
So I had driven in, saw the sign driven out (total time less than 3 mins). Then later returned parked up for half an hour and shopped in B&Q and got hit with a charge. Luckily I had been on holiday for a couple of weeks so the charge had also been doubled for non-prompt payment. This forced me to look on the 'net and realise to ignore these invoices, which I duly did.
However, no return within 4 hours! how many people must do DIY at the weekend, go and pick up some goods and then realise they forgot something, need more of something or bought the wrong type? They would drive back and get hit with a fine! Ridiculous.
Sharp's slim screen factory 'flogged to death' by Apple
A load of Tosh: External hard drives the new 'personal clouds'
Sony unwraps James Bond's new Droidphone
Thursday 30th August 2012 10:30 GMT
Xperia V?
They also announced the Xperia V which is similar to the 'T' but is dust and waterproof:
Speca
4.3” HD Reality Display powered by the Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 for razor sharp clarity
13 MP fast capture camera with full HD video recording.
Latest generation 1.5GHz dual core processor for improved battery life, fast performance and ultra sharp graphics
Easy connectivity with One-touch ‘One-touch’ enabled by NFC
Clear audio+ for the highest level of sound quality
PlayStation™ Certified
Android version 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Will be upgraded to Android version 4.1 (Jelly Bean) following launch.
Highest levels of dust and water resistance in a smartphone (IP55/57+) ensure protection from the effects of immersion up to 1m for 30 minutes
MHL connectivity for viewing content on a big screen without the need for a charger
Biting the hand that feeds IT
