* Posts by eddiewrenn

113 publicly visible posts • joined 7 Aug 2007

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IPTV UK: what's on tonight?

eddiewrenn

Awful choice

Looking at these prices, the spread of content in a dozen different sites, the 'licensing' rather than purchase... I don't think Torrents are going anywhere soon. £4.99 for old doctor who? £11 for three eoisodes of Sherlock (within a walled garden, no less?). Make them 50p an episode and we're talking... this article should not have been a promo-sounding round-up, but a rant.

HTC Sensation XL

eddiewrenn

a) your reviews in mobile are well lacklustre :(

b) I love, or have loved, HTC for many years, and for a time you would have had to prise the HTC H2 out of my dead hands. But HTC fail, absolutely fail, to innovate, and I have temporarily switched to the Samsung S2. Why? Because I waited for the Sensation XL and... wtf? 16GB memory max? That's pathetic, with no micro SD slot. Maybe WP7 can't handle external cards, but that's no excuse to just take that model (the HTC Titan), slap Android on it, and say "Finished!!". HTC lost a customer by doing that........

2011's Best... Smartphones

eddiewrenn

What?

El Reg, you need to sort your reviews out. Not necessarily the ratings or your viewpoints, but the lac of internal consistancy in regards of scores/comparisons... It just makes me think you don't have an expert phone reviewer.

Anyway, yes, this article misses the SGS 2 hard... Especially as your headline is "2011's best smartphones", not just "of the last six months" etc...

Steve Jobs: the Exclusive Biography

eddiewrenn

I was never a fan of Steve Jobs, and I wuldn't give Apple 20p even if it needed it for the bus ride home, but I loved this book.

20 per cent of laptop buyers opted for netbooks in Q4 08

eddiewrenn
Happy

Almost a third...

That'll be a fifth then!

LG Renoir eight-megapixel cameraphone

eddiewrenn

Sins of the father

I don't want to tar this phone with memories of its predecessor, but I got the 5MP Viewty and sold it a week later on eBay because of its dodgy firmware, reverting back to my 3.2MP Sony k850. The firmware was apallingly clumsy, the camera shots looked a lot more washed out than the k850, and it didn't have bluetooth audio streaming (well it never worked). They lost my trust and I doubt I'd look at this one.

Not wanting to put anyone off, but I'd definitely try before you buy.

Sony Ericsson confirms Xperia X1 UK launch

eddiewrenn

So close

I've bee excited by this phone for months... Was going to get one within a week of launch... But the camera specs have stayed at 3.2mp and sadly that's not going to cut it with me anymore. I want my next phone, which needs to last two years, to be a camera-killer, so with regret I'm going to leave SE after six happy years.

Sony Ericsson delays Windows phone to Jan 09

eddiewrenn

Damn

I'd be gutted as I'm waiting for this phone... Luckily my upgrade doesn't click in until March!

Internet Explorer - now with 35% less FAIL

eddiewrenn

baby steps

Haha thanks for another dryly-written article. But as you say, it's adding little or nothing to the table, and reminds me how pleased I am that we have Browser Wars, as if we had been left with just IE back in 1999 the Internet would be about 14 steps backwards.

A PS3 price reduction? You must be kidding!

eddiewrenn

Won't pay for the Blu-Ray

I still don't get the fuss over Blu-Ray. Give me solid-state media (e.g. hard-drives containing uncompressed video files) over an over-priced, relatively-small capacity plastic disc.

That's the reason I havn't shelled out on a PS3 - £200 is going on tech I don't need or want, so I plumped for an Xbox 360 and *may* pick up a PS3 in two/three years when it's cheap and finally has a proper games catalogue.

Openstream implores you: Talk to your mobile browser

eddiewrenn

What a weird video!

Did I hear right?

"It's our anniversary. I'm seeing him in a few hours. Now what can I say? Ars*hole"

US court liberates Cablevision 'remote DVR'

eddiewrenn

Torrents

Once again the networks attempt to make me lose any sympathy for them.

TORRENTS. Offering a simple, customer-friendly service, offering everything under the sun. Torrent websites take all of 24 hours to knock up. Until the networks bang their head together and come up with something that works, they can lose my custom.

Seriously, knock up a passworded torrent site called AllTV, get all the networks involved, and charge me 30p per downloaded torrent, to keep at my leisure, and you'll make a ton of money off me. Until then, sod off.

Sony Ericsson sees profits tumble, turns on workers

eddiewrenn
Thumb Down

Maybe it's the kick they need

I loved my T68, my K790, my K800, and my replacement K810, but they do not bring out new, must-have phones quick enough and they p*ss me off by separating their strong features (camera, music) into different phones. Provide me with a phone with a 5+MP camera and the proper Media Centre and I'm there.

For my last upgrade, I got a Viewty, sold it, and stayed with my K810. If they'd bought out an all-rounder, I'd have been there.

If the Xperia is great, I'm there. If not, I'm off to Nokia or to the very dark side of the iPhone.

eBayer slaps $714 price tag on $630 in cash

eddiewrenn

eBay downhill

Such a shame, I loved ebay four or five years back - I would sell and buy on it in equal amounts.

For odd reasons I've used it less and less over the last few years, but it's a shame to see a company I really (and that went for PayPal too) slide down the drains. I can't believe the lengths they're going to to shoot themselves in the foot.

Henry Nicholas III pleads not guilty to options, drugs charges

eddiewrenn

No problem here

Hey, he's loaded, he's earnt the right to party.

Probably not too sensible to spike people's drinks, but it's not like doing drugs makes you an instant danger to society.

Blu-ray ramp beats DVD up-take in Europe

eddiewrenn
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No Blu-Ray for me

So bored of the format wars. Regardless of whether downloading becomes a true replacement or not (I hope it does), and I am 100% for solid state memory. Versatile, generally reliable, easy-to-back-up, easy-to-use from multiple locations, space-savers, and with 1TB for less than £100, or 32GB for about a tenner, I have no need for Blu-Ray.

I heart my 1TB media server!

Microsoft: 'We will save America from foreign domination'

eddiewrenn

Microsoft: 'We will save America from foreign domination'

(Unless they leave a backdoor open)

Sharp pitches 'world's largest' LCD screen

eddiewrenn

@Valid arguments 8 years ago

There's a folder for that? I've been wondering where all my posts have been going!

Uncontacted rainforest tribe caught from the air

eddiewrenn

spearchuckers :)

That is all.

Also, that big metal bird must have freaked the hell out of them! I think they deserve the right to have their way of life continue without disturbance.

Paypal glitch hits merchants with 12-day headache

eddiewrenn

A shame.

I was a big fan of PayPal when it came about - ebay purchases and payments like web-hosting became a breeze and I kept thinking I would happily bank with them. Until two weeks ago I was still a fan, although I use it less frequently, but this is a worry.

RIAA abandons iTuneski suit

eddiewrenn

Good riddance

"We wouldn't be surprised if iTuneski rides again"

Good good good! I really want to side with the RIAA over this, but they prove themselves to be a-holes time and time again (please see pretty much any article ever written about them), and the clients they represent, the record companies (as opposed to the artists themselves), show themselves to be clueless when it comes to technology and tyrants over their realms.

If they were truly offering a competitive, straightforward, open-format service, then I'd be right with them, but they treat everyone but their shareholders like s***.

Bluetooth finally reaches ten (years, not users)

eddiewrenn
Unhappy

no supply or demand

Yeah I would love to use Bluetooth as a remote control interface (rather than the awkward 'human interface device for PCs' which is not too useful.

I do however love stereo bluetooth (for pumping tunes/calls from mobile -> car).

Sadly, no services came along which gave Bluetooth a Wow! factor; there seemed to be a lot of dragging of feet with no killer apps coming out (it would taken all of a week to program a multiplayer bluetooth Snake game, but I never saw one - but those kind of apps can make technology mainstream in a matter of months).

It's a shame as I really like the technology.

Phoenix beams back Martian postcards

eddiewrenn
Flame

Anyone watch Arrested Development?

Those are balls!

Social networking site bans oldies over sex offender fears

eddiewrenn

What a ridiculously-ran company

What the hell? Even their quotes make them look fools:

"We understand that only a minority of older users are sex offenders, but you must understand that we cannot tell which," No sh1t Sherlock!!

"Despite malicious rumours spread by a few people on the website, it is not true that we have deleted members due to 'ageism'," Um, so let's choose an arbitrary reasoning to ban a certain segment of our population. Did they also ban all 36+ women? Why not just ban anyone under 16?

"because a gang of paedophiles had arrived on the website and had carried out a series of attacks on younger users". So why not close all accounts made after a certain date?

===

"It did say in its notice, though, that the site did have a serious problem with sex offenders." Again, close the Under-16's accounts then. Either way, sounds a great site to visit.

Wow, whose their PR spokesman? They're doing a great job today

WD pitches Firewire pocket HDD

eddiewrenn

no thx

Wow they produce a drive that maybe 9/10 people would like, then cripple it in a way that will turn off 9/10 of potential buyers. In today's mature portable hard-drive markets, it sounds a waste of shelf space.

Christian Bale signs for Terminator trilogy

eddiewrenn

It was going so well untill..

I read McG. He's butchered a couple of films. But Christian Bale is a big +.

'F**k the Country Channel', says the Country Channel

eddiewrenn

:D

So this was five hours ago... Probably some poor worker called Hetherington, whose responsible for mailing out the newsletters, is sitting there shaking and wondering when he's going to be busted!

Looking forward to an update some point!

Russell T Davies bows out of Doctor Who

eddiewrenn

News of the week

WOW! With this news I reckon Doctor Who could be bumped up from: "A show I quite like and will make the effort to download (I pay my TV license but I'm not staying in on Saturdays for it!)" to "Possibly one of my top two shows."

RDT was a clunky writer, and a little nauseating with some of his approaches.

I for one also welcome our new Over(time)lords.

BitTorrent tracker Mininova faces legal action

eddiewrenn

House MD

God, that series finale was the best thing I've ever seen on TV. In 20 years I have never been so moved by TV.

Is Vista ready for Business?

eddiewrenn

@Neil Hoskins

Just getting VIsta and XP to see each other, let alone share internet etc, was enough to make me think Vista was a big step back.

Brits favour ASBOs for unruly mobile users

eddiewrenn
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Asbo harsh?

"harsh penalties such as Asbos."

Haha first time I've laughed at EL Reg and not with El Reg.

I sit in court as a reporter all day and the response I get back is that they're a waste of time.

MS whips lens cap off WorldWide Telescope

eddiewrenn

Also...

And they wonder why people don't find Windows easy to use.

I sometimes wonder why 'older members of my family' can't get to grips with basic computer stuff, and then I see how straightforward it is to install a Microsoft designed app on a Microsoft designed Operating System.

" * Review the System Requirements to ensure that WWT can run on your computer.

* Click Download.

If you don't have Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, or later, installed on your computer, a message box

displays prompting you to install it. Click Yes to go to the .NET Framework 2.0 SDKs, Redistributables

& Service Packs page.

o On the .NET Framework 2.0 SDKs, Redistributables & Service Packs page, scroll down the page to the .NET Framework Version 2.0 Redistributable Package section, and then click the link for your computer's architecture and operating system.

Note Most computers currently use a 32-bit architecture and operating system and should click the

Download x86 version.

o On the Microsoft .Net Framework Version 2.0 Redistributable Package page, read the system requirements to ensure that your computer has all the necessary software installed, and then click Download.

o In the File Download – Security Warning message box, click Run.

o In the Internet Explorer – Security Warning message box, click Run.

o Follow the software installation instructions.

o After the software has been installed, click the Windows Update link to make sure that you have all the latest service packs and security updates. Click Express to review all recommended software and follow the software installation instructions.

* In the File Download – Security Warning message box, click Run.

* In the Internet Explorer – Security Warning message box, click Run.

* Follow the instructions in the WorldWide Telescope Setup Wizard.

* After WWT installs, double-click the WWT icon on your desktop to open WWT."

...Or in a nutshell: "Click here to install and hope for the best"

eddiewrenn
Thumb Up

THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE!!

And here's the proof! I call it the Black Screen of Death.

/goes back to Google Sky

MSI releases £235 desktop Eee PC rival ahead of Asus

eddiewrenn
Thumb Up

like

V. nice bit of kit - as others have said it's a tempting media PC, with a WiFi connection.

HTC’s Diamond iPhone rival unwrapped

eddiewrenn

closer...

Not bad. Still waiting for the perfect phone with a 5mp camera/focus/flash, slinky mp3/video player, and GPS but we keep getting closer. iPhone is style over substance, and Sony and Nokia keep just missing the mark. Hopefully the HTC will help them up their game.

Sony Ericsson Z770i mobile phone

eddiewrenn
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All-in-one

Although the Xperia looks promising, c'mon Sony, produce a phone that brings the best of all your phones together - the market's all about convergence and best technologies, but you keep separating your 'markets' out. My last five phone's have been SE, but if I was upgrading today I'd probably look elsewhere.

Grand Theft Auto IV leaked online

eddiewrenn

I'll pay for it :)

If this had happened a month ago, I might have tried it, but GTA4 is one of those games I'm wanting to pay for, to show my appreciatio to the development team, kinda like wanting the DVDs to the fantastic US comedy Arrested Development.

Interested to read some 'early-adopter' reviews tho!

eddiewrenn

Also

Just to add, The Pirate's Bay has dubbed itself 'Liberty Bay' for the day, with a new GTA-esque logo!

Carphone Warehouse cleared out of 8GB iPhones

eddiewrenn
Flame

seriously?

The iPhone is rubbish so why would anyone care that it's selling well. What is it with The Register publishing articles on such a rubbish device?

Colliding galaxies mark Hubble anniversary

eddiewrenn

@Ash

"5 minutes on Google Space is better than any therapy session."

Agreed. Even on the crappest day, Google Earth itself can almost make feel a shred of compassion for our stupid, silly species.

HD DVD sales still solid despite format's failure

eddiewrenn

I'd rather go solid-state

As others have said, the step up is not as good as it was from VHS to DVD. Last time round, there were a whole load of decent (e.g. Scart) TVs out there crying out for a new format. Nowadays we have a new format crying out for people to rush off and buy expensive TVs. The new format's at the start of a new market which does not show as many perceived benefits as before.

For me, HD-DVD seemed more accessible, compared to the more Proprietry-sounding BluRay. As it is, with terrabyte drives now costing £110ish, I'm sticking with my conclusion first made three or four years back that solid-state is the next format. Hell, 16gb USBdrives could do the job.

Google starts Street View in Europe

eddiewrenn
Thumb Up

Happy with that!

"Oh gee, thanks ever so much. Now do you mind telling us how we find out if you've GOT our fucking image in the first place, without having to manually search every single google street image photo for everywhere we've ever been in the entire country? Idiot."

Hope that's sarcastic! Google have done fantastic with Google Earth and I enjoy seeing how they push at the frontiers. Saint Google on this one.

'Rowdy' rectal extraction op vid hits YouTube

eddiewrenn
Coat

15cm... ouch

He pretty much had a foursome

You'll learn to love mobile TV

eddiewrenn

me likey Video on phones

I love converting my DVDs to MPEGS or torrenting, and if I'm travelling a lot I'll load up vids on my 4gb Sony k800 mobile - that's pretty much 40 half-hour shows at 80mb each, plus some music, and the picture is sharp and very watchable - used it for flights, trains, watching while falling asleep etc. Now that we are capable of handling our own digital media, there's a big market coming in.

Actual streamng - I'm initerested in it, but I can't see it ever becoming essential for me, other than news or sports highlights. But I like having a PVP/phone on me. Combined with camera, Opera and games, it's my geeky fave at the mo.

Mystery HDD maker orders kit to build monster-capacity drives

eddiewrenn

woohoo!

Can't wait for this, I'm up to my first 1tb now, and I don't to spend another £115 for a backup, let alone £115 for extra space!

Sony Ericsson K660i internet phone

eddiewrenn
Thumb Down

k810 is ok, but all-in-one please!

All in one please! Hopefully the xperia will go somewhere to that.

My k810 bluetooth music player, 3.2mp, Google Maps, Opera Mini, VideoManiacs Video Player, Quadrapop = perfect. But I'm desperately waiting for the next generation.

(This phone looks like a downgrade of all their models, tbh)

Apple gets (slightly) less sneaky with Windows Safari play

eddiewrenn

Sneaky-o

Sneaky, everything from Apple and Adobe is packed with 'extras' 'bundles' and unnecessary system tray icons (Why do I need a Quicktime icon?? Why is Adobe 60MB???). Ths Safari stunt annoyed me when I read about it, and even more annoyed me when I was offered it twice. Sneaky move Apple, were'nt Microsoft not ticked off about this not so long ago?

YouTube divorce rant vid wows the crowd

eddiewrenn

weird

Oooooh god, I am literally speechless. I don't know if I'm, appalled, amused, or maybe just too busy cringing to feel anything else.

Olympus µ1010 compact camera

eddiewrenn

random

Anyone know which airport that is? Looks really familiar but I can't place it - Geneva?

v. random, nice camera tho!

Gates teases bankers with Windows 7 dates

eddiewrenn

pffft.....

a) it will never happen on time

b) if it does, it will be rushed and not ready

c) And suddenly Microsoft will have three OSs on the go at once (XP, Vista, 7), which I'm sure won't confuse them!

I await with baited breah, and just hope the next version blows us away. Because if it's only Vista + some gloss we should be worried!

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