* Posts by Rob

1524 publicly visible posts • joined 5 Apr 2007

Firefighters deliver trapped student from GIANT GERMAN LADYPARTS

Rob

Depending on how much of a geek the student is...

... this could be the nearest he'll ever get to one.

Top 10 tech essentials for the festival season

Rob

Another Rucksack

If you don't want to buy another rucksack the Gorilla from Power Traveller also has an optional fold out solar panel that you can attach to your rucksack to charge the hefty 6 x 3500mAh with a range of 5V - 24V and has enough connectors that you can charge more devices than you would want to take to a festival. We have a complete ban on buying any more rucksacks, I'm drowning in them.

Probably one of these most used bits of kit in our house (besides the devices that have been used and need charging of course).

Auditors blast Blighty cops over binned multi-million pound IT project

Rob

Love the quote...

... about it not being endemic, bollocks I say, this is exactly the right word to use for something all public sector organisations seem to do, pour very rich gravy and see how many companies come flocking for a slurp in a non-risk way through a badly written contract.

Nuke'em from orbit it's the only way to be sure...

Han Solo headed for lengthy stay in bacta tank after Bay Door Control cockup

Rob

I agree, something I always noticed as a kid is how violently fast doors close in Star Wars, I think it even produced a couple of nightmares. No doubt Harrison will probably be suffering from similar now.

I wonder how HGTG Marvin would describe the Star Wars doors, they are hardly depressing ;-)

Women are too expensive to draw and code – Ubisoft

Rob

Re: non story

"Does your head actually think the thoughts you write, or are your fingers connected to some random thought generator?"

I think his arse cheeks are wrapped round his head which might have interfered with his thought processes, it's the only explanation I can think of for the crap he just spewed forth.

You know what today's movies need? More drones

Rob

Sound is already captured separately so this wouldn't affect them at all. The only time it becomes a problem is for journo's doing news pieces where they tend to record sound on camera rather than separately, it just means they have to record sound to camera and dub it over later which just adds a bit to turn around time for quick news items.

DARPA crazytech crew want to create HUMAN-FREE cyber defence systems

Rob

Re: Great idea

Indeed, I won't be surprised if one of the teams names it's system Skynet.

Revealed: GCHQ's beyond top secret Middle Eastern internet spy base

Rob
Black Helicopters

I can...

... pressure can be brought to bear on anyone who doesn't do as they are told, let's face it we are talking about an organisation that can operate well above or below the law as it sees fit, sounds like too much of a conspiracy, but then so did rendition flights but they happened.

I'm not saying they do this of course, I'm just saying don't rule anything out when talking about GCHQ and pals, they have a lot of resources available to them.

Multiplayer Elite to debut on May 30th

Rob

Re: Also available...

Nothing new so to speak, Above and Beyond had this, but unfortunately it was the early days of this genre and it was competing with EVE as they both launched at similar times. Unfortunately EVE had better graphics which means Above and Beyond had to shut down due to lack of players, I think everyone got a free transfer to EVE if they wanted it.

Shame really Above and Beyond had a lot of potential and given time could have been really good.

Stone the crows, Bouncer! BT defends TV recorder upgrade DELETION snafu

Rob

Re: Typical

You missed a trick, the Sky EPG and services are great when I use my phone to control the box. It's very rare I use the remote or on-screen EPG/Menu nowadays (agree they aren't great), probably the one thing I'll give Sky kudos points for.

It woz the Reg wot won it: UK mobe network EE fixes voicemail hack flaw

Rob

@El Reg

You said you notified them before publishing the article, what time frames are we talking? I was just wondering whether it was a good month in advance of the current date which would correlate with the outage on their network which you also reported on?

Tooled-up Ryobi girl takes nine-inch grinder to Asus beach babe

Rob

Re: Fake

Probably because they have taken this shot just after the grinder was switched off, hence the small amount of dust and the lack of tense muscles. To take the shot while it was on would be a nightmare has there would be too much dust and other issues interfering with a clean shot. Don't need an IT angle it's bootnotes, of which I hope she is wearing some good safety ones.

Does remind me that I need to get an angle grinder though...

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft – A jolly little war for lunchtime

Rob

Re: Any word...

Thanks Neil :)

Rob

Any word...

... on when the Android version is being released?

Apple failsto ditch class action suit over ebook price-fix fiasco

Rob
Alert

Pass it around

So as far as accounting goes, Apple can pay this using the award money from Samsung and Samsung can use the money that Apple pay them for chip production to pay the award the court have applied.

So nobody seems to have really lost out here, Peter and Paul both seem to be quite solvent still.

Samsung files patent for ear-mounted Google Glass competitor

Rob

Why?

Why would Google want to sue, they don't sue Samsung for manufacturing phones with the Android OS. Google know that their concept will result in a raft of similar products, but if all those similar have Android on them then Google wins through sheer market saturation again.

For Google the hardware it develops is a necessity, it's a vehicle for it's software and if it's software is everywhere then they will achieve dominance, perhaps they thought that MS got something right and have adopted a similar principle. The parallels between the 2 companies are becoming more apparent every press release.

Look out, bankers! It's Lily Cole and her (Brit taxpayer-funded) WISH-PRINTING ATM

Rob
Happy

Re: Unikitty sez

I second that awesome-ness

EE...K: Why can't I uninstall carrier's sticky 'Free Games' app?

Rob

That technique is probably lost on most blokes then. If I have to hunt round the shop I'm usually oblivious to everything else except the item I'm looking for.

Xenon: Bitmap Brothers' (mega)blast from the past

Rob

Re: Bitmap Bros...

I think it was more to do with the different chip sets rather than the OS. Obviously Workbench was quite quick but again it was helped by the chip architecture, good ole Denise and Paula (I think there were others but I can't remember their names).

Commodore were in the process of developing a next gen RISC architecture for the new machines but I think that was around the time they went bankrupt (that may have been part of the reason they went bankrupt). I'm sure someone has time to Google that and correct or fill in the blanks.

Rob

Bitmap Bros...

... still the golden age of gaming in my book, I miss my Amiga...

Five unbelievable headlines that claim Tim Berners-Lee 'INVENTED the INTERNET'

Rob

Re: Ahh the WWW

I prefer 3 dub, it's even faster.

X marks the... They SAID there was a mystery planet there – NASA

Rob

Re: What it is right...

There is only one pool god, prince of the planet potters and his name is Dave Lister.

Hey, MoJ, we're not your Buddi: Brit firm abandons 'frustrating' crim-tagging contract

Rob

Re: Changing times

Don't be so sure, I've spoken to a number of design agencies that are getting 'turned off' by public sector due to OJEU rules, which requires them to jump through the same hoops at the same cost to themselves to pitch for business, regardless of whether they have won contracts with the institution before.

It's the SMBs that will turn away eventually and not come back, leaving the large multinational corps to bid which effectively sets the stage for price fixing which screws the public purse, and the merry go round continues.

On a side note your level of ignorance of what is actually happening on the ground doesn't astound me as that is probably why you are anon. it's a feature designed in part to hide the true identity of ignorance.

Rob

Changing times

Soon public sector will run out of companies to tender for jobs if they carry on with this attitude.

Well done to Buddi for backing out of that poison chalice. Usually this suddenly thought up requirement that gets pulled into scope at the last minute is the requirement that will kill a projects time frame and screw the awarded company making them take a financial hit. The reason a lot of government contracts are late or just written off usually starts because the civil servants in charge have fucked up the requirements so much and quite late into the contract, this is usually compounded by the awarded company not putting up a fight about it or using their exit strategy (there is usually an exit strategy as most civil servants could craft a water tight contract to save their lives).

And that's not even mentioning the complete failure that is Project Management in the public sector (typically numpty civil servants using PRINCE2 on an IT project, yeah it can work but there are better more efficient PM models to use).

Apple to grieving sons: NO, you cannot have access to your dead mum's iPad

Rob

Re: Well done

Worse than that, they have supplied the will, which presumably says that her 'estate' goes to the sons. All of your digital life should also be part of your estate, especially so if the deceased used money to establish parts of that digital estate.

My commiserations on the loss of your Mum.

Hundreds of folks ready to sue Bitcoin exchange MtGox

Rob

Re: Horses and Stable Doors...

And it's for that reason that Governments probably haven't rushed to regulate it.

Yes it is scary. I think we have evolved the phrase "you are only 1 pay cheque away from living on the streets" to "you are only one financial market away from being a 3rd world country"

Rob

Re: Horses and Stable Doors...

Using this analogy, I'd say the stolen bitcoins are already catfood.

Also can we stop referring to Bitcoins as a currency, they are not, they are a commodity. If anything they could be used to back a currency like Gold was/is but you can't suddenly print more Bitcoins when you feel like it.

Icahn and I will: Carl's war on eBay goes NUCLEAR over Skype

Rob

Clearly...

... too much money and a lot of time on his hands.

HP: We're so down wid da kidz! Look at... er, Smithers, what DO yoof look at these days?

Rob

Re: Sad state of affairs

Thankfully I'm not paid for my writing or proof reading skills ;-)

Rob

Sad state of affairs

Unfortunately proof reading is a skill that seems largely lost nowadays, scarily I've seen PR people drafting press releases without any proofing what so ever.

UK spies on MILLIONS of Yahoo! webcams, ogles sex vids - report

Rob

Translation

""Furthermore, all of GCHQ's work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework which ensures that our activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate, and that there is rigorous oversight, including from the secretary of state, the interception and intelligence services commissioners and the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee."

In other words, we don't give a shit, it's what we are paid to do, speak to the boss (someone pass me the teflon jacket).

Another climate change myth debunked by proper climate scientists

Rob

Re: It's amazing

The most valid comment in this entire discussion, I'm now neither a denier or a believer, I'm the apathetic one in the middle.

Elon Musk ADMITS he met Apple: iCar 'great idea', keeps schtum on Tesla hookup

Rob

I agree

Google is already in that space, well Android is. I'm upgrading my double DIN head unit for a 6 inch screen that comes with Android 4+

Google struck a deal with VW for similar although I'm not sure if they have rolled any production units out yet in their cars.

Apple already has widespread connectivity for music they just need to get iOS into the actual head unit now.

Another U.S. state set to repeal rubber duck ban

Rob

Infinite loop...

... what happens when one of the non-land locked states has the parade of ducks that fell of the cargo ship many years ago and now travel the high seas terrorising ship lanes, is it straight to defcon 5?

Chihuahua TERROR: Packs of TINY hounds menace Arizona

Rob

Stock rearing...

... for Kebab vans, cats breathe a sigh of relief.

Ill communication delays NHS England's GP data grab for six months

Rob

Too little too late

Due to the way this has been handled the only message that seems to be prominent now is 'opt-out' if that stays true and the majority opt out then Shirley this project is relatively pointless?

As usual central government campaign and comms have gone the same way as their IT projects.

Wii got it WRONG: How do you solve a problem like Nintendo?

Rob

Re: Nintendo got the marketing wrong, not the console.

The only reason I would buy a Wii U would be so that I can play Lego City Undercover and that's because it isn't available on any other console. If I could find somewhere I could rent a Wii U I would just for this purpose.

Apple's Hacker Princess dumps fruity firm for Elon Musk's Tesla

Rob

Re: Interesting, but

Really! So it's a walk in the park for someone to change sex is it? Nothing to do with a mental, emotional and psychical struggle then?

A life event like that can make or break someone and ultimately will always shape the person they turn out to be, good or bad.

NYPD dons Google tech specs: Part man. Part machine. All Glasshole

Rob

Would this not encourage crims to take more shots, whether via a bullet or a fist, at the coppers faces to disrupt the evidence recording tech?

Facebook unwraps Paper, a content-hoover application

Rob

Re: Why not just buy Flipboard?

Sorry, I had to downvote you, I use Flipboard and I like it, I don't won't Zuck & Co buying and destroying it.

Google helps out utterly underexposed Lego brand with Chrome toy

Rob

Re: Wait, what movie?

Being released this Feb in the half term, looks fantastic, I'm really excited (I think my son is too), yes I am a LEGO geek.

Is Google building SKYNET? Ad kingpin buys AI firm DeepMind

Rob
Terminator

A google terminator

Give me your clothes staff, your boots patents and your motorcycle IP

Rob

Re: ROTM

"I suppose in defence of its removal there are only so many "I, for one, welcome" comments you could read."

No there isn't ;-)

US megalocorp AT&T: We're NOT swallowing Blighty's Vodafone

Rob

Clarification

So when you are talking about T-Mobile and the possibility of AT&T making inroads to Europe, I'm assuming that this would exclude T-Mobile UK? As they are now part of EE and the T-Mobile part is just a brand rather than a separate company?

I find the whole EE, Orange, T-Mobile ménage à trois a little confusing as a customer. I signed up with Orange thinking I'd get the same level of service I got from T-Mobile, alas no, I'm now counting the days I leave Orange.

A real life Romulan-Klingon alliance: Google, Samsung sign global patent pact

Rob

Re: And if, in the event...

Perhaps this deal allows Samsung to develop Tizen without any patent problems from Google but still gives Samsung an open door on Android should Tizen not work out?

Globe grabbin,’ sphere slammin’, orb-tossin’, pill poppin’... Speedball

Rob

Re: The Bitmap Brothers

Sorry I can only give you one up vote.

I think I owned all of the Bitmap Brother games, I was addicted to the artwork. The Chaos Engine was my definition of Steam Punk back then.

Patent-holding firm's lawsuit against Googorola kicks off

Rob

And another...

Holland has similar laws as well, all in the interest of making sure a property is being looked after and not left to fall into disrepair. Very sensible laws if you ask me, shame there isn't a similar thought process for patents.

Facebook will LOSE 80% of its users by 2017 – epidemiological study

Rob

Re: Who wants a share, now?

What you mean someone invented the cure before they released the disease.

Ofcom says yes to sat broadband on PLANES (and trains and ships)

Rob

I wonder...

... if you could pay for one device and then share the connection with partner/friend/family on the flight using the built in phone/tablet functions, that would definitely make it cheaper than the extortionate price you know they are going to charge. I'm pretty sure that they would have thought of this and spent quite a bit of time locking down like the Mobile Operators did back in the day.

If latency is high then online gaming is not worth it, which to be honest is the only thing I would want internet on a plane for.