Ben.geek.nz Forums » Forum: Chatting

Ben.geek.nz Forums » Forum: Chatting - Recent Topics http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/forum/chatting en-US Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:29:04 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.1-alpha <![CDATA[Search]]> q http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/search.php rob-nz on "Geek rock..." http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/geek-rock#post-1468 Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:33:58 +0000 rob-nz 1468@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ Gotta love geeks... <a href="http://bitURL.net/?pcxbvs" rel="nofollow">http://bitURL.net/?pcxbvs</a> Geek version of the Who's Baba O'reilly, played entirely on instruments bought from Thinkgeek Ben on "Let's Enhance" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/lets-enhance#post-872 Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:49:40 +0000 Ben 872@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ Can you enhance this? <object width="400" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vxq9yj2pVWk&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vxq9yj2pVWk&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object> (via <a href="http://blog.danieltoo.com/post/289192936/lets-enhance-via-themorgan-dunk3d">Dan Too</a>) Stu on "E books (yawn) and possibly an E book reader in NZ?" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/e-books-yawn-and-possibly-an-e-book-reader-in-nz#post-835 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:35:34 +0000 Stu 835@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ On the <a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10616009">NZH this morning</a>. "Kobo will offer downloads of books, magazines and newspapers, and will sell its own e-reader." Who gives a crap about e-book sales, I'm interested to see what kind of e-reader they offer? Anybody have any thoughts? However given this is Whitcoulls/Borders we're dealing with, I will prepare to be underwhelmed in May 2010. Ben on "Tracking Android Phone Releases" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/tracking-android-phone-releases#post-824 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:07:36 +0000 Ben 824@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ Android phone releases are coming so thick and fast lately that I'm starting this topic just for linking to New Zealand release speculation, announcements, and discussions. Feel free to add links below. <ul><li><a href="http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/xperia-x10-on-sony-erixxson-nz-site">Sony Xperia X10</a></li><li><a href="http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/motorola-milestone-available-on-expansys">Motorola Droid/Milstone</a></li><li><a href="http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/new-google-phone-with-android-21">Google Phone</a></li><li><a href="http://gizmodo.com/5425703/htc-legend-creeps-out-again-looks-even-more-like-the-hero-than-we-first-thought">HTC Legend</a></li> </ul> Also, given Vodafone NZ's lag with validating models on their network, are we ever going to see them able to keep up with the pace of releases? Ben on "HTC Sense UI on G1" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/htc-sense-ui-on-g1#post-77 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:32:46 +0000 Ben 77@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ Well, that didn't take long: <a href="http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/06/30/video-htcs-sense-gets-ported-to-the-g1/" rel="nofollow">http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/06/30/video-htcs-sense-gets-ported-to-the-g1/</a> sounds like it's a bit shonky due to the lack of RAM on the G1. Wonder how hard it would be to get it running on a Magic. Anonymous on "XT and Vodafone" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/xt-and-vodafone#post-765 Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:18:11 +0000 Anonymous 765@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ <div class="wpbb_anonymous_userinfo">Posted by unregistered user: </div>Are there any dual sim phones that will work with both XT and Vodafone? And where can I get them cheap? rob-nz on "Rocking the 'Droid - An Epic Saga" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/rocking-the-droid-part-1-discovery#post-147 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:46:07 +0000 rob-nz 147@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ Just thought I'd drop in with my impressions after a week with my new HTC Magic Android "Google Experience" phone. I don't know what Ben's post text limit is, so bear with me, I may need to serialise. First, let me preface by mentioning my previous smartphones to set the scene for some meaningful comparisons. After a number of trouble-free years with my old simple (but bullet-proof) Nokia 3310, I was given a Sony Ericsson P800 by VF and told 'Use it! Show it to people!". I was immediately blown away by the screen real estate and flexibility of this gorgeous little machine. Having used a Palm M500 PDA previously, I had no trouble with the stylus and Graffiti-like touch screen and the little 3 axis jog side wheel made navigation of the UIQ 2 interface a one-handed breeze. It was a little light on RAM and the insane price of 256 Mb Sony Memory sticks was a real PITA, but I loved that phone - until I drowned it at Omana. Dang! I was given a P900 as a replacement, which while more powerful, was a step backward in case aesthetics. The P900 served me well though, with the addition of Opera and Datviz Roadsync for Exchange Activesync and a few games and utilities I had a pretty useful unit - and not a bad phone. After that, I was drafted into an OCS pilot and told to use Winmo 6. They gave me an HP IPAQ 512 Voice Messenger, which isn't a bad phone, but frankly Winmo sucks bigtime compared to what I'd been used to. So to today. This is the first time in over 10 years I've actually been in the market to buy a phone, as opposed to getting given one. I must be losing my charm! :-) I've tossed up between Android and Apple for a while and eventually came down on the side of Android for the following reasons: 1) Flexibility. I feel that the Android platform, while still fairly raw, offers a huge amount of potential in terms of flexibility and scope for innovation. 2) Openness. There have been apps pulled from the Android Market under carrier pressure (notably Wifi Tether), but in that case you just go to the developer site or another repository. No big deal. 3) Hardware choice. There are 5 major hardware vendors (so far) in the OHA which hopefully will result in better features and price competition. 4) It's new and different and deserves supporting. Shallow I know, but hey, why be a follower! Oh yeah, and my daughter pointed out that in shows like Dr Who, if eveyone is using the same technology it is easier for evil aliens to take over your brain. (Only one interface to program) :-) Next: The Hardware question rob-nz on "Robodinos - Taking it to the next level" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/robodinos-taking-it-to-the-next-level#post-319 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:37:34 +0000 rob-nz 319@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ I keep wanting to see a couple more keys...like "Devour", "Trample" and "Tail swipe" <a href="http://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/magazine/17-08/st_robotdinos" rel="nofollow">http://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/magazine/17-08/st_robotdinos</a> rob-nz on "Nissan dials iPhone for car remote control" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/nissan-dials-iphone-for-car-remote-control#post-256 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:38:25 +0000 rob-nz 256@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ I wonder if it can valet park... :-) <a href="http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobilize/nissan-dials-iphone-car-remote-control-768" rel="nofollow">http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobilize/nissan-dials-iphone-car-remote-control-768</a> Ben on "Forum updates and changes" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/forum-updates-and-changes#post-213 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:39:15 +0000 Ben 213@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ Rightyho. Some changes tonight: -- Topic ratings: you can rate individual topics if you think they are cool -- Blog posts are automatically excerpted to the "Commenting" forum, as are comments. It's all very groovy and two-way -- New forum: "Developing". For all the codemonkeys in the house. Ben on "I can haz a logo?" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/i-can-haz-a-logo#post-129 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:17:45 +0000 Ben 129@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ You know it, I know it: the logo on this site is shit. It's time I stopped pretending I'm anything but a codemonkey. I can't drive Photoshop to save myself. I don't have hundreds to spend on a new logo, and I don't want to make hundreds of designers waste hours on speculative logos on one of those sites. What I do want is someone I can work with to come up with something cool. There'll be permanent link love, and there'll be at least a six pack of Epic in it for you. If you're interested, have a look at <a href="http://www.ben.geek.nz/upload/ben.geek.nz-logo.pdf">my rough brief (pdf)</a>, and <a href="http://www.ben.geek.nz/contact/">get in touch</a>. Ben on "Would you kill for a gadget?" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/would-you-kill-for-a-gadget#post-163 Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:05:23 +0000 Ben 163@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ John Biggs has an interesting post about the hidden costs of gadgets, triggered by the recent <a href="http://tcrn.ch/Dsw">suicide of a Foxconn employee</a>, apparently due to pressure related to Apple's secrecy requirements. Is it right to utilise an invisible underclass to fuel our passion for gadgets? Has consumerism gone too far? Even if we were prepared to pay more for locally and/or humanely built technology, is it even possible to do so now that we have willingly abdicated the knowledge, technology, and mindset required? I could imagine western labour unions flat out refusing to work on a modern high-tech production line. Ben on "Palm Pre not selling like a bomb" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/palm-pre-not-selling-like-a-bomb#post-146 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:58:42 +0000 Ben 146@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ Err... [img]http://cache0.techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/picture-78-630x458.png[/img] Not a good look. Share price is tanking too. Ben on "Windows 7 RC downloads cease 20th August" http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/windows-7-rc-downloads-cease-20th-august#post-144 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:38:23 +0000 Ben 144@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx">Get it now</a>! You won't be able to download Windows 7 after 20th August. The Release candidate is good until 1st March 2010, so you get a good 8 months of free computing. If you're on XP, it's a huge upgrade. If you're on Vista, get the hell off it. parsley on "Worst. Product. Ever." http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/topic/worst-product-ever#post-107 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:08:58 +0000 parsley 107@http://www.ben.geek.nz/forum/ The recent "Ben is Angry" post put me in mind of a conversation I've had with a few engineers over the years (usually involving alcohol) - what's the worst product you've ever tried / bought / tested / released? When I was a kid my Dad borrowed an Amstrad combined TV and VCR from his work. It had one of the worst user interfaces I've ever seen - two buttons that did different things at different times. Being a geek I pride myself on hardly ever referring to manuals, and certainly never more than once, but this thing required the manual to be kept next to you on the sofa. Case in point - when changing the channel it eschewed standard channel identifiers (e.g. 1, 2, 3...) for the frequency of the channel (e.g. 39, 41...). You had to scribble your local channels on the back of the manual or waste time clicking through them all. The other major fail was that in order to record a programme you had to have the TV set to that channel and in standby mode. So this prevented you from watching a programme on another channel while you were recording, or even watching the programme you were currently recording. All in all, a complete failure.