Halfapenguin.com
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I know most people who read this would agree, I just have to say 30 MPG is pathetic... when you get 60 MPG might make me mildly impressed... I'm going to write about what i think about the automaker restructuring tomorrow. Also i'm in total opposition to use of natural gas its a dead end that doesn't fix any problems... And finally anyone even thinking about buying an suv (the gas price has been dropping so suv manufacturers are ramping up production) needs something done to them... Finally you could fuel a space shuttle with hydrogen ergo you could power an 18 wheeler gas guzzler

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I was in the process of grabbing the latest ubuntu iso this morning (thinking about a testbed for this server), when i noticed this.

For those of you asking, i do know how to go to ubuntu, i just sometimes google rather than type in the full web address cause i'm lazy :)

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As some of you have been aware, my Skype account went walkabout (the password was changed, and the original e-mail address changed). I contacted Skype (given i'd only just bought some credit a few days ago, i imagined a response time within a week). Having heard no sign or sound or even a "we are checking into this" i decided i needed skype so i set up a second account and moved all my contacts over to the new account. However then 2 months after my message, they finally got back to me and had recovered and reset my account for me. By this time it was a bit too late to move back again, so i continued using my current account. Then i found i needed to make a call on skype out, so i tried to buy some credit with paypal (as i have done more than a few times before). However big warning flashes up and tells me that because my old account has been topped up with this account, i cannot use it to top up the new account... (upon checking there is no association listed so i cannot remove it). This would not be an insurmountable problem given surprisingly that my account still had the credit in, untouched from its period in nefarious hands (who apparently tried to buy 1.5 euro priced 5 euro worth skype gift certificates for some bizarre reason). However due to skype now locking my account, i cannot use that credit that i paid for (i've e-mailed them asking to unlock it, but i could be waiting another 2 months for a response... Skype used to be fairly functional but since e-bay have taken it over its just got worse and worse.

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I am thinking of building a home server/media centre on the cheap and since my obsession with building computers has somewhat died (too much else going on in my life at the moment), i thought to look at Dell. However despite hearing many good things about Dell's commitment to the linux market, i was unable to configure the computer of my choice for Linux. I was forced to look at a limited and slim set of computers with their approved ubuntu compatibility. Personally i probably would put ubuntu on but given that in the past i've custom compiled kernels, and wasted many a day fiddling with compiling Gentoo, i consider myself capable of tweaking ubuntu (which i've done on more than one occasion) to work with odd hardware. I don't see why its not a viable option to buy any dell computer free of the Microsoft tax. I'm sure there are some who would argue that Linux isn't as compatible as windows with hardware, but this isn't 5 years ago, there is nothing that Dell sells that would be unsupported by Ubuntu. Also i have to point out that dell's linux options have their price inflated by use of intel processors, while this isn't such an issue today it seems odd when they are willing to sell AMD processors in their lower end Windows boxes. The day's of Dell's dominance of the computer market are long over and they are on the downward spiral, but mistakes like this make it more difficult for them to save themselves from the abyss.

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Not even a few bad puns have been mentioned for months about Microsoft's "revolutionary" (read pinched from Nokia) new mobile browser. In spite of a huge positive response, Microsoft has yet to expand the beta program (i'm still waiting for my beta e-mail months later). Its entirely possible Microsoft gave up on the project as unworkable (not like anyone else has managed something similar ... aside from Nokia and Apple). I have to say if i could work out how to sync it reliably with my mac (and for those of you say missing sync, i ask if you've ever used it). So i wait till the iPhone gets up to spec (no task functionality at the moment) or i can get a cheap Nokia e90. Microsoft should really get off its high horse and create a conduit for syncing with macs, because as much as it burns to say this, they do make good pocket pc devices and i'd rather use my Pocket PC than my Nokia N80. But my original point stands, that there needs to be a larger public beta of DeepFish, this is one microsoft technology we actually want.

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Apple is claiming that its going to crack down on people unlocking their iPhones. Just who on earth do they think they are. Because of their interfering the iPhone is not subsidised, and you get locked into a contract with AT&T for 2 years. And now if you choose to take an iPhone to another network (say one that does what you need it to in your area), Big Steve now wants to drag your phone back to AT&T kicking and screaming whether you like it or not. If you had been selling iPhones in the apple store without contracts, i quite possibly would have bought one by now, but since not only is it impossible to unlock (illegal under us and uk law), but if you do unlock it illegally, you will get slapped by the Mac Police i'm not giving Apple any more money until they smarten their act up.

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It shouldn't be happening, Apple the great friend of the consumer, the idealist, the innovator has probably done more to hurt its image than Google making nice with the Chinese sensors. Its all to do with the iPhone (although iPod games are another very valid point of contention). I think everyone is in love with the idea of the mobile widget, that by a clear mile the iphone is closest to being. I have to say that the Nokia N95 8GB version is the next closest, and it has some very nice features which apple could think about implementing. However if i had to choose, i'd still go for the iPhone The biggest trouble is that Apple has made some very questionable decisions on things that should not beyond the realms of a small software update.

• Visual Voicemail, which while has huge potential, has locked Apple into AT&T rather than being able to release to every network (although CDMA might take a few steps longer). Apple should not have included it, the benefits are small, the price was to high
• Not syncing tasks, I was under the impression that calendar on the iPhone, was as capable as iCal on the mac... this is unforgivably bad and until apple fixes it, the iPhone is useless to me.
• No bluetooth DUN or even better PAN profile. I always have my phone as a backup data device if there is no free wifi about, this should be implemented asap. I'm sure AT&T would complain, because they are trying to market their data card, but one of the reasons i like my current system, its one unified device and i don't want to pay for 2 contracts.
• No SDK, the variety and capability of iPhone 3rd party apps demand a SDK to easily put them onto the iPhone.

There are obviously other things wrong with the iPhone, but those are my major gripes, particually because they each on their own stop me from buying the iPhone. Apple needs to smarten up its act, show regular development work on the iPhone (Given leopard release soon, some delays are understandable), ditch the dead weight (AT&T), and turn the iPhone from a good attempt, to a near perfect mobile device.

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To all those who know of Stephen Fry, you probably also have heard him described as a man with a brain the size of Kent, and it probably is at least that size. Courtesy of Simon i read a rather interesting piece on his newly started blog. Once i began reading i was convinced this was the blog of someone called Stephen Fry who was a professional geek, however coming upon certain choice phrases, and a photo of Stephen posing with the iPhone. Stephen Fry on why he wants an iPhone Killer (and what he loves about the iPhone)

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I'm shocked, the BBC seems to have ended its trial of video podcasts.. as someone who has a hectic schedule i'm somewhat limited in my ability to get my weekly dose of newsnight, question time and even panorama at times... I thought at first it was because i was traveling outside the UK at the time, but it turns out the trial has been discontinued... It wasn't a perfect substitute for watching the show, but it was a good dose of BBC current affairs i could watch when its convenient (one of the advantages of a video ipod). If the BBC does choose to continue (which i hope they do), it would be good if the full versions of these shows were available. However i do appreciate the edited versions of these shows, since they give me a chance to watch highlights when i'm taking a quick without the full blown program. The today program is a staple of my early morning wakeup ritual and the 10 minute chunk works well as a digestible piece of current events.

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I have been recently using the digg audio interface to capcha, because its actually easier for me to interpret phrase. Often when viewing the image, there is ambiguity, however listening to the audio, is a lot easier to do. I would be interested to see if there has been much work in the spamming comunity to crack this kind of captcha, but either way computationally it must be very difficult. It would be great to see this kind of captcha software exported as something other sites can implement independant of the core digg code. For those of you awaiting commenting, i'm hoping to have a solution out next week.

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Watching the video about the palm foleo (found via Apple Insider) i feel rather unwowed by what effectively is a big magnifying glass for your smartphone. It does feel a bit like its trying to create a niche, the way i see things, if my smartphone will suffice (either a nokia n80i or a htc tytn), i only take that, if need power of a laptop, i take a laptop, something this size but with laptop flexibility could be very nice, but i doubt it'll be well thought out as a development on the move platform sadly. I think if people are trying to look for something that would revolutionise the tech industry, they should remeber the Psion 5, something of that style, with a touch of modern technology, but keeping the form factor and usability would present a serious threat to any other smartphone/pda on the market.

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