* Posts by ks2problema

11 publicly visible posts • joined 2 Jun 2010

CBS goes OTT, releases EVERY EPISODE of Star Trek EVER MADE

ks2problema

So disappointing in its execution...

As a huge fan of the original b&w Perry Mason series that ran on CBS between 1957 and 1968, racking up something like 350 episodes, I was immediately intrigued by this -- unfortunately, it looks as clueless as CBS's previous, free-but-ad-driven presentation of two seasons of original PM's. THIS only has ONE season! You used to be able to get TWO seasons for free with ad breaks (ads that were literally as much as 4 times louder than the show itself). Then they pulled those but put up DEAD LINKS to the whole 10 seasons. All dead links. After about a year of that, they pulled those. Geniacs.

Sonos offers updated music controller to Fandroids for testing

ks2problema

The problem is sound quality...

As a former studio recording engineer whose computer is at the heart of their sound system, and as an avid streaming music subscriber, I'm very interested in options that will let normal folks take advantage of the high quality of sound available.

But the commercial solutions I've seen all seem to have seriously compromised fidelity in terms of both the units, but, more crucially, in terms of their internal digital-to-analog converters (DACs), which tend to be stuck at the same, highly degraded level as many other consumer devices like the sound in consumer computers, tablets, and phones.

Even the 320 kbps lossy compression streams sent by better subscription services reveal the typically poor quality of these converters.

Devices costing several hundred dollars -- as many of these do -- should have better than the "50 cent" converters so typically found in consumer devices.

We don't need quad sample rates or other nonsense -- CD audio is entirely capable of delivering better sound than ~99.9% of the stereos out there can deliver -- but until regular folks have at least decent quality digital converters in their devices, their sound will be fundamentally compromised.

In defence of defenestration: Microsoft MUST hurl Gates from the Windows

ks2problema

It seems to me that what this move is really all about is for the 'capital reallocation' set to gain control of MS, kill off investment in the future of the company and its various franchises and then drain the body of blood in the form of fat dividends for shareholders.

Boffins: Earth will be habitable for only 1.75 BEEELLION more years

ks2problema

Good news for the giant cockroaches who we'll be leaving the way clear for, soon enough. At this rate.

'Nothing will convince a kid that's never worn glasses to wear them'

ks2problema

I'm not prude.

But some of you guys are disgusting fucks.

Apple shouldn't bother with TV...

ks2problema

Imagine...

Imagine... a TV... as easy to operate as a computer.

Magic.

Apple accused of iPhone ban on 'all single-station radio apps'

ks2problema

Can't figure their thinking on this...

I'm finding it hard to understand Apple's thinking on this. I mean, behind what they're saying -- not what they're doing. It's almost always easy to see Apple's motivation behind actions: market hegemony and vertical control that reaches down into the customer's psyche.

But what they're saying just doesn't really make much sense from a PR rationale.

I guess they just feel so confident in their control of their customer base as well as their minions in the tech press that they now feel they can use any old rationale and it will fly...

There are times when I think an iPod wouldn't be a bad thing to have... but then I remind myself that I'd be inviting Apple into my life.

No thanks.

Apple, Oracle air-kiss their way to OpenJDK deal for Mac OS X

ks2problema

Non-aggression pact...

Kind of like the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, innit?

Whitman accused of hypocrisy over servants

ks2problema

The REAL story...

The real story, seems to me, is that a woman who is obscenely wealthy enough to be about to drop ~$120M on her sudden ambition to be a state governor didn't even bother to VOTE for the first 28 years during which she was eligible. Yet now she's dropping a huge load of money to conquer this new world... excuse me... buy it.

Still, she comes off at least a little better than Carly Fiorina.

Lonely Planet augments muggers' earnings

ks2problema
WTF?

Mugger?

Don't get the 'mugger' reference in the post title -- unless 'mugger' has a different meaning outside that wee cultural backwater we like to call the US of A.

It's sad to see online guides falling prey to various forms of corruption and coercion. The Yelp! payola scandal really brought a lot of this to the attention of many folks for the first time.

Steve Jobs beheads iPad apps for acting like desktops

ks2problema

It's Apple's party...

It's Apple's party and you can cry if you want to -- but, look, it's how they work. It's how they think. It's who they are.

As the snake said: You knew I was a snake when you took me home.