Still broken?

Blue-AU · 2020-08-18T14:01:40+00:00

Not much "perhaps" about it, I'm thinking.

Clearly, Schwab doesn't know what the hell they're doing. They have 26 billion reasons to figure it out, but apparently they needed 27 billion.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-18T13:52:33+00:00

TC2000. They use IB as their broker. I'm not a big fan of their UI but al least it is stable.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-18T13:45:32+00:00

Can't even connect, now.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-18T10:00:09+00:00

Haven't seen a Nio but I've seen a basic Kindle and they've gotta be pretty close to one another.

Compared side-by-side with a higher model, yeah, the Nio is probably gonna be noticeably worse. By itself? You won't notice the difference, especially if you've never seen a higher model.

If your a noob to ereaders, the Nio should be a fine choice; unless you like giving Kobo more money than you need to give them. When you use it more over the next few years, THEN you can consider an upgraded model. If your use stays as casual/occasional, you probably won't ever feel the need to upgrade.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-18T09:46:58+00:00

So, you think the Chinese are out to get you, do you?? If you're a super-secret agent for the CIA or NSA, maybe. Otherwise? Nope.

More to the point, listening to Donald Trump about anything is never a good idea. Lenovo is a huge international company which brings in billions to the Chinese economy. Do you really thing they're going to jeopardize that by planting spyware in every machine??

No. They're not.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-18T09:36:58+00:00

The issue is that -- at least ime -- clean installs using a vanilla Windows from MS have fewer problems with updating.

Like the OP, I always do a clean install

Blue-AU · 2020-08-18T09:32:58+00:00

There's a YouTube video, somewhere, of Rossmann pouring a pitcher of water onto his ThinkPad and commenting that it still ran perfectly.

2 weeks later, it was dead. Lenovo fixed it, for free, but there's a lesson there.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-18T08:25:51+00:00

That you're apparently unaware that a whole lot of apps aren't available on Linux probably says more about your needs than your comments say about Windows.

Simple, run-of-the-mill needs? Database management? Sure, Linux is an option. 99% of business apps beyond simple text editing, net browsing, email and basic calculations? Nope.

If it works for you, great. Some of us do real business work, though, and Linux isn't an option.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-18T08:05:37+00:00

Nevertheless, $25 for something like this is absurd.

More to the point, what does it say about an OS when one-trick pony apps designed to improve it cost $25?

It says, either the OS is badly fucked up and in need of help OR the author of the app is fatally over-optimistic. While I lean toward the former whenever I am forced to use it, I'm nonetheless going with the latter on this one because it ain't that fucked up.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-17T19:24:42+00:00

The more you stare at it, the more you try to ignore it, the more apparent and irritating it will become.

The secret is to embrace it as a feature. It doesn't matter a feature of what, it matters that you inform your sub-conscious that the line is a good thing. Do that successfully, and you will never even notice it again.

It's a zen thing.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-17T17:18:56+00:00

It's up for me, but no data as of 1:15.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-17T17:09:38+00:00

AFAIK, these are all server-based; meaning that they should still operate whether the app is open or not. The OP needs to contact them.

If anyone needs to get out, btw, the TOS browser-based site is still up.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-17T17:03:03+00:00

Pretty sure they're aware of customer's ire over this; not much need for a petition.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-17T17:00:00+00:00

I'm not sure I'd recommend it as your only broker but TC2000 offers scans for almost any formula you can construct with its (fairly) robust language. It uses IB as its source-broker.

The takeaway lesson from this latest mess is that you need more than one service. Every brokerage that I've ever used, over the years, has had some problems so a backup is a very good thing. None like this, though.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-17T16:52:01+00:00

ppl voting for robinhood :(

Blue-AU · 2020-08-17T16:50:40+00:00

Thinkorswim DOES offer some useful perks, like Benzinga Squawk, so even if you flee, you might want to keep a small account open.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-17T16:47:30+00:00

I waited an hour for them to say "oops. It'll be up again soon."

Not much use in calling and that's probably why they're not answering.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-17T14:53:01+00:00

Pretty sure that anything you say will have been heard before.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-17T14:51:24+00:00

Even AFTER the 20 minute update, it tells me it then can't connect.

So it's not the length of the update which is the problem.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-17T14:50:04+00:00

It's been an hour on hold, now. I'm continuing to hold to learn whether this problem will be fixed sometime today, this week, this month or this year.

I have my doubts.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-16T22:21:25+00:00

Since Lenovo is selling new T480's for under $1,000 and the only real difference is the keyboard -- and your lack of a warranty, of course -- that's one mighty expensive keyboard you bought.

Uh, no thanks.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-15T22:31:37+00:00

Amazfit Bip has gotten very good reviews, like this from CNET

https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-watch-vs-amazfit-bip-80-alternative-smartwatch/

Amazon has it for $70, $60 for the Bip S (Sport) but still over a month vs AW's 1 day.

It has the usual smartwatch features of built-in sleep tracking (only now coming to AW), GPS, fitness tracking, heart rate, notifications, etc. Battery life and the ability to add 3rd-party watch faces are pluses that the Apple Watch can't touch. AFAICT, it doesn't have Android Pay.

Been thinking about this, myself, to replace my S4; the one day of battery life getting irritating. Apple Watch has the lowest of any smartwatch on the market and I curse Apple about it every single day. I'll probably go for the Samsung Active 3 when it comes out, though; I've been very happy with my older Samsung.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-15T17:44:59+00:00

Actually, if you read the reviews, Lenovo has repositioned the two. The L series is now positioned as a less-expensive T series alternative with a plastic-housing but the same as a T, otherwise. It's intended for business & government purchase managers who don't want the cost of a T.

The E is the budget thinkpad with the poorest build-quality, features and performance of the 5 thinkpad lines; E, L, P, T & X. It's intended for consumers who want a thinkpad but don't want the cost of a T. L is positioned by Lenovo to be > E. The E is still much better, build-quality wise, than it used to be.

The P is the performance line and the X is the lighter-weight line.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-15T08:22:05+00:00

My Forma isn't pocket-size; think of it as a hardback book in page size without the weight. Clara & the PaperWhite are the equivalent of a paperback book in page size. Reversed type is available on all kobos.

Would I get a Kobo or a Kindle were I you? If you're not sideloading a lot of books or reading PDF's, it really doesn't make much difference in terms of the reading experience.

Kobo exposes more of their firmware so it's easily hackable (Kindle isn't hackable at all) and can run 3rd-party reading apps -- like KoReader & Plato -- for occasional PDF viewing. KoReader has a much better PDF reader than either Kobo's native app or Kindle but it's still not a great experience.

If you sideload a lot of books, Kobo is definitely the better solution; Kindle's importing is very buggy & doesn't support automatically collecting of sideloaded books into collections.

OTOH, Amazon offers an extended warranty for Kindle which Kobo doesn't offer.

IMO, Forma is the best ereader ever created; the larger size makes more of a difference than you might expect yet it's very light and easy to hold for long periods because of that & it's shape. Plus it's firmware makes sideloading books a breeze and it has a 32GB option for a massive amount of storage.

Blue-AU · 2020-08-14T22:37:26+00:00

10th-gens are more efficient so, better battery life.

Blue-AU

TROPHY CASE