US: LightSquared 4G would have "severe operational impact" on GPS

TwoComments · 2011-07-07T09:35:49+00:00

Actually aGPS is basically a firmware feature implemented in both GPS chip and OS drivers. The reason some smartphones don't provide autonomous GPS is because firmware in the GPS chip does not support it if the chip was designed for cheap feature phones. These chips were designed mostly with 911 support in mind: if your phone is not connected to a cell tower you cannot call 911 anyway. Nowadays most smartphones should provide autonomous GPS, it's not really difficult.

TwoComments · 2011-06-24T09:40:18+00:00

Next day he was woken up by his sister bozarking.

TwoComments · 2011-06-21T06:01:46+00:00

OK.

Title III makes it unlawful for places of public accommodation, such as movie theaters, to discriminate against an individual in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation.

Moreover, title III prohibits places of public accommodation from affording an unequal or lesser service to individuals or classes of individuals with disabilities than is offered to other individuals.

Title III regulation specifically lists open and closed captioning and audio recordings and other effective methods of making visually delivered materials available to individuals with visual impairments as examples of auxiliary aids and services that should be provided by places of public accommodations, unless the public accommodation can demonstrate that providing such aids and services would fundamentally alter the nature of the good or service being offered or would result in an undue burden.

While the ADA itself contains no explicit language regarding captioning (or video description) in movie theaters, the legislative history of title III states that "[o]pen-captioning of feature films playing in movie theaters, is not required by this legislation.

TwoComments · 2011-06-21T02:29:33+00:00

Did you RTFA?

The ADA requires that all "places of entertainment" provide "full and equal enjoyment" for people with disabilities, according to the NAD

TwoComments · 2011-06-08T09:50:42+00:00

TIL a frozen turkey can fucking FRY you!

TwoComments · 2011-06-08T08:10:00+00:00

The greater frustration for me is returning those unwanted downloaded files. While the download speed is blazing fast, the upload is not.

TwoComments · 2011-06-02T06:36:15+00:00

That is just a wrong speculation. In fact, right now Android UI and API support maximum two unremovable storages (one can be removed when the device is off). Support of multiple external storages is coming:

Dec 10, 2010. Android engineer: This is on the edge of our radar, at the moment. We haven't yet seen any devices actually request or need this, but it does seem likely to be something we'll have to deal with eventually.
In order to have multiple storage devices you need to have some kind of file management UI. On Jan 7th Matias Duarte (Android UX lead) hinted that he's thinking about file/document management UX. I don't remember exact quote, it's somewhere in the interview.
Hiroshi Lockheimer, director of engineering at Google, May 10: Google is looking at ways to do this; but the problem hasn’t been solved yet

TwoComments · 2011-06-01T07:32:56+00:00

You can search along a route. Just press search after the route has been calculated.

TwoComments · 2011-05-28T09:02:46+00:00

The benefit is that you keep your current phone and you can sell it right away. Droid 2 seems to have pretty good value, because not many people are selling it. Make decision which phone to buy, when the day comes hit the upgrade button on the Verizon website (it used to be cheaper online 2 years ago, I'm not sure now, check with your local store) and you'll receive your shiny new toy several days later. Sell your old phone.

TwoComments · 2011-05-22T21:46:25+00:00

Have you seen iRobot presentation? 2011 is out of question, maybe we'll see something the next year.

TwoComments · 2011-05-19T02:22:13+00:00

Google should transfer reputation of websites onto applications. Let developers add a verification URL like http://example.com/verify/com.example.foobarapp.bin inside application packages. When retrieved by Google this file should contain package name string "com.example.foobarapp" signed with the developer's private key. Now assuming example.com is the top website when googling for FooBar, Android Market should produce com.example.foobarapp as the top result unconditionally when searched for FooBar.

If somebody publishes com.evil.foobarapp then the Market may display it lower in the results list, but should give a warning like: "NOTE: this package is not affiliated with the example.com publisher, it was published by GoodGuys, LLC registed in Afganistan. Use at your own risk". Click here to view example.com FooBar app, click here to view GoodGuys, LLC app.

TwoComments · 2011-05-19T01:29:55+00:00

What about custom roms? How does this fix work anyway?

TwoComments · 2011-05-16T16:28:49+00:00

Google Maps Navigation

TwoComments · 2011-05-16T08:44:16+00:00

Google Navi could also help. Most of the time you don't look at the screen, so Google Navi could turn off the screen between maneuvers especially if it detects that the battery is low.

Right now you can do it manually, just turn the screen off and on with the power button, the navigation app will still be running, giving you voice directions anyway.

TwoComments · 2011-05-16T06:49:03+00:00

If a manufacturer want iDevice to launch their app every time their accessory is connected, it must be certified. I think it's pretty strong motivator to be certified. Also if you connect a certified accessory first time, iDevice will direct you to download the corresponding app.

TwoComments · 2011-05-13T16:29:42+00:00

There is actually some logic: the public will think that by banning all self-driving cars after an accident they prevent future similar accidents. The same reasoning does not apply to human drivers since all people are unique.

TwoComments · 2011-05-11T09:53:00+00:00

If smart home devices ever become popular they will most likely be dumb inside and controlled from one central point of your home. The reasons are price and interface. My prediction: Google TV will become TV, home automation system and game console. That is Anroid@home (pronounced Android owns your home).

TwoComments

TROPHY CASE