darkvader

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darkvader
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  • Future MacBook Pro may gain retractable keyboard for thinness, screen protection

    darkvaderdarkvader
    And the article helpfully includes the prior art from the 1990s that should have caused the instant rejection of this incredibly obvious patent.
    williamlondon

  • Italy fines Apple, Amazon $230 million over price fixing

    darkvaderdarkvader
    lkrupp said:
    fred1 said:
    And cue the eurobashing . . .
    No ‘eurobashing’ just government bashing in general. Just because some bureaucrats come up with allegations does not mean something illegal actually happened. Unless, of course, one is in the “ all corporations are evil” camp. Then there is an assumption of guilt. Bureaucrats are notorious for their actions to keep themselves employed. Both Apple and Amazon are appealing the fines. Let’s wait a little while longer before condemning the companies.
    There's an assumption of guilt because THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONVICTED.  Something illegal happened.  Apple and Amazon are guilty, have been convicted, and have been fined.  Sure, they have appeals left, but we all know Apple is notorious for engaging in anti-competitive behavior these days.
    xyzzy-xxxwilliamlondonelijahg

  • FAA forced 5G rollout delays despite no proof of harm, claim trade bodies

    darkvaderdarkvader
    darkvader said:
    The FAA does their job, wants to be sure planes don't fall out of the sky.

    The telcos whine about it.

    The standard in aviation isn't "proof of harm" - it's "as close as possible to proof that there is no harm".  And if there's a chance, even a small chance, that these frequencies used for cell phone data is going to interfere with older altimeters (I'm assuming radar altimeters, I doubt pressure altimeters could be affected) then the FAA did exactly what they're supposed to do - put the brakes on and demand testing.

    The telcos need to calm down.  5G isn't a big deal for the vast majority of people, not having planes fall out of the sky is.

    You can’t prove a negative, and what exactly how that wording can be interpreted is infinite. 

    Planes falling out of the sky is not a rational consideration here - slight interferrance would have backup systems in place and, as reported, has not been demonstrated. 

    Rolling out 5G is important to users, as data usage is increasing, and each new iteration of networks increases capacity and reduces the chance of having slow speeds. Blocking the technology when there is almost no risk is ridiculous. 

    If the FAA was in the game of no risk, they wouldn’t fly planes or allow Boeing planes in the sky… there is evidence of harm there!

    As I said, "as close as possible to proof that there is no harm".  I'm fully aware that you can't prove a negative, but you can get as close as possible.

    What we don't know is which systems are vulnerable to interference from this frequency being used for 5G, how much greater that interference will be if there is a wide rollout of 5G on that frequency, and what the potential is for that interference to cause a "controlled flight into terrain".  And those are all things that should be known before it's turned on in wide deployment.  Maybe it's nothing, maybe it's safe to go ahead.  Taking a bit longer makes sense.

    Maybe a few users care about 5G.  I strongly suspect that the vast majority do not really care all that much.  It's certainly not a life or death issue, which a failing altimeter can be.  Pressure altimeters are great, but weather change + radar altimeter interference + mountain can in fact cause a really bad day.

    And yes, the FAA definitely has some regulatory capture problems.  This isn't one of them.  The regulatory capture problem here is the FCC, which approved these frequencies for 5G before they should have.  The FAA shouldn't be a Boeing cheerleader, the FCC shouldn't be a telco cheerleader.
    muthuk_vanalingamwilliamlondon

  • AirPods are no longer cool, claim people who can't afford them

    darkvaderdarkvader
    I mean, they've never been 'cool'.  The reality is that you look like you've got snot dripping out of your ears.

    If you can live with that for the functionality, fine.  But you look about as uncool as somebody dragging toilet paper on their shoe.
    lkruppbaconstang12Strangers

  • FAA forced 5G rollout delays despite no proof of harm, claim trade bodies

    darkvaderdarkvader
    The FAA does their job, wants to be sure planes don't fall out of the sky.

    The telcos whine about it.

    The standard in aviation isn't "proof of harm" - it's "as close as possible to proof that there is no harm".  And if there's a chance, even a small chance, that these frequencies used for cell phone data is going to interfere with older altimeters (I'm assuming radar altimeters, I doubt pressure altimeters could be affected) then the FAA did exactly what they're supposed to do - put the brakes on and demand testing.

    The telcos need to calm down.  5G isn't a big deal for the vast majority of people, not having planes fall out of the sky is.
    muthuk_vanalingamwilliamlondonFidonet127