Early Risers.

[woodenhead]

6 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

The problem with that is people will sometimes need a phone in an emergency.  The best idea would be to detect a phone being used in a moving vehicle with a camera set up to picture the driver. Then using AI to check if the driver is the one using the phone.

You mean like the software that companies like Amazon use to monitor how attentive their drivers are being.

 

https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/18/23798611/amazon-van-driver-surveillance-camera-footage-leak-reddit

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/05/22/amazon-installs-ai-cameras-monitor-delivery-drivers/

 

Is this for the driver's safety or to drive down insurances costs?

[polybear]

7 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Have you looked in settings to see what the battery health and maximum charge level is like? If it’s just the battery that’s shagged a phone shop can change it for notalot, as I posted before I had the one in Jill’s iPhone 6 changed satisfactorily for £25. If you do need a new phone I picked up a second hand refurbished iPhone 11 yesterday for £220 including screen protector and case and the guy transferred all the data etc. from the old phone.

 

Dave

 

Oh yes, forgot to mention that Izzy doesn't show battery health status - maybe it wasn't invented back then......

 

2 hours ago, PupCam said:

Good luck with that then!     About as likely as a Bear abseiling down the side of the Shard in full scuba gear and a Tutu I should imagine .....

 

@monkeysarefun  Over to you, Chimpy.......

 

2 hours ago, PupCam said:

 

First of all let me admit almost total ignorance of the real facts in this matter.  I'm sure there are other regulars on here who are far better placed to provide proper, informed comment.   I've just read this proposal for a review which indicates direct aid ceased in 2015 and "Between 2016 and 2020, we estimate that the UK disbursed around £1.9 billion of aid to India. This figure includes £480 million in bilateral aid, including technical assistance, development capital and research. It also includes an estimated £679 million of aid to India through an imputed share of core contributions to multilateral organisations, largely through the World Bank and the multilateral Climate Investment Funds, which focus on clean technology. In addition, the UK contributed an estimated £756 million in India via replenishments to BII."  Of course the results of that review aren't immediately to hand and I saw another headline to an article behind a paywall (which I'm not privy to on the grounds of being tight) suggests aid is up by 70%!

 

Having said that, I do feel uncomfortable with the basic balance of  "UK Foreign Aid" (in very simplistic terms) going to "A country with its own space programme landing things on the moon"!   Perhaps we should shine a mirror on our own space programme?  Errm, yes, thought not .....

 

Anyway, I'd best say no more on the topic for fear of entering prohibited waters.

 

 

 

A quick Google also suggests that India's Defence Budget for 2023 is $74B** - only beaten by the US and China.

 

**Though half of that goes on Personnel and Pensions

 

2 hours ago, Tim Dubya said:

I don't know why @polybear wants to buy a fruit cider phone when a decent Android can be had for one deltic or less... or am I missing something?

 

I don't know much about either (or Deltics) mind you.   My phone was about a third of a Deltic and from Argos.

 

"Want" isn't the right word.....

One problem - size is everything.  I'll take a look at Argos offerings and report back, but I suspect that the vast majority fail Bear's compact size test.

This is worth a read as well:

 

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/mobile-phones/article/mobile-phone-security-is-it-safe-to-use-an-old-phone-a6uXf1w6PvEN

 

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

Perhaps we've found the therapist to cure The Bear's irrational fear of spiders!

 

With PB's declared "shoot first, ask (no) questions later" approach to arachnids I wonder how Bear Towers remains free of the following pests:

• mosquitoes,
• cockroaches,
• centipedes,
• aphids,
• flies
• beetles.

A clean environment helps, but is no hindrance to many pest insects

 

None that I ever/very rarely spot - the occasional fly might get in, but is soon dealt with. 

It's an added bonus of having a very effective Hippo Defence System.

 

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

The accomplishment should not be underestimated. Space flight is really hard. Plenty of things can and do go wrong.

 

The 2019 Indian Chandrayaan-2 mission crashed into the lunar surface as did the Russian Luna 25 mission last week. One assumes Roscosmos knows what they are doing - they've been at spaceflight since 1957.

 

This from the Daily Snail:

 

"Russian astronomer who advised Putin's failed Luna-25 mission to the Moon is rushed to hospital over 'sharp deterioration in his health' - after unmanned spacecraft crashed.

Mikail Marov, 90, suffered a 'sharp deterioration' in his health following the crash"

 

Seems that Poo Tin might be upset perhaps?

[polybear]

On the news:

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66599733

[Ian Abel]

4 hours ago, polybear said:

On the news:

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66599733

Definately "inconvenient" to be one of Putins "friends" and failing!! 🤣🤣

Edited August 23, 2023 by Ian Abel

[TheQ]

They've obviously run out of hospital windows to fall out of..

 

This tablet is a Lenovo, all the bits are available to repair it.

 

Should I need to replace it I won't be going compact, as I need to be able to read the screen. Whatever I get it will be Android. I have no intention of funding MS and fruit owners pockets.

 

Just back from Scotland, absolutely knackered, more on that tomorrow, 

Good night.

[Tim Dubya]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

"Want" isn't the right word..

 

Of course, paw size is a very important size and I too appreciate being able to shove a phone in my pocket, which a lot of 'droids won't fit these days. Happy hunting , although a shop* visit to check paw/pocket-ability might be essential 👍

 

Then get one down Argos 😜

 

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by Tim Dubya

[Tim Dubya]

20 minutes ago, polybear said:

On the news:

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66599733

 

Whoops, I bet he didn't see that coming 🤔

[Tony_S]

23 minutes ago, TheQ said:

Whatever I get it will be Android.

Owned by Google. Though I must be nice about them as they employ one of my nephews. Google seems to be part of a bigger entity called Alphabet. 

[pH]

13 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Owned by Google. Though I must be nice about them as they employ one of my nephews. Google seems to be part of a bigger entity called Alphabet. 

Do they make soup as well?

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

On the news:

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66599733

 

1 hour ago, Tim Dubya said:

Whoops, I bet he didn't see that coming 🤔

 

I wonder what his life insurance premiums were? ....  😇 

 

Though on the subject of less predictable (cough...) accidents, this could send shivers down your spine: 

 

 

[Coombe Barton]

... Today finding that Amazon are clean out of cloning machines which would have enabled me to fulfil the timetable as currently constituted. ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/08/23/continuing-to-increase-and-cloning-myself/

[Erichill16]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

"Russian astronomer who advised Putin's failed Luna-25 mission to the Moon is rushed to hospital over 'sharp deterioration in his health' - after unmanned spacecraft crashed.

Mikail Marov, 90, suffered a 'sharp deterioration' in his health following the crash"

 

Seems that Poo Tin might be upset perhaps?

I hope, for his sake, he in a ground floor room.

[zarniwhoop]

5 hours ago, AndyID said:

It might not be too difficult for cars to detect when the driver is not looking ahead. That could cover more situations than just phones.

Like waiting at a junction, turning left at a junction, parking, maybe even checking the view in the door mirrors, ...

[AndyID]

4 hours ago, The Lurker said:

Reversing into a parking space might become a bit of PITA

 

as might checking one's blindspot before pulling out.

 

I'm pretty sure the car could could know when it was in reverse gear 😆 There's a major difference between moving your head to check the blind-spot and looking down at your phone, or checking the wing mirrors come to that.

 

We are all quite good being able to tell when people are looking at their phones. It would not be difficult for an automated system to do the same thing.

 

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by AndyID
wind mirrors!

[AndyID]

2 minutes ago, zarniwhoop said:

Like waiting at a junction, turning left at a junction, parking, maybe even checking the view in the door mirrors, ...

See above.

[monkeysarefun]

6 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

I'm pretty sure the car could could know when it was in reverse gear 😆 There's a major difference between moving your head to check the blind-spot and looking down at your phone, or checking the wind mirrors come to that.

 

We are all quite good being able to tell when people are looking at their phones. It would not be difficult for an automated system to do the same thing.

 

 

What a minefield that would become - am  I getting booked because the camera caught me glancing  down as I  clicked "play" on my Spotify playlist on my phone  (assume illegal?) or because I spent 15 seconds getting a  CD out of its case, (cassette in the case of @polybear ) inserting it into the CD player, searching for a track then adjusting the bass level and volume  (all legal at the moment).

 

In Australia we have the  added Huntsman Spider risk - they love to come out from behind the sunvisor right above your head and then go wandering about - take your eyes off it for 5 seconds and it'll just magically vanish and you spend the rest of the trip wondering where it'll appear from next so most of it is spent scanning the inside of the car like that scene in The Battle Of Britain where the rookie bloke is looking all around the sky in panic searching  for Jerry . 

[AndyID]

4 hours ago, woodenhead said:

You mean like the software that companies like Amazon use to monitor how attentive their drivers are being.

 

https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/18/23798611/amazon-van-driver-surveillance-camera-footage-leak-reddit

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/05/22/amazon-installs-ai-cameras-monitor-delivery-drivers/

 

Is this for the driver's safety or to drive down insurances costs?

 

Probably both, not to mention the safety of other road users. Driver safety and insurance are inextricably connected. I'm sure many of us remember the arguments put forth against the use of seat-belts and the expense of equipping cars with anti-burst door locks. Well MrsID's big brother died shortly before our wedding in a low speed rollover in a Mini that had neither. Either feature would have saved him.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon/evening all from Estuary-Land. Too much eyelid inspection again so I'm late on parade again. It feels as if its going to be another warm and sticky night. Thunderstorms are predicted in the early hours tomorrow, it certainly feels like it.

[AndyID]

17 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

 

What a minefield that would become - am  I getting booked because the camera caught me glancing  down as I  clicked "play" on my Spotify playlist on my phone  (assume illegal?) or because I spent 15 seconds getting a  CD out of its case, (cassette in the case of @polybear ) inserting it into the CD player, searching for a track then adjusting the bass level and volume  (all legal at the moment).

 

In Australia we have the  added Huntsman Spider risk - they love to come out from behind the sunvisor right above your head and then go wandering about - take your eyes off it for 5 seconds and it'll just magically vanish and you spend the rest of the trip wondering where it'll appear from next so most of it is spent scanning the inside of the car like that scene in The Battle Of Britain where the rookie bloke is looking all around the sky in panic searching  for Jerry . 

 

If you take your eyes of the road for fifteen seconds you are really asking for it. (15 seconds at 60mph is a distance traveled of one quarter of a mile.)

 

A school bus just flipped on its side here when a car coming in the other direction veered over the center-line. I'll bet quite a lot that the car driver was looking at their phone. Many young children were injured and one died. IIRC he was seven years old.

 

So, do we just shrug and say "So what?" The status quo is a disaster and we need to do something about it.

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by AndyID

[PhilJ W]

7 minutes ago, AndyID said:

I'm sure many of us remember the arguments put forth against the use of seat-belts and the expense of equipping cars with anti-burst door locks. Well MrsID's big brother died shortly before our wedding in a low speed rollover in a Mini that had neither. Either feature would have saved him.

I recall when seat belts in cars was the exception and when they became more common many people didn't wear them even when they could and the wearing of seat belts had to be made compulsory.

[polybear]

2 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

Definately "inconvenient" to be on of Putins "friends" and failing!! 🤣🤣

 

From BBC News:

 

"Earlier, Wagner-linked Telegram channel Grey Zone reported that the private plane, which belonged to the 62-year-old, was shot down by air defences."

 

2 hours ago, Tim Dubya said:

Of course, paw size is a very important size and I too appreciate being able to shove a phone in my pocket, which a lot of 'droids won't fit these days. Happy hunting , although a shop* visit to check paw/pocket-ability might be essential 👍

 

Then get one down Argos 😜

 

 

 

I had a scan of the Argos site but it didn't list screen size as an option - and life's too short to go checking every one individually.

So I checked the Currys site instead.....

Out of the 40 with screen sizes no bigger than 5.9" (which is bigger than Izzy at 4.7") there are a mere TWO Smartphones (there's a few "basic" phones) under four hundred notes; one is a seventy quid Nokia that gets crap reviews on the net, and the other is a £210 jobbie aimed at Grannies (ever heard of "Emporia" phones? - me neither.)

So that's why Bear is looking at a 4.7" display Cider Phone - which is a tad over the four hundred mark; it seems that thin house brick size is what sells now.

[polybear]

27 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

In Australia we have the  added Huntsman Spider risk - they love to come out from behind the sunvisor right above your head and then go wandering about - take your eyes off it for 5 seconds and it'll just magically vanish and you spend the rest of the trip wondering where it'll appear from next so most of it is spent scanning the inside of the car like that scene in The Battle Of Britain where the rookie bloke is looking all around the sky in panic searching  for Jerry . 

 

There is no "rest of the trip".......

[polybear]

It seems that Brain Donors are alive and kicking in Geneva:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66596126

[Tony_S]

18 minutes ago, polybear said:

Out of the 40 with screen sizes no bigger than 5.9" (

Quite a few of the”bigger than 6” phones” are only 6.1 inches. If you are looking at 5.9” phones an extra 0.2” isn’t a huge increase and does make a lot more devices available to choose. One gadget I did buy for our phones was a wireless charger. It is quite convenient just to pop a phone on to when we are in the lounge. 

[PhilJ W]

11 minutes ago, polybear said:

It seems that Brain Donors are alive and kicking in Geneva:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66596126

Who'd want that idiots brain?