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Xiaomi's Mi Band 2 Fitness Tracker Featuring OLED Display Launched at $23 (cnet.com)

Chinese technology conglomerate Xiaomi has unveiled the Mi Band 2, the second iteration of its fitness tracking band. The tracker features an OLED display -- which is touted as resistant to scratches and fingerprints, and helps the wearer track time, notifications, heart rate, calories burned, and number of steps taken among other things. The company says that Mi Band 2 can function for 20 days on a single charge. It is priced at $23. It is currently only available to purchase in China, but the company says it will be launching the wearable in other regions as well. To recall, Xiaomi has already begun selling some of its products in the United States.

Venture Capitalist Bryce Roberts said: "$23. If you're thinking of doing a consumer hardware startup let that sink in a bit."

72 comments

  1. I returned mine by slashdice · · Score: 2, Funny

    I only do fitness once a month so the 20 day battery is not nearly long enough!

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    1. Re:I returned mine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Perhaps you should try being nicer to your spouse.

    2. Re:I returned mine by slashdice · · Score: 1

      she does fitness with a trainer and the pool boy so she doesn't have time for fitness with me.

      --
      Copyright (c) 1990 - 2014 Dice. All rights reserved. Use of this comment is subject to certain Terms and Conditions.
  2. Re:Free Software by MightyYar · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    It disturbs me that someone is smart enough to devise such software, yet does not possess the critical thinking skills to sniff out obvious superstitious bullshit.

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    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  3. Software by Tau_Xi · · Score: 1

    The device itself is compelling - but the one thing FitBit & others have going for them is the software design and interface. They way Xaomi could really succeed is to be able to interface with already good software, such as Google Fit or PlexFit and open their APIs to their device so that devs can tinker with the raw data rather than having to rely on whatever they choose to reveal.

    1. Re:Software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      inaccuracy is another thing fitbit and other wearables have. so premium price or cheap chinese noname, neither are certified medical device grade and accuracy. so cheap will win.

    2. Re:Software by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I'm willing to forgive an awful lot if I can start and stop the thing, see current, and get to the data. Really, anything important I'm going to calculate post-hoc on a spreadsheet.

      Before I'd spend $23 or $230 I'm going to need to see some calibration testing, though. Fitbit is in a bit of a shitstorm now because they've admitted that their HR's aren't all that accurate (14% off, IIRC). They've released a statement that they're not to be used as scientific instruments.

      I want a new HR tracker for interval training. 14% off is a matter of me doing fairly serious injury to myself, or not getting the benefits of interval training. I don't get why accuracy is such an afterthought in these devices. For now, I'll keep using the annoying one with the chest strap because it's less annoying than winding up in the ER because I exceeded my max HR by 25 bpm.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    3. Re: Software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      fitbit chips are like 1 buck. 23 is the right price. oled display watch.

    4. Re:Software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I have a Mi band pulse. Useless for any training as you have to tell it to measure rather then it just constantly measuring. But the real killer is that you need to hold your arm still to get a decent reading.

    5. Re:Software by just+another+AC · · Score: 3, Insightful

      less annoying than winding up in the ER because I exceeded my max HR by 25 bpm.

      So you are one of those fabled sorts that really can give 110% ... hats off to you sir.

      I personally say that my max HR is the maximum value that I can get on that scale. If I exceed it, then it was not my max (or I have somehow gained a heart condition - but then you usually exceed your max voluntary heart rate by 100 or more)

    6. Re:Software by Nethead · · Score: 3, Funny

      Damn overclockers!

      --
      -- I have a private email server in my basement.
    7. Re:Software by null+etc. · · Score: 1

      I don't get why accuracy is such an afterthought in these devices.

      Accuracy is an afterthought because the company is selling a lifestyle product, not a scientific measurement instrument.

      After all, their advertisements don't feature people intelligently tracking health metrics as a small component of an overall health strategy. Instead, the ads show people engaging in athletic activities as a lifestyle choice. These are people who Just Do It.

    8. Re:Software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Google Fit and PlexFit are complete shit. The Mi Fit software could use improvement to become as good as my Vivofit software, but it's already miles ahead of that other shit you mentioned.

    9. Re:Software by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      Does this device even have heart rate monitors? I will take an inaccurate Fitbit heart rate monitor over a device that has none any day of the week.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    10. Re:Software by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      In what way? I would use Google fit much more if it supported my Fitbit, so what improvement are you looking for in Google Fit for it to be something you would want to use?

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  4. But what about Apple? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If it doesn't boost Apple's cashpile by at least $200, it can't be any good.

  5. slave labor + no environmental laws by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Equals cheap prices.

    1. Re:slave labor + no environmental laws by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You are correct, so I expect you to be modded down by the comment crew and the anti-West trash that infests this site.
      So many socialist slashtards are all for imposing restrictions on American and European businesses, but happily give China their money even though China has pitiful environmental and worker protections and greedily steal technology from others.

    2. Re:slave labor + no environmental laws by 110010001000 · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Apple uses slave labor and has no environmental laws where they are building their stuff. So why no cheap prices? You guys don't get it: all the stuff is made in China.

  6. poor marketing and confusion management by supernova87a · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Yes, thank you Xiaomi for helping me understand that there are reasonably priced pulse sensors and wearable sleep monitoring bands out there (and these even alert you when your phone is ringing). For that I am grateful I don't have to spend $100 on a silly Fitbit or even more for an Apple Watch.

    But the thing that Xiaomi needs badly is someone to manage the brand understanding and confusing proliferation of Xiaomi band models that they're offering.

    If you try to buy one of these things, I challenge you not to be bewildered by:
    -- Mi Band
    -- Mi Band Pulse
    -- Mi Band Original
    -- Mi Band 1S

    This is made worse by the slew of websites that sell these things with poorly explained feature differences between all of them, have pretty different pricing of similar looking bands to the point that you're not sure which one you're getting. You have to admit, Apple does some things much better...

    1. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by CrashNBrn · · Score: 1

      It seems like all of the new wave of Chinese Mobile|Hardware companies suffer from this though. Take a run through AliExpress - almost every portable device has 4+ versions. Maybe it makes more sense if you can natively speak the language.

    2. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by Solandri · · Score: 0

      LOL. Take a 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2015 (again) Macbook Pro and put them side by side. See if you can tell them apart without looking up the serial number. A few years back, my cousin almost ended up paying Sandy Bridge prices for a Core 2 Duo MBP (new at his school store) because Apple makes it so hard to figure out what exactly you're buying.

      They've been better about labeling their iPhones, but that seems predicated more on compelling people to upgrade because their phone's number is one lower than the current. Their iPad model naming started off sane, but has lately become a mess.

    3. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by balbeir · · Score: 1

      How did this suddenly become Apple's issue ? Did you just earn 50 cents ?

    4. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOL. Take a 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2015 (again) Macbook Pro and put them side by side. See if you can tell them apart without looking up the serial number. A few years back, my cousin almost ended up paying Sandy Bridge prices for a Core 2 Duo MBP (new at his school store) because Apple makes it so hard to figure out what exactly you're buying.

      They've been better about labeling their iPhones, but that seems predicated more on compelling people to upgrade because their phone's number is one lower than the current. Their iPad model naming started off sane, but has lately become a mess.

      Why could you not click on the apple logo in the upper left corner, go to "About this Mac" and then look at the "Processor" heading to figure out what you are buying or what you have just bought.. and then return it if you feel you have been cheated? Trying to figure out what mac you are buying from the serial number is the hard way of going about figuring this out. Do you try to figure out what car you are buying from the VIN number too?

    5. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by LinuxIsGarbage · · Score: 1

      They've been better about labeling their iPhones

      They are? I can tell the difference between an iPhone 3, 4, 5, and 6. I cannot tell the difference between 4/4S, 5/5S, or 6/6S.

      Is there anything in settings? Nope. Can Siri help me? Nope. You need to look up a cryptic model number.

    6. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by unrtst · · Score: 1

      Why could you not click on the apple logo in the upper left corner, go to "About this Mac" and then look at the "Processor" heading to figure out what you are buying or what you have just bought.. and then return it if you feel you have been cheated? Trying to figure out what mac you are buying from the serial number is the hard way of going about figuring this out. Do you try to figure out what car you are buying from the VIN number too?

      Awful car analogy you have there. Do you try to figure out what car you are buying by getting in it, starting it up, navigating the LCD console to learn more about that car? Or maybe you get in, go into the glove box, go through the manual, and then verify the manual is for that car?

      That said, as far as I can tell from images online, most of the boxes have a printed out spec sheet glued to them, as well as a bar code label thing that includes a line such as "MBP 13.3/2.4/2x2GB/250/SD/GLSY" as well as a model number like "A1270". I suspect that decoding one of those would be your best bet, since the GP noted the near mistake was "new at his school store", so one should be able to trust the packaging there. Personally, I wish all products came with both the release date and production date clearly labeled on the product.

    7. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOL. Take a 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2015 (again) Macbook Pro and put them side by side. See if you can tell them apart without looking up the serial number. A few years back, my cousin almost ended up paying Sandy Bridge prices for a Core 2 Duo MBP (new at his school store) because Apple makes it so hard to figure out what exactly you're buying.

      They've been better about labeling their iPhones, but that seems predicated more on compelling people to upgrade because their phone's number is one lower than the current. Their iPad model naming started off sane, but has lately become a mess.

      You click About This Mac in the top left always present menu, and everything including the serial number is right there in a pretty pop up window. Processor, disks, display, ram, all the stuff you base a purchase decision on is right there. Christ, the fact you can even refer to it as a 2015 Macbook Pro is telling. Who says 2015 Dell XPS laptop?

      Windows and Linux make the same process of retrieving "window sticker" info look barbaric in comparison.

    8. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by hey! · · Score: 1
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      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    9. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by hey! · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty happy with my fitbit. True, it was a bit pricey, but after over a year of wearing it constantly it's actually met my expectations and helped me make measurable improvements in my health. Amortized over the course of a year the price is acceptable; if it runs for another year as well then I'm quite satisfied.

      Of course whether it benefits you depends on whether you actually do anything with the information you collect. If you don't then of course it's silly. It's a bit like people who buy an F-150 pickup. If you need a truck regularly and use it as such it's a good deal. If you use it as a car then it's a "silly" purchase.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    10. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      read supernova's comment...

    11. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      You make a good point. My father and I both own "Tundra TRD Offroad Double Cab" trucks, both our trucks look nearly identical, mine has 4wd, while his is 2wd, but his was bought in 2007 and mine in 2012, however, without some serious looking, you would not be able to tell which one was which. However, if he were to sell his, it would go for half the price of mine. How is this any different? Is there really a heck of a lot different about a 2013 vs a 2015 Macbook Pro? Did they even release much of an update in 2 years?

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    12. Re:poor marketing and confusion management by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      In Windows, click the folder icon (Windows Explorer), right click on "My Computer" and select properties. All this information, and some the manufacturer adds is shown here. Sometimes serial number, but that depends on the manufacturer, not Windows itself.

      Truly, this is a barbaric process.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  7. Just wait! Detroit will do better, AND cheaper by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If the Eagles could wait out hell freezing before any of them died, so can YOU!

  8. Fitness by Garybaldy · · Score: 2

    Fitness trackers do one thing really well.

    Taking advantage of the fact that most people are unaware that for the basics they are no better than your phone.

    1. Re:Fitness by myowntrueself · · Score: 1

      Fitness trackers do one thing really well.

      Taking advantage of the fact that most people are unaware that for the basics they are no better than your phone.

      Yeah, I mean you can totally just strap your phone to your wrist.

      --
      In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
    2. Re:Fitness by crgrace · · Score: 1

      My iPhone is nowhere near as accurate as my Fitbit when it comes to tracking my steps. Not even close.

    3. Re:Fitness by Garybaldy · · Score: 1

      Might just be your phone. Almost all the research shows no real difference.

      https://gigaom.com/2015/02/11/...

      http://www.wired.com/2015/03/f...

    4. Re:Fitness by Garybaldy · · Score: 1

      UM if you want to be like that.

      http://sprigs.com/banjees-armb...

    5. Re:Fitness by Garybaldy · · Score: 1

      Why does it make any difference where the tracking occurs for the BASICS as said above. Your arse, thigh or wrist make no difference for steps. Yes absolutely if you are the percentage of the population that uses the advanced features like heart rate.

    6. Re:Fitness by myowntrueself · · Score: 1

      Why does it make any difference where the tracking occurs for the BASICS as said above. Your arse, thigh or wrist make no difference for steps. Yes absolutely if you are the percentage of the population that uses the advanced features like heart rate.

      Because convenience. Having a tiny, unobtrusive device on the wrist trumps a phone, especially when you have a large phone like an iphone 6 or nexus 6.

      --
      In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
    7. Re:Fitness by myowntrueself · · Score: 1

      UM if you want to be like that.

      http://sprigs.com/banjees-armb...

      I'd find that too uncomfortable to sleep with it on. Small device on the wrist.

      --
      In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
    8. Re:Fitness by Garybaldy · · Score: 1

      LOL.

    9. Re:Fitness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's what you get for having a phone made by faggots, for faggots you dumb-ass fucktarded faggot. LMFAO!!

    10. Re:Fitness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fitness trackers are meant to be worn 24/7. My Vivofit tracks activity, warns me if I have been inactive for too long and tracks sleep. The battery life is over a year, as I have had mine for almost a year and a half and it's still running fine on the original battery. It's waterproof and is fine in the shower, swimming or in the ocean.

      A phone has none of those benefits and is also way too bulky to carry around when out for a run or exercising.

  9. And what ELSE does it track? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...they don't tell you about but 'send home to the mother ship' that is...

    1. Re:And what ELSE does it track? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No longer the Internet of Things, it is now the Internet of You

  10. Re:Free Software by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Perhaps. However, maybe they believe in the Placebo Effect and want to help people with non-harmful alternatives. And why does it bother you anyways, what is it to you?

    --
    Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  11. Where's the data sent? by QuietLagoon · · Score: 2

    Overtly or covertly where is the data collected being sent?

    1. Re:Where's the data sent? by linuxguy · · Score: 1

      "Overtly or covertly where is the data collected being sent?" I know right? It is a problem unique to this device. Everything else is OK. If you want to be safe, a tinfoil hat is best to keep the mind control waves at bay.

    2. Re:Where's the data sent? by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 1

      To Xiaomi's servers in Beijing. I have a Xiaomi pocket router and it sends my connection stats to their office as well. Once a week on Friday I get a little graphic showing me how much I used and which devices were used most. It has scolded me before for spending too much time online ("What's the matter, don't you have a job?")

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    3. Re:Where's the data sent? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In order for them to collect any data, you have to allow it.

      With my fitness tracker, I manually sync and even then, the only data they can possibly get is my activity level. They don't know my name, my address, my phone number or anything else about me.

  12. The price of this device tells us something by Streetlight · · Score: 1

    That something might be the cost of making other fitness monitoring devices likely made in China. Of course, the executives and advertisers for US branded products are likely making much more money than their peers in China. I wonder what the profit is on Apple's $10,000 watch.

    --
    In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. George Orwell
  13. Re:Free Software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If this disturbs you, please don't use the software. Thank you.

  14. Xiamoi produces good stuff by linuxguy · · Score: 1

    I have several of their $16 headsets. As far as I am concerned, they are absolutely the best headsets you can buy under $100. And I have tried too many. A $23 fitness tracking band / watch? I'll have to give it a shot when it come here.

  15. I myself am a strict follower of pyromancy by Thud457 · · Score: 1

    This makes no sense.
    I would expect python programmers to practice haruspicy , not astrology.

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  16. Re:Free Software by MightyYar · · Score: 1

    I have to live in a world where people with poor critical thinking skills exist, and their poor decisions affect my everyday life. The entire reason I support public education is to reduce my day-to-day interactions with stupid.

    I'm hoping the guy just has an academic interest and does not actually believe in it. If that's the case, then hey, cool hobby and I apologize.

    --
    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  17. Re:Free Software by MightyYar · · Score: 2

    It's all fun and games until they stop immunizing their kids.

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    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  18. Re:Free Software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Maybe he/she did it as a programming exercise or just for fun and thought other people might enjoy it too (I do disapprove of the spam post though).

    Hell, even though I know it's all bullshit, I still listen to Coast to Coast AM just because it can be entertaining.

  19. Mi band by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have the original ($15 iirc) Mi band, it works great as a step counter, the battery lasts for something on the order of what they claim, and it's got the usual haptic feedback / alarm etc.

    The biggest issue for me was the sign up process, they wanted my phone number and they wanted a text to verify it. I discovered I could sign up online with an e-mail address but every time I tried to use a disposable mailbox the page suspiciously failed to load. I tried again with my normal gmail account and it wanted me to "link the app" or something similar so I ended up creating a burner account just for the Mi band.

    There is absolutely no need for this as I've never had recourse to check the account since, the phone app works fine as a standalone. But this is a company that very clearly wants your data, and wants it linked to a unique and identifiable source. They're no different from google et al in this respect but buyer beware, "if you're not paying, you're the product" may be applicable to suspiciously cheap wearables too.

  20. Wait - What? $23 !! by ripvlan · · Score: 1

    A fitness watch that does something useful - I'll call it bare basics -- for $23? That is disturbingly exciting. Hmm.... $300 Apple Watch, $23 generic. Even if they had to double the price before coming to the USA. If it had the basic features that people actually use companies like Apple could be in for a serious run for their money.

    Now as others have mentioned apparently the software interface for these things leaves room for improvement (and maybe this is what Apple spends the $300 on). But if the dev world got hold of this and offered interfaces to, say, Under Armor's app (endomondo) - it could be a killer.

  21. Re:Free Software by MightyYar · · Score: 1

    Yes, if it's a fun hobby than I apologize. Though not to the asshole spamming it.

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    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  22. A warning from 1S owner, for those after HR by Kartu · · Score: 1

    If you are looking for this device to measure heart rate, you'd likely be disappointed.
    It can't measure your HR while you are exercising.
    What it can (at least in case of 1S) is measure it once, when you apply pressure as instructed... and even then I was getting rather wildly fluctuating results.

  23. More data for corporations to sell by kheldan · · Score: 1

    They should just be more honest and give these sorts of things away for free, considering that they're collecting all your 'fitness' data and monetizing it, using it to target ads at you, giving it to governments to add to your profile, etc. At least that way you're getting 'paid' something for all that you're having taken from you.

    --
    Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
  24. Irony of the first by Luthair · · Score: 1

    Was that you could never really be sure whether you were ordering a knock-off.

  25. Re:Free Software by JWSmythe · · Score: 1

    How about you try not spamming. That would go over a lot better.

    --
    Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
  26. This is a good price point for a disposabl product by indytx · · Score: 1

    We have three Fitbit trackers in my household. I received one, a Charge, as a gift a little over a year ago, and it died. Not, "it doesn't stay charged," but "DIED." I won't charge, it won't sync. It can't be updated. It can't be found. I'm out of warranty, so I was offered a coupon by Fitbit support, but I would still be spending over $80 for something which, if you read the forums, is going to die another, eventually frustrating death. The Fitbit Charge should last about a week on a single charge, so it could not make it to 100 charge cycles? Really? In 2016? Not impressed. Give me something cheap and I won't mind. A $100 pair of ear buds which die in a year equals rage. A $20 pair? Meh.

    While I'm on thinking about it, another thing which I don't like about all of these trackers is that they "track." For the most part, you're spending more $$$ to upload your data to a corporation. I don't want to pay to be the product. I've gone back to an old chest strap and watch combo which I've had for years because their batteries, which you can buy by the handful on Amazon for cheap, are replaceable. Oh, and I don't have to use Bluetooth for anything to work. Sometimes you don't need to chart your exercise. You just need to exercise.

    --
    Make love, not reality television.
  27. Re:Free Software by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 1

    I work in Public Education. I can assure you that it does not reduce stupid. All you need to do is watch some Mark Dice (or any number of other Street interviewers) interviews on college campuses. These (the interviewed) are people who are supposedly educated for 12 years in public schools, and they can't answer basic history questions. But they can tell you who Snookie is, or all about Kim/Kanye .

    Stupid people are stupid. Education doesn't change that. Smart people will get educated, and school doesn't change that.

    Or, as my dad used to say, "Son, think about how dumb the average person is, and realize that 1/2 the people are dumber than that".

    --
    Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  28. Re:Free Software by Coren22 · · Score: 1

    Maybe it is the new APK?

    --
    APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  29. Re:Free Software by MightyYar · · Score: 1

    Don't you think it moves the whole intelligence curve up a few notches, though? I mean, yeah, once you hit the room-temperature IQ part of the curve you won't really get much bang for the buck, but above that I would like to think that you can teach "magic is not real" and "just because a picture on Facebook said it does not make it true". Yesterday a moron friend of mine had a picture of the West Bank wall on their timeline with a caption declaring it part of the Mexican-"Guadamalan" border. When pointed to snopes, which had a picture of the West Bank wall, they declared that snopes was unreliable because they accepted money from a liberal organization. Facepalm.

    --
    W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
  30. Re:Free Software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    From your post history I see the original APK did quite the number on you 3 times Coren22 LMAO https://slashdot.org/comments.... , http://slashdot.org/comments.p... , https://slashdot.org/comments.... and you're still butthurt over it talking behind his back projecting you can't stand he blew your stupid bigmouth imbecile no skills in computing ass away hahahahahaha (and your technical errors and lies did the job for him).