>"Its amazing rechargeable cells had any market at all when you look at the total cost and convenience. "
Like you, I have messed with them all. The ONLY system that is worth it has been the Sanyo Eneloop cells (I think now owned by Panasonic) combined with a smart charger like the LaCrosse BC-700 or BC-1000
THOSE batteries actually last significantly LONGER than Alkaline, they are more reliable than Alkaline, they charge tons of times, and they hold their charge for a very long time when idle/stored. After many years now, I have not had a single battery fail in any way. If you haven't tried those- do so, you WILL be impressed.
The caveat is that it is not necessarily worth it except for devices which you use often. For a DSLR flash, or any type of tool, they are great. Although they work fine in flashlights, radios, and such, the cost/benefit doesn't shine as much.
Absolutely. But just about anything can become "addictive." The human brain almost seems to be wired to become "addicted" to all kinds of things. I watch many people twitch when denied access to their phones for just short periods of time, as if they can't survive 10 minutes of just silent thinking, contemplation, or even just a hour of conversation (often the same people walking off the curb into traffic, swerving while driving, and ignoring everyone around them at a dinner table).
I do think the word "addicted" is overused and twisted around a lot. "Dependent" might be a better description for some of the more common things we see now.
>"perpetually distracted and interrupted, we're not training ourselves in the quieter, more attentive modes of thought."
Exactly. As if everyone has become ADHD and yet also just living in the present moment.... no thought to the future or re-examining the past.
And the purpose of telling us this is? Cats must eat meat, exclusively. They are true carnivores. And if humans weren't around, there would probably be just as many in the wild (plus tons and tons and tons more animals of every species). I am not giving up my pets nor going to force them to die young by feeding them food that they can't digest. And I don't plan on "offing" myself, either.
>"Only phones that have opened google maps and told it to get their location are tracked for traffic. Pretty easy to avoid that."
Actually, that is not true. A lot of the traffic information comes from the cell companies which track all the phones BY NECESSITY and then sell that information (supposedly ananoymized) to third parties. I know that Sprint does it, and I doubt they are alone. They don't tell you and don't ask your permission. If your phone is on and the mobile radio is on, you ARE being tracked.
>"Echo and Google Home users should submerse their devices in a bucket of oil when not in use;"
Consumers should just insist on all such devices having a PHYSICAL microphone OFF button. It really is that simple. Of course, many won't use it, and it doesn't protect from malware having access to when it is being actively used. But at least it is a start. It gives the user the ultimate control, without having to TOTALLY physically remove power from a device (rendering it completely useless; and that isn't easy to do with a phone that has a non-accessible battery).
I personally think ALL personal devices with a camera should be required to have a physical shutter or camera off button and all personal devices with a microphone should be required to have a physical mic off button (a positive action, preferably slide type).
>"So Android stole a bunch of ideas from other technologies (none of these are original to Android) and you get your panties in a bunch about your best girl being molested by Apple? Fucking wow."
Most everyone using Android phones KNOWS that companies constantly copy and cross-license and evolve. It just seems to be the Apple fans that mostly think that only Apple "innovates" and it becomes necessary to remind them that they copy just as much as anyone else does. If you like Apple products, that's great. And I am glad they exist, they have some great (but overly expensive) stuff. But those who go around acting like Apple stuff is God's gift to man often make me want to puke. Gotta make sure all those cases have the "cutout" so the Apple logo shows through to make sure everyone knows you have an iphone...
Exactly. Been there, done that. Android first on all three.
Other recent features-
Fake Bokeh- already implemented on other phones. Full face screen- already implemented on other phones. Iris scan- already implemented on other phones. Lockscreen notifications- stolen from Android. Ambient display- stolen from Android. Traffic info- stolen from Google Maps on Android. Spam call detection- stolen from Android. AI with photo management- stolen from Android. Uninstalling stock apps- was already in Android. Notes collaboration- already in Android Keep. Siri API to third-party- was already open in Android for Now. Split-screen- already in Android. Dual cameras- already on other phones. Water resistance- already on other phones. Universal clipboard- yep, already was in Android. Voicemail transcription- lots of other phones first.
Tons of examples that are even older are readily available.
Yeah, yeah, Apple will do it "better", blah, blah... Apple is innovative... blah, blah, blah.
Stuff like that needs to be in ADDONS, that is why we have ADDONS! If you want to make it something official, then release your own addon for those features. If you REALLY think it should be included, make it an included addon that we can still easily turn off and/or uninstall.
>"Systemd Named 'Lamest Vendor' At Pwnie Security Awards"
I have no great love of Systemd, but that headline is misleading. The award was the "lamest vendor RESPONSE." But, you know, it is all the rage to have intentionally misleading headlines to grab even more attention than deserved.
>"Surely collecting taxes and paying for education or healthcare would count as "To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common defence and general Welfare". "
Nope. Laying and collecting taxes, yes. Providing for the general welfare, yes.... But only for those things allowed by the Constitution, itself, which are defined by the 10th Amendment. Education and Insurance are State or people domain, not Federal.
>"You haven't actually read the constitution, have you? Try this: promote the general welfare. The constitution is full of blank checks, like the ICC. HTH, HAND."
You really do like to insult people instead of having conversation, don't you? Yes, I have read it several times. "Promote the general welfare" is a general principle and generic statement that sets a tone that all laws must follow. "Reserved to the states or the people" is a VERY specific instruction. You can't just pick one OR the other that fits your need. If A must be followed and B must also be followed, then that means those powers not specifically granted to the Fed in the Constitution belong to the States or People and those that are listed to the Fed must also promote the general welfare.
>"And Hillary couldn't give two shits about your guns either."
Wow. Well, we can only go by what she said she believed and would do. And trust me, she was about as anti-gun rights as any presidential candidate has ever been in modern history. So you can't just dismiss that as a "non-issue". It resonated very, very clearly with many millions of voters.
>"There is a way we can all have it closer to our own way. Stop expecting that everything should be handled by the federal government."
Good statement
>"Why shouldn't there be a state with single payer healthcare and strict gun laws and other states with less restrictive gun laws..."
Bad example. The Constitution says gun rights SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED. That applies to the States also (it is denied to the States for those rights to be infringed). However according to the Constitution, healthcare and education fall under the States (because they are not listed as powers belonging to the Fed nor denied to the States).
So a better example/question might be:
"Why shouldn't there be a state with single payer healthcare and heavily funded education laws and other states with less funded education and employer based insurance or offer private high-deductible plans and low taxes?"
Ah, the ultimate cop-out. You know very well that clause is not being used as it was meant to be used. Otherwise, the entire Constitution could be simply thrown out the window.
>"Universities operate across state lines you know. "
EVERYTHING operates across state lines, in one way or another. That is not an excuse to use the "Interstate commerce" to make any law wanted. If that were the intent, then the rest of the Constitution is meaningless.
>"And if you want to be a literalist then if you're not in a militia I'll be taking your guns please. And not just any militia, a well regulated one to boot."
I am not the one being the literalist. And the wording is clear on the second amendment, it doesn't mean gun rights are for just a militia, that is an introductory statement, not a requirement.
>"And why don't you go live in a cave. I mean that. Stop using my roads (built with federal money even if they're local), my telecom network built with that same federal money, the clean water regulated by the Federal government, taking medicine developed largely with grants, etc, etc, etc, etc."
Slippery slope.
>"You benefit from my kid's hard work. Massively. You're being mean spirited and selfish and should be called out on it."
Sorry, but YOU benefit from MY hard work. Massively. I chose not to have kids, why should I have to pay for yours?
>" I'm tired of you fair weather conservatives all in favor of personal responsibility as long as it's not something you're personally using."
I am neither fair weather nor double-standard. I am far more tired of leftist Socialists who think we can just spend everyone else's money however they choose because it makes them "feel good." Let's just keep throwing on that national debt until the next generation has 30 or 40 TRILLION dollars to [not] deal with and yet no personal responsibility to do anything along with less and less rights.
>"Move to Somalia and go enjoy your libertarian paradise."
Or perhaps you should move to Greece and enjoy YOUR Socialist paradise. Just because I want us to obey the Constitution and have a weak Federal government that has clearly defined powers as listed in the Constitution and also strong State governments, also as defined clearly in the Constitution, does not make me a libertarian. It makes me a patriot.
If you don't like the Constitution, then work to change it through Constitution Amendments. Don't just ignore what it says or stretch out "interstate commerce" to mean whatever wanted to justify massive Federal power, programs, and inefficient spending.
>"The primary useful thing about smart guns is that they prevent your toddler from finding your gun and killing you, themselves, or each other. This happens all the time-- 1300 children get killed by firearms per year. [cnn.com] (alternate source [newsweek.com])(another story on the subject [cbsnews.com])."
Yeah, like let's analyze those numbers. That is 1300 "children" just being killed by firearms. Why not look at the SOURCE: http://pediatrics.aappublicati...
" among children aged 0 to 17" "Nearly 1300 children die[...]for gunshot wounds each year." "older children more often died in the context of crime and violence"
And here is the part of the study you need to speak about in regards to our topic with any meaningful force:
"6% were unintentional [accidental] firearm deaths (n = 82)"
So, the CORRECT number in this context is 82 per year. A mere 82, and that INCLUDES TEENAGERS 13 to 17 years old! Not 1300, not even CLOSE. Most of the rest is GANG VIOLENCE and there is NO EVIDENCE the gun was obtained, insecure, from their own house. Don't you love how the media can twice statistics around to make them sound like there is some horrible number of gun accidents that are killing our children?
If you look at actual statistics about "children" accidental deaths, firearms are not even hardly statistically relevant. It is all about suffocation, poisoning, drowning, motor vehicle accidents, falls, medical errors, etc.
"Smart" guns are a [non] solution looking for a problem that doesn't really exist. Instead, they will absolutely cause all kinds of unintended problems.
>"How about this: You can have a mother f'in bazooka if I can have Single Payer healthcare & college tuition for my kid. Deal?"
I have a better deal- you pay for your own children (or let them get their own loans and pay for themselves) and get your own health insurance AND we also obey the 2nd amendment, too.
And I will further with: There is NOTHING in the Constitution that allows the federal government to mess with education nor health insurance, and if you want them to, then first you get a Constitutional Amendment passed.... then we'll talk about more Socialism after that.
>"40%? That isn't far off from some estimates I have seen for totals of what a lot of Americans give our worthless government."
Do you REALLY think income tax is all the taxes they pay? You completely skipped VAT, employer's SS tax, corporate tax (which gets passed onto the price of everything), excise tax, property tax, Inheritance and gift tax.
Talk shows generally have less logical and formulated information.... and are often more of a debate or responses to questions (often which are loaded). Sometimes they are useful, but I prefer well-thought-out positions on individual topics (from whatever sources and on whatever positions).
>" Watching videos is time-consuming, and it looks less like working than surfing text websites does. If there's a point there, make it in text, and refer to the videos."
Generally I agree with you. But I did make a quick summary two sentences at the start of the posting. The videos were just my sources and examples. Not watching loses some of the entertainment value (both plus or minus, depending on your positions):)
Slashdot Mirror
+1 insightful
>"Its amazing rechargeable cells had any market at all when you look at the total cost and convenience. "
Like you, I have messed with them all. The ONLY system that is worth it has been the Sanyo Eneloop cells (I think now owned by Panasonic) combined with a smart charger like the LaCrosse BC-700 or BC-1000
https://www.amazon.com/Crosse-...
THOSE batteries actually last significantly LONGER than Alkaline, they are more reliable than Alkaline, they charge tons of times, and they hold their charge for a very long time when idle/stored. After many years now, I have not had a single battery fail in any way. If you haven't tried those- do so, you WILL be impressed.
The caveat is that it is not necessarily worth it except for devices which you use often. For a DSLR flash, or any type of tool, they are great. Although they work fine in flashlights, radios, and such, the cost/benefit doesn't shine as much.
How is this news??? Rechargeable alkaline batteries have been available for over 45 years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Perhaps they have improved how many times it can be recharged, but the summary makes it sound like the feat is the concept.
>"Myself and [...] until we reached college."
Eeek, try "I"! Did you finish college? Anyway...
>"Are Interactive Computing Devices Addictive?"
Absolutely. But just about anything can become "addictive." The human brain almost seems to be wired to become "addicted" to all kinds of things. I watch many people twitch when denied access to their phones for just short periods of time, as if they can't survive 10 minutes of just silent thinking, contemplation, or even just a hour of conversation (often the same people walking off the curb into traffic, swerving while driving, and ignoring everyone around them at a dinner table).
I do think the word "addicted" is overused and twisted around a lot. "Dependent" might be a better description for some of the more common things we see now.
>"perpetually distracted and interrupted, we're not training ourselves in the quieter, more attentive modes of thought."
Exactly. As if everyone has become ADHD and yet also just living in the present moment.... no thought to the future or re-examining the past.
And the purpose of telling us this is? Cats must eat meat, exclusively. They are true carnivores. And if humans weren't around, there would probably be just as many in the wild (plus tons and tons and tons more animals of every species). I am not giving up my pets nor going to force them to die young by feeding them food that they can't digest. And I don't plan on "offing" myself, either.
>"I get...Your browser is not supported."
You neglected to say which browser it is that you are using...
>"Only phones that have opened google maps and told it to get their location are tracked for traffic. Pretty easy to avoid that."
Actually, that is not true. A lot of the traffic information comes from the cell companies which track all the phones BY NECESSITY and then sell that information (supposedly ananoymized) to third parties. I know that Sprint does it, and I doubt they are alone. They don't tell you and don't ask your permission. If your phone is on and the mobile radio is on, you ARE being tracked.
>"It could be compromised before the box even arrives at your house. For that matter it could even be compromised before it leaves the factory."
It might even be DESIGNED compromised with built-in back doors for three letter agencies or whatever.
>"Echo and Google Home users should submerse their devices in a bucket of oil when not in use;"
Consumers should just insist on all such devices having a PHYSICAL microphone OFF button. It really is that simple. Of course, many won't use it, and it doesn't protect from malware having access to when it is being actively used. But at least it is a start. It gives the user the ultimate control, without having to TOTALLY physically remove power from a device (rendering it completely useless; and that isn't easy to do with a phone that has a non-accessible battery).
I personally think ALL personal devices with a camera should be required to have a physical shutter or camera off button and all personal devices with a microphone should be required to have a physical mic off button (a positive action, preferably slide type).
>"So Android stole a bunch of ideas from other technologies (none of these are original to Android) and you get your panties in a bunch about your best girl being molested by Apple? Fucking wow."
Most everyone using Android phones KNOWS that companies constantly copy and cross-license and evolve. It just seems to be the Apple fans that mostly think that only Apple "innovates" and it becomes necessary to remind them that they copy just as much as anyone else does. If you like Apple products, that's great. And I am glad they exist, they have some great (but overly expensive) stuff. But those who go around acting like Apple stuff is God's gift to man often make me want to puke. Gotta make sure all those cases have the "cutout" so the Apple logo shows through to make sure everyone knows you have an iphone...
Exactly. Been there, done that. Android first on all three.
Other recent features-
Fake Bokeh- already implemented on other phones.
Full face screen- already implemented on other phones.
Iris scan- already implemented on other phones.
Lockscreen notifications- stolen from Android.
Ambient display- stolen from Android.
Traffic info- stolen from Google Maps on Android.
Spam call detection- stolen from Android.
AI with photo management- stolen from Android.
Uninstalling stock apps- was already in Android.
Notes collaboration- already in Android Keep.
Siri API to third-party- was already open in Android for Now.
Split-screen- already in Android.
Dual cameras- already on other phones.
Water resistance- already on other phones.
Universal clipboard- yep, already was in Android.
Voicemail transcription- lots of other phones first.
Tons of examples that are even older are readily available.
Yeah, yeah, Apple will do it "better", blah, blah... Apple is innovative... blah, blah, blah.
Mozilla- please stop it!
Stuff like that needs to be in ADDONS, that is why we have ADDONS! If you want to make it something official, then release your own addon for those features. If you REALLY think it should be included, make it an included addon that we can still easily turn off and/or uninstall.
Yes
They already do,
>"Systemd Named 'Lamest Vendor' At Pwnie Security Awards"
I have no great love of Systemd, but that headline is misleading. The award was the "lamest vendor RESPONSE." But, you know, it is all the rage to have intentionally misleading headlines to grab even more attention than deserved.
>"Surely collecting taxes and paying for education or healthcare would count as "To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common defence and general Welfare". "
Nope. Laying and collecting taxes, yes. Providing for the general welfare, yes.... But only for those things allowed by the Constitution, itself, which are defined by the 10th Amendment. Education and Insurance are State or people domain, not Federal.
>"You haven't actually read the constitution, have you? Try this: promote the general welfare. The constitution is full of blank checks, like the ICC. HTH, HAND."
You really do like to insult people instead of having conversation, don't you? Yes, I have read it several times. "Promote the general welfare" is a general principle and generic statement that sets a tone that all laws must follow. "Reserved to the states or the people" is a VERY specific instruction. You can't just pick one OR the other that fits your need. If A must be followed and B must also be followed, then that means those powers not specifically granted to the Fed in the Constitution belong to the States or People and those that are listed to the Fed must also promote the general welfare.
>" What do you folks recommend to people who are not as tech-savvy?"
Run Linux or just get a tablet. That has been my recommendation for many years now.
>"And Hillary couldn't give two shits about your guns either."
Wow. Well, we can only go by what she said she believed and would do. And trust me, she was about as anti-gun rights as any presidential candidate has ever been in modern history. So you can't just dismiss that as a "non-issue". It resonated very, very clearly with many millions of voters.
>"There is a way we can all have it closer to our own way. Stop expecting that everything should be handled by the federal government."
Good statement
>"Why shouldn't there be a state with single payer healthcare and strict gun laws and other states with less restrictive gun laws..."
Bad example. The Constitution says gun rights SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED. That applies to the States also (it is denied to the States for those rights to be infringed). However according to the Constitution, healthcare and education fall under the States (because they are not listed as powers belonging to the Fed nor denied to the States).
So a better example/question might be:
"Why shouldn't there be a state with single payer healthcare and heavily funded education laws and other states with less funded education and employer based insurance or offer private high-deductible plans and low taxes?"
>"Interstate commerce."
Ah, the ultimate cop-out. You know very well that clause is not being used as it was meant to be used. Otherwise, the entire Constitution could be simply thrown out the window.
>"Universities operate across state lines you know. "
EVERYTHING operates across state lines, in one way or another. That is not an excuse to use the "Interstate commerce" to make any law wanted. If that were the intent, then the rest of the Constitution is meaningless.
>"And if you want to be a literalist then if you're not in a militia I'll be taking your guns please. And not just any militia, a well regulated one to boot."
I am not the one being the literalist. And the wording is clear on the second amendment, it doesn't mean gun rights are for just a militia, that is an introductory statement, not a requirement.
>"And why don't you go live in a cave. I mean that. Stop using my roads (built with federal money even if they're local), my telecom network built with that same federal money, the clean water regulated by the Federal government, taking medicine developed largely with grants, etc, etc, etc, etc."
Slippery slope.
>"You benefit from my kid's hard work. Massively. You're being mean spirited and selfish and should be called out on it."
Sorry, but YOU benefit from MY hard work. Massively. I chose not to have kids, why should I have to pay for yours?
>" I'm tired of you fair weather conservatives all in favor of personal responsibility as long as it's not something you're personally using."
I am neither fair weather nor double-standard. I am far more tired of leftist Socialists who think we can just spend everyone else's money however they choose because it makes them "feel good." Let's just keep throwing on that national debt until the next generation has 30 or 40 TRILLION dollars to [not] deal with and yet no personal responsibility to do anything along with less and less rights.
>"Move to Somalia and go enjoy your libertarian paradise."
Or perhaps you should move to Greece and enjoy YOUR Socialist paradise. Just because I want us to obey the Constitution and have a weak Federal government that has clearly defined powers as listed in the Constitution and also strong State governments, also as defined clearly in the Constitution, does not make me a libertarian. It makes me a patriot.
If you don't like the Constitution, then work to change it through Constitution Amendments. Don't just ignore what it says or stretch out "interstate commerce" to mean whatever wanted to justify massive Federal power, programs, and inefficient spending.
>"The primary useful thing about smart guns is that they prevent your toddler from finding your gun and killing you, themselves, or each other. This happens all the time-- 1300 children get killed by firearms per year. [cnn.com] (alternate source [newsweek.com])(another story on the subject [cbsnews.com])."
Yeah, like let's analyze those numbers. That is 1300 "children" just being killed by firearms. Why not look at the SOURCE: http://pediatrics.aappublicati...
" among children aged 0 to 17" "Nearly 1300 children die[...]for gunshot wounds each year." "older children more often died in the context of crime and violence"
And here is the part of the study you need to speak about in regards to our topic with any meaningful force:
"6% were unintentional [accidental] firearm deaths (n = 82)"
So, the CORRECT number in this context is 82 per year. A mere 82, and that INCLUDES TEENAGERS 13 to 17 years old! Not 1300, not even CLOSE. Most of the rest is GANG VIOLENCE and there is NO EVIDENCE the gun was obtained, insecure, from their own house. Don't you love how the media can twice statistics around to make them sound like there is some horrible number of gun accidents that are killing our children?
If you look at actual statistics about "children" accidental deaths, firearms are not even hardly statistically relevant. It is all about suffocation, poisoning, drowning, motor vehicle accidents, falls, medical errors, etc.
"Smart" guns are a [non] solution looking for a problem that doesn't really exist. Instead, they will absolutely cause all kinds of unintended problems.
>"How about this: You can have a mother f'in bazooka if I can have Single Payer healthcare & college tuition for my kid. Deal?"
I have a better deal- you pay for your own children (or let them get their own loans and pay for themselves) and get your own health insurance AND we also obey the 2nd amendment, too.
And I will further with: There is NOTHING in the Constitution that allows the federal government to mess with education nor health insurance, and if you want them to, then first you get a Constitutional Amendment passed.... then we'll talk about more Socialism after that.
>"There is no gift tax or inheritance tax."
Someone should correct the Wikipedia page, then.
>"40%? That isn't far off from some estimates I have seen for totals of what a lot of Americans give our worthless government."
Do you REALLY think income tax is all the taxes they pay? You completely skipped VAT, employer's SS tax, corporate tax (which gets passed onto the price of everything), excise tax, property tax, Inheritance and gift tax.
Talk shows generally have less logical and formulated information.... and are often more of a debate or responses to questions (often which are loaded). Sometimes they are useful, but I prefer well-thought-out positions on individual topics (from whatever sources and on whatever positions).
>" Watching videos is time-consuming, and it looks less like working than surfing text websites does. If there's a point there, make it in text, and refer to the videos."
Generally I agree with you. But I did make a quick summary two sentences at the start of the posting. The videos were just my sources and examples. Not watching loses some of the entertainment value (both plus or minus, depending on your positions) :)