The technology thread

[Bada-Bing!]

A lot of these fires are caused by using the wrong charger and batteries bought online.

E scooters are just outright illegal to use on public roads but yes still available for sale online and police don't appear to stop them. Below is an "important note" on Amazon selling an e scooter with a motor of 350w capable of speeds of 15.5mph. For reference legal E-bikes are capped with 250w motors and the motor will stop assisting at this speed.

Important note: There may be local legal restrictions relating to the use of this product on roads, footways, cycle lanes, or in other public areas, such as license, plate, safety helmet, and driving restrictions. For example, e-scooters are prohibited from use in any public road or space in the UK. Please check before you buy and use this product

For example? Is that good enough? So unless you own a large private estate there's pretty much no where else you can ride these things.

Edit:

 

[BrokenWing]

E scooters are just outright illegal to use on public roads but yes still available for sale online

You can buy them in Currys, they have them in the store with the tiniest signs.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

They've removed all the rental e-scooters from Birmingham now,
They were lethal before, people just bombing down crowded streets at full speed

Electric bikes are bad too, all the deliveroo drivers etc. use them and go mad speeds all through pedestrian areas - nothing against e-bikes but there needs to be more enforcement to keep them on the roads, they're going almost as fast as petrol scooters but are silent

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

TBH I think they should be legal but regulated with the same rules as electric bikes and following the same rules and requirements.

Neither ebikes nor escooters should be allowed in purely pedestrian areas.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Depends on the speed you ride e-bikes in pedestrian areas (where bikes are not specifically disallowed). I slow right down to less than 5mph and always careful and considerate to pedestrians. I don't agree with e-bike riders zipping past and risking knocking over peeps and dogs over. They give riders a bad name. Unfortunately not all are.

But like some peeps they won't be told what to do and even when you point out they can give you a mouthful. And I don't see enough police on our streets and even when I do they do sweet FA.

E-bikes on roads that is another matter.

 

[die_mole]

They've removed all the rental e-scooters from Birmingham now,
They were lethal before, people just bombing down crowded streets at full speed

Electric bikes are bad too, all the deliveroo drivers etc. use them and go mad speeds all through pedestrian areas - nothing against e-bikes but there needs to be more enforcement to keep them on the roads, they're going almost as fast as petrol scooters but are silent

I remember how ****** I was when I they stopped the rental scooters at 10pm. Then I realized they were probably a source of constant DUIs. I was in a city recently for a conference and they still had them. My hometown has them removed.

Too many people were taking them on greenways and sidewalks for them to be allowed.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Microsoft's Activision takeover approved by EU after UK veto

The UK has already blocked the deal over concerns it would affect competition in the cloud gaming.

www.bbc.co.uk

I don't see how it gets through if UK and US are blocking the deal.

 

[ncurd]

Microsoft's Activision takeover approved by EU after UK veto

The UK has already blocked the deal over concerns it would affect competition in the cloud gaming.

www.bbc.co.uk

I don't see how it gets through if UK and US are blocking the deal.

I'm amazed the EU haven't blocked it as well.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Cryptocurrency: Treat investing as gambling, MPs say

Retail investment in cryptocurrency is too risky to be regulated as a financial service, a committee says.

www.bbc.co.uk

Not going to happen.

 

[ncurd]

Cryptocurrency: Treat investing as gambling, MPs say

Retail investment in cryptocurrency is too risky to be regulated as a financial service, a committee says.

www.bbc.co.uk

Not going to happen.

Well its not even gambling its more akin to a ponzi scheme.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Well its not even gambling its more akin to a ponzi scheme.

Not just that too much tax revenue for HMRC. Studying it at the moment which is why it won't be treated as gambling. Some Investors don't even realise they own an NFT and making profits.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

World likely to breach 1.5C climate threshold by 2027, scientists warn

UN agency says El Niño and human-induced climate breakdown could combine to push temperatures into ‘uncharted territory’

www.theguardian.com

No science and environment thread so closest. But no surprise really. Too many countries just pulling in different directions.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

One million cancel broadband as living costs rise

Citizen's Advice says the high cost of living means many are struggling to afford the essential service.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Amiga500]

One million cancel broadband as living costs rise

Citizen's Advice says the high cost of living means many are struggling to afford the essential service.

www.bbc.co.uk

Erm, wot? Essential service?

I suppose modern websites aren't really designed for the 56k modem, but people don't need 60 Mb lines. Or 20 Mb lines, or even 10Mb. A 500Kb line is still 10x quicker than what many successfully used for years to go online.

The government need to force ISPs to provide a basic service of 500Kb for a standard price. Even a 100Kb line that comes for free alongside the line rental or similar would do.

 

[ncurd]

Erm, wot? Essential service?

I suppose modern websites aren't really designed for the 56k modem, but people don't need 60 Mb lines. Or 20 Mb lines, or even 10Mb. A 500Kb line is still 10x quicker than what many successfully used for years to go online.

The government need to force ISPs to provide a basic service of 500Kb for a standard price. Even a 100Kb line that comes for free alongside the line rental or similar would do.

You need a lot more than 500Kb/s for successful use of the internet in modern times. I'm literally on a call now discussing how its no sufficient for business jets and trying to increase it to over 2Mb/s.

 

[Which Tyler]

I've no idea about these things, what would be the minimum requirement - speed-wise, to have the capacity for work-from-home?
So Team/Zoom meetings, probably secured connections etc.
From what I can tell (as a technophobe), you'd really need at least 1MBs; preferably double that - and that would be the real-term speed, not the "we promise you up to X" speed that's never seen in the real world.

I'd say that broadband is absolutely, 100% essential. Whether high-speed, fibre optic broadband or not.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Erm, wot? Essential service?

I suppose modern websites aren't really designed for the 56k modem, but people don't need 60 Mb lines. Or 20 Mb lines, or even 10Mb. A 500Kb line is still 10x quicker than what many successfully used for years to go online.

The government need to force ISPs to provide a basic service of 500Kb for a standard price. Even a 100Kb line that comes for free alongside the line rental or similar would do.

500Kb? that is incredibly low threshold. That's equivalent of dial up.

i think the broadband is more important then landline which is why I got rid of the landline.

Rather than keep dig up roads and install fibre, I think mobile routers connected to 5G masks are going to need to be ramped up and increase speeds.

Can you get cheaper broadband deals with social tariffs?

Find out whether you are eligible for a social tariff and how to pay less each month.

www.bbc.co.uk

There's also social tariffs available but probably not as well known and advertised by broadband firms.

 

[Amiga500]

You need a lot more than 500Kb/s for successful use of the internet in modern times. I'm literally on a call now discussing how its no sufficient for business jets and trying to increase it to over 2Mb/s.

Expectations on a business jet are different from bare bones net access.

 

[Amiga500]

500Kb? that is incredibly low threshold. That's equivalent of dial up.

i think the broadband is more important then landline which is why I got rid of the landline.

Rather than keep dig up roads and install fibre, I think mobile routers connected to 5G masks are going to need to be ramped up and increase speeds.

Can you get cheaper broadband deals with social tariffs?

Find out whether you are eligible for a social tariff and how to pay less each month.

www.bbc.co.uk

There's also social tariffs available but probably not as well known and advertised by broadband firms.

Dial up was 56Kb.

500 Kb is more than sufficient to access information - which is the important bit.

Live streaming is not essential.

 

[Amiga500]

I've no idea about these things, what would be the minimum requirement - speed-wise, to have the capacity for work-from-home?
So Team/Zoom meetings, probably secured connections etc.
From what I can tell (as a technophobe), you'd really need at least 1MBs; preferably double that - and that would be the real-term speed, not the "we promise you up to X" speed that's never seen in the real world.

I'd say that broadband is absolutely, 100% essential. Whether high-speed, fibre optic broadband or not.

Audio only and not much is the answer - latency would be a bigger concern.

I dont believe video is needed.

See zoom requirements.

• For screen sharing only (no video thumbnail): 50-75kbps
• For screen sharing with video thumbnail: 50-150kbps
• For audio VoiP: 60-80kbps
• For Zoom Phone: 60-100kbps