Generally speaking, I think quality has improved for my Cingular (now the NEW AT&T). I generally have decent voice quality, I have had very few dropped calls (although the number has remained about the same; I just have few of them), and my coverage area seems to be fairly good. I don't think my expectations have lowered because I am generally fairly picky so I think things have gotten somewhat better. There is still, however, huge, vast, space for improvement. Costs are still too high, voice quality, especially on long distance could be way better, there are still too many marginal signal areas, plans are too complex and confusing, and customer assistance is generally horrible (but they are usually polite).
re: "... create a national database of illegal child-porn images ..."
So, the government is going to go into business for itself as the purveyor of fine child porn?
Wouldn't maintaining a data base of such images be an illegal activity for which the owner could be prosecuted? Oh, wait, government can't be prosecuted for its own illegal activities.
My personal view is that children are best protected by better parenting. Of course, that's just my opinion ... I may be wrong.
The problem is not really with voice quality or signal strength or hands free operation or no phone at all. When talking to a person sitting in next to you in the vehicle, that person can see the situation you're in. They will realize that you stopped talking to concentrate on a situation in traffic or to check position, or whatever. They will stop talking and wait until you can safely split your attention. But, the person on the phone has no such clue. And, by the time you've stopped talking, you no longer have the attention left to explain to them what's going on. They will keep demanding a part of your attention.
However, none of this excuses not paying attention to what's most important: driving the car. If you're hurtling down the road in 2.5 tons of steel at 45 mph and a kid runs out from between two parked cars (OK, stupid kid, but ...) your concentration on the road and conditions will be the deciding factor on whether that kid stays alive. Is it really gonna be more important that you find out via the phone that Johnny got a B in gym class?
As to other disctractions: a friend's brother ran over and killed a 12 year old boy. His distraction was that he was looking at his CD player to find out what track was on. He was 17 at the time.
Matt, my phone has a a call bloc that lets m block numbers. Also has caller id. I get a call from someone I don't want to talk to, I press the ignore button. I've told many of my friends that I am under no obligation to answer the phone. If the call is important, leave a message.
Brian, whatever you're texting cannot be that important that you have to do it while driving. If you're driving pay attention to that. If you need to send a message or make a phone call, pull off the road and do that. The reason you have not gotten into any accidents may be because everyone else is looking out for your a** as you weave down the road (was yours one of the two cars I had to avoid this morning as they crosssed over the centerline?). As for the college chicks, parking and watching is better.
Thanks for the options. What I'd rather have is a "changer" into which I can plug 3,4,5, more SD cards, each with a pile of MP3 albums. The I could select across a pile of music. Or, maybe a way to carry my iTunes library into the truck. But, you still don't get liner notes, artwork, etc.
Actually, Joe, if you were the one registered to the plate, YOU would be the one getting the text messages directed at your wife.
On the ther hand, I have often wanted to tell some dipwad who just cut me off just what I think of him/her and this would be perfect. Sometimes an upraised central digit just does not convey enough.
BTW: how are we supposed to know that the car we want to TM has registered with the service? A sticker in the window? Looks like a new way to harvest ID's for text spamming.
Occurs to me that the firing mechanism on a modern battleship is really not that different from a game console; both electronic rather than mechanical, hooked to computers that display aiming, target, etc. So, is this f*khead patent owner gonna try suing the US Navy as well? Hey, fighter aircraft are similar too. Get the Air Force and Navy for that as well.
Maybe their ads should be that consumers believe the company sucks less than the others.
Cellular One had great customer service; because it got used so often. ATT had decent rates and phones, a fairly good coverage area (that's why Cingular bought 'em), and they had good service overseas; but their customer reps generally sucked. Cingular has more expensive rates, less options, decent phones, OK overseas support, and 1/2 sucky customer support (their regular service number cannot handle "smart" phones so you have to give your info to pne person who then tells you to call another number. Verizon has good coverage but many sucky phones; and no overseas support. Where ya gonna go if you want service that just works most places?
You do NOT want to jam cell phones in public places. Several years ago, a guy in a theater where I was watching "Chocolat" had a heart attack. The cell phones were out in a moment, and the paramedics were at the theater before theater management was even aware there was a problem (and, yes, someone did run out to find the theater manager).
What you DO want is the f*king idiots who insist on talking in movies or talking loudly enough that all of us can hear their conversations to get a f*king clue and learn to shut up or move to a secluded spot to carry on their conversations.
But, then I know I'm just dreaming that will ever happen.
In any event, jammers should be generally illegal and maybe even used only with a court order.
Isn't education and training some of the tools? If I hand someone a shovel, and a pail of seed I've given them tools; but not all of them. S/he can eat the seed, choose to plant it, feed the birds with it, burn the shovel handle for fuel. Without traiining a person might see these things as a short term fix or even of no value. If the people are starving or living in unhealthy conditions or whatever, then the basic necessities of life are still more important. Once they have food, shelter, health, they then have the opportunity to achieve. I don't care if they get PC's but, let's not think that the PC is going to be their saviour. They need other support besides the Dell Help Desk.
I think the get rich lure will be overpowering to people who have to scrape for a living. But, on the other hand, if you have to scrape for a living, maybe the case of the PC is worth more as a scraper than a cover.
On the other other hand, is the best thing to give impverished people really a PC? Don't they need education, food, clothing, water, shelter, medicine, training to help them be truely productive?
Spielberg has every right to express his opinion on where his films are shown. I recall that George Lucas set up a whole industry to ensure that his movies were only shown in theaters with sound systems certified by his company. These guys are atists and they want to ensure that their works are shown in an environment that showcases their works.
As to too much violence on TV; heck, there's too much crap, period, on TV. Not just violence, but Dr. Phil, anorexic twins, Cheaters, Judge Judy, etc. But, we have the advantage of DVD's, books, PBS, etc. to counteract the general low quality of television.
See, it has to do with cross checking. Ya take 3 buckets. Put the total number of votes into each of the buckets. Divide the total number of votes in the first bucket by 3. That's the actual number of votes. Divide the number of votes in the second and third buckets each by 3. If bucket 1 equals bucket 2 then the votes are verified. Bucket 3 is in case buckets 1 and 2 don't match.
On a more serious side, don't these flippin' votin' machine folks know how to F*ING TEST??!!
... this means the ISP's in China are free to determine themselves what is detrimental and what is not. Since the Chinese government does not censor the content seen by the Chinese public, then the public could just choose which ISP's they want based on which ones provide the services they want including how much censorship was involved. Free market pressure would then take care of censorship as the ones that provided the desired level (or lack) of censorship would be the ones with the highest number of subscribers. Others would follow suit or go out of business. I applaude the Chinese governemt for its thorough understanding of free market ecconomy.
Safer? Maybe. But, you would NOT want to have the woman who sat next me on a 14h frlight from Frankfurt, coughing all the time, hitting me with her two handbags, etc., to be naked as well.
Now, if everyone were drugged into being unconscious ... that would be a good thing
On the post: Survey Says Cellular Calls Are Getting Better
Quality
On the post: New Senate Bills 'Protect The Children' At Plenty Of Others' Expense
Database
So, the government is going to go into business for itself as the purveyor of fine child porn?
Wouldn't maintaining a data base of such images be an illegal activity for which the owner could be prosecuted? Oh, wait, government can't be prosecuted for its own illegal activities.
My personal view is that children are best protected by better parenting. Of course, that's just my opinion ... I may be wrong.
On the post: Talking On A Cell Phone Isn't The Only Way To Distract A Driver
Another Distraction
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2007/01/talking_billboa.html
On the post: Talking On A Cell Phone Isn't The Only Way To Distract A Driver
Phone vs Human
However, none of this excuses not paying attention to what's most important: driving the car. If you're hurtling down the road in 2.5 tons of steel at 45 mph and a kid runs out from between two parked cars (OK, stupid kid, but ...) your concentration on the road and conditions will be the deciding factor on whether that kid stays alive. Is it really gonna be more important that you find out via the phone that Johnny got a B in gym class?
As to other disctractions: a friend's brother ran over and killed a 12 year old boy. His distraction was that he was looking at his CD player to find out what track was on. He was 17 at the time.
On the post: Do Blackberry Users Put Others At Risk?
Turn if off and pay attention
Brian, whatever you're texting cannot be that important that you have to do it while driving. If you're driving pay attention to that. If you need to send a message or make a phone call, pull off the road and do that. The reason you have not gotten into any accidents may be because everyone else is looking out for your a** as you weave down the road (was yours one of the two cars I had to avoid this morning as they crosssed over the centerline?). As for the college chicks, parking and watching is better.
On the post: Does Betting On The CD Still Make Sense?
Sill Buying ... More
On the post: TiVo Fast Forward Banner Ads Return
Ads
On the post: Texting People Via License Plates Isn't Social Networking -- It's Just Stupid
Sorry...
On the post: Texting People Via License Plates Isn't Social Networking -- It's Just Stupid
Just What I Want
On the ther hand, I have often wanted to tell some dipwad who just cut me off just what I think of him/her and this would be perfect. Sometimes an upraised central digit just does not convey enough.
BTW: how are we supposed to know that the car we want to TM has registered with the service? A sticker in the window? Looks like a new way to harvest ID's for text spamming.
On the post: Google Rankings Suck? Sue Whoever's Above You!
Lawyers ...
C'mon, lawyers are scum. There's probably a bunch of 'em licking their piggy jowls at this.
... if it's for real. The company complaining sounds at least unrealistic.
On the post: Can't Have An Electronic Trigger On An Input Device; Nintendo Sued Over Patent Infringement
Trigger
On the post: Mobile Phone Operators Still All Suck
Who Sucks Most
Cellular One had great customer service; because it got used so often. ATT had decent rates and phones, a fairly good coverage area (that's why Cingular bought 'em), and they had good service overseas; but their customer reps generally sucked. Cingular has more expensive rates, less options, decent phones, OK overseas support, and 1/2 sucky customer support (their regular service number cannot handle "smart" phones so you have to give your info to pne person who then tells you to call another number. Verizon has good coverage but many sucky phones; and no overseas support. Where ya gonna go if you want service that just works most places?
On the post: Company Who Wants To Sell Mobile Phone Jammers Believes Banning Them Is Unconstitutional
Jamming
What you DO want is the f*king idiots who insist on talking in movies or talking loudly enough that all of us can hear their conversations to get a f*king clue and learn to shut up or move to a secluded spot to carry on their conversations.
But, then I know I'm just dreaming that will ever happen.
In any event, jammers should be generally illegal and maybe even used only with a court order.
On the post: Is The Promise Of The $100 Laptop A New Generation Of Gold Farmers, Spammers And Scammers?
Re: Re: $100 PC
On the post: Is The Promise Of The $100 Laptop A New Generation Of Gold Farmers, Spammers And Scammers?
$100 PC
On the other other hand, is the best thing to give impverished people really a PC? Don't they need education, food, clothing, water, shelter, medicine, training to help them be truely productive?
SECOND!
On the post: Spielberg Should Stick To Making Movies Rather Than Telling Us What And How To Watch
So What Some More
As to too much violence on TV; heck, there's too much crap, period, on TV. Not just violence, but Dr. Phil, anorexic twins, Cheaters, Judge Judy, etc. But, we have the advantage of DVD's, books, PBS, etc. to counteract the general low quality of television.
On the post: No Need To Vote Early And Often When The E-Voting Machine Counts Your Vote In Triplicate
S'posed ta work that way
On a more serious side, don't these flippin' votin' machine folks know how to F*ING TEST??!!
On the post: China Again Denies Internet Censorship In Carefully Worded Rebuttal
I Guess re: I Guess
On the post: China Again Denies Internet Censorship In Carefully Worded Rebuttal
I Guess
On the post: Security Theater Isn't Much Good When People Can Still Get Bombs On Planes
Fly Naked
Now, if everyone were drugged into being unconscious ... that would be a good thing
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