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Another breech of our privacy?

By Technology2 Comments

I recently recieved an email about a new service that will give out your mobile number to people, after checking it’s ok to do with you supposedly.

The company behind the 118 800 service, Connectivity, has bought 15m numbers from list brokers, market researchers and online businesses that store personal details, amounting to 40% of those in regular use in the UK.
(from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jul/12/mobile-phone-service-privacy, Accessed online: 12th July 2009)

It seems these days you can’t have any privacy. Apparently the service crashed when thousands of people went to their website to protect their privacy and register themselves as ex-directory:

Controversial new mobile phone directory service 118800.co.uk has crashed, after thousands of users flocked online to remove their numbers from the site, according to reports.

The site, which launched last month, now displays holding page which reads “service suspended while we make improvements”.
(from: http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2245896/mobile-directory-crashes, Accessed online: 12th July 2009)

What is most annoying is:

However, UK data protection watchdog the Information Commissioner’s office has given a green light to the service..
(from: http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2245896/mobile-directory-crashes, Accessed online: 12th July 2009)

They are giving away our privacy without consultation to the highest bidder. I come home on a rare evening off an feel invaded by sales calls in my own home to the land line. I am ex-directory, but the meaning of that term seems to have changed. Does anybody remember a time when ex-directory, really mean’t ex-directory?

What do you think about this service and our privacy?

Write soon,

Antony

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Sunday 12 July 2009

Teenage couple saved from lightening strike by Ipod

By TechnologyNo Comments

A teenage couple were in the news a few weeks ago (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8109836.stm), they where saved by the girl being “plugged in” to her ipod and by holding hands.

This made me realise two things:
1. I recently give my Ipod to my mum.
2. I now don’t have a partner to hold hands with (see David & Housewarming)

Which means I am stuffed if I get struck by lightening. So keep your fingers crossed that it never happens.

Finally it made me realise that – wow – maybe love does conquer all.

Write soon,

Antony

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Sunday 5 July 2009

The dreded BT

By Rants, Technology2 Comments

I placed an order for a phone line and broadband online with BT. I had no choice than to go with BT as I needed a phone line “installing”. They were suppose to be coming to install a line (at a charge of £125!) on my birthday (14th May 09). By “install” they mean flick a switch on the green box outside. I waited and waited but they did not turn up (or bother to let me know).

So I rang them and they stated the order is “stuck” in the system. Whilst on my Blackberry Storm to them they couldn’t hear me and I couldn’t hear them. They asked me if I had a land line they could call me back on. My response: “If I had a land line, would I be ringing you to have one installed?” Honestly sometimes the stupidity of BT staff amaze me.

The order was replaced after several broken conversations and they finally managed to come out today, install a line and post out my BT Hub (that also arrived today).

Prior to this suffering from Internet Withdrawl, I decided to get Mobile Broadband. I saw an 02 dongle and picked it up. Can you believe that it didn’t pick up a single wireless network? I took it back and got a 3 dongle, worked like a charm. Well done to three for beating 02 on signal (I have to admit, that I never saw that coming in a million years!).

Meanwhile, in my on-going struggle with technology I still couldn’t have a clear conversation with anyone on my Blackberry Storm. So I took it in to the shop, guess what the problem is? It needs a software upgrade, only the handset wont allow me to do it. So it has been sent off to the repair centre for something that should be able to be done at home.

My advice:

  • Avoid BT were ever possible – they are the biggest communication company, yet can not communicate amoungst themselves.
  • Don’t buy a 02 Mobile Broadband dongle it wont have converage, buy Three Mobile Broadband.
  • Don’t buy a Blackberry Storm, all I am hearing (and experiencing) is endless problems with the hand set.

    Rant over,

    Antony

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    • Wednesday 27 May 2009

    Blackberry App. World Store

    By TechnologyNo Comments

    Blackberry

    have released an App. World Store. I couldn’t resist downloading it to have a look. I needed a bit of help from Vodafone, which was provided in the form of a video:

    Click here to display content from YouTube.
    Learn more in YouTube’s privacy policy.

    Open video directly

    It sounded good, but I was dissapointed. The apps were mainly american and although it was suppose to be localised to the UK there were no apps from providers I would have liked including: Pink News, BBC, , C4 as well as various others. Perhaps with time these organisations will create an app. for Black Berry.

    In addition to this, the apps that weren’t free where priced in dollars – how am I suppose to know what these are going to cost me in GBP? It was positive though to know they use PayPal as the payment method.

    I guess time will tell with the applications that they add.

    Geeky regards,

    Antony

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    Saturday 18 April 2009
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