Nope. The solution for XP expiring is Linux.

The equivalent for Andoid is to require the boot loader to be unlocked for free if there is no free availability of security updates. Then you can use the ROM of your choice. It is open source, so people can, and probably will, fix bugs if there is still a significant user base*. If not unlocked, then Google or the manufacturer is wilfully converting the phone landfill, and should be billed accordingly.

Clearly, this needs to be a legal right. There is a remote chance of this in Europe, but probably none in the USA - there are no consumer rights in the land of the free.

* I would argue that the source (and data sheet) for device drivers should be compulsorily released to public domain where the hardware manufacturer is not maintaining them.

Adult phone users have slightly more grownup expectations: If the hardware is not busted, then the phone should be fixable by the end user following a viable procedure - eg taking it to the local phone shop.

We do not need any more landfill.

I have two Android phones, one running the latest software available for it - the other, CM. I also use two Nokias that are 5 and 8 years old. My computer has been regulary upgraded, but is, in the vewi of most of my family, over 10 years old (runs Linux Mint). If Android phones have a very short life, I wont be buying more of them, considering the extremely high price.

If Google do not address security risks, then their market share means this is a National Security Risk and I expect my government to act - using RPGs and nuking from high orbit if required.

However, if this security failing leads to a major loss of money or privacy for Android users, I suspect Google could be on the recieving end of a multi-gazillion dollar class action.

And so could the handset manufacturers.

This is going to be so big, the lawyers wont bother laughing all the way to the bank - the banks will come to them.

You have the right to remain stupid.

Nothing new here. Move along please.

It is also nearly impossible for any equipment of any origin to deliver descent content given the crap that is the available content. We have an HD setup, but I do not recall watching any content in HD other than the demos, cos there is nothing we want to watch! We have just cancelled our Sky subscription cos we were not actually watching anything on Sky.

Some people just don't want to watch Hollywood stuff or the Bellisario family products, or sport. It seems there isn't much else, and if there is, its in plain old PAL anyway.

OK, lets reword it:

You are free to work at Disney without a vaccination, but if you infect a bunch of kids, you agree to indemnify Disney against the inevitable lawsuits for tens of thousands of wrongful deaths, when those you infect, go on to infect other unvaccinated morons across the world.

Tell that to the millions of unvaccinated in the world, there simply is no mass extinction from measles. You are fear mongering.

You are the classic moron. There may be no mass extinction from measles right now, but before there was vaccination, huge numbers of people died or were permanently damaged by it annually.

You are relatively safe for the monent, because the vast majority of people are vaccinated, even in developing countries, except where stupid CIA trickery has discredited the health profession. Don't expect that to last if you manage to persuade many people with your stupid ideas.

Yes, but think of the children!

If each person (on average) is producing barely enough economic output to feed himself, then the country is a 3rd world developing country.

That probably puts large parts of the UK in the 3rd world category.

AFAICT being high when creating security is the root of the problem here.

Perhaps Obama should declare war on SQL injection?

"Real men use reel-to-reel tape drives".

I believe DTMF-tones-enable is an option on Cyanogenmod.

No, but you could easily flick the lever that dings the bell with a finger. It stuck out a mile and was really accessible on most portable machines. The double ding was a common thing to do to attract the attention of people passing your desk (think wolf-whistle without risk of being accused of sexual harassment or neglecting work).

I was in Lagos, Nigeria, last week, and was stuck in ttraffic in front of a shop front filled with brand new typewriters (imported from China).

When your electricity supply is frequently off for more than half the day, and some places don't even have electricity, they are still useful.

In the UK some are mated with a long section of overlap - about 9 inches, I think. Ie one line is cut away to half width, the other line mates along the centre of the line, and then the first one tapers off - similar to how the overhead conductors change over.

Continuous welded rail predominates, but there are still plenty of places where the old system persists, even in London.