I'm about 80% deaf in one ear, so instead of higher frequencies I get permanent tinnitus, which is basically exactly that - it varies according to things like heart rate. It's like listening to an old modem, or something like a ZX Spectrum loading a game. 24x7. It came on as an adult, so it took a bit of getting used to - some people can't cope and suffer depression or even become suicidal over it.

Sounds like a job for Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged

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I just misread the title as "Microsoft's JavaScript Engine Gets Two-Tired Compilation.

I think you've pretty much described the Nexus 5.

Yeah, I got one because I didn't want to be on contract or have all the bloatware, and the Nexus 5 is/was great value. Looks like I'll be sticking with it, and maybe even getting a like for like replacement if it breaks, because I don't want a phablet. I have a tablet, what I want in a phone is something I can put in my pocket. The Nexus 5 is pretty much at the limit already.

I'd even buy a more expensive unlocked phone from someone else, but then you've got to put up with the non-standard interfaces.

Doesn't really matter though - the Nexus 5 is still a pretty respectable spec.

Absolutely. I think Kaley Cuoco's reaction has been one of the best. From what I read, at least, she's taken it in her stride with a sense of humour. Credit for that, treat it as no big deal. If everyone did that, it wouldn't be a big deal, as you say.

Indeed. The Archbishop of Canterbury has only recently admitted to doubts about god. Can you imagine that from any other major religious leader?

With Android you have to accept all permissions an app wants or not install it. On iOS apps have no permissions other than internet access and have to ask for permission. The permission can be refused, and the app still works just without the feature being requested - e.g. refuse location access and the app can't offer you location based features, obviously.

This granularity is not available with Android.

Well hopefully it's not too long to wait until L comes out and the first one will be answered. As for the second, it's just irritating that I can't get apps that just connect to their respective services. Not much chance of it, but it'd be great if the likes of Twitter and Facebook released cut down versions that only connected to them and didn't demand access to contacts, SMS etc. It's a refreshing change when an app requires no special permissions, or at least none that aren't obvious for its primary role.

I've seen talk of automatically unlocking when connected to specific bluetooth devices or by location (which looks like it might require GPS?). That's handy, but I haven't seen anything about specific wifi networks. I don't want GPS running all the time because of the battery drain, but would like my phone unlocked on my home wifi. Preferably out of the box without needing a third party app that wants all sorts of permissions.

Off topic, but for me the biggest issue with (non-rooted) Android is the permissions model that forces all or nothing acceptance for permissions. I want certain apps, but want to refuse them access to, say, SMS messages. I can't do that. The permissions manager feature appeared briefly in, I think 4.3, but then disappeared. That alone is the thing that has me considering jumping ship to Apple.

What people? A handful of geeks who've heard of Linux?

Which is the argument for why this doesn't apply to Apple hardware (computers and phones) and to an arguably lesser extent Android (in that case there is a separation - the phone is made by Samsung, HTC etc, the OS by Google, so the argument that they're integrated is weaker).

My point is that the average consumer doesn't care. They want a Windows machine, and probably don't really care if it's HP, Acer or whoever - it's Windows they want.

So while there's a legal argument around bundling, it's not really a consumer protection issue. The number of buyers who would actually want to install an alternative OS (or be able to) is tiny.

Yeah, except it is possible to get OSX running on a PC, or in a VM. Apple just don't allow it. It's a shame, because I'd love a mini tower with at least three drive bays, built in CD burner and card reader and only one mid-range graphics card - a nice neat device with no need for a nest of cables and external devices. But I also want OSX. Turns out I can't have both because Apple's idea of a high end workstation is basically an iMac without a screen in terms of how well it fits my needs.

It's a shame, because the best of both worlds would be OSX with the flexibility of building your own hardware.

The question is where you draw the line. My smart TV clearly has an OS, but I'm not sure there's a clamour for the likes of Panasonic or Samsung to stop "bundling" the OS with the TV. The TV is capable of being a general purpose computer but most people wouldn't see it like that. People want to buy a TV that just works, they don't want to buy a TV and then figure out what OS to install on it to get it to work. Same with phones, for most people.

So why should computers be different? Bundling helps the average consumer more than it hurts - you buy a PC, you get Windows, you buy a Mac you get OSX, all ready to use straight out of the box.

Google Now has gone downhill recently. It used to alert me to traffic problems on my commute at around the time I normally leave the office. Recently it's started alerting me an hour before (when the traffic is always worse), and repeating the notification when I clear it. It's also got inconsistent on other things - sometimes it tells me stuff, sometimes it doesn't. The email integration also only works for plain gmail accounts - not google apps accounts.

So from me it's close, but not that close. And it insists on taking up a home screen.