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Comment Re:Spot on... (Score 1) 64

I recently made an Android app with Gemini AI. I'm an embedded C guy, not done any Android development, and I just wanted a simple app for personal use so I thought I'd try it.

It made the app, eventually. I had to walk it through some parts, and repeat requests when it said it was done but hadn't actually done what I asked. Some research was needed to guide it, such as asking it to use a specific API call that properly aggregated data over a day, rather than trying to read all the raw readings and add them up manually.

I won't release it, it's AI slop. It works for me, but I don't want to support it, and I don't want to inflict that on anyone else. But also, I have an app that I would probably never have had the time or energy to learn how to make myself.

Comment Re:So if you're wondering why such an obvious scam (Score 1) 169

That's it, he is doing it to generate fake potential future business for SpaceX. In reality, what will probably happen is others enter the market and undercut Starlink and launching to LEO, and that business dries up. It's already happening with Tesla cars, which are constantly heavily discounted because rivals make better ones at lower prices. They are hanging on in the UK by somehow being a "prestige" badge along side BMW and the like... Actually I can see the connection there.

Comment Re:The reason I got it (Score 2) 91

There are plenty of car batteries well over 10 years old now. As long as they are treated reasonably well, 10 years isn't difficult at all for many chemistries.

Typically home batteries are cycled between 20 and 80%, as degradation is faster at low and high states of charge. They are also kept at a reasonable temperature and charged relatively slowly compared to their size. Mine are around 0.5C charge/discharge rate, for example.

For that reason most home batteries here come with a 10 year warranty. Some are longer, and some are insurance backed.

Comment Re:(cough, cough...bullshit) (Score 2) 88

I took Reddit to Small Claims Court for failure to process a GDPR Subject Access Request (SAR), and as part of their defence they accidentally admitted that their system is badly broken. The particular account I was requesting data for was apparently automatically banned because the system thought it was a bot, and then when I appealed a *manual review* also decided that it was a bot. To compound the error, they then lied about it in emails and on their login page, and failed to process the SAR.

I expect that will offer to settle soon, which is fine (I don't care about the money, beyond my costs) as long as they complete the SAR. The details will be fascinating. Their website gaslights you, their staff lie to you, and it all seems to be in aid of dealing with a bot problem that they have very little control over.

Comment Re:Cost (Score 1) 130

It was a prestigious service for Air France and British Airways. When they decided to stop flying Concorde, Virgin Atlantic wanted to buy the aircraft and keep flying them. Of course, BA refused to sell them and made sure that every single one ended up beyond the point where it could be returned to service, because they didn't want anyone else to operate a supersonic service.

Comment Re:Booms are complicated (Score 1) 130

It took a long time for a few reasons. You can reduce the boom with an exotic shape vehicle, but then it starts to suck as an aircraft. Less lift, awkward to use existing airport facilities, difficult to take off and land, pilots need a lot of training etc.

To be commercially viable it has to carry a reasonable number of people, in relative comfort, and be relatively fuel efficient for a supersonic aircraft.

Some of the tech to enable that is relatively recent, or still in development. Engines in particular.

Comment Re:My emotions are validated (Score 2) 78

I would buy a physical copy but then pirate it anyway. Quicker and easier than ripping, adding all the metadata, encoding etc.

For digital only stuff I will only use platforms like GOG where you get an offline installer you can backup and keep forever. I used to buy a few games on Steam but don't now. If a game is Steam only I just won't play it.

Comment Re:The reason I got it (Score 2) 91

Either that was a long time ago or your utility company is shafting you. Here the payback time is a few years depending on your usage, and then it's all profit. Batteries should last a minimum of 10 years even with hard cycling every day, much longer if not hammered. I cycle mine almost fully every day to maximize profits.

You can even DIY your own battery cheaper than you can buy one, although even buying one is very cheap now. Before tax a ready-to-plug-in 15kWh battery is about $2000 here.

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