::Updated below:: Over the weekend some customers were reporting that their Sky + boxes were freezing and/or not letting them into the programme planner and therefore being unable to user the PVR to do and VR[ing?] leaving them simply p’d.
It seems as though sky knows about the problem though, as one subscriber was given the following advice after informing customer services of their issue:
- Put Sky+ box into standby
- Take out viewing card
- Power off at mains
- Power on (after 10-20 seconds)
- Press on button after 30 seconds or so.
- Planner then available
- Reinsert viewing card
- Wait for update to channels
- Planner still okay
Although this fix seems to be working for most users, some are saying that the problem comes back after only a few hours. We have called Sky for an official response and were told that more details on the issue would be presented later this afternoon.
We’ll keep you updated.
::Edit:: I know the picture used is of a SKY HD box, but it’s all I could find that was high enough res.
We regularly upgrade the software in Sky+ boxes as part of routine maintenance and product enhancements. All software is tested rigorously against each hardware type of the box before being downloaded to customers’ boxes.
We’re investigating reports from a small number of Sky+ customers whose boxes are experiencing problems following a recent software update. Although our investigation is continuing, the problem appears to be isolated to a small minority of owners of a particular type of box, which in turn represents about 5 per cent of all Sky+ boxes. After reviewing call centre data and customer feedback, it appears that in the vast majority of cases the boxes concerned have had their hard disk drive changed for a non-standard component.
While our investigation continues, we are reviewing whether to reverse the software update to provide a short-term fix for the affected boxes. We’ll consider longer-term steps once we’ve confirmed the scope of the problem.
Featured, Hardware
Intel has launched an in-home medical gizmo that’ll not only monitor your vital signs and store all your medical details, but which can even get a doctor on the blower for you.
The Intel Health Guide PHS6000 is an all-in-one health station which patients can use at home to, say, connect to a blood pressure monitor for analysis and storage of their vital signs. It’ll organise weekly videoconferences with a doctor for you, and let them send you over personalised care guides.
The PHS6000 is also pre-loaded with a database of medical knowledge, so that it’s able to interpret a patient’s readings and provide medical explanations – as either a written description or a video. The machine’s findings aren’t designed to replace trips to the doctor, though.
The 280 x 90 x 270mm PHS6000 sports a 10.4in touchscreen and an unspecified Intel processor and chipset. The unit has a wired web connection so patients can make use of its integrated microphone and video camera for video calls.
A 40GB hard drive holds the user’s medical details and presumably the inclusion of four USB ports and Bluetooth connectivity means you can move your medical stat’s off onto a Flash drive or mobile phone.
Intel’s PHS6000 is currently awaiting CE certification in Europe, so a commercial launch date or price hasn’t been announced yet.
Featured, Hardware
Independent retailer Phones4U broke the law over mis-selling mobile phone contracts, a six-month investigation by the telecoms regulator Ofcom found.
The retailer misled customers over network coverage, failed to swiftly provide refunds for faulty handsets and had unfair terms on chequeback schemes.
Phones4U was the first retailer in the UK to face an inquiry by Ofcom despite mis-selling being a common complaint.The investigation prompted it to change policies and sales practices.”Phones 4U has given Ofcom a series of undertakings to ensure that similar issues do not rise again. We feel that this matter has now been fully resolved,” it said in a statement.It has 440 outlets in the UK.
The regulator launched the inquiry, together with trading standards officers, after it received “a large number” of complaints about alleged mis-selling and other issues by the independent retailer.
In March, Ofcom said it would crack down on the mis-selling of mobile phones after the failure of a voluntary code of practice across the industry.
Hardware
Google has pushed out a fix to the G1 handset, which is running android, which fixes a particularly clumsy bug. The issue arises when anyone enters a system command into any open text field, as the device just randomly follows this command. If for instance you type an email or text message with the word “reboot” in it, the G1 would diligently go ahead and reboot. This may not seem like much of a problem, as how many people write “reboot” on a text? Well how many write “cancer”, it’s on the same T9 list.
Props have to go out to google for fixing the issue so quickly, but someone has to ask QA how such a massive and obvious issue wasn’t caught in-house
Featured, Hardware
It’s not the news I was hoping for when I opened my mailbox, but thats’s because half the subject line was missing. It is however still pretty good news almost literally. “Virgin Media finally releases 50Mb/s…” said the email, Modem pictures it should have finished with.
As can be seen, the new DOCSIS3 modem is a bit of a stunner, offering a hybrid PS3 linksys look with that all too common Piano Black everything seems to be wearing this season.
Now the good news is that the trails Virgin have been running to to have been successful with the majority of its areas going to be 50Mb/s ready by the end of the year. Pricing details on both the service and the modem are yet to be released, but what is expected is for it to be a tier above XL which may leave those VIP customers, and even those on the £37 a month XL package a little annoyed.
Featured, Hardware
Broadband, Virgin
Remember those tacky laminated menus with photos of the food in dodgy roadside caffs? Well, one chic London restaurant has taken the idea to a whole new level by kitting out its restaurant with digital projectors that beam interactive menus onto the tables, as well of photos of what the dish will look like.
We’d have to admit that the tackiness element of those laminated menus is largely absent in this very futuristic dining emporium, with touch-sensitive tables allowing you to interactively browse and preview the grub on offer before placing your order from the table.
Diners at the West End restaurant, Inamo, can even change the ambience of their table by selecting the coloured patterns projected onto their table, play games other than footsie, and even use the table to check out local services, including getting your stuffed, drunk arse into a cab.
Featured, Hardware
Although hideously resource intensive, the lack of Flash and Java on the iPhone and iPod touch has caused apple a few problems. Not least the pulling of an ad over here in the UK for saying that you got the full internet, when without the support of the above this was just not quite true.
We may be getting one step closer though, with adobe announcing that it is working on an official flash player for the iPhone, Whether it will work from within safari (would be a bit rubbish if it didn’t) and whether apple actually allow it, which after the Ad fiasco they’re bound to, is yet to be confirmed but seeing as the software already works on jailbroken phones, it probably wont be that long before those few of us who haven’t jailbroken get that warm fuzzy feeling that comes when someone flashes at you - through the internet.
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Hardware, Uncategorized
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