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<title>Rants, Raves, and Praise forum - dslreports.com community</title>
<link>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/sinbin</link>
<description>Rants, Raves, and Praise forum current topics</description>
<language>en</language>
<copyright>Copyright 2007, dslreports.com</copyright>
<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:32:34 EDT</pubDate>
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<title>[Rant] Brand New &#x27;Jasper&#x27; Xbox360 - RRoD Hardware Failure</title>
<link>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23308614</link>
<description><![CDATA[Hey guys,

Never used this forum before but seems like a good time to start.

So... 

[RANT]

I heard about a sweet deal Walmart was running today from 8am to 12pm in their electronics department. They were selling new Xbox360 Arcade editions for $199 with a free $100 Walmart gift card. If one was planning on picking up an extra controller or a game or two with their new console, this essentially meant the console only cost $100. I just couldn't pass this one by...

So I get to the store at 9:30am. If there were any left in stock, I was gonna buy one. I get there and there are 3 left. So I pick one up along with Halo 3 and an extra controller. I get home, unbox the console, hook it up to my SDTV 480i Piece of Crap, and proceed to import my Games for Windows - LIVE Gamertag over into Xbox LIVE Silver. I'm really digging the dashboard user interface of the 360. I spent about 10 minutes creating my avatar (what a total copy/paste job of Nintendo's Mii concept) and then go take a break to watch the Bama/LSU game on TV.

After the football game, I decided to fire up Halo 3. I really liked Halo and Halo 2 on the original Xbox and was very excited to play the 3rd installment in the series. I press the 'Eject' button on the console. I place the game on the disc drive tray. I press the 'Eject' button on the console again to close the drive. Halo 3 starts up and it appears the intro movie had tried to start in the background. However, a message from Xbox LIVE showed up and told me about an update that was available. Before I even got a chance to tell the system to download the update, my console freezes. No response from any controller buttons. Still image. All I could do was turn it off. So I turned it off.

I think to myself, "Hmm ... well that's happened on my Wii before ... it's probably nothing." I turn the system on again. A big pixilated system error message shows up. "System Error. Please contact Microsoft Customer Support" is displayed in several languages. At the bottom is the error code "E 74"

Oh great.

So I turn the system off and on again.

This time there is no video output and 3 of the 4 lights around the power button are flashing red - the ever-ominous "Red Ring of Death". According to the Official Manual and many Internet sources, this is the error code for hardware failure. I called Microsoft and submitted their version of an RMA and I have to ship the console to them for service. They are paying for a shipping label.

Brand new broken system, out of stock retailer, 3 weeks to get it sent back to me in working condition. AWESOME!

[/RANT]

I guess the moral of the story is you get what you pay for.
--
"The key to flying is falling and not hitting the ground."]]></description>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23308614</guid>
<pubDate>2009-11-07 23:54:05</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>the absorber</title>
<link>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23309910</link>
<description><![CDATA[I have always used a chamois to dry my cars after washing for more years than I care to remember. I read on a auto forum somewhere about 'the absorber' and how it was excellent for drying cars, especially when followed up with a microfiber cloth for any left over water streaks. Well I ran across them at Pep Boys while shopping for something else. I decided to give it a try several months as they are only about $10. Wow !  I can't believe what a fantastic job it does. It is by far the best thing I have ever used to finish off a wash job. Wish I had know about this years ago as I've spent a small fortune on chamois over the years (and they don't last but so long). 
I have read where people have used the absorber for years and years. Just thought I'd pass it along. It's also great for those Fall mornings when your car is wet from overnight dew. It comes in a plastic tube that you can store it in wet when finished, just rinse it clean if need be. ]]></description>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23309910</guid>
<pubDate>2009-11-08 12:08:55</pubDate>
</item>

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<title>[Rant] New Laptop Displays</title>
<link>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23271958</link>
<description><![CDATA[Why are all the OEMs in love with the "wide screen" format?

Maybe I am old fashioned but I REALLY HATE the new 9:16 ratio most all of them seem to have these days.

My 4 year old Dell 600m w/14" display is really getting tired ( cracked case, touch pad, memory drops out, etc ) but it has a 1040 x1400 3:4 display that is really sharp and shows a sizable portion of a web page compared to one of the new ones. 

I have a Dell Inspiron 1545 I am "testing" with a 15.4" display  and 768 x 1366 resolution. Even thought the display is physically wider, the resolution is coarser ( 1366 VS 1400) so it shows slightly less in the width while making the text much bigger. In the vertical dimension it displays about 1/3 less information.

Looking around it seems that this 9:16 is the new standard for consumer laptops. I may be able to find a higher resolution model, in the 1080 x 1920 range, but I am afraid that will make text kind of tiny on a shorter screen.

Why cant they amke the old 3:4 format; we ALL don't watch DVDs on out laptops.. I have a TV for that!!!

Tim
--
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.]]></description>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23271958</guid>
<pubDate>2009-10-31 18:32:20</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>[Rant] It&#x27;s OCTOBABBLE!  Yet more OT silliness and hijinx!</title>
<link>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21990088</link>
<description><![CDATA[Achtung, y'all!  OCTOBABBLE is the eighth installment of The Genuine, Official OT Thread.  This is all about having fun, being silly, making friends and razzing them.  (Check out http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r21015993-Rant-SEVEN-UP-Refreshing-Bubbly-Natural-OT-Goofiness in case you have no idea what this is all about).

The only rules are: any attempt at being really serious will be quickly derailed; no flaming or fighting; no political or religious debates; and absolutely no posting or linking NWS material.

Let the mayhem begin!
--
There is no giant fur-bearing trout.]]></description>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,21990088</guid>
<pubDate>2009-02-28 01:22:25</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>[Rant] Playstation 3</title>
<link>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23310015</link>
<description><![CDATA[Sony can never leave well enough alone can they? They always do something to screw up a good thing. The PSX they made ugly. The ps2 became ugly and had the ability to use an HDD yanked from it. Now(as a few months ago) the intro of the ps3 slim removes the ability to install Linux, ps1 emulation, and ps2 emulation in one fell swoop. 

Sony effectively said F-U to a bunch of developers, the Linux community, and fans of all their previous consoles in their dumbest move yet. I did some research after looking at the game consoles thread here, as I was hardly even aware of the new slim ps3. Does Sony really think they will make more money off ps3s by shedding all those who use the ps3 for processing power? Seems we need to remind Sony that not all those ps3s are going to server clusters, but some are going to developers. Yes, developers whose innovation could have made the ps3 a viable platform for those who want a game machine and basic pc, and maybe even brought innovation to the main platform. The distro I have installed now uses everything but the RSX well(I still love running NES and SNES emulators on it). 

I realize that Linux users may be in the minority, but to remove the ps1 and ps2 emulation too? At least ps2 emulation on a pc is starting to get better. I am sure Sony loves this, but it serves them right for trying to deny the public the games they know, love, and PURCHASED WITH THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY. Some may argue that platforms become obsolete, but name me one computer platform(not currently in production) that isn't effectively emulated for those who want their old games. Even the PC98(Japan) is emulated pretty well. 

I didn't recommend the ps3 on its Linux abilities and ability to run emulators alone. I also recommended it for all the great ps2 and ps1 games it can play at better speeds. I now revoke my recommendation as the shitty games for ps3 specifically do not justify buying a new console-for anybody. Some games were worth playing and purchasing the unit could be justified for that in addition to ps2 and ps1 games in 1 console. The amount of games that don't suck are now very limited, now they they closed the door to not only emulation, but their great heritage of ps2 and ps1 games. Why does Sony always have to ruin their consoles? I never bought a slim ps2 for that very reason.

/rant]]></description>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23310015</guid>
<pubDate>2009-11-08 12:37:11</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>[Rant] Walmart Phone Customer Department Sucks!!</title>
<link>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23302422</link>
<description><![CDATA[Walmart phone customer service really sucks!! 

I mean they suck big time!! 

I just called them four times for the past couple of minutes.. first call got disconnected with their operator. ok fine, they might be having some routing issue so i tried my 2nd attempt. I got with their operator. ok,  cool, i said i need to talk with their computer department so she transferred me over . my 2nd attempt was put to an end when i got their voice mail. no one even bothers to answer the damn phone. ok well, so i tried it for the third time, i got someone from computer department, i ask if they have a NIC. ok cool, so they have one. I ask how much it was and that lady just dropped the phone.. ok last try before they hit the mark.. i called them up again using their local number.. damn it.. just a busy dial tone.. 

company being run by a couple of jerks..
--
Smallville: "The Heartbroken are the walking dead"
Fayth: He is awake, yet he dreams. But... maybe not forever. **Final Fantasy X]]></description>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23302422</guid>
<pubDate>2009-11-06 14:03:13</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>[Rant] 8 Thanksgiving recipe makeovers</title>
<link>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23307042</link>
<description><![CDATA[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33590218/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

It's thanksgiving, live a little. It will not kill you. ]]></description>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23307042</guid>
<pubDate>2009-11-07 16:28:17</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>[Rant] United Air Lines - (LONG)</title>
<link>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23268358</link>
<description><![CDATA[OK - so I'm flying on United, and because I'm in the mid-west trying to go West, I have to connect thru Chicago.

(Insert your favorite epithet here)

Yeah, I hear ya.

Coming back from Colorado (and everyone knows how screwed up Colorado is right now, what with the early snowstorm they had this week), and I'm taking off out of Colo Springs this morning, and it's 17 degrees (BRRRRR!) and there's ice on the roads, and all kinds of death and destruction (well, several people had traffic accidents) but I get to the airport and lo, and behold, my flight departs on time and gets to Chicago within 10 minutes of scheduled arrival time.  So far so good, right?

So I show up at my connection gate and the CRJ is at the gate (GOOD), but the right engine cowling is up (BAD).  Apparently, they can't get the sucker to fire up, so they diddle around with it for an hour or so before they decide it ain't gonna fly.  Good call from my perspective; twin engine jets don't fly well on one engine.

So the geniuses in Operations hijack another plane for the FULL flight to a small mid-Western city, and move the gate, so all the pax and I head on down (like a bunch of itinerant gypsies) to the new gate, wait for the slightly delayed arrival of our new ride, get loaded on board, and we taxi out about two hours late.  

The take off roll is uneventful -- other than being unusually short (first clue) -- and we get to our destination about an hour later.

Pax dutifully unload, and the gaggle harches down to baggage claim.  Doors open, buzzers buzz, belts crank, and six bags appear.  Belts stop, doors close (second clue), and a disembodied voice advises the 50 or so pax that "that's all the bags that were on the flight, and if yours didn't arrive, file a claim with the agent at the ticket counter..."

Collective groan, and a mass stampede to the counter, where the LONE TICKET AGENT is explaining to one person how Chicago had called and warned her that they had somehow "forgotten" to load "about 20 or so bags" on the flight.  

There were at least 45 people in line to claim their lost bags.

If we had arrive with only a few minutes, nay, even a half-hour between connections, I could easily accept United's failure to get the bags on the plane as reasonable.

But with an HOUR AND A HALF, AND a gate change that the system knew about an hour before departure, there's no reasonable excuse for failing to load the bags.

How/why can this happen in today's IT-intense environment?  

/rant
--
Read your contract and TOS before signing anything.]]></description>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23268358</guid>
<pubDate>2009-10-30 19:57:49</pubDate>
</item>

<item>
<title>[Praise] Amazon Customer Service</title>
<link>http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23259715</link>
<description><![CDATA[I ordered a Timex Ironman watch on October 26th with 2-day shipping from Amazon that should have been delivered yesterday. When it didn't arrive by today I checked the UPS tracking information and it showed that UPS hadn't even received the package from Amazon yet.

So, I called Amazon expecting to have to fight to get my shipping refunded but lo and behold, not only did they refund the 2 day shipping charge, they re-submitted the order with overnight shipping ... and I didn't even request that, they offered. I was floored. The representative also gave me the choice of a full refund if I didn't want the watch anymore.

Now *THAT* is customer service. I think I'll start buying from Amazon more often, even if I have to pay a little more.]]></description>
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23259715</guid>
<pubDate>2009-10-29 11:05:49</pubDate>
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