Auk

I'd consider it a normal phrase and I'm Australian, so it's not just a British thing.

No, it’s thanks to no one else really begin in the tablet market

It's not like other manufacturers haven't tried (and some still are trying), people just tend to buy ipads instead.

Sounds like the sort of thing that is liable to turn into a modern retelling of The Loaded Dog.

GPS tech is definitely decades old, I could dig out a couple of handheld units I have in a box that would qualify for that distinction (circa 2000) and those were a few models into what was available to consumers let alone unis and governments.

Using that specific application for decades is more of a stretch, but technically possible if you count all Mapfactor navigation and they first used it on a PC (released 2002 apparently). Even on mobile devices it's not that far off qualifying as possible though (released 2007 on Windows CE so 16 years).

That's how you can tell he's a real tech guy, he takes backups so seriously that even his hoodie gets one.

Yep, you can't see it in the photo but the base is vented. With those vents and the slot for the throttle control that provides sufficient air for the mower (pretty sure the OEM part for this style was also solid).

I like this one from Discworld:

“Hang on,” said Casanunda, “I think I've worked it out. One question, right?”

“Yes,” said Ponder, relieved.

“And he can ask either guard?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, right. Well, in that case he goes up to the smallest guard and says, Tell me which is the door to freedom if you don't want to see the colour of your kidneys and incidentally I'm walking through it behind you, so if you're trying for the Mr. Clever Award just remember who's going through it first.'”

“No, no, no!”

“Sounds logical to me,” said Ridcully “Very good thinking.”

“But you haven't got a weapon!”

“Yes I have. I wrested it from the guard while he was considering the question,” said Casanunda.

“Clever,” said Ridcully. “Now that, Mr. Stibbons, is logical thought".

It's pretty easy to figure out which way is which and using cardinal directions can result in less ambiguous/confusing instructions, I think more people should use them.

That seems a common sentiment in camera design, so I'm not surprised to find such issues elsewhere too.

I have my [email protected] for my primary after deciding to try and reduce my reliance on gmail, that can get good reactions.

I bought ymous.[tld] deliberately to have [email protected] as a functioning joke email for when places request one, though amusingly the reason I didn't say which tld is that it's not one which allows whois masking so it's really not anonymous at all...

Currently reading Van Diemen's Land by James Boyce, covering the early history of Tasmania (as a European colony). About a quarter of the way through and interesting so far.

Before that I went through:

• A LitRPG series called Apocalypse Tamer by Maxime Durand - standard LitRPG stuff with people gaining game like powers and the end of the world approaching. Wouldn't say it really stands out but easy reading and doesn't take itself too seriously.

• Un Lun Dun by China Mieville, a young adult aimed urban fantasy story about saving an alternate London from a self aware cloud of pollution. Plays around amusingly with various chosen one and saving the world tropes, pretty quick read.

• Reread Brass Man by Neal Asher - part of his Agent Cormac series in his Polity sci-fi universe. Interstelllar agent tracking down a criminal who has gained various powers, along with a few side stories. I find the Polity universe interesting, albeit somewhat grim for sci fi universes.

• Through the Storm by John Ringo and Lydia Sherrer - another one aimed more at young adults, a continuation of a near future sci fi series about teenagers playing a augmented reality game that is turning out to secretly have real world implications. I like the premise but it did seem like this book focused more than the first on inter character drama rather than action or progressing the behind the scenes story.

• Reread a few Discworld books, they're basically all worth a re read every now and then.

Yes, microwaves are a poor substitute for an oven but they work fine for vegetables that you might otherwise use a steamer to cook. Stuff like broccoli, beans, carrot pieces etc. Corn on the cob works well too, just give it a few minutes in the microwave with the husk still on.