Out of the Blue [Mar 29, 2023, 11:59 am ET] – Share – Viewing Comments
I got my first voicemail on my new Galaxy phone yesterday. Thankfully it was a
butt-dial from my brother, because it took me a while to listen to it. When I
tried, I was told the visual voicemail app requires precise location
permissions. I never saw this before, so I guess it was enabled on my old phone?
I don't get myself too worked up about every corporation in the world wanting to
know what uninteresting things I'm up to, but this seems particularly egregious.
I haven't seen an explanation of why Verizon or Google would need my location to
play back my own voicemails for me (I doubt there's an acceptable one). But I
haven't seen a workaround either. I was able to access the voicemail by dialing
in (after resetting a password I hadn't used in ages). But that was a nightmare.
I had listen to about a minute of robot voice prompts telling me about my
message, and then I had to listen to all three minutes of rustling and
background noise before I could delete it since I didn't remember the shortcut.
I'll try and hold out trading privacy for convenience in this case, which I may
be able to do since I don't get a lot of voice messages. But I also wonder why I
bother. I'm sure they've got the full book on me already.
Voicemail Round-up
Thanks Ant and Neutronbeam.Breakfast Links
- Bird flu FAQ: What is avian influenza? Thanks Acleacius.
- First F-16 Viper pilots to engage the MiG-29 in mock air combats explain what it’s like to dogfight against the Fulcrum. Thanks Max.
Stories
- One Man’s Quest to Revive the Great American Vacuum Tube (may require registration or subscription).
- "House of the Dragon" Season 2 Shortened.
- Credit Suisse whistleblowers say bank has been helping Americans dodge U.S. taxes. Get that shocked look off your face. Thanks Acleacius.
Science
- Scientists Created a New Recyclable Plastic Not Made From Crude Oil. Thanks Max.
- For the first time, astronomers have linked a mysterious fast radio burst with gravitational waves. Thanks Acleacius.
- Ascension water plant worker fired, arrested after video showed him urinating in water supply. Unauthorized leak. I get it. Thanks Acleacius.
Media
Follow-up
We're old. I don't use voice mails too. I do use old school answer machines! Remember those?
Baristan wrote on Mar 30, 2023, 08:17:CBme wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 22:33:So I'm not the only one. This is my 3rd account on this site.fakespyder wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 20:48:Thanks! I've been here since the 90's, just haven't posted a message since probably the 00's and didn't remember what email I would have used then for the account.
Welcome CBme
Only my first, but I didn't post in the years between when accounts were mandated (so intrusive and offensive, how much spam will this guy send me?!) and when VE3D went IGN.
-------------
Music for the discerning:
http://www.deathwishinc.com
http://www.hydrahead.com
http://www.painkillerrecords.com
Music for the discerning:
http://www.deathwishinc.com
http://www.hydrahead.com
http://www.painkillerrecords.com
Baristan wrote on Mar 30, 2023, 08:39:Nah, I know I'm no where close to the be longest user even though I start lurking around 2000. The oldest email account was the topic (although I imagine there are people here who can beat me on that one too).
If we are going for oldest user,
“Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.” -- Carl Sagan
If we are going for oldest user, I visited Blues News before it was announced on the old quake forum. I had just learned about whois and domain name registrars in class. When I read a post about working on a new site, got lucky and found bluesnews.com before it had gone public. ...or at least that's how I remember it. Forgot the rest of the story over the last 25+ years.
CBme wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 22:33:First, welcome. Second, next October will be the 20th birthday of the email account I have associated with this site, even if it is no longer my primary account.fakespyder wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 20:48:Thanks! I've been here since the 90's, just haven't posted a message since probably the 00's and didn't remember what email I would have used then for the account.
Welcome CBme
“Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.” -- Carl Sagan
CBme wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 22:33:So I'm not the only one. This is my 3rd account on this site.fakespyder wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 20:48:Thanks! I've been here since the 90's, just haven't posted a message since probably the 00's and didn't remember what email I would have used then for the account.
Welcome CBme
If it's any consolation I actually use a wheelchair!
"The assumption that animals are without rights, and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance, is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality."
Prez wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 23:00:Please pull my wheelchair around once you are done bowing..
That may very well make you the longest running active user! I bow to your majesty.
I'm sure there are plenty of us olds who came here back when we were playing Quake and Unreal (when it was actually a game..) that still have Blue's on our favorites even if we don't actually game that often anymore. Still remember, late 90's, when I submitted a news story that he posted and did his thx to my username at the time. All proud of myself as if I had accomplished something even though I had jack to do with the article or the site. 
CBme wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 22:33:fakespyder wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 20:48:Thanks! I've been here since the 90's, just haven't posted a message since probably the 00's and didn't remember what email I would have used then for the account.
Welcome CBme
That may very well make you the longest running active user! I bow to your majesty.
"The assumption that animals are without rights, and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance, is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality."
fakespyder wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 20:48:Thanks! I've been here since the 90's, just haven't posted a message since probably the 00's and didn't remember what email I would have used then for the account.
Welcome CBme
Welcome CBme
Just know that it does not automatically update or check for updates, unless you install an extension.WarPig wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 20:38:Librewolf, which is set to save nothing and clear itself on every close, opened the wired article w/out issue.
Thanks for the tip RedEye9, I'm going to try Librewolf out.
I manually check for updates during weekly maintenance.
also note:
Fast UpdatesSo when FireFox is updated Librewolf will be updated shortly thereafter with incremental updates etc.
LibreWolf is always built from the latest Firefox stable source, for up-to-date security and features along with stability.
Librewolf, which is set to save nothing and clear itself on every close, opened the wired article w/out issue.
Thanks for the tip RedEye9, I'm going to try Librewolf out.
Much appreciated Redeye9.
My personal experience is that digital audio had gotten good enough that there were enough positives that it made a decent trade-off to the far more expensive and cumbersome analog stuff like tube amps. Though I imagine nothing will ever equal just how great a pure tube-driven amplifier sounds and feels.
My personal experience is that digital audio had gotten good enough that there were enough positives that it made a decent trade-off to the far more expensive and cumbersome analog stuff like tube amps. Though I imagine nothing will ever equal just how great a pure tube-driven amplifier sounds and feels.
"The assumption that animals are without rights, and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance, is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality."
My current Android phone, a Google Pixel 6 (that rarely has the location service turned on), has a voicemail feature that I love. It converts voicemails to text automatically (as long as it can understand them) - plus, both a delete button and call-back button is right next to the text so it's about as convenient as it gets. Both my parents are 83 and neither have the eyesight or dexterity to create a text that would take them less than 30 minutes to compose, so this voicemail to text feature is beyond perfect.
I know this info doesn't help you, Blue, but looking at the Google Play store, I see that there are voicemail-to-text apps, so maybe you can use something other than what Verizon loaded on the phone.
My last phone was a Galaxy / Verizon combo and I remember switching the texting app from the default Verizon version to a much more basic Samsung version. I can't remember why I switched, but I do remember that it was worth the trouble.
I know this info doesn't help you, Blue, but looking at the Google Play store, I see that there are voicemail-to-text apps, so maybe you can use something other than what Verizon loaded on the phone.
My last phone was a Galaxy / Verizon combo and I remember switching the texting app from the default Verizon version to a much more basic Samsung version. I can't remember why I switched, but I do remember that it was worth the trouble.
chickenboo wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 17:27:I have very few apps on my phone, but installed the DDG feature nonetheless. Thanks!
Check out DuckDuckGo's app with its App Tracking Protection feature.
,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,..
Asteriod City
i am drawn towards Wes Anderson films like a moth to flame, sometimes getting burned.
And that made me realize that I've never seen The City of Lost Children.
It is insane the amount of specific tracking information that they are allowed to request. Regulators don't care and/or are enjoying too many perks from lobbyists to do anything about it.
Not sure it will help with the VM tracking issue, but like chickenboo mentions below, I've been using duckduckgo's app to reduce the amount of tracking happening from the apps I have installed. It is stunning how many apps, even ones you haven't even opened in months, are trying to send tracking (not necessarily physical/gps) data on you.
https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/20/22793068/duckduckgo-tool-prevent-apps-tracking-android-users
https://spreadprivacy.com/app-tracking-protection-open-beta/
Not sure it will help with the VM tracking issue, but like chickenboo mentions below, I've been using duckduckgo's app to reduce the amount of tracking happening from the apps I have installed. It is stunning how many apps, even ones you haven't even opened in months, are trying to send tracking (not necessarily physical/gps) data on you.
https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/20/22793068/duckduckgo-tool-prevent-apps-tracking-android-users
https://spreadprivacy.com/app-tracking-protection-open-beta/
My wife works in what is probably among the last true relationship driven industries. Even then, the industry has its own text messaging system, and people will text before calling. Random calls don't happen anymore, they're mostly considered rude.
She explicitly set her voice mail to be "please don't leave a message, instead text me, especially if it's important." Only one person did ever leave her a message, a gentleman in his 70s that people apparently work less with because his communication style is harder to deal with.
A message takes a few minutes to listen to. A text gives the same information in a few seconds.
She explicitly set her voice mail to be "please don't leave a message, instead text me, especially if it's important." Only one person did ever leave her a message, a gentleman in his 70s that people apparently work less with because his communication style is harder to deal with.
A message takes a few minutes to listen to. A text gives the same information in a few seconds.
-------------
Music for the discerning:
http://www.deathwishinc.com
http://www.hydrahead.com
http://www.painkillerrecords.com
Music for the discerning:
http://www.deathwishinc.com
http://www.hydrahead.com
http://www.painkillerrecords.com
It's just the principle of the matter - location data to read visual voicemail, really?
Check out DuckDuckGo's app with its App Tracking Protection feature. Basically it's a little VPN that DDG uses to filter out known trackers across all apps on your phone. You can enable or disable them manually if DDG makes the app not work, but 95% of the apps on my phone work in conjunction with this anti tracking feature. The app says in the past 7 days it's blocked 17,211 tracking attempts, the worst being Duolingo at 2116 attempts in 15 minutes; Discord at 788 attempts in 30 minutes; and the Starbucks app at 944 attempts. Very useful, totally free, runs silently in the background...
Check out DuckDuckGo's app with its App Tracking Protection feature. Basically it's a little VPN that DDG uses to filter out known trackers across all apps on your phone. You can enable or disable them manually if DDG makes the app not work, but 95% of the apps on my phone work in conjunction with this anti tracking feature. The app says in the past 7 days it's blocked 17,211 tracking attempts, the worst being Duolingo at 2116 attempts in 15 minutes; Discord at 788 attempts in 30 minutes; and the Starbucks app at 944 attempts. Very useful, totally free, runs silently in the background...
Prez wrote on Mar 29, 2023, 16:53:I always run with multiple browsers on both mobile and pc.
I honestly wonder how successful the exceedingly popular tactic of holding an article hostage and using it to blackmail me into signing up for your site is. It does nothing but ensure I will never sign up no matter what.
I wanted to read the article on vacuum tubes to see if they are still as sought after as they used to be by guitarists, but I guess I'll never know.
Librewolf, which is set to save nothing and clear itself on every close, opened the wired article w/out issue.
takeaways
US trade restrictions on Russia and China have sent vacuum tube prices soaring
quality of overseas tubes has always been unreliable
He aims to launch his American made tube this summer, but previous debuts have slipped.
tldr
Are tubes still sought after for their audio voodoo, yes.
Copyright © 1996-2024 Stephen Heaslip. All rights reserved.
All trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
Privacy Policy. Manage Cookie Settings.
News CGI copyright © 1999-2024 James "furn" Furness & Blue's News. All rights reserved.
Chatbear v1.5.0/blue++: Page generated 7 October 2024, 01:57.