The Spam Thread!

[cpd2009]

I had the most frustrating experience with the MS Authenticator App for Android.

I was setting up Greta with Windows 8, and wanted to sign in with my MS account. I have 2FA enabled, and I would normally use the Authenticator app for that purpose. Problem is, I forgot to install it on my moto E6. After I installed it, I tried adding my MS account to the Authenticator app, but the app asks for a sign in code from the very same app you are trying to set up. Because it's not set up yet, you can't get that code. I then tried to send a code to my registered email, which still exists. I never get a code via email even after waiting a few minutes.

I just decided to use a local account instead, and decided to use SMS 2FA in place of the dodgy Authenticator app. I have much better luck with Google Authenticator.

[huckleberrypie]

I had the most frustrating experience with the MS Authenticator App for Android.

I was setting up Greta with Windows 8, and wanted to sign in with my MS account. I have 2FA enabled, and I would normally use the Authenticator app for that purpose. Problem is, I forgot to install it on my moto E6. After I installed it, I tried adding my MS account to the Authenticator app, but the app asks for a sign in code from the very same app you are trying to set up. Because it's not set up yet, you can't get that code. I then tried to send a code to my registered email, which still exists. I never get a code via email even after waiting a few minutes.

I just decided to use a local account instead, and decided to use SMS 2FA in place of the dodgy Authenticator app. I have much better luck with Google Authenticator.

It's one of the reasons why I'm not a fan of tying my Microsoft account to Windows.

[cpd2009]

I don't have problems linking my MS account with Windows 10, but I just do so out of spite. MS makes it so hard to create a local account anymore to the point you have to be disconnected from the Internet just to create one. And of course once you get connected, the various MS apps will nag you to switch to an MS account anyway.

Oh, and during a recent Windows update, I got that massive full-screen Edge popup that everyone was upset about last month. I get that MS really wants people to forget Internet Explorer and give their new replacement a fair chance, but if you keep pushing these things into peoples faces, you are going to alienate them instead. It's one reason why I switched to macOS as my primary system. A better way would have to just advertised it via a notification popup, or one of those little boxes that appear in the taskbar.

[huckleberrypie]

I don't have problems linking my MS account with Windows 10, but I just do so out of spite. MS makes it so hard to create a local account anymore to the point you have to be disconnected from the Internet just to create one. And of course once you get connected, the various MS apps will nag you to switch to an MS account anyway.

Oh, and during a recent Windows update, I got that massive full-screen Edge popup that everyone was upset about last month. I get that MS really wants people to forget Internet Explorer and give their new replacement a fair chance, but if you keep pushing these things into peoples faces, you are going to alienate them instead. It's one reason why I switched to macOS as my primary system. A better way would have to just advertised it via a notification popup, or one of those little boxes that appear in the taskbar.

I agree, shoving things up people's throats ain't gonna do your wares any favours and would only add to the stigma people had with the thing it's trying to replace as in the case of Edge replacing IE.

Case in point the religious apps originally bundled with MyPhone devices for example. Not everyone is a devout Catholic to be reminded of when to pray the Angelus or Rosary, be it the customer is either a Muslim or irreligious, and even some who are the supposed target audience would prefer to be reminded some other way. From what I've heard they made the apps an opt-in option instead rather than embedded onto system.

[cpd2009]

Opt-in should be mandatory for bundled apps. Present them as offers when setting up the phone, and only download them if the user actually wants them.

Pizza Hut has been getting sneaky with it's marketing. I order pizza delivery online whenever budget allows, and one of their good deals is a Large 3-topping pie for $9.99 with regular crust. It's been on their online menu for as long as I can recall. This past week, Pizza Hut introduces something called a $10 "Tastemaker" pizza, It's....

A large 3-topping pizza with regular crust for $10.

They just added one cent to an already existing deal, slapped a new name on it, and called it a day.

So yeah, it's not the end of the world, but if they wanted to make the new "Tastemaker" something appealing, they should sell it with specialty toppings like Supreme, Meat Lovers, etc. My guess is that they wanted to create something they could advertise on Facebook or TV networks in a more noticeable way, hence the "Tastemaker" name.

[huckleberrypie]

Opt-in should be mandatory for bundled apps. Present them as offers when setting up the phone, and only download them if the user actually wants them.

Pizza Hut has been getting sneaky with it's marketing. I order pizza delivery online whenever budget allows, and one of their good deals is a Large 3-topping pie for $9.99 with regular crust. It's been on their online menu for as long as I can recall. This past week, Pizza Hut introduces something called a $10 "Tastemaker" pizza, It's....

A large 3-topping pizza with regular crust for $10.

They just added one cent to an already existing deal, slapped a new name on it, and called it a day.

So yeah, it's not the end of the world, but if they wanted to make the new "Tastemaker" something appealing, they should sell it with specialty toppings like Supreme, Meat Lovers, etc. My guess is that they wanted to create something they could advertise on Facebook or TV networks in a more noticeable way, hence the "Tastemaker" name.

Well we've seen that with video cards and other commodities being rebranded and rehashed into something "new". Case in point the LeapFrog Epic Academy and LeapPad Academy which were nothing more than the same Epic with a slightly updated firmware revision. Adding insult to injury is that they're still running off the same tired KitKat distribution. They could've at least updated it to Marshmallow or better yet made an actual hardware revision with a stronger SOC.

[cpd2009]

Some Nintendo news today. To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros game, they are re-releasing a special collection on the Switch among other things. This collection is Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and will feature Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and the first Super Mario Galaxy. Out of those three, I have never played Sunshine since I never owned a Gamecube. I never even found a second hand copy when I still had my original Wii system. Sadly, these aren't HD remasters, but rather basic ports or emulations, and it will cost you $59.99 USD. And this game won't be around forever either. You have to buy it in a limited time frame window. I might pass this up since I do want to acquire a GameCube at some point along with Sunshine and I already have the other two games for my Wii/Wii U.

Now the other thing I am more interested in is the Super Mario Bros handheld. Yes, in November, you can get a limited edition handheld designed like an 80s Game & Watch, with a full color LCD and two built in games; the original SMB and the Japanese sequel, aka The Lost Levels. I already have the original SMB in various different forms and even some bootleg consoles, but this might be too cute to pass up, even for me. I'm also interested in what the console hackers find out what's in this thing and if it can load up different ROMs.

Last night, I decided to dig out my old G4 PowerMac, to potentially use with my TV as some sort of cheap media player type thing. It's probably not going to work for that. Standard definition video and DVD play fine, but the video card either doesn't like my TV or my TV doesn't like the G4. See, over the summer, a local electronics store had a sale on TVs, and I ended up getting a low-end 55'' TV for about $350. It works as you'd expect for the price, which is fine for my needs. But when I tried to use the G4 with this TV, it either can't display the output or it causes the firmware in the TV to lock up, forcing me to unplug the TV. The graphics card in question is a GeForce 4 MX, and the TV has a native 4K resolution. I wonder if the G4 firmware is attempting to display the boot screen at full 4K and the old GeForce doesn't support 4K. The G4 has a DVI-to-HDMI adapter, and I can get video output if I hook it up to Rusty's Dell monitor, which is 1080p native resolution.

I'm also getting Steam set up again on Rusty. My DSL takes ages to download the large game files, so it will be a few days.

[huckleberrypie]

Nintendo's still up to their old tricks I see. Re-releasing the same old game again then creating an artificial scarcity scenario for scalpers to take advantage of.

[cpd2009]

Nintendo's still up to their old tricks I see. Re-releasing the same old game again then creating an artificial scarcity scenario for scalpers to take advantage of.

I will give them credit for being a bit creative with the design of the SMB handheld, but you're right. Unless you pre-order, these things are going to sell out fast, mostly to scalpers. It's going to be the NES Classic all over again. And just like the NES classic, mall kiosks are bound to pop up selling knockoff Game & Watch Famiclone systems to ride on the popularity of the real deal.

[huckleberrypie]

Nintendo's still up to their old tricks I see. Re-releasing the same old game again then creating an artificial scarcity scenario for scalpers to take advantage of.

I will give them credit for being a bit creative with the design of the SMB handheld, but you're right. Unless you pre-order, these things are going to sell out fast, mostly to scalpers. It's going to be the NES Classic all over again. And just like the NES classic, mall kiosks are bound to pop up selling knockoff Game & Watch Famiclone systems to ride on the popularity of the real deal.

That I couldn't have said better myself.