I received a phone call today from HSBC. Let me rephrase that, I received a phone call today from somebody who claimed to be from HSBC.

As an IT professional, security is always at the forefront of my mind, so when asked to supply details like my date of birth etc., I was more than hesitant to give these out. I politely declined and told them that as I couldn't be sure of who they were, I did not want to answer, unless they could prove to me that they genuinely were HSBC. He wouldn't do this as he "didn't know if he was speaking to the correct person so couldnt divulge any information" which left us in a bit of a standoff.

I've experienced this with other establishments before, and it strikes me that there is a simple solution. When I set up my online banking, I created a password which I use for online/telephone banking authentication. Surely, the easy way around this would be for them to allocate a password/passphrase from their side, and then quote this to you when they call, this way you know it's them you're speaking to* and not some scammer. The password/phrase wouldnt be anything sensitive, just something to prove they were who they said. I realise this is another thing to remember, but it would be worth the effort for piece of mind.

Anyway, the call ended and I hung up and checked the number in google, it does appear to be a HSBC number, but when I called them on their main line and asked what the call was about, there was no record of any outstanding calls which leads me to believe either a) It was a scam, or b) HSBC don't know what their other departments are doing, neither of which fills me with confidence.

Surely this would be a no brainer to implement and stop any risk of fraud?

* Unless, they've been hacked and have all of your details, in which case you're screwed anyway!

Just a quick tip for anybody trying to set up POP3/IMAP email on an iPod Touch/iPhone. I've tried this several times and after getting a peculiar error about failing and asking me if I want to try again without SSL, it usually just ends up hanging up on Verifying POP email....This can go on for minutes and nothing seems to be actually going on. How long should it take to verify the POP server? Two seconds?

Anyway, today I decided to wait it out on the basis that something must happen eventually, after all, these were valid POP settings! About 10 minutes later, my POP settings are verified and I can see my inbox!

Why it took so long is still a mystery! but hopefully this may help people who've gone through the same as me.

It always makes me laugh when I buy something new and see how dumbed down the instructions are. After getting a new replacement Viewsonic monitor today, I saw this one which is the best I've seen in a while!

How stupid do these people think we really are? :)

A few weeks ago I decided it was time to buy a new mp3 player. The first one I bought must have been well over ten years ago (Anyone remember the Creative DAP jukebox? ) but since then I've really only listened to music by mobile or on the home PC. Although I had my eye on an iPhone at one point, the total cost seemed a bit over the top (and I've still got 10 months left on my current contract!). Instead, I plumped for a new iPod Touch and I have to say, its a fantastic little device. Although I'm not a big fan of iTunes on the PC (I prefer Windows Media Player) it works really well on the iPod. It's nice being able to buy apps/music straight from the device assuming you have a WiFi connection of course.

After much deliberation I decided that the 32Gb model was essential as this offered the best price per Gb by far :) I've loaded about 80 CD's so far and still have 75% free. Of course to go with such a great device I needed a good pair of headphones. The ones that come with it are pretty basic.

A bit of searching on google found some candidates and I eventually went for the Ultimate Ears Super.Fi pro 5. They are expensive but sound awesome. They are a little fiddly 'til you get used to them and I found them regularly dropping out of my ears, but once you get used to putting them in, they do a fine job.  I even went to the gym today and managed to keep them in for an hour without any dropouts :)

If you notice a lack of bass, its more than likely that you havent got a snug enough fit. I found a few reviews of people complaining about bass response, and I'm sure this is the problem. Having a tight fit makes a huge difference and they supply a range of interchangeable covers to suit all sizes of ear as part of the package!

Yorkshire Dales
Originally uploaded by paultumelty

I was on Flickr today and I noticed that there was a feature which enabled you to send a picture to your blog.

Metaweblog was one of the listed compatible API's and I know this is what is supported to enable Windows Live Writer to work, so I thought I'd give it a go.

Hopefully this will work!

EDIT: It did! and I'll be posting an article explaining how to set this up soon... 

Don't get me wrong, I've played on the Wii and it can be really good fun using the Wii Remote and Nunchuck to do a spot of bowling or boxing. I don't actually own one, I have an Xbox 360, but I'm by no means against them.

I've just read an article  about how Konami plan on using the aforementioned input devices to provide an "innovative user interface" for their latest incarnation of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.

Below are some of the quotes on how this innovation is going to work.

"The Nunchuck is used to move the current player, while the Wii Remote is used to pick out players to send them on runs or to receive passes via simple click and drag system which uses arrows to show the path of the run, and a press of the ‘B’ button to complete the move".

"Dribbling is effected by clicking on the player and using an arrow and the 'A' button to guide the ball. The speed of the run can then be altered by extending or reducing the length of the guiding arrow, allowing stunning quick turns and bursts of speed to catch defenders off-guard"

My question is this. Is this really actually innovativation? or is just forcing a technology somewhere it's not needed to prove a point? Lets face it, is it really going to make the game easier or more enjoyable to play?

Personally, I don't think so. A couple of FIFA versions ago (I've been buying it since 1995 by the way!) they introduced a way of running with players off the ball using the right analog pad. I found that controlling the main player in the left anlog pad, and trying to move a different way on the right analog pad, almost impossible to do (maybe it's my age!). I suspect others did too as this was never included in any future version

The Wii certainly has a place in the market and works brilliantly well for many genres of game.  I think that Wii developers should stick to developing games that lend themselves to the new input devices naturally rather than forcing the technology onto a game where there is really no need for it!

Saying that, I'd still be interested to have a go, and if I'm wrong, I'll eat my words! 

This a copy of an actual letter of complaint sent to ntl. If you are an ntl customer then you will probably be able to relate to much of it   

Dear Cretins:

I have been an NTL customer since 9th July 2001, when I signed up for your four-in-one deal for cable TV, cable modem, telephone, and alarm monitoring. During this three-month period I have encountered inadequacy of service which I had not previously considered possible, as well as ignorance and stupidity of monolithic proportions. Please allow me to provide specific details, so that you can either pursue your professional prerogative and seek to rectify these difficulties -- or more likely (I suspect) so that you can have some entertaining reading material as you while away the working day smoking B&H and drinking vendor-coffee on the bog in your office.

My initial installation was cancelled without warning, resulting in my spending an entire Saturday sitting on my fat arse waiting for your technician to arrive. When he did not arrive, I spent a further 57 minutes listening to your infuriating hold music, and the even more annoying Scottish robot woman telling me to look at your helpful website. HOW? I alleviated the boredom by playing with my testicles for a few minutes -- an activity at which you are no doubt both familiar and highly adept. The rescheduled installation then took place some two weeks later, although the technician did forget to bring a number of vital tools -- such as a drill-bit and his cerebrum. Two weeks later, my cable modem had still not arrived. After 15 telephone calls over four weeks my modem arrived, six weeks after I had requested it -- and begun to pay for it. I estimate your internet server's downtime is roughly 35% -- the hours between about 6 pm and midnight, Monday through Friday and most of the weekend. I am still waiting for my telephone connection.

I have made nine calls on my mobile to your no-help line and have been unhelpfully transferred to a variety of disinterested individuals who are, it seems, also highly skilled bollock jugglers. I have been informed that a telephone line is available (and someone will call me back); that I will be transferred to someone who knows whether or not a telephone line is available (and then been cut off); that I will be transferred to someone (and then been redirected to an answering machine informing me that your office is closed); that I will be transferred to someone and then been redirected to the irritating Scottish robot woman. And several other variations on this theme.

Doubtless you are no longer reading this letter, as you have at least a thousand other dissatisfied customers to ignore and also another one of those crucially important testicle moments to attend to. Frankly I don't care. It's far more satisfying as a customer to voice my frustrations in print than to shout them at your unending hold music. Forgive me, therefore, if I continue.

I thought British Telecom was crap; that they had attained the holy piss-pot of god-awful customer relations; and that no one, anywhere, ever, could be more disinterested, less helpful or more obstructive to delivering service to their customers. That's why I chose NT and because, well, there isn't anyone else is there?

How surprised I therefore was when I discovered to my considerable dissatisfaction and disappointment what a useless shower of bastards you truly are. You are sputum-filled pieces of distended rectum, incompetents of the highest order. BT -- wankers though they are -- shine like brilliant beacons of success in the filthy mire of your seemingly limitless inadequacy.

Suffice to say that I have now given up on my futile and foolhardy quest to receive any kind of service from you. I suggest that you cease any potential future attempts to extort payment from me for the services which you have so pointedly and catastrophically failed to deliver. Any such activity will be greeted initially with hilarity and disbelief and will quickly be replaced by derision and even perhaps bemused rage.

I enclose two small deposits, selected with great care from my cat's litter tray, as an expression of my utter and complete contempt for both you and your pointless company. I sincerely hope that they have not become desiccated during transit -- they were satisfyingly moist at the time of posting, and I would feel considerable disappointment if you did not experience both their rich aroma and delicate texture. Consider them the very embodiment of my feelings towards NTL and its worthless employees.

Have a nice day. May it be the last in your miserable short lives, you irritatingly incompetent and infuriatingly unhelpful bunch of twits.. May you rot in Hell, Robert Stokes