Wednesday 12 May 2010

Magical, revolutionary, and at an unbelievable price...

... well one out of three [current] isn't bad.

Magical? Unless you're a luddite, or perhaps don't use computers, hardly.

Revolutionary? Unless you consider being unable to multitask, no decent keyboard, being unable to put it in your pocket and lacking upgrade paths as being revolutionary, hardly.

Unbelievable price? Well, on that I can agree on. You can get at least half-decent laptops for £430 that are smaller than this and are a lot more functional. At least you can browse the web, take a Skype phone call over WiFi and play Solitaire at the same time on a laptop.

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Evony

Edit: For those tempted to start playing this (or if you already are), a couple of interesting articles from July '09:
http://www.bruceongames.com/2009/07/15/more-about-evony/
http://www.bruceongames.com/2009/07/16/is-evony-malware/

Original:
Yes, I know - done to death elsewhere, but having played this for a week or so having clicked through a more reasonable picture advert (not featured,) I didn't make the connection with the old adverts which I found somewhat... surreal... given the game itself.

First, the (some of) the adverts:


... and the, more mundane, reality?
Civilisation/Age of Empires, mixed with Farmville. Advertised by boobies.

Wednesday 5 May 2010

Best of British...

... imports.

It would appear that Hewitt and May, British makers of 'hand-made' shirts (hand made abroad that is) have gotten into a little trouble with one of their latest email shots[current]:


5 reasons why you shouldn't miss out
  1. Incredible value - get FREE delivery and save 50% on shirts which normally retail for up to £50.
  2. Best of British Shirtmaking - Hewitt & May is a small but honest firm - proud to be British. 
  3. Exclusive fabrics - sourced from the finest cotton mills - handpicked by our in-house designers. 
  4. Jermyn Street quality - let's put it this way: Hewitt & May don't manufacture in China...
  5. Fast & responsive customer care - visit our customer testimonial page.

It would appear that someone, then subsequently the ASA, took offense at point #2, since they seem to be implying that their hand made shirts are designed, material sourced, and the shirts made, in Britain.

I would hazard a guess that in #3, that the materials aren't sourced in Britain, shipped to Egypt (or wherever) to be made then the shirts shipped back.

While point #4 may be true, in that they don't manufacture in China, they appear to be implying that they manufacture (solely) in Britain.

As Hewitt and May, in their defense, told the ASA:
They said that if their shirts were made in Britain then they would have claimed "Made in England".
Rather telling that this isn't one of the 5 reasons you 'shouldn't miss out.'