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kirk781

@ kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

Posts
123
Comments
323
Joined
2 yr. ago

  • The unsung heroes of Android: Remembering 8 legendary apps we’ve lost

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  • I didn't even try using YTM as a podcast client. Streaming music players doubling as podcast players always have a hindrance (but at Atleast Amazon Music has some ad free content from Wondery in some regions in case one is a Prime subscriber).

    AntennePod is a good FOSS alternative whilst Pocketcasts is a decent cross platform one (but the latter basically is subscription based if one wants desktop and watch playback which is a downer).

  • The unsung heroes of Android: Remembering 8 legendary apps we’ve lost

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  • Podcasts was good. Lightweight, cross platform and basic. YTM is a sink hole as a podcast alternative.

    Apple Podcasts lives on as a far superior alternative whilst Google has left it's users in the lurch. In an alternate world, Google would still be developing Podcasts not only on mobile but also on Wear OS

  • YouTube Music Is Testing AI Hosts That Will Interrupt Your Tunes

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  • Yes, I have 4 add-ons for YouTube only (3 for youtube and one to change UI of YTM, technically a tamper monkey script).

    addon to auto select higher quality streams

    I meant on their mobile app. On web, there are ways. But on mobile, there is none officially. I have to manually select the 1080p thingy there. Ironically, New pipe has option for custom video stream for both wifi and mobile data.

    YouTube conducts so many useless experiments on their app from so called AI assisted summaries to what not, but can't factor in basic things. Today, I bolted back to Tubular ( Newpipe fork) and the simple UI with only subscriptions is a sight to behold (no shorts, option to hide comments, sponserblock integration and not to mention, no furthur IAPs). If a paying user has to resort to 3rd party alternatives, then the situation is really grim (the only thing YT app officially has is 1080p Premium bit rate but it rarely went there automatically for me).

  • YouTube Music Is Testing AI Hosts That Will Interrupt Your Tunes

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  • Google takes always anti user decisions. From small things like shoving in the cast button permanently in the playback UI of YT Music to depriving users of options (no third party clients, second rate Wear OS app, no light mode, no lossless audio, geographical restrictions on tracks(which for those same tracks don't appear on other music services)) ; it is like Google wants users to pirate.

    I paid for YT Premium because I used YT Music and YouTube was just a plus (the official YouTube app is a shill, asking to tip a creator or super thank or join membership. Like no thanks, I already paid once. Not to mention, even simplistic things like choosing a default video quality is impossible in YouTube mobile app. What the heck is Data Saving and High; give me granular controls.)

    If Google continues to enshittify even the music service, I will just pirate (I tried Spotify but this post will become another rant if I list it's shortcomings).

  • what debian compatible IRC client should I use now that hexchat is dead?

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  • I moved to weechat. It is terminal only. I had setup some keybindings either ways on hexchat to navigate faster via keyboard between channels / servers and weechat can replicate them (albeit it takes a little time to read documentation in this case). Many folks also are hard on users of irssi but weechat met my simplistic needs.

    Not to mention almost any distro will have a packaged version of weechat in its repos.

  • LinkedIn problems

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  • I don't generally use LinkedIn. I opened it today after long time and got logged out and was shown this.

    It is ironical because Microsoft owns LinkedIn but for rescuing a Microsoft account (which is arguably more important because emails at the least are linked to it. And then there is One drive, Authenticator apps and what not) none of this is required. But for rescuing what is essentially a fruitless social network, they need an ID.

  • Reddit Loses Another Useful Feature: The Sub Count on Old

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  • New Reddit is a mockery of design and waste of space. Add ito it the fact that RES isn't properly compatible with new Reddit and keyboard navigation is not possible.

  • FF won't let me install BPC extension

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  • I don't understand why Mozilla is so smitten with this extension. They already removed it from AMO, why are policing it now. A tiny minority of folks use Firefox(as a percentage of market share) worldwide and only some part of it use this extension. Why go after it so hard?

    They are policing it today, tomorrow they may say uBlock Origin violates our policies as well. Sure, technically one might be able to install via changing about:config toggle but that's a bridge too far for most users.

    It might seem I am making a huge mental jump for equating a paywall bypass extension to an adblocker extension, but in the eyes of corporations, both kind of users are equally loathed by them.

  • Nova Launcher is seemingly shutting down – so here are some alternatives

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  • I have been using Nova for nearly a decade now. I think it was the first app I paid for. I tried ahem, different launchers but each had something or the other missing. Nova seems so feature complete to me. I will go looking out for something new when it breaks.

    Currently on Android 15 on my phone, it works for the time being...

  • Deleted

    Permanently Deleted

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  • If you have a YTM subscription, it does not make sense to play in Outer tune. Any YTM Streaming client streams in 128 kbps whilst YTM Premium streams at 256 kbps when set at High.

    One can download songs at 256 kbps though if they have YTM Premium via yt-dlp using setcookiesoption. This is useful if someone has large custom playlists where searching via Soulseek is a chore.

  • Microsoft is testing full-screen Microsoft 365 ads in Windows 11 for expired subscriptions

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  • Of course, it made a mockery of everything you know of Windows because it's not like Windows. Neither is it meant to be used like one nor is it heading in that direction (not to mention that Windows is one monotonous thing, like if you know your hands across one install of Windows, you know it all. The same is not true about Linux. A Void Linux user might still not be as adept at a Gentoo install).

    You are contradicting yourself. First you call it magic and then you call it not very deep. If it's the latter, why do so many production servers run on Linux?

    Some Linux distros like Debian have a fantastic reputation for stability. Sure, bugs still exist. I personally struggle with a distro agnostic bug that breaks workflows often on my current setup. But things have come a long way. And it's better than Windows non customizable privacy invading approach any day.

    The twin advantages Windows has is wrt games (though that is slowly being covered) and more importantly, specialized software. I know folks IRL who have to use Windows just because their work requires it.

  • Sony Xperia 1 VII review: Unremarkable phone with a remarkable price tag

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  • Sony has even lost the plot in their ~ country even. (Japan right?) Many folks don't even know Sony still makes phones. It is not helped by the low number of Xperia models released and the exorbitant price tag. Sony is good at the camera and wireless earbuds segment but not in the phone arena.

    Honestly it has been quite some time since I have seen anyone sporting a Xperia. They used to be somewhat common in my country but have almost disappeared now.

    Edit: I just checked and Sony has officially stopped selling Xperia models in India (Atleast can't be purchased directly from site). It is like they have stopped trying in many markets.

  • Sony Xperia 1 VII review: Unremarkable phone with a remarkable price tag

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  • Yes, Sony is one of the last holdouts to make a flagship that still has both. They used to be really bad at software updates but have somewhat upped their ante on that. The price is still somewhat expensive and charging significantly slow (peak of 27 W is ironically slower than my budget Android phone).

    3.5mm jack and SD card slot make a significant difference. I have a cheap phone but have a 256 gigs latter slotted in inside to give some storage. And former is even more important because there are lots of times when I am just listening to say, music or podcast in a still situation where true wireless buds don't make sense. Why waste battery of expensive wireless buds when one can put decent IEMs in?

  • Traffic jams in Gurgaon, India.

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  • Bangalore has more registered cars than people living there as well, IIRC. And it's worse there because Chandigarh is Atleast a planned city ( the only planned one India built from scratch post Independence) but Bangalore mushroomed exponentially after the IT boom of 90s.

    As for Gurgaon, it's tragedy that only a small circular Rapid Metro runs there. Rest of Delhi has Atleast multiple lines.

  • Deleted

    Permanently Deleted

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  • They don't care a hoot about security. One look at Play Store which is filled with at best, low quality ad infested knockoffs to outright malware.

    In fact, I would argue that Play Store is worse because they actively try to influence user's intent by showing sponsored apps first.

    In my country, Google has actively promoted apps of companies that were basically educational pyramid schemes and later fell. Even now, sponsored listings in Play Store for stuff like Learn Ethical Hacking filled with same fake reviews is promoted at top and Google has no problem with that.

  • Films Frames - Every Frame is a Painting @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Kaagaz Ke Phool, Guru Dutt (1958)

  • Films Frames - Every Frame is a Painting @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Awaara, Raj Kapoor (1951)

  • AI summaries of people have landed on Reddit.

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  • Old Reddit is the only reason why I visit it sporadically. Combined with RES, I still have the same basic keybindings to browse I had multiple years ago. The new UI of Reddit is a waste of space.

  • Piracy: ꜱᴀɪʟ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪɢʜ ꜱᴇᴀꜱ @lemmy.dbzer0.com
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Pirating newsletters

  • Just got a Fairphone 6, AMA

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  • Fairphone does make wireless earbuds with replaceable batteries. That being said, does the Fairphone 6 not come with a 3.5mm jack? Sony still ships it's Xperia series with both the jack and microsD slot, so that is certainly possible.

  • Just got a Fairphone 6, AMA

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  • I know Fairphone would probably be quite expensive even for the price it offers if it ever came to my country, but for the update cycle they offer and repairable build (looks at my broken screen of old Nokia), it actually makes sense. I don't particularly need the highest end specs, I just need a mid ranger phone that's sufficiently fluid and Fairphone fits the bill.

    In fact, I was more intrigued by their earbuds. IIRC, they are the only one with a replaceable battery. For a set of wireless ones, that is a huge step. I don't think their sound profile was/is as good as Sony's or Sennheiser's but the simple fact that they don't have to end up as e waste makes them way more value for money in the long run.

  • LinkedinLunatics @sh.itjust.works
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Million dollars

  • Mozilla warns Germany could soon declare ad blockers illegal

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  • A friend of mine recently called me more brainwashed than anyone for questioning capitalism and said how can I question a system that gives me bread and butter.

    When I tried to point out that the system does not give me food by the goodness of it's heart but rather extracts something out of me in return, he pointed out that Milton Friedman was a staunch supporter of capitalism and there is no way I can know more than him.

    But the truth is, the world is crumbling. And I had rather believe what is unfolding before my own eyes than an economics textbook from 1970s (not to mention, that unlike say math economics isn't that objective a field. Just like he purported a free market supporting Economist, I too can forward names of folks who support the opposite POV).

    The day folks stop seeing themselves as temporarily embarrassed millionaires would be awakening.

  • Android @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic review: Yes, it really is worth $500

    www.androidauthority.com /samsung-galaxy-watch-8-classic-review-3585894/
  • A Boring Dystopia @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Forget Netflix, Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription

    www.autoexpress.co.uk /volkswagen/367566/forget-netflix-volkswagen-locks-horsepower-behind-paid-subscription
  • A Boring Dystopia @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    China's unemployed young adults who are pretending to have jobs

    www.bbc.com /news/articles/cdd3ep76g3go
  • Technology @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    How did Facebook intercept their competitor's encrypted mobile app traffic? [Old]

    haxrob.net /onavo-facebook-ssl-mitm-technical-analysis/
  • Android @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Nothing Phone 3 review: Nothing ventured, nothing gained

    arstechnica.com /gadgets/2025/07/nothing-phone-3-review-nothing-ventured-nothing-gained/
  • Android @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic review: A tough sell with vintage perks

    www.androidcentral.com /wearables/samsung-galaxy-watch-8-classic-review
  • Android @lemdro.id
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Google launches Extended Repair Program for Pixel 7a battery

    9to5google.com /2025/04/23/pixel-7a-extended-repair-program/
  • Android @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro Reviewed

    gadgetoid.com /2024/07/08/ticwatch-pro-5-enduro-reviewed/
  • Linux @lemmy.ml
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    An interview with Liberux about their made-in-EU OSHW Linux Phone

    linmob.net /liberux-nexx-an-interview-with-liberux/
  • Technology @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Java at 30: How a language designed for a failed gadget became a global powerhouse

    www.zdnet.com /article/java-at-30-how-a-language-designed-for-a-failed-gadget-became-a-global-powerhouse/
  • Android @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Lock screen and ads

  • Interesting Shares @lemmy.zip
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de
    Article

    The Long Shadow of Deobandism in South Asia

    newlinesmag.com /essays/the-long-shadow-of-deobandism-in-south-asia/
  • Interesting Shares @lemmy.zip
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de
    Article

    The rescued Vietnamese infants of Operation Babylift have grown up

    www.theverge.com /cs/features/651701/vietnam-operation-babylift-adoption-transnational
  • Android @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    Infinix Note 50 Pro 4G review

    gsmarena.com /infinix_note_50_pro_4g-review-2818.php
  • Android @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de

    The Galaxy A56 is the worst mid-range phone I used in 2025

    www.androidcentral.com /phones/samsung-galaxy/the-galaxy-a56-is-the-worst-mid-range-phone-i-used-in-2025
  • Fuck Cars @lemmy.world
    kirk781 @discuss.tchncs.de
    discussion

    Rise of cars in India