Daily Tech News 15 December 2025

Top Story

After Amazon was blocked from buying Roomba maker iRobot last year by US and European regulators, the company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will be sold off to Shenzhen PICEA Robotics Co. (Bloomberg / MSN)

Guess they'll have to... Suck it up.

Oh, and good fucking work on the regulations there. You really protected competition, huh?

Tech News

After 53 years, HP-IB, also known as GPIB and IEEE-488, has a stable Linux driver. (Tom's Hardware)

Thanks. Though I hear some people have moved on to Firewire now.
The Motorola Edge 70 prides itself on being thin and lightweight, unlike all the other phones on the market, which are so heavy the average person can barely lift them let alone carry them about. (Notebook Check)

Performance is kind of meh for the price. If you must have an edge, older models are available for much cheaper.
The Minisforum N5 Pro NAS turns out not to be all that expensive. (NASCompares)

I mean, it costs close to $1000 for the bare unit (with 128GB of storage - basically an OS boot disk) for a device with five 3.5" bays and three M.2 slots. But it has 10Gb and 5Gb Ethernet ports, two USB4 ports, Oculink, and a PCIe x16 slot for expansion.

And a twelve-core Ryzen 370, so this is not merely a NAS but a very capable PC with a lot more storage and networking options that you typically find in small pre-built systems.

I'm not about to buy one, though, because I have plenty of mini-PCs and plenty of multi-bay external storage units. And that little Beelink NAS too.
This $1500 robot cooks dinner while I work. (The Verge) (archive site)

So does my $20 Kmart slow-cooker.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: Sorry, I already gave at the jam office.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at December 15, 2025 04:00 AM (Ia/+0)

2 w00t

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:00 AM (RuTUS)

3 How are you doing, Pixy?

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:01 AM (RuTUS)

4 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at December 15, 2025 04:02 AM (bQ4nt)

5 Guess they'll have to... Suck it up.

Heh.

Posted by: olddog in mo at December 15, 2025 04:03 AM (bQ4nt)

6 >>>This $1500 robot cooks dinner while I work. (The Verge) (archive site)
So does my $20 Kmart slow-cooker.

You sound much older than I think you are.
Or just sensible.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:04 AM (RuTUS)

7 3 How are you doing, Pixy?
Posted by: m

My elbow hurts.

(Before the gardening adventure on the weekend I had a little bit of tendonitis in my right arm. I no longer have a "little bit" of tendonitis.)

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 15, 2025 04:04 AM (BLOW1)

8 Good morning. Nice to see Labelle and Ace Frehley had interchangeable wardrobes.

Posted by: Fluffy Nuggets, Jr. at December 15, 2025 04:07 AM (QNwyC)

9 from the ONT:

BBC: A US billionaire has donated $99,999 (US$ 65,000; £49,000) to a "hero" who tackled one of the Bondi Beach gunmen and wrestled his weapon off him (the maximum online donation is $99,999). ... The top donation is from William Ackman, the CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, who has praised the "brave hero" for saving lives on X.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:10 AM (RuTUS)

10 Before I just shut it down, firefox was using 9 gigs of ram, a new record!

Posted by: zigggggy at December 15, 2025 04:12 AM (/Pwrg)

11 >>>My elbow hurts.

(Before the gardening adventure on the weekend I had a little bit of tendonitis in my right arm. I no longer have a "little bit" of tendonitis.)
Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 15, 2025 04:04 AM (BLOW1)

uh-oh

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:13 AM (RuTUS)

12 2 w00t

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:00 AM (RuTUS)

I bought a computer from them...it still works. They used to send the funniest emails, til Amazon crushed their spirit

Posted by: zigggggy at December 15, 2025 04:13 AM (/Pwrg)

13 My iPad has suddenly slowed to a crawl on playing videos; like they're "buffering" (if that's even still a thing). Even when it's charged at 100%.

Advice?

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:17 AM (RuTUS)

14 Extreme violence?

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 15, 2025 04:20 AM (BLOW1)

15 Seems perskn of interest in Brown University shooting is being uninterested already.

Posted by: Skip at December 15, 2025 04:21 AM (Ia/+0)

16 >>>Posted by: zigggggy

Why five g's/Gs zigggggy?

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:25 AM (RuTUS)

17 This guy may have found a solution to the high price of DDR5 RAM.

https://is.gd/5f0mmU

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at December 15, 2025 04:25 AM (uv8gn)

18 14 Extreme violence?
Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 15, 2025 04:20 AM (BLOW1)

That sounds like it would be pricey.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:27 AM (RuTUS)

19 Rob Reiner and his wife are dead, murdered by son
Tragic story no doubt

Posted by: Skip at December 15, 2025 04:27 AM (Ia/+0)

20 from the ONT:

BBC: Tony Abbott, the former prime minister of Australia, says it is "day of shame for my country" following the Bondi Beach attack. ... Abbott says the current PM is "throwing up a smoke screen, saying what we need are better gun laws". ... "Sure, we might need that, but what we need most of all is zero tolerance of anti-Jewish hate speech."

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:28 AM (RuTUS)

21 "After 53 years, HP-IB, also known as GPIB and IEEE-488, has a stable Linux driver. (Tom's Hardware)"

Only 53, eh? I got around that by programming the HP-IB stuff in either FORTRAN or Labview. In any case, I'm retired now and the point is moot.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent at December 15, 2025 04:29 AM (/HDaX)

22 My iPad has suddenly slowed to a crawl on playing videos; like they're "buffering" (if that's even still a thing). Even when it's charged at 100%.

Advice?
Posted by: m

Flatten the box and put Linux on it. I'm pretty sure that is the late night tech thread preferred solution.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at December 15, 2025 04:30 AM (uv8gn)

23 The most surprising thing to me this morning is that Australia still has Kmarts.

I haven't seen one around here in a decade or more.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 04:35 AM (6ydKt)

24 LaBelle - Lady Marmalade (Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi Ce Soir) 1974

What a performer. You go, girl.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:36 AM (RuTUS)

25 13 My iPad has suddenly slowed to a crawl on playing videos; like they're "buffering" (if that's even still a thing). Even when it's charged at 100%.

Advice?

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:17 AM (RuTUS)

If it's stuck in buffer-loop, I doubt it's the iPad.
Could be the site you're trying to view has server problems or you're internet is wonky.

A good reboot of the iPad never hurts to try though.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 04:38 AM (6ydKt)

26 Video game problem: Do you hear Slim Whitman when you play the game backwards ?

Posted by: Going deep. Out. at December 15, 2025 04:43 AM (FIXtj)

27 25 13 My iPad has suddenly slowed to a crawl on playing videos; like they're "buffering" (if that's even still a thing). Even when it's charged at 100%.

Advice?

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:17 AM (RuTUS)

If it's stuck in buffer-loop, I doubt it's the iPad.
Could be the site you're trying to view has server problems or you're internet is wonky.

A good reboot of the iPad never hurts to try though.
Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 04:38 AM (6ydKt)

ok; I'll look out for 1) and 2)
1) the site you're trying to view has server problems or
2) your internet is wonky
3) a good reboot of the iPad never hurts to try

How do I do 3) on an iPad? thanks

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:44 AM (RuTUS)

28 It's easy to believe the regulators got what they really wanted with respect to iRobot.

Posted by: Richard Cranium at December 15, 2025 04:45 AM (KSviM)

29 23 The most surprising thing to me this morning is that Australia still has Kmarts.

I haven't seen one around here in a decade or more.
Posted by: SpeakingOf

324 stores in Australia. One left in the US.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 15, 2025 04:48 AM (BLOW1)

30 A corporate holiday greetings email has just arrived in my inbox and the company puts this at the end of the email:

Follow us on BlueSky | Facebook | Mastodon| Instagram | Youtube

LOL BlueSky, Mastodon

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:50 AM (RuTUS)

31 It depends on what model iPad, but on my iPad Air, you hold down the top button & the top volume button together for about ten seconds or so.
It will switch to your lock screen, and then you slide the slider over to the right turn it off.

Wait for the screen to go black.
Then hold that top button (no volume button this time) down again for five or ten seconds, give it a few seconds and the Apple logo will come on, then some more time and it will be back on your lock screen asking for your fingerprint, face ID, or passcode.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 04:54 AM (6ydKt)

32 31 It depends on what model iPad, but on my iPad Air, you hold down the top button & the top volume button together for about ten seconds or so.
It will switch to your lock screen, and then you slide the slider over to the right turn it off.

Wait for the screen to go black.
Then hold that top button (no volume button this time) down again for five or ten seconds, give it a few seconds and the Apple logo will come on, then some more time and it will be back on your lock screen asking for your fingerprint, face ID, or passcode.
Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 04:54 AM (6ydKt)

Ok, will do!

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:56 AM (RuTUS)

33
324 stores in Australia. One left in the US.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 15, 2025 04:48 AM (BLOW1)

The funny thing is they still have a full U.S. website.
For one store seems like overkill, but maybe they do online sales now.

I don't think I've been in a Kmart since the 90s.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 04:57 AM (6ydKt)

34 14 degrees here

Posted by: Skip at December 15, 2025 04:59 AM (Ia/+0)

35 32 31 It depends on what model iPad, but on my iPad Air, you hold down the top button & the top volume button together for about ten seconds or so.
It will switch to your lock screen, and then you slide the slider over to the right turn it off.

Wait for the screen to go black.
Then hold that top button (no volume button this time) down again for five or ten seconds, give it a few seconds and the Apple logo will come on, then some more time and it will be back on your lock screen asking for your fingerprint, face ID, or passcode.
Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 04:54 AM (6ydKt)

Ok, will do!
Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:56 AM (RuTUS)

Ok, did all that! We'll see! Thanks!

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 05:00 AM (RuTUS)

36 No doubt Brown University is camera up yet ghey can't get a picture of the shooter

Posted by: Skip at December 15, 2025 05:03 AM (Ia/+0)

37 Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 04:50 AM

Aside from being an extinct wooly marmmoth type of thing , is Mastodon any different in content that left wing BlueSky?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 15, 2025 05:03 AM (PFs9e)

38 Rescue rooster from Portland:

https://tinyurl.com/mw4c2waj

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 15, 2025 05:05 AM (PFs9e)

39 Usually not a potty-mouth. However:
Above a photo of the younger and still-living Bondi Beach terrorist:

Aelfred The Great
@aelfred_D
18h
Yes you fucking fuck

@HadiHtt
23h
Is he a terrorist for killing people who continue to support a state that has carried out a continuous genocide against the indigenous peoples of Palestine and Lebanon for 77 years?

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 05:05 AM (RuTUS)

40 Brothers sing an old time Christmas Carol, "What child is this"?

https://tinyurl.com/ekrtaw27

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 15, 2025 05:08 AM (PFs9e)

41 Daniel Greenfield, whose writing ability is absolutely amazing, has an essay on the killing at Bondi Beach and the dangers of Islam. I'm guessing that J.J. Will have it is the morning report .

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 15, 2025 05:12 AM (PFs9e)

42 I can't wait for Sping

Posted by: Skip at December 15, 2025 05:13 AM (Ia/+0)

43
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at December 15, 2025 05:15 AM (tljrc)

44 Minisforum, Beelink, and these other Hong Kong brands have really come a long way in about five years.

Dell, HP, and Lenovo better watch out before these little mini-pc companies take a good portion of their business within the decade.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 05:19 AM (6ydKt)

45 Ok, did all that! We'll see! Thanks!

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 05:00 AM (RuTUS)

Hope it helps.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 05:19 AM (6ydKt)

46 Good morning Horde.
Rob Reiner and wife allegedly found dead in home.

Posted by: Smell the Glove at December 15, 2025 05:19 AM (D+mpw)

47 Erika Kirk
@MrsErikaKirk
9h
Candace Owens and I are meeting for a private, in-person discussion on Monday, December 15. @RealCandaceO and I have agreed that public discussions, livestreams, and tweets are on hold until after this meeting. I look forward to a productive conversation. Thank you.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 05:19 AM (RuTUS)

48 Man from England writes on Judges 6:11-27, Gideon and "Faithful Response" Upper Room devotional :

https://tinyurl.com/3rx3n4xz

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 15, 2025 05:21 AM (ix8EF)

49 Reiner and wife may have been murdered by their drug addicted son.

Posted by: Smell the Glove at December 15, 2025 05:23 AM (D+mpw)

50 I cannot even imagine the horror finding the bloody bodies of your parents and
that your brother was responsible.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 15, 2025 05:23 AM (ix8EF)

51 Minisforum is offering the same N5 NAS model Pixy linked above, but with a Ryzen 7 255 CPU instead of the bigger brother AI 9 HX 370.

This one doesn't have the big, fancy, APU with the NPU and more robust GPU, so it's almost half the price at $594 on Amazon.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 05:25 AM (6ydKt)

52 "Hong Kong" == "PRC"

Posted by: Richard Cranium at December 15, 2025 05:26 AM (KSviM)

53 Greetings and good morning, everyone. It's about 19 degrees out here. I left for work early to give myself time and not take the risk of sliding on the ice.

The downside is that I'm at work now.

Posted by: NR Pax at December 15, 2025 05:26 AM (lXoJ5)

54

BREAKING:

ROB REINER and WIFE FOUND STABBED TO DEATH!

https://nypost.com/2025/12/14/us-news/2-dead-

at-rob-reiners-la-home-lapds-

robbery-homicide-division-respond/

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at December 15, 2025 05:29 AM (x0n13)

55 I'm honestly sad to hear about iRobot's demise. We used to have two. One was for the carpets and one for linoleum. One day, my cat was being chased by the one on the carpet. She ran from it, vaulted the baby gate into the kitchen only to see the second one closing in on her.

Posted by: NR Pax at December 15, 2025 05:29 AM (lXoJ5)

56 47 Erika Kirk
@MrsErikaKirk
9h
Candace Owens and I are meeting for a private, in-person discussion on Monday, December 15. @RealCandaceO and I have agreed that public discussions, livestreams, and tweets are on hold until after this meeting. I look forward to a productive conversation. Thank you.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 05:19 AM (RuTUS)

She's a lot more charitable than I would be.
I'd be thinking about lawyers and/or slapping the taste out of Candace's mouth for all the crap she's pulling the past few months.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 05:30 AM (6ydKt)

57 No way that Owens is going to stop after meeting with Erika Kirk. Owens will simply say "more questions were raised."

Posted by: Smell the Glove at December 15, 2025 05:33 AM (D+mpw)

58 55 I'm honestly sad to hear about iRobot's demise. We used to have two. One was for the carpets and one for linoleum. One day, my cat was being chased by the one on the carpet. She ran from it, vaulted the baby gate into the kitchen only to see the second one closing in on her.
Posted by: NR Pax at December 15, 2025 05:29 AM (lXoJ5)

It is hard not to laugh.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 05:34 AM (RuTUS)

59 52 "Hong Kong" == "PRC"

Posted by: Richard Cranium at December 15, 2025 05:26 AM (KSviM)

Yes, technically.

Hong Kong is where all of the Chinese companies that sell these mini devices are based.

They've been a lot more innovative about that market segment than any company in the West because they followed Apple's lead and asked "Why not make a smaller PC with laptop/mobile chips like Apple did with the iMacs and Minis?"

The only other example are Intel NUCs but few corps wanted to manufacture and sell those type of machines and now only Asus makes them.

Dell & HP are just now getting into the game, very late and are playing catch-up to Chinese competitors who can beat them on price every time.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 05:40 AM (6ydKt)

60 also this week:

Turning Point’s annual AmericaFest conference will be held December 18–21, 2025, at the Phoenix Convention Center. This year’s event will be unlike any other - a powerful celebration of faith, freedom, and the legacy of our founder, Charlie Kirk.

https://www.amfest.com

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 05:46 AM (RuTUS)

61 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at December 15, 2025 05:50 AM (sAmhv)

62 51 Minisforum is offering the same N5 NAS model Pixy linked above, but with a Ryzen 7 255 CPU instead of the bigger brother AI 9 HX 370.

This one doesn't have the big, fancy, APU with the NPU and more robust GPU, so it's almost half the price at $594 on Amazon.
Posted by: SpeakingOf

The Ryzen 7 255 is what I have in my new mini-PC, also from Minisforum. Perfectly capable and a lot cheaper than the Ryzen 9 370.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 15, 2025 05:51 AM (BLOW1)

63 7 3 How are you doing, Pixy?
Posted by: m

My elbow hurts.

(Before the gardening adventure on the weekend I had a little bit of tendonitis in my right arm. I no longer have a "little bit" of tendonitis.)
Posted by: Pixy Misa

That sucks. I had that for a bit and my right arm was rendered useless. Hurt like hell. Praying for relief for you. It really does suck, tendonitis.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at December 15, 2025 05:56 AM (sAmhv)

64 Antiochus IV is a fink!

( is that a bad mix of metaphors? I’m stealing it from an old comic strip )

Posted by: Fenderbender at December 15, 2025 05:56 AM (1FEc1)

65 G'morning, all!

22.3 degrees out.

BUT, only 49% humidity right now.

Both of these things are rather amazing for the Lowcountry of S.C.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025 05:57 AM (Ytdv9)

66 Funny video is someone turned their Rombainto cat riding tanks so they could play Cats und Panzer

Posted by: Skip at December 15, 2025 05:58 AM (I2M9E)

67 19 Rob Reiner and his wife are dead, murdered by son
Tragic story no doubt
Posted by: Skip

Really?? That's horrible! He was a bitter guy. Had a lot of hate in him but still, awful. Very sad to hear.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at December 15, 2025 05:58 AM (sAmhv)

68 53 Greetings and good morning, everyone. It's about 19 degrees out here. I left for work early to give myself time and not take the risk of sliding on the ice.

The downside is that I'm at work now.
Posted by: NR Pax at December 15, 2025 05:26 AM (lXoJ5)

The upside is that you're in the tech thread comments!

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 05:58 AM (RuTUS)

69 On the plus side...

the new heat pump system is maintaining the home's interior within .4 degrees of the 70 degree set point.

All with hardly any supplemental heat strip usage.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025 05:59 AM (Ytdv9)

70 It is hard not to laugh.
Posted by: m

We certainly did. I never knew they could coordinate like that.

Posted by: NR Pax at December 15, 2025 05:59 AM (lXoJ5)

71 It's frelling cold here.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at December 15, 2025 06:00 AM (WPL6O)

72 The Ryzen 7 255 is what I have in my new mini-PC, also from Minisforum. Perfectly capable and a lot cheaper than the Ryzen 9 370.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 15, 2025 05:51 AM (BLOW1)

Yeah, unless you want to run an AI model or play games on your NAS it's not really necessary to get the Ryzen 9 370.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 06:01 AM (6ydKt)

73
13.3F here near Simpsonville, SC, and I just went out to catch another pass of the ISS, this time to the North. It popped out of the earth's shadow about 5:50AM EST just to the west of the Big Dipper, moving pretty fast, then set to the NE. It's quite bright, magnitude -4.6 or so.

Around the world in 90 minutes, it goes.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at December 15, 2025 06:01 AM (w6EFb)

74
13.1F now, and I may just dip below the low for this year, 12.9F back in Jan. That pre-dawn little dive may just break it.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at December 15, 2025 06:03 AM (w6EFb)

75 22.3 degrees out.

BUT, only 49% humidity right now.

Both of these things are rather amazing for the Lowcountry of S.C.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025 05:57 AM (Ytdv9)

It's days like these I'm glad I don't have to leave the house to work.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 06:04 AM (6ydKt)

76 A balmy 13° outside. Going up to mid twenties today , but may hut high 40s by Friday. Winter in Mid Hudson

Posted by: Smell the Glove at December 15, 2025 06:06 AM (D+mpw)

77
Just looked at a PWS near Summerville, SC. Temp 22F, Dew point just 4F, for an RH of 45%.

That dew point is lower than me, 8F currently.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at December 15, 2025 06:08 AM (w6EFb)

78 toward the top of the Daily Caller twitter site (text and video):

Daily Caller
@DailyCaller
16h

Q: “With all due respect, six hours after the shooting, and you said you don’t know what was going on in that classroom?... Were they taking an exam, were they meeting for a club?”

Brown President Christina Paxson: “I don’t know.”

Q: “6 hours later. You’re the president. You don’t know?"

PAXSON: “I do not know.”

REPORTER: “That’s kind of concerning."

https://nitter.net/DailyCaller

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:08 AM (RuTUS)

79 Dell and HP, along with Lenovo, do a different style of mini-PC that are more like a trade paperback than a cube. I used to install lots of them in banks and other places getting hardware upgrades, typically for the in-branch kiosk dedicated to letting people access their accounts via web or do preliminary booking/check-in of a hotel room if there is a long line at the front desk.

For some reason, many businesses prefer these setups where the little PC is attached to the back of the monitor than an All-In-One (AIO) that takes less setup. And also lends itself better to rapidly switching in a spare unit if it fails.

Posted by: Epobirs at December 15, 2025 06:10 AM (/0z9K)

80
Heck, 22F in Sullivan's Island, DP 6F.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at December 15, 2025 06:11 AM (w6EFb)

81 Evening and morning to all the Monday toilers and early risers! Yeah. I know. It's Monday. But remember:

"Compared to being on the wrong side of the ground, even a bad Monday is pretty small kumquats, nicht wahr?"

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 15, 2025 06:12 AM (wzUl9)

82 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.
Rejoinder: Jam yesterday and jam tomorrow, but never jam today.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at December 15, 2025 06:12 AM (yNJrI)

83
It's 30F in Tallahassee.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at December 15, 2025 06:13 AM (w6EFb)

84 Good morning everyone.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at December 15, 2025 06:14 AM (WPL6O)

85 For some reason, many businesses prefer these setups where the little PC is attached to the back of the monitor than an All-In-One (AIO) that takes less setup. And also lends itself better to rapidly switching in a spare unit if it fails.

Posted by: Epobirs at December 15, 2025 06:10 AM (/0z9K)

I believe they're the wave of the future if AMD keeps up with these APUs that are powerful enough to run AI and AAA games without a dedicated GPU.

Not to mention how power efficient they are using mobile chips compared to desktop CPUs regularly pulling in over 160 watts.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 06:14 AM (6ydKt)

86 Really don't get Big Techs obsession with "thin and lightweight." Give me something solid packed with memory and power that can survive a drop from desktop height.

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at December 15, 2025 06:14 AM (f0sNM)

87 On the plus side, the new tp-link Deco X60 mesh system that I purchased the other day is installed, and fully running.

Main unit and five nodes are all communicating with each other very well, and overall seems rather stable.

On the downside, the Amazon Alexa's are all having mental breakdowns, and even forgetting where they are located.
Got so bad yesterday that I removed the Alexa+ feature using 'advanced' AI for the account to see if that will help.
And using the internet to see how this whole Alexa+ roll-out is going shows that it seems to be a worldwide hot mess.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025 06:17 AM (Ytdv9)

88
Good morning, Hordians.

Pixy, has this massacre opened any eyes down there or is it just more obfuscation and hand-waving dismissal among media, government and the "public intellectual" class?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 15, 2025 06:18 AM (tgvbd)

89 Bingo! Smartphones should be available in a nice chunky version about as thick as pack of smokes, with a battery that lasts days, not hours.

Posted by: Common Tater at December 15, 2025 06:19 AM (cfKqR)

90 The President of Brown knows who the shooter is but is worried about "backlash" because it goes against the narrative.

Posted by: NR Pax at December 15, 2025 06:19 AM (lXoJ5)

91 Since we're reporting temps: 32-34 F. here, high today about 48, low tomorrow morning to be about 37 -- and then we'll rebound into the 70s. My prediction is that I'll need to run the A/C on Christmas Eve.

Hard to get into the spirit when the reindeer are sitting around sweating like everybody else.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 15, 2025 06:19 AM (wzUl9)

92 The President of Brown knows who the shooter is but is worried about "backlash" because it goes against the narrative.
Posted by: NR Pax at December 15, 2025 06:19 AM (lXoJ5)
-----------
Perhaps we should just start out with frontlash, then.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at December 15, 2025 06:20 AM (yNJrI)

93 Called Frontier to cancel my landline. Talked to a very nice robot who was a delight to talk to. But his answers to my questions was repeated word for word.
But it did connect me to a nice real human, who reminded me that Verizon would soon probably end copper landlines anyway.I liked her better as she laughed and we joked about no more Frontier (at least ownership). Try to get a robot to joke around, probably impossible.

Posted by: colin at December 15, 2025 06:21 AM (wlQdF)

94 The furry thugs think they need to be fed. I'm trying to push their breakfast time back to 6 am and dinner to 6 pm, so Stirling won't be inclined to leap on and over me at 4 am. I fed them late (by their standards) last night. Didn't prevent the Evil Black Kitten of War and Pestilence from bugging me at 4 am, though.

Little Dagny, however, does come to sit by me on the arm of the sofa when breakfast is late, so there's that.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 15, 2025 06:22 AM (wzUl9)

95 88 Pixy, has this massacre opened any eyes down there or is it just more obfuscation and hand-waving dismissal among media, government and the "public intellectual" class?
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

Hasn't really opened any eyes. Anyone with enough IQ points not to drink dish soap knew this was going to happen. That of course leaves out most of the people running things here.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 15, 2025 06:23 AM (BLOW1)

96 BBC headline; I can't be the only person who misreads this as the start of a joke:

A 10-year-old, two rabbis and a Holocaust survivor -

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:25 AM (RuTUS)

97
It's 35 degrees here at Schloss Hadrian! 35!

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 15, 2025 06:26 AM (tgvbd)

98 Really don't get Big Techs obsession with "thin and lightweight." Give me something solid packed with memory and power that can survive a drop from desktop height.

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at December 15, 2025 06:14 AM (f0sNM)

Think of the lowest common denominator here.

You've got a 5'-0" 90 pound woman who looks at her phone all day. Her arm will get tired from the weight.

Give her a lighter phone and she'll feel the difference.
That's especially true of much heavier tablets and laptops.

'Thin and Light' has been a thing since 2009 when Steve Jobs pulled the first Macbook Air out of a manila envelope on stage.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 06:27 AM (6ydKt)

99 So the Brown mass shooting seems to be another attack on Jews.

That makes what..four worldwide in a single 24 hour period.

Bondi
California
Brown University
Amsterdam.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025 06:27 AM (Ytdv9)

100 C

Posted by: olddog in mo at December 15, 2025 06:28 AM (bQ4nt)

101 100

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:28 AM (RuTUS)

102 98 'Thin and Light' has been a thing since 2009 when Steve Jobs pulled the first Macbook Air out of a manila envelope on stage.
Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 06:27 AM (6ydKt)

A magical moment.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:28 AM (RuTUS)

103 99 So the Brown mass shooting seems to be another attack on Jews.
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025 06:27 AM (Ytdv9)

I don't believe we know that.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:29 AM (RuTUS)

104 because it goes against the narrative.
Posted by: NR Pax at December 15, 2025 06:19 AM (lXoJ5)

Or he's worried that it goes perfectly with the narrative and he's desperately invested in a different narrative....

Probably a distinction without a difference.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 15, 2025 06:30 AM (06Hmj)

105 101 100
Posted by: m
-------------

Missed it by that >< much.

Posted by: olddog in mo at December 15, 2025 06:31 AM (bQ4nt)

106 105 101 100
Posted by: m
-------------

Missed it by that >
Posted by: olddog in mo at December 15, 2025 06:31 AM (bQ4nt)

You scored!

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:32 AM (RuTUS)

107
I don't believe we know that.
Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:29 AM (RuTUS)

True, but I think the chances of it not being that are like those of the Cowboyx making the playoffs.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 15, 2025 06:32 AM (tgvbd)

108 " I don't believe we know that."

Insty linked to this yesterday.
Might be wrong, but if correct, could explain the reluctance to answer questions asked by the media.

https://tinyurl.com/3mrhxw5j

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025 06:32 AM (Ytdv9)

109 LOL, Pixy!

G'mornin' everyone!

9 degrees above zero this morning, woohoo!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at December 15, 2025 06:33 AM (Cjt/F)

110 104 because it goes against the narrative.
Posted by: NR Pax at December 15, 2025 06:19 AM (lXoJ5)

Or he's worried that it goes perfectly with the narrative and he's desperately invested in a different narrative....

Probably a distinction without a difference.
Posted by: Warai-otoko at December 15, 2025 06:30 AM (06Hmj)

She.
Brown President Christina Paxson: “I don’t know.”

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:34 AM (RuTUS)

111 BREAKING:

ROB REINER and WIFE FOUND STABBED TO DEATH!
Posted by: J.J. Sefton at December 15, 2025 05:29 AM (x0n13)

In the kind of reporting that only professional journalists can write, "A knife was believed to have been used."

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at December 15, 2025 06:34 AM (ExV1e)

112
Feeling rather disgusted with myself. My weight has been much closer to 190 than to the 180 that I'd like it to be. And this isn't exactly the season to try to drop some of it.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 15, 2025 06:35 AM (tgvbd)

113 108 " I don't believe we know that."

Insty linked to this yesterday.
Might be wrong, but if correct, could explain the reluctance to answer questions asked by the media.

https://tinyurl.com/3mrhxw5j
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025 06:32 AM (Ytdv9)

Thanks.
Here's her Brown faculty page:

https://vivo.brown.edu/display/rfriedbe

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:37 AM (RuTUS)

114 @78/m: { PAXSON: “I do not know.” }

Whenever someone fails to use a contraction while denying something, I suspect they're lying.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 15, 2025 06:38 AM (O7YUW)

115 114 @78/m: { PAXSON: “I do not know.” }

Whenever someone fails to use a contraction while denying something, I suspect they're lying.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 15, 2025 06:38 AM (O7YUW)

She could so easily have said something like, "We will be sharing details at an appropriate time." Anything.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:40 AM (RuTUS)

116 Try to get a robot to joke around, probably impossible.
Posted by: colin

Stupid clankers. No humor and they think they can replace people.

Posted by: NR Pax at December 15, 2025 06:40 AM (lXoJ5)

117 My alltime favorite TV interaction:

Archie: You could move to “Joisey “ ( New Jersey)
Meathead: I HATE Joisey!
Archie: EVERYBODY hates Joisey, but SOMEBODY has to live dere (there) !

Posted by: Fenderbender at December 15, 2025 06:43 AM (1FEc1)

118 Young lady at Brown was VP of College Republicans.

Ella Cook

Posted by: rhennigantx at December 15, 2025 06:45 AM (gbOdA)

119 I honestly have little to say about Rob Reiner so I will leave it at sending prayers of comfort to his loved ones.

Posted by: NR Pax at December 15, 2025 06:45 AM (lXoJ5)

120 Raise your hand if you have a nautical bend to your thought processes, and want to read a really long article about logistics and maritime war-fighting.

https://tinyurl.com/2n6w8aem

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025 06:45 AM (Ytdv9)

121 🙋‍♂️

Posted by: Victor Tango Kilo at December 15, 2025 06:46 AM (f0sNM)

122
Q: “With all due respect, six hours after the shooting, and you said you don’t know what was going on in that classroom?... Were they taking an exam, were they meeting for a club?”

Brown President Christina Paxson: “I don’t know.”

Q: “6 hours later. You’re the president. You don’t know?"

These people live in a bubble world. This event, and knowing who did it, is something so outside the ken of their imagination that they go all armadillo in the headlights.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 15, 2025 06:46 AM (tgvbd)

123 114 @78/m: { PAXSON: “I do not know.” }

Whenever someone fails to use a contraction while denying something, I suspect they're lying.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 15, 2025 06:38 AM (O7YUW)

Maybe!
It also reminds me of this:

And how one can imagine oneself among them

I do not know;

It was all so unimaginably different

And all so long ago.

https://tinyurl.com/uxr2adm

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:47 AM (RuTUS)

124 Have I mentioned I H8 my co-workers in awhile?

Posted by: Skip at December 15, 2025 06:48 AM (I2M9E)

125 102 98 'Thin and Light' has been a thing since 2009 when Steve Jobs pulled the first Macbook Air out of a manila envelope on stage.
Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 06:27 AM (6ydKt)

A magical moment.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:28 AM (RuTUS)

I was off a year, it was 2008:

Part 1 -
https://youtu.be/OIV6peKMj9M

Part 2 -
https://youtu.be/jYV0P1-HVos

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 06:49 AM (6ydKt)

126 Whenever someone fails to use a contraction while denying something, I suspect they're lying.
Posted by: Grumpy

Interesting tell, Grumps.

Posted by: stu-mick-o-sucks at December 15, 2025 06:50 AM (DsA2n)

127 So much for their 'safe spaces'
Maybe everyone has a 45 revolver and a 30 cal carbine like the old west would be safer

Posted by: Skip at December 15, 2025 06:50 AM (I2M9E)

128 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at December 15, 2025 06:50 AM (2Ez/1)

129 My cat Hexie is guarding the office door again, refusing to let anyone sneak by.

Kaylee wants to go out to the living room, but she's trapped in the office.

Allie is in the library, but can't get by Hexie to come into the office to sit in my lap.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 15, 2025 06:51 AM (ESVrU)

130 @120/Village Idiot's Apprentice: Thanks, I'll be reading that over the course of the day.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 15, 2025 06:51 AM (O7YUW)

131 These people live in a bubble world. This event, and knowing who did it, is something so outside the ken of their imagination that they go all armadillo in the headlights.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 15, 2025 06:46 AM (tgvbd)

I think it is even worse than you describe, although I agree. This woman is so smug and superior that she considers mere details to be beneath her. She sees herself as some paragon of high-minded intellectualism...someone who is far better than the nitty gritty of the real world. She has underlings to deal with the details.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 15, 2025 06:51 AM (n9ltV)

132 131 These people live in a bubble world. This event, and knowing who did it, is something so outside the ken of their imagination that they go all armadillo in the headlights.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 15, 2025 06:46 AM (tgvbd)

I think it is even worse than you describe, although I agree. This woman is so smug and superior that she considers mere details to be beneath her. She sees herself as some paragon of high-minded intellectualism...someone who is far better than the nitty gritty of the real world. She has underlings to deal with the details.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 15, 2025 06:51 AM (n9ltV)

3 million dollar annual salary, I am seeing online

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:53 AM (RuTUS)

133 118 Young lady at Brown was VP of College Republicans.

Ella Cook
Posted by: rhennigantx at December 15, 2025 06:45 AM (gbOdA)

New York Post
https://nypost.com
7 hours ago — Sophomore Ella Cook was identified as the first victim of the Brown University mass shooting by her hometown priest in Birmingham, Alabama

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:54 AM (RuTUS)

134 "Thanks, I'll be reading that over the course of the day."

Same here.

It really will take all day to fully digest every part of that thing.

But it has a ring of accuracy and honesty to it that is often lacking in today's reporting.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025 06:54 AM (Ytdv9)

135 I think it is even worse than you describe, although I agree. This woman is so smug and superior that she considers mere details to be beneath her. She sees herself as some paragon of high-minded intellectualism...someone who is far better than the nitty gritty of the real world. She has underlings to deal with the details.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 15, 2025 06:51 AM (n9ltV)
---
I agree with you. It's not just an unwillingness to deal with the details, it's an absolute refusal to do so.

It's a complete failure of leadership and responsibility.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 15, 2025 06:54 AM (ESVrU)

136 Takes many many coincidences for the VP of the College Republicans to be found and shot.

11k students and 143 acres.

Posted by: rhennigantx at December 15, 2025 06:55 AM (gbOdA)

137 Okay, work beckons. I gotta go.

J.J.: Nice seeing you make an appearance early on the Tech Thread. I'll catch up with the Morning Report once I get back from my morning shift.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 15, 2025 06:57 AM (O7YUW)

138 The good news is TJM can now do a career-spanning review to include Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride...

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at December 15, 2025 06:58 AM (B3OIK)

139 The good news is TJM can now do a career-spanning review to include Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride...
Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at December 15, 2025 06:58 AM (B3OIK)
----------
And North...

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at December 15, 2025 06:59 AM (yNJrI)

140 125 102 98 'Thin and Light' has been a thing since 2009 when Steve Jobs pulled the first Macbook Air out of a manila envelope on stage.
Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 06:27 AM (6ydKt)

A magical moment.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:28 AM (RuTUS)

I was off a year, it was 2008:

Part 1 -
https://youtu.be/OIV6peKMj9M

Part 2 -
https://youtu.be/jYV0P1-HVos
Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 15, 2025 06:49 AM (6ydKt)

So much fun.

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 06:59 AM (RuTUS)

141
JJS

Posted by: rhennigantx at December 15, 2025 07:00 AM (gbOdA)

142 Fa un freddo cane!

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at December 15, 2025 07:00 AM (B3OIK)

143 Le NOOD

It be here

JJ

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025 07:01 AM (Ytdv9)

144 Le NOOD

It be here

JJ
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 15, 2025

***
Early!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 15, 2025 07:08 AM (wzUl9)

145 MacBook Air

I'm a new soul
I came to this strange world
Hoping I could learn a bit bout how to give and take
I'm a young soul in this very strange world
Hoping I could learn a bit bout what is true and fake
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

Posted by: m at December 15, 2025 07:28 AM (RuTUS)

146 Dear Brown University Board of Regents:

Stop putting women in charge.

Posted by: Someone has to say it at December 15, 2025 07:53 AM (2Ez/1)

147 Thin and light was a thing in the portable business before the Macbook Air. The big deal with the Air was forgoing most common ports and the optical drive to up the ante.

This made apple the first major company to ship a USB-C equipped system. They then use a proprietary connector on the iPhone rather than USB-C, which would have save many a lot of hassle with having to keep cables for just Apple IOS devices.

I swore off Apple in the 80s after a particular Steve Jobs policy pissed me off. I've never regretted it.

Posted by: Epobirs at December 15, 2025 08:13 AM (/0z9K)

148 @Epobirs: "I swore off Apple in the 80s after a particular Steve Jobs policy pissed me off. I've never regretted it."

Well now I'm curious what policy you're referring to. Do tell?

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 15, 2025 10:01 AM (O7YUW)

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