04 December 2024

Outlook is poor for those still on Windows Mail, Calendar, People apps by end of year

Microsoft is preparing to kill off the old Windows Mail, Calendar, and People apps by the end of this month and shift users to the Outlook for Windows app.

In November, Microsoft confirmed there would be no reprieve for the apps. It will be possible to export local emails, calendar events, and contacts that users have stored in Mail, Calendar, and People into the new Outlook up until December 31, 2024. After that, however, the ability to send or receive mail will be revoked.

"The new Outlook for Windows is for everyone. Now everyone with Windows gets the best of Outlook built into Windows for free," Microsoft said. AI is also on hand "to help you write impactful, clearer, mistake-free messages."

While it will continue to support "Classic" Outlook, Microsoft wants users to migrate to the new app. One user complained: "I don't need a bloated mail client. Mail and Calendar apps just work. If I need a more fully featured email client, I will just use the Office 365. But the 'new' Outlook is garbage."

Just you haven't had the misfortune to try the Outlook (new) app - don't. It is like the old Windows Live Mail program on steroids. Probably even worse though as it tries to take over from the proper full fat Outlook - but isn't compatible with PSTs! Microsoft seems to be making all their decisions as bad decisions: Copilot, Recall, Win11, new Outlook - all horrible...

www.theregister.com


Windows 11 market share falls despite Microsoft ad blitz

Despite Microsoft's push to get customers onto Windows 11, growth in the market share of the software giant's latest operating system has stalled, while Windows 10 has made modest gains, according to fresh figures from Statcounter.

This is not the news Microsoft wanted to hear. After half a year of growth, the line for Windows 11 global desktop market share has taken a slight downturn, according to the website usage monitor, going from 35.6 percent in October to 34.9 percent in November. Windows 10, on the other hand, managed to grow its share of that market by just under a percentage point to 61.8 percent.

The drop was more pronounced in Microsoft's home market of the United States. Americans are now less than keen on the IT titan's flagship operating system, at least if you judge by the figures, resulting in a fall in the US of more than 3 percent in market share, while Windows 10 grew by a similar amount.

The figures are not official – Microsoft does not release market share numbers unless it has a milestone it wants to boast about – but Statcounter calculates its statistics from logging netizens generating more than five billion page views across 1.5 million global sites, making it a reliable-ish indicator of market trends.

www.theregister.com


02 December 2024

Revamped Motorcycle Live show at Birmingham’s NEC welcomes almost 90,000 visitors in 2024

Thousands of bikers descended on Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) for this year’s rejuvenated Motorcycle Live show – now featuring more stages, additional stunt shows, and an evening of live musical entertainment.

Kicking off on Saturday, November 16, the show concluded on Sunday, November 24 – welcoming in 43 motorcycle manufacturers including established players like Ducati, BMW, and Suzuki, as well as smaller concerns such as CCM, Paton, and Ohvale.  

“Because there’s so much new stuff in there, you don’t really know what to expect as an organiser, but I’m pleased to say the changes have been properly embraced by the visitors,” Managing Director, Finlay McAllan said.

MikeyG & I drove up to Brum on Weds 20th Nov, back on Friday 22nd. We stayed at one of my favourite places: The White Lion Inn, Hampton in Arden. Thursday Mike was volunteering for Mental Health Motorbike @ MCL - so I went to the National Motorcycle Museum. Friday - we both went to MCL. We go up most years - usually a great trip, lots of interesting things to see & opportunities to part with hard earned... They've revamped the show for 2024 - did a good job of it too. Better grub & drinks, live music. The stands (manufacturers & retailers) were good. I was particularly keen on Honda's GB350s & CB1000 SP Hornet. Mike was very taken with the Honda rolling road demo of their Dual Clutch gearbox in the NT1100. We had a blast on the electric bike test ride zone - I rode the Kawasaki Ninja EV - which was a great bike! All in a very enjoyable few days away c/w excellent curry & a few swift arves :0). Cold / snowy trip & could have done without the cold that's been troubling me for the last few weeks - but "ho hum"! Photos HERE - enjoy! :0).

www.motorcyclenews.com


27 November 2024

KTM takes drastic measures to cut losses - as financial woes worsen

It was just a couple of years ago that Pierer Mobility - owned KTM celebrated 12 straight years of record growth. Now, the company is in a dire crisis that requires a halt in production and the sacking of more than 300 employees. How did it get here?

Overproduction and quality issues are two of the main reasons for KTM’s state of affairs. In an emergency announcement released this past week, Pierer Mobility AG disclosed that KTM AG's liquidity strategy for the 2025 fiscal year will require additional funding to the tune of a "nine-figure sum in dollars." That's in the hundreds of millions for those not wanting to count zeroes.

To cut inventory, a production halt is planned in Mattighofen in Austria. This will result in around 300 layoffs. KTM states that investor talks are in progress and that it remains to be seen if these "measures are sufficient." The KTM AG group accounts for more than 95% of Pierer Mobility AG’s revenue.

For a while now KTM has been announcing layoffs and job relocations to China. The managers at Mattighofen have previously downplayed the situation, claiming that Europe's biggest motorcycle manufacturer could handle its current financial crisis on its own. However, that crisis has worsened.

It all started towards the end of last year when KTM AG decided to shift production of its “mid-range models” and certain R&D from Austria to China (CF Moto) and India (Bajaj Auto) – all of which resulted in job losses for some 300 employees in Austria. At that point, the board of directors cited discouraging economic conditions in Europe, slowing economic growth, increasing inflation, and higher interest rates as the reasons behind the moves.

Wanna know what the real problem is here? We all like new shiny things, but I've been horrified by all the unnecessary tech and huge price tags attached to bikes these days. We need a dose of realism in motorcycling! If several of the big manufacturers (HD, BMW, Ducati - I'm looking at you) don't get that message & soon - some folks will get tempted to go to the dark side & buy into those dreadful Chinese bikes. As it is, in the UK, we've seen several major motorcycle dealerships go bust - in just the last few months. We need to encourage youngsters in - not just pander to older geezers with lots of available dosh! Have a look at this excellent video "The Affordability Crisis in Motorcycling" by Yammie Noob - it says it all...

www.newatlas.com


26 November 2024

The Chosen: Last Supper Teaser (Season 5)

Watch this amazing trailer on YouTube

The table is set. The people of Israel welcome Jesus as king while his disciples anticipate his crowning. But—instead of confronting Rome—he turns the tables on his own religious festival. Their power threatened, the country’s religious and political leaders will go to any length to ensure this Passover meal is Jesus’ last.

www.thechosen.tv


25 November 2024

Government consultation denies UK-wide bus lane access for bikers despite overwhelming support

The UK’s Labour Government have rejected a motion to allow bikers to use all bus lanes by default, releasing a statement claiming they have: “no policy to encourage greater use of motorcycles.”

The online consultation document ran from March 17 to July 16, 2024, and sought peoples’ views on allowing bikers to use bus lanes by default across the UK. At present, it is at the discretion of each local authority as to whether or not bikers can use the lanes.

“The safety benefits of allowing motorcycles into bus lanes are not clear at this time,” the consultation conclusion read. “Where data is available, the evidence varies. The response rate to this consultation, from local authorities and stakeholder organisations, was low and did not provide a robust evidence base on which to amend the current policy.”

www.motorcyclenews.com


24 November 2024

Today's Reading: On worship - by C.S. Lewis


He demands our worship, our obedience, our prostration. Do we suppose that they can do Him any good, or fear, like the chorus in Milton, that human irreverence can bring about “His glory’s diminution”? 

A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word “darkness” on the walls of his cell. 

But God wills our good, and our good is to love Him (with that responsive love proper to creatures) and to love Him we must know Him: and if we know Him, we shall in fact fall on our faces. If we do not, that only shows that what we are trying to love is not yet God—though it may be the nearest approximation to God which our thought and fantasy can attain.



19 November 2024

Google is (finally) turning Chrome OS into Android to compete with the iPad

Google is a massive tech company with nearly two hundred thousand employees, so it definitely has the manpower and resources to develop two different operating systems in Android and Chrome OS. While both Android and Chrome OS have seen huge success in different markets, they’ve struggled to compete in one product category where they overlap: tablets. The high-end tablet market is dominated by the Apple iPad, and no matter what Google has tried, it has failed to change that. However, a source tells Android Authority that Google is working on a multi-year project to fully turn Chrome OS into Android, and the end result could be a platform that finally bests the iPad.

Android as an operating system is designed for smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, TVs, cars, and soon XR glasses, whereas Chrome OS is primarily designed for laptops. While the term Chromebooks encompasses tablets as well, it’s fair to say that Chrome OS isn’t as suited for tablet use as Android is, at least when it comes to media consumption. On the flip side, it’s also a fair assessment that Android isn’t as suited for tablet use as Chrome OS is, at least when it comes to productivity. Google has tried to add features to both operating systems to bridge that gap, but even after a bit of convergence, neither platform managed to really eat Apple’s lunch.

www.androidauthority.com


Del Trotter's part in saving us from the Nazis

 

Wikipedia: The Eagle Has Landed is a 1976 British war film directed by John Sturges, and starring Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland and Robert Duvall.

Based on the 1975 novel The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins, the film is about a fictional German plot to kidnap Winston Churchill in the middle of the Second World War. The Eagle Has Landed was Sturges's final film, and was successful upon its release.

In this clip "Battle in the Village" at 6mins 23seconds in you will see what looks like Del Trotter's van behind a wall! Was this a blooper or did Del actually play his part? He who dares, wins!

www.youtube.com


15 November 2024

D-Link won’t fix critical flaw affecting 60,000 older NAS devices

More than 60,000 D-Link network-attached storage devices that have reached end-of-life are vulnerable to a command injection vulnerability with a publicly available exploit.

The flaw, tracked as CVE-2024-10914, has a critical 9.2 severity score and is present in the ‘cgi_user_add’ command where the name parameter is insufficiently sanitized.

An unauthenticated attacker could exploit it to inject arbitrary shell commands by sending specially crafted HTTP GET requests to the devices.

The flaw impacts multiple models of D-Link network-attached storage (NAS) devices that are commonly used by small businesses:

DNS-320 Version 1.00

DNS-320LW Version 1.01.0914.2012

DNS-325 Version 1.01,  Version 1.02

DNS-340L Version 1.08

In a technical write-up that provides exploit details, security researcher Netsecfish says that leveraging the vulnerability requires sending "a crafted HTTP GET request to the NAS device with malicious input in the name parameter.”

www.bleepingcomputer.com


11 November 2024

Portsmouth Ride of Remembrance 2024

 

The organiser wrote: It was good to see so many of you out there. From my position on the wall it like there were 1000s of you. We counted 780 bikes parked up. I had printed off 1200 orders of service and we used every single one and could have done with more. On behalf of the Royal British Legion Riders branch - a massive thank you. 

An excellent gathering. Very well organized, massive thanks to all involved. The service was well attended, solemn & very moving. A true Blessing to attend.

Here is my video of the ride, and some photos here. We rode out from Lakeside North Harbour - Western road A27 - A3 - A3 Northern Parade - A3 Stamshaw road - A3 Mile End road - Church street - A2030 Holbrook road - B2151 Victoria road north - B2151 Victoria road south - B2151 Clarendon road - A288 South Parade them on to the Southsea Common via the eastern end (D Day museum end) of the Esplanade.

They shall grow not old
As we that are left grow old 
Age shall not weary them
Nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun 
And in the morning
We will remember them 

When you go home, tell them of us and say, 
for your tomorrows, we gave our today


08 November 2024

CrowdStrike part 2: crashes Microsoft Office on Windows 11 24H2

Enterprise users at companies that employ CrowdStrike antivirus software and have received prompts to upgrade their operating systems to Windows 11 24H2 should probably wait. The security toolchain has encountered another faulty update that could make Microsoft Office apps unusable. Fortunately, the problem isn't as widespread as the incident from earlier this year.

Microsoft is investigating an error that causes Microsoft Office applications like Word and Excel to crash after users upgrade to Windows 11 24H2. The problem only impacts companies and managed IT environments, so those using Windows 11 Home or Pro on personal devices need not worry.

The issue was traced to an update for CrowdStrike's Falcon sensor software. It triggers when a host's Prevention Policy engages the "Enhanced Exploitation Visibility Prevention Policy." Other antivirus programs and older versions of Windows likely aren't affected, but Microsoft hasn't ruled out the possibility.

www.techspot.com


06 November 2024

Honda GB350S - more of what the motorcycle market needs: affordable quality!

Honda has been showing a remarkable ability to undercut the competition with its new motorcycles over the last few years – with machines like the CB750 Hornet, Transalp and the new CB1000 Hornet all surprising with their combination of a low RRP and relatively high specification. The further down the market you more the more difficult it becomes to undercut rivals but Honda’s GB350S is doing its best to repeat the feat by coming in at under the £4k mark at £3949 when it reaches dealers in January 2025.

That puts it as close as makes no difference to its nearest rival, the £3899 Royal Enfield HNTR 350, and substantially undercuts the Enfield Meteor 350 or Classic 350 models. Given the sales success of those machines in recent years, Honda is well placed to cash in.

Well done Honda! We all like new shiny things, but I've been horrified by all the tech and huge price tags attached to bikes these days. We need a dose of realism in motorcycling! If the big manufacturers don't get that message & soon - some folks will get tempted to go to the dark side & buy into Chinese bikes. Yuk!

www.bennetts.co.uk


Another Smart Device SNAFU: air fryers that are more like air spyers!

UK consumer champion Which? wants you to know that your air fryer might be spying on you and sharing your data with third parties for marketing purposes.

The perhaps not-so-surprising findings from the buyer's friend are that smart devices in general are engaged in surveillance of their owners, and that data collection often goes "well beyond" what is necessary for the functioning of the product.

Although Which? is a UK organization – a wholly owned subsidiary of the Consumers' Association – its findings will apply just as much to devices sold in other countries.

Testing out products across four categories, the outfit discovered that all three air fryers it looked at wanted permission to record audio on the user's phone, for no specified reason.

One wanted to know gender and date of birth when setting up an owner account, while the Xiaomi app linked to its air fryer was found to be connected with trackers from Facebook, Pangle (the ad network of TikTok for Business), and Chinese tech giant Tencent.

Air fryers from brands Aigostar and Xiaomi both sent the owner's personal data to servers in China – although this was flagged in the privacy notice, for what it's worth.

This prompts the obvious question: why the heck would you want an air fryer that connects to other devices?

www.theregister.com


01 November 2024

Do you recall "Microsoft Recall"? Well Microsoft has delayed it again. They need to delay it permanently!

Microsoft is once again delaying the roll out of its controversial Recall feature for Copilot Plus PCs. The software giant had planned to start testing Recall, which creates screenshots of mostly everything you see or do on a Copilot Plus PC, with Windows Insiders in October. Now, Microsoft says it needs more time to get the feature ready.

“We are committed to delivering a secure and trusted experience with Recall. To ensure we deliver on these important updates, we’re taking additional time to refine the experience before previewing it with Windows Insiders,” says Brandon LeBlanc, senior product manager of Windows, in a statement to The Verge.” Originally planned for October, Recall will now be available for preview with Windows Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs by December.”

Microsoft was forced to originally hold back Recall after security concerns were raised ahead of its planned debut with Copilot Plus PCs in June. After a delay to the launch, Recall was then supposed to appear for Windows Insiders just a matter of weeks later. Then Microsoft delayed Recall again to October, and now it’s coming by December.

Microsoft’s multiple delays are related to it overhauling Recall’s security, making it an opt-in experience, and allowing Copilot Plus PC owners to fully uninstall it. Microsoft has spent the past few months focused on ensuring its Recall database is fully encrypted and that the only way to get access is to authenticate through Windows Hello.

www.theverge.com


30 October 2024

Russian court fines Google $20 decillion!

A Russian court has ruled that Google owes Russian media stations around $20 decillion ($20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000) in fines for blocking their content, and the fines could get bigger.

To put that into perspective, the World Bank estimates global GDP as around $100 trillion, which is peanuts compared to the prospective fine. Google would therefore have to find more money than exists on Earth to pay Moscow - but on Tuesday fell a little short of that mark when it posted $88 billion quarterly revenue.

The bizarre amount has been calculated after a four-year court case that started after YouTube banned the ultra-nationalist Russian channel Tsargrad in 2020 in response to the US sanctions imposed against its owner. Following Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022 more channels were added to the banned list and 17 stations are now suing the Chocolate Factory, including Zvezda (a TV channel owned by Putin's Ministry of Defence), according to local media.

"Google was called by a Russian court to administrative liability under Art. 13.41 of the Administrative Offenses Code for removing channels on the YouTube platform. The court ordered the company to restore these channels," lawyer Ivan Morozov told state media outlet TASS.

www.theregister.com


26 October 2024

Remembering the courage of 1944

This year marks the 80th anniversaries of momentous battles and turning points of the Second World War.

The D-Day landings of 6th June – the largest seaborne invasion in history – marked the beginning of the liberation of western Europe.

Elsewhere on the globe exceptionally hard-fought battles were also turning the tide of the war. The Battle of Monte Cassino was the bloodiest of the Italian Campaign and in India Outnumbered British and Indian forces withstood weeks of siege and brutal fighting at the Battles of Kohima and Imphal.

The Royal British Legion remembers the service and sacrifice of British and Commonwealth armed forces in these and other battles. The vital contribution of men and women from South Asia is also explored in our pages for South Asian Heritage Month.

Your Poppy shows you care. Your donation can do something no military equipment can - help those who have served to cope with trauma and live the full and rewarding lives they deserve. Please give generously.

www.britishlegion.org.uk


25 October 2024

Concerns mount as more major motorcycle dealership chains enter administration amid sales shortfall

Three major dealership chains across the UK have recently entered administration, with slow sales and rising costs cited as some of the reasons for decline.

New bike registration data released by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) for the first nine months of the year revealed a 3.8% decline across motorbikes of all engine capacities when compared with the same period in 2023.

Year-to-date figures also showed larger-capacity machinery to be in particular difficulty, with 751-1000cc two-wheelers down by 8.7% at 15,583 units, and the biggest 1000cc+ models dropping by 10.6% to 14,219 overall.

In fact, when looking at conventional petrol power, only the 126-500cc category showed YTD growth – raising by 20.4% across the year so far. This is likely due to the arrival of popular models including Triumph’s Scrambler 400 X and Speed 400.

Despite the concerns, MCIA CEO, Tony Campbell remains positive, telling MCN: “Even if you took out the distortions from this year, we’re still going to sell more bikes than we did in 2019.

“We lose sight of the fact that the market has been really quite robust,” he continued.

“This sector has been through this before, it’s seen it before, and it’s survived before, but there are lots of smaller things – such as insurance. I think there’s a real combination of things that are triggering these changes.”

Other factors to consider include the fluctuation of energy and fuel prices, the threat of conflict across nations, a change of Government, the perception of motorcycle theft (although currently on the decline across the UK), and more.

KTM parent group Pierer Mobility AG are also in financial difficulty, recently cutting their executive board from six to two members and announcing more than 500 redundancies across the year so far. Not only do these factors impact the dealers themselves but could also have an effect on buyer confidence.

One of the most recent dealership chains to fall into difficulty is Pidcock Motorcycles Limited, which was placed into administration on October 21.

A BMW retailer since 1977, both their Ducati and Triumph sites have now been permanently closed, with 18 employees made redundant. Interest from prospective buyers is currently being considered for their BMW premises in Nottingham.

“Pidcock is not the first retailer to struggle in challenging market conditions over the past year. The company is a reputable seller, partnered with some of the world’s best-known bike brands, and we’re not surprised that there has been interest from prospective buyers,” Nathan Jones, joint administrator and partner at FRP Advisory said. 

“While it’s unfortunate that a viable route forward for all three sites hasn’t been possible, we’re hopeful of a positive outcome for the company’s BMW outlet. Securing that, as well as supporting employees affected by the closures, is our focus now.” 

In Scotland, Saltire Motorcycles of Edinburgh entered administration in early September, leaving uncertainty for their seven franchises including KTM, BSA, Royal Enfield, and Indian Motorcycle.

Completely Motorbikes met a similar fate in mid-October, with administrators now urging interested parties to come forward and rescue the business which had collectively housed over 1500 bikes across 21 showrooms. “The group has encountered financial difficulties after a poor summer sales period,” Joint Administrator Jonathan Amor of Azets said at the time.

www.motorcyclenews.com


21 October 2024

C.S. Lewis: on love & loss

 

There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket of coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.

Dedicated to our beloved Calli x


19 October 2024

Our hearts are broken, we lost our precious Calli yesterday

 

We are deeply saddened to report that our beautiful Callista passed away yesterday after a short illness. Our hearts are broken. She was the most beautiful pup & truly lived up to her name.

Our home feels empty now. Even though Calli was a quiet little doggie, the house is just SO quiet now! Calli formed part of each segment of every day, Kim & I are literally at loss.

C.S. Lewis said: I will never laugh at anyone for grieving over a loved beast. I think God wants us to love Him more, not to love creatures (even animals) less. We love everything in one way too much (i.e., at the expense of our love for Him), but in another way we love everything too little. No person, animal, flower, or even pebble has ever been loved too much - i.e., more than every one of God’s works deserves.

Do feel free to enjoy some articles about our precious pup. Next time you are down the pub (Calli's favourite place), raise your glass & have some crisps or nuts & think of our dearest girl - she'll be smiling down on you from Heaven.

In tears & Love, Don & Kim x

16 October 2024

Electric Motorcycle Company Energica has filed for bankruptcy

According to reports in Italy earlier in the week, Energica Motors was reportedly in danger of going bust as the electric motorcycle company has already laid off employees and has narrowly avoided eviction.

Emergency meetings to try and find a solution were held on Monday and Tuesday, however, a press release has been made by the company announcing its plans to file a bankruptcy judicial liquidation pursuant.

An electric motorcycle supplier as well as a supplier of MotoE bikes for several seasons, Energica has held a strong position within the racing and motorcycle sales sectors. But that hasn’t been able to stop the company from reaching its sad end.

Given its previous success, sections of the Italian media allocated blame towards Energica’s American parent company, Ideanomics. READ MORE...

This is really sad news. I've had the pleasure of riding a couple of their bikes: the Ego - an amazing electric superbike & the Experia - an adventure tourer. Fantastic bikes, top notch build quality, truly premium products: electric exotica! Another example of why electric just isn't working out...

www.visordown.com


Support the people behind the pint: Long Live the Local!

Almost a million people make a pint possible - from scientists, farmers and draymen, to delivery drivers and the many thousands who work in our nation’s pubs. They have faced a tough few years, and they have worked hard to continue to serve our local communities. But Britain is still one of the most taxed places to have a pint.

Nearly 1 million people make a pint in a pub possible. The pub is the beating heart of communities across the whole of Britain. But outside its walls, there are nearly a million people behind your pint who take it from hop to glass, including delivery drivers, farmers, logistics workers, brewers, technicians, cleaners and of course the bar staff who hand you your pint.

Pubs and brewing supports nearly one million jobs across the UK, including farmers growing hops, brewers developing new recipes, scientists working on quality control and logistics teams managing deliveries.

Beyond the UK, millions across the globe enjoy a British beer with friends. The UK is one of the biggest beer exporters in Europe, with British brewers exporting the equivalent of 874 million pints in 2022.

The brewing and pub sector is a core part of the UK economy, supporting £14.3 billion in wages. We want to show the people who make up the large economic figures… to show the passion and skills of those in the sector who make a pint possible, not only to celebrate them and the work which they do to deliver the pint which Brits enjoy with their friends and family, but also to show politicians that support for the sector is support for their voters.

Sign up, join the campaign and enter the draw to win a free case of beer every month - good luck & CHEERS!

www.longlivethelocal.pub


15 October 2024

The new version of my bike: Honda CB1000 Hornet. What a bargain!

Honda's Hornet family is complete, and the boss of the hive is here packing a sting in its tail. The new CB1000 Hornet loads a four-cylinder engine built to shred tarmac with naked class-leading punch. Throttle By Wire delivers precise control while the chassis arms with adjustable Showa 41mm SFF-BP USD forks and Pro-Link rear shock. Pure, bare-knuckle street fighting aggression is led by sharp twin LED projectors; a full-colour 5-inch TFT screen and Honda RoadSync connectivity brings the smarts. Ready for full attack?

All out attack: Nothing just for show. This is the motorcycle in its rawest form, tautly defined. Stripped for action the CB1000 Hornet’s uncompromising, streetfighter style is led by the piercing stare of super-compact twin LED projector headlights, tightly wrapped in a discreet nose fairing. The subtly blacked out frame brings a strong element of lithe design, underpinning the lines as does the trellis-style rear subframe. Adding menace, the engine, wheels and swingarm are also finished in black. And the Hornet-signature, broad-shouldered fuel tank tapering radically to the rear outlines pure performance.

Packing a punch: Thoroughbred racing DNA courses through the CB1000 Hornet. Its 999cc, DOHC four-cylinder engine pumps out an adrenaline-charged 112kW power @ 11,000rpm and 104Nm torque @ 9,000rpm. Tuned for smooth yet punchy low- to mid-range delivery and precise throttle control, with 11.7 compression ratio and newly developed die-cast pistons optimised it’s a huge buzz to ride, streetfighter-style and free in the city. And the gearbox ratios – tuned for instant acceleration – ensure the CB1000 Hornet simply destroys any set of corners.

All-round agility: It’s got the incredible engine. The hardcore streetfighter looks. But the CB1000 Hornet is also built to handle. From urban jungle to winding back road. The one-piece steel twin-spar frame uses mass-forward geometry to weight the front wheel and ups torsional rigidity by 70%, for agile corner entry and razor-fast side-to-side performance. It also mounts a Showa rear shock operating through Pro-Link for perfect suspension control, matched by the steering precision of adjustable 41mm Showa SFF-BP USD front forks. You’ve also got the sharp stopping power of Nissin four-piston radial-mount front brake calipers gripping 310mm floating discs. And the wide handlebars and riding position that join you, as one, with the bike.

Never miss a beat: The CB1000 Hornet has you. Throttle By Wire (TBW) puts all the engine’s stunning performance fully in your right hand and at your control. And the 5-inch, full-colour TFT screen serves up intuitive mode management via simple 4-way switch on the handlebar. You can select the default riding modes – Rain, Standard and Sport – or use 2 User modes to go fully custom with 3 levels of Engine Power/Engine Brake and 4 levels of Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) plus Wheelie Control. The display also features Honda RoadSync connectivity, for on-screen turn-by-turn navigation and whatever else you need from your smartphone.

www.honda.co.uk


14 October 2024

Brembo has bought Öhlins!

Brembo today signed an agreement with Tenneco, a portfolio company of funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc., for the acquisition of a 100% stake in Öhlins Racing, the leading manufacturer of premium, high performance suspension technology for motorcycles and cars in the Original Equipment, Motorsport, and Aftermarket segments.

“Öhlins is a strong fit for Brembo. It is a world-renowned brand, with a solid business and an unrivaled reputation, both on the racetrack and the road,” said Matteo Tiraboschi, Brembo Executive Chairman. “We welcome Öhlins to our Group as a great opportunity to expand our offerings for the automotive market. With this addition, we take another step forward in our strategy to provide integrated intelligent solutions to our customers, leveraging synergies across key technologies in the vehicle’s corner.”

www.brembo.com


UK ponders USB-C as common charging standard

UK government has kicked off a consultation on whether the country should have a common standard for charging electrical devices, and if this needs to be the same as the USB-C connector the EU adopted.

In a call for evidence this month, the Office for Product Safety and Standards within the Department for Business and Trade said it wants to hear from manufacturers, importers, distributors, and trade associations.

The EU has already outlined USB-C as its standard for charging personal devices across all of its 27 member states, as has India – the world's second-largest smartphone market. The standard is also being mooted for possible adoption by the US as well. Even Apple has reluctantly accepted USB-C.

In The Register's estimation, the chances are pretty small that device makers will be prepared to build special versions of their products to cater specifically to the UK consumer, should the government elect to go its own way.

The call for evidence points out that recent developments in wired charging technologies and evolving international standards provide an opportunity to reduce electronic waste and benefit consumers by specifying a standardized charger for smartphones and similar gadgets.

"We consider that it would potentially help businesses and deliver consumer and environmental benefits if we were to introduce standardized requirements for chargers for certain portable electrical/electronic devices across the whole UK," the Office for Product Safety and Standards stated. "We are seeking views from manufacturers, importers, distributors, and trade associations as to whether it would be helpful to do so and, if so, whether this should be based on USB-C – as adopted by the EU."

About time too! In Donline, I hold dozens of different laptop mains adapters, not just by brand - but also by model! OK, we can't go back in time & correct the craziness of history - but going forward there is no reason not to use USB-C as a common standard for phones, tablets, laptops & most forms of electronic gadgets. Think of the reduction in e-waste & saving money - as we'll all already have a suitable adapter.

www.theregister.com


All Saints Denmead - Film Night Fundraiser #2 - Amazing Grace


We are pleased to announce our second All Saints Film Night Fundraiser
Saturday 2nd November 7.15pm. 
All monies raised go towards church funds

The film is: "Amazing Grace" (Loan Gruffudd, Romola Garai, Benedict Cumberbatch, Albert Finney, Michael Gambon, Rufus Sewell & others). 

Amazing Grace is the incredible true story of William Wilberforce, who tirelessly led the campaign to abolish slavery in Britain. At a time when the slave trade was not only perceived as acceptable but as a necessity for the economy, Wilberforce and his fellow abolitionists dared speak out against a massive injustice, fighting long and hard for the freedom of others. 

Watch the trailer HERE

Being held this time in the Church, doors will open at 6.45pm for 7.15pm film start. 
Open to all ages 12 & above. 
Pay on the door, cash please: £5 per adult / £1 per child and this includes a hot drink on arrival. 
There will be a half time intermission (loo break!).
You are welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks. 
Hope to see you on the night. Don't forget your popcorn!

www.allsaintsdenmead.org.uk


Personalised dog food that gets the Calli stamp of approval!

 

Back in 2013, a small group of people came together to bring one vet’s idea to life. They set out to solve a problem at the heart of pet food: despite the overwhelming choice of one-size-fits-all food in the shops, there was never anything that could tick all the boxes. Long lists of mysterious ingredients on the label only made things more complicated – there had to be a better way to feed dogs right.

And so tails.com began, assembling a crack team of experts including vets, nutritionists and engineers (and their dogs) to develop a super-smart way to create a unique recipe for every single dog – yes, even yours. From your dog’s weird preference for whiffy fish smells, to that itchy skin condition, your dog’s tails.com recipe is based on information only you could know.

Nothing tops our wet food for quality. 
For nutrition. For taste. No wonder dogs can’t get enough of our recipes. 
20 nutritious and delicious wet food recipes
Choose from jellies, gravies, pâtés and terrines
Free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives
Optimum Care: The ultimate nutrition with natural ingredients
Discover our range of high quality, protein-rich recipes, packed with powerful natural ingredients, and made to support your dog’s health like nothing else. 

Your dog's unique kibble recipe - tailored dog food, the tails.com way
Nutritionally-balanced with goodness in every bite
No added sugar, colours, flavours or preservatives
Complete nutrition for your dog
Your dog’s nutritional needs depend on many things – from breed and age to lifestyle and health. Take a few minutes to tell us about your dog. We’ll create a complete kibble recipe that’s 100% supportive, nutritious and satisfying. And just for them.
What's in our kibble? Our vets and nutritionists choose each ingredient for the specific nutrients it provides. So your dog gets the right balance of protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals they need in every bite.

How it works:
1. Tell us all about your dog and their health
2. We’ll create their unique kibble recipe
3. Add delicious wet food and treats
4. We deliver your dog's food to you monthly - pause or cancel anytime

Click here to get a free bag of kibble - plus 50% off wet food and treats

www.tails.com


11 October 2024

International E-Waste Day – 14th October 2024

Join The Great Cable Challenge for International E-Waste Day! We’ve all got one of ‘those’ drawers, filled with broken chargers and unused cables. 

According to our latest research, in the UK we bin or stash away 627 million cables – enough to go to the moon AND BACK!

But did you know those cables are full of precious copper which, if recycled, could meet the UK’s growing demand of copper needed in our green future?! And with copper becoming more scarce, demand soaring, and the detrimental environmental and social impacts of mining for raw materials – how can we all help? The solution is surprisingly simple; harness what we already have.

Enter The Great Cable Challenge! – a UK-wide challenge to recycle 1 million cables to mark International E-Waste Day. If 1 million of us all recycled one cable, we could save at least 5,000kg of copper from going to waste.

So bag up your old cables – or any old electricals in your ‘drawer of doom’! – ready to recycle this October. 

www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk



Updating to Windows 11 24H2? Make sure you have plenty of spare drive space!

Microsoft’s big annual Windows 11 update has ended up being a massive headache for numerous users, with new problems constantly cropping up and getting in the way of otherwise useful changes and features.

Not only have we seen blue screen crashes related to gaming and Intel drivers and disappearing mouse cursors, but the major Windows 11 24H2 update apparently also creates an enormous cache folder during installation that can’t be deleted. How enormous are we talking? An impressive 8.63GB in size, a sizable chunk of all but the largest of drives.

To be clear, the existence of the cache isn’t an issue. Windows always creates a cache when installing Windows updates, which is meant to be a temporary holding place for installation files. What isn’t normal is that the cache can’t be removed after the update is applied.

According to Windows Latest, attempts to delete the cache via the Control Panel are unsuccessful. Although you can select the cache for deletion and initiate the deletion process, the cache remains. Various other methods to remove the Windows update cache failed, too. It only cleared after a clean Windows installation altogether.

www.pcworld.com


10 October 2024

Reading for today: We are the Church - the Body of Christ


No Christian and, indeed, no historian could accept the epigram which defines religion as “what a man does with his solitude.” 

It was one of the Wesleys, I think, who said that the New Testament knows nothing of solitary religion. We are forbidden to neglect the assembling of our- selves together

Christianity is already institutional in the earliest of its documents. The Church is the Bride of Christ. We are members of one another.

By C.S. Lewis

From The Weight of Glory