Heinlein, in several of his works, made reference to Samuel Renshaw, a WWII-era psychologist famous for teaching a form of speed-reading, or more aptly, speed-comprehension, that involved flashing images or text on a screen for brief intervals to force the student to perceive them faster.
If you’re interested in such things, and I am, you might be interested in an article I found on the subject. Click below to read it.
I hate that this device exists, and that a company can use such intrusive measures to gauge your worthiness as a driver, and charge you based on arbitrary criteria such as whether you brake too fast. Numbers and data from a monitoring device do not tell the whole story. Maybe your fast braking saved a child, or a kitten.
Plus they have access to other information – basically anything your OBD port can tell them. GPS data is an obvious target. With modern vehicles becoming more and more integrated, what else?
Anyhow, I love that people have already figured out how to work around it and limit the amount of information provided to Progressive.
I don’t use Progressive, but if I did, and they asked me to use this device, I would certainly consider this hack. Thanks to the person in my feed who mentioned this and brought it to my attention.
Hacking the Progressive Snapshot OBDII device for perpetual 30% discount on insurance
by inhacking
I didn’t NEED one. I probably shouldn’t have ordered it. But it was there. And they hooked me. I mean, it does address some of the “shortcomings” of my previous phone. Although, to be honest, my “phone” had no shortcomings. It was the all-powerful computer, audio-video and communications subsystem that came included with my phone that has gradually begun to disappoint, at the same rate as the growth of my expectations.
I ordered my last phone, the RAZR MAXX HD, to address a shortcoming — battery life — it was requiring to be tethered to the power grid with increasing frequency, as if it had become addicted to electricity. Ironic, since the phone was billed at the time of its introduction as the best battery life on the market. But batteries, like humans, grow old and weary, and need to recharge more frequently.
The old phone also suffered from the ailment that all smartphones (at least those owned by power users) tend to suffer at some point or another — it began to lag. Even bringing up the applications menu might take thirty seconds to load. I know that I could probably speed that up by doing a factory reset, releasing software hooks, storage and detritus caused by badly programmed applications and whatnot, but I felt, as a man, that I had to draw the line somewhere. I mean, who’s the tool and who’s the owner? I’m not going to let some damned overpriced subsidized phone tell me what to do! Fuck that. This relationship is over.
Turbo got a big ole butt
I know I told you I’d be true
But Turbo got a big ole butt
So I’m leaving you.
I ordered the Droid Turbo. Geek specs: Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, Quad-core 2.7 GHz Krait 450, Adreno 420 GPU. Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, splash resistant, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 1440×2560 pixels. 3GB RAM, 64GB Storage. 21MP (5248×3936) camera. 2160p video @24fps, 1080p@30fps. Fast charging (60% in 30min), wireless charging (Qi-enabled). Oh, and I ordered it in ballistic nylon.
A 21MP phone camera?!?!?!? What’s the fucking point of that? There’s no possible way that the tiny little phone camera lens can take full advantage of a sensor that dense. Just no way. But we’ll see. We’ll see.
Interesting that major corporate concerns are embracing Bitcoin NOW. This is a chart showing Bitcoin pricing after the Bitstamp hack in which $5M in Bitcoin was stolen.
I wish I had $5M in Bitcoin.
http://www.zdnet.com/article/bitstamp-bitcoin-exchange-suspended-amid-hack-concerns-heres-what-we-know/
