flyinghaggis

Thought I'd post a few thoughts (as someone who previously had a Nexus 5 then a Nexus 5X) for anyone considering the Oneplus 5 . The build quality of the phone is a massive jump up from plastic the LG Nexus devices. It feels far more sturdy. The aluminium case is nicely curved and very comfortable to hold though it is slightly slippery. I think I'm going to get a case for it to prevent scratching the metal and to make it easier to grip. Likewise the AMOLED screen, despite being 'only' 1080p looks fantastic and colour reproduction is much better than my last two LG phones. The battery life is also finally good enough to last me though the day. With the Nexus 5X I'd often charge it after coming home from work as it really struggled to last a day. The battery life of the Nexus 5 I had before that was an absolute joke and had me carrying around a USB charger permanently! The performance of the Oneplus 5 is suitably rapid though I don't generally use my phone for anything especially taxing and never had an issue with the performance of my Nexus 5 phones personally. I also like the near stock Android experience of the OnePlus. It's really easy to replace the OnePlus launcher with the Google one so it now looks and feels exactly like a Google Nexus device. I wasn't sure how I'd get on using the capacitive buttons and fingerprint reader/home button on the front (after being used to the onscreen buttons of the Nexus) but if found they work very well. I actually quite like having them there and it certainly frees up screen space. In terms of cons I suppose you could say it's unfair to compare a £450 Oneplus phone to a £250 LG one given the price difference and for that extra outlay you'd be right to expect a better quality/specced device. I suppose it's also going to be interesting to see how on the ball Oneplus will be when it comes to Android updates. Also, whilst holding the device in my hand doesn't feel any wider than my Nexus 5X it is slightly taller so I'm worried it might be a snug fit in some of my trouser pockets! Still very happy with the device so far though and would recommend it.

I managed to get my pre-order in for one today as well. If anyone wants one there's a good chance their local GAME store will have them available. The £50 deposit does at least seem to be putting off scalpers to some degree. Argos might be worth a look as well. I don't seem Nintendo being able to keep the thing in stock in the lead up to Xmas whatever they do. They messed up the NES Classic supply so badly and then basically cancelled production when the demand was clearly still there. Everyone will expect them to do the same thing again this time round. So even if they do produce enough units to meet actual demand for every person who buys one there will be several looking to buy in order to sell on for a profit. If anything I think the SNES version might be even more popular as the games are much better. The NES was kind of outsold by the 8-bit computers like the spectrum and C64 in the UK. The SNES is the system everyone really remembers Nintendo for here. Definitely amongst people of my age anyway. The selection of games on the system is great though Pilot Wings seems like an odd omission. I'd personally have liked to have seen Cybernator on it as well. It's cool that they've released star fox 2 for the first time ever officialy though.

We're planning on upgrading to DPM2016 this summer from DPM2012r2? We'd initially planned on building a new server as we didn't want to risk upgrading a live backup server just incase of any issues given the risk of data loss whilst the upgrade is carried out? Is it reliable/straightforward enough to upgrade an existing backup server?

I suppose this highlights the reason why the CIO/Data Protection Office role shouldn't be a technical member of IT staff or a database admin for a specific system. Someone with responsibility for the integrity of the backups and/or maintaining the database system will immediately have a conflict of interest with removing data to comply with GDPR!

I suppose the question here is would be is it OK to keep data on a backup where you've been asked to remove it as long as you never use the backup (and have a note that in the event that you do restore it you need to immediately remove that data once it has been made live)? Technically you still have the data you've been asked to delete but you have a note to never use it nor make it live again. Would that satisfy the GDPR requirements.....! I'm guessing not but I can't think of a workable solution unless backup/database providers are going to start building the functionality into their systems.

The hype is real I'll be ordering this the second it goes on sale!

What if you have a backup of a SQL database (as pretty much every MIS system is) and you need to delete an individual student/etc from every backup? Even if that can be done what if your backups are on tapes/etc or even on write once media for archiving? It feels like there are so many instances where it's not practically possible to actually remove sensitive data without compromising the integrity of the backups themselves.

I asked this question at a GDPR presentation and they claimed you are expected to delete requested data from backups as well. I think ultimately backup providers and database vendors will improve their software to accommodate these type of requests. In the interim it simply isn't realistic to delete entire school/company backups just because they may contain an individual file or record which someone has requested you remove.

For anyone wondering I ended up going for the oneplus 5! Really impressed with it from the 2 days I've had it. It's a noticeable step up from my nexus 5x in every area.

I think I'm probably gonna cheap out, get a Moto G5 for now and see how things pan out with the new iPhone/Pixel range. I'd actually be happy with another Nexus 5x but the more I read about the Bootloop problem it seems to indicate there's a fundamental hardware issue with a large number of phones in LG's range so I'm reluctant to touch them again! https://www.xda-developers.com/lg-bootloop-lawsuit-adds-nexus-5x-lg-g5-v20-case/ The OnePlus 5 seems nice but it's still a £450 phone (so far from cheap) and as a device it's larger than I'd want with it's 5.5" screen. I've already found myself getting cramp using my Nexus 5x on some occasions so I definitely don't want a phone larger than that in terms of overall dimensions. Lack of prompt/future android OS version updates and security patches is a worry as well. It'll be interesting to see what Apple release in a couple of months time. My gut feeling is that they're going to bring out 2 ranges of iPhone this time. I reckon we'll see a 7S priced around what the current one is but with better specs and a new iPhone "Pro" model at likely close to the four figure mark! They've gone that two-tier direction in every other range (Mac, iPad,etc) so it's only logical they'll try to do the same with their phone line-up! It always struck me as odd how little they changed the phone going from the 6S to the 7 but it makes sense if they already had plans to split the iPhone line into Pro and standard versions. Update: I've been doing a bit more research, been checking some phone size comparison sites and I'm starting to sway towards the Oneplus 5. I'm also suspecting that any new iphone or Pixel models are likely going to be in the £600-700 range on launch. Guess I'll sleep on it. I'm without a phone right now so I need to buy something tomorrow!

Yeah, the salesperson in the shop today was trying to sell me on the new Oneplus5 which looks pretty nice and is ~£450. I've no experience of the brand though. Price is the main issue as I've gotten used to buying £200-300 Nexus phones and now all the other flagship handsets look ridiculously expensive! I can't decide at the moment whether to just buy something cheap-ish to tide me over (maybe a Moto G5) until the new Pixel/iPhones models are available in September/October or whether to look at another brand like the OnePlus5

My Google LG Nexus 5x has bricked itself in some kind of bootloop cycle. It's a known issue so I should be able to get a refund for it thankfully! I actually really liked the Nexus 5X but given it's no longer on sale and the one I have died in year I'm reluctant to buy another one. I've been a fan of Nexus phones for a while but not that Google has ditched the line I'm not sure what to go for? I like the look of the Pixel but it's due to be replaced in a couple of months time so I don't want to get one right now. I'd consider going back to an iPhone though I don't want the 7 as it's also likely to be superseded in another 2 months time. I'm not a fan of the Samsung Galaxy handsets due to Samsung's hatchet job of Android and slack approach to OS updates. Any Suggestions?

We've been getting requests from staff to create workflows in Google and there are loads of plug-ins and various options which tie into Google Forms for doing this. However, the main issue we've had is that they all seem to be based around a specific user 'owning' the form and workflow. It's not really practical for individual staff to create their own workflows using non-standard add-ons as it causes the entire process to falter when someone leaves and we lose access to the files they own and the knowledge of the workflow they've created. Likewise, creating dedicated 'workflow' accounts in Google seems like a bit of a kludge? Microsoft obviously have Sharepoint as their primary method of handling workflows. Does anything similar exist in Google Gsuite?

I would try and ensure you partner with a company to handle the payments, insurance, maintenance and purchasing of the devices. The last thing you as as school want is to be in the position of chasing down pupils/parents who haven't returned or paid for devices. Regarding devices, based on my experience, personally I'd suggested going for either iPads or Chromebooks. From feedback I've heard Android tablets are too variable in the quality of the hardware and updates/support and Windows devices are too prone to viruses/glitches and hardware issues. MacOS devices​ are too expensive for most schools to contemplate! Personally I feel it's important for the school to promote a platform (IOS, chrome OS,etc) they want pupils to adopt as going full on BYOD causes to many issues IMO. I think it's important for teachers to know what their pupils can access in terms of resources.

The devils advocate position to this argument is that if the school is asking parents to buy devices then there may be an expectation that the school will implement some level of support, monitoring and control of the devices to prevent misuse, assist with issues and filter websites to keep their children safe online regardless of whether they're at home or in school. Having said that we've currently taken the approach not to implement restrictions on the devices so monitoring/filtering the devices outside of school are left up to parents. This seems to work OK as long as parents are made aware the responsibility lies with them whilst their children are at home. If restricting the Wi-Fi networks and other settings on pupils devices (iPads specifically) only when used in school is do-able I'd be interested to find out how it was done!

Are you able to control this from your MDM solution? Do the devices need to be DEP'd before you can enforce this setting? The other issue we have is that our pupils own the devices and take them home so we aren't really able to restrict which Wi-Fi networks they can connect to? Connecting iPads to any Wi-Fi other than the school's whilst on site is prohibited in our RUA but I'm sure some pupils are abusing the phone hot-spot connectivity to get around filtering. We don't really have any way to prevent it as far as I can see though other than asking teachers to be vigilant?

It's a good deal but bear in mind that you still really need a couple of ps move controllers at an extra £60. Plus the copy of far point doesn't have the gun add on which I think is kind of essential for it really and you can't currently buy it standalone at the moment.

It'll be very interesting to see whether the next Xbox console after the xbox one x retains backward compatibility with previous consoles or is a completely new architecture as had been the norm for the past few decades. Likewise I wonder if we'll see any Xbox one x exclusives in future?

+1 Everyone seems to rate it but I'd just as soon have a big mac as go to 5 guys. Handmade Burger Co are pretty good IMO though.

That sounds like something that might be useful as I had to leave the visor up slightly for the helmet I was provided for my CBT as it steamed up with condensation otherwise. Funny you should mention that as I ended up with a blinding headache after a couple of hours wearing the CBT hemlet so I'm guessing the fit was too tight! I noticed the instructor had one of the flip-down style helmets which looked like a good idea as I wear glasses and the instructor seemed to have a much easier time with his than I had with mine. I found everytime I took the helmet off I had to find somewhere to lay down or store my glasses which was really irritating.

I'm thinking of getting a bike for commuting to work as I'm fed up spending hours each day catching the bus for a 6 mile commute and there's nowhere to park a car as my school is in the city centre. I've had a look at the bikes in my local dealer and like the look of the Honda CB125F. One question I had which I'm hoping the forum can advise on is what accessories I should be looking at for commuting. I guess as a minimum I'll need a helmet, gloves and protective/armourerd jacket? Is it worth getting trousers and boots as well? The site at my work is pretty secure but I guess I'll need a lock of some kind for parking elsewhere? Are there any other accessories which I'll need to get to keep/maintain the bike? The stuff in the dealer was looking pretty expensive for clothing/helments so I'm wondering if there's anywhere people would recommend trying? I obviously don't want to compromise on safety but at the same time don't want to spend a fortune on expensive branded kit if it isn't necessary for commuting. Is Halfords worth a look as they seemed to have motorcycle clothing a decent prices? Just trying to get an idea of all the stuff I need in addition to the bike itself so any advice would be appreciated

Saw Wonder Woman at the weekend. Both myself and my friend though it was pretty poor overall. The plot is incoherent and overly drawn out to fill the entirely unnecessary 140 minute run-time. The dialogue is mediocre and the 'fish out of water' humour falls flat most of the time IMO. I guess the action scenes are generally quite well done though the end fight/battle degenerates into the standard CGI fest complete with the usual clichéd ending! I really don't understand why everyone is raving about it and the reviews are so high? It's not a patch on the Marvel movies in general or anywhere close to the standards set by the recent Nolan Batman movies.

I left a bottle of oil for my bicycle chain next to my computer the other day and my wife was just about to launch into a very awkward conversation until I explained what it was....I think she might have mistaken it for something else!

We're actually thinking of changing our Google partner as they're standard response to any question we ask seems to be "you've already tried everything we can think of, you'd be as well logging a call directly with Google Support yourself!". Any recommendations would be appreciated

That's what worried me really. The company we'd been asked to look at initially was a very small (2-man AFAIK) one which had only been started about 6 months ago so references were hard to come by and they had no previous experience of the MIS we're currently using. Given the level of access they were requesting it made me very nervous. In terms of the way Salamander sync's do you have visibility of which user details/groups/classrooms/etc it's going to update and modify when it runs the sync. That was another concern I had with the original company as once we extracted our MIS information exported it via GroupCall we had no visibility or control over the Google Apps sync process itself until it actually runs. And the sync was running remotely on this companies system rather than our own.