Bloody Spark , beware equipment that you need to sign into an account to use features

hollywoodrox

p90fool said:

That’s outrageous

hollywoodrox

What I’ve done is delete the account & signed up ,had to use a new email as it said my others are already in use  . Love the sound of the Spark stuff though   Not keen on the Bias stuff on my iPad though ,never used it  it sounded rubbish even through studio monitors 

Fingers657

Thankfully I’ve had no problems with my Spark Go yet.
I won’t be using any third party aps and don’t use anything FaceBook related .

DartmoorHedgehog

DiscoStu said:

@DartmoorHedgehog 3rd party software for the Spark? Do tell.

I've heard about more than one via the Spark user FB group.  The only one I can remember is called Soundshed, but I'm sure there are others.  Haven't tried any of them myself yet though.

hollywoodrox

Well they sound interesting (the alternative apps) might have a read up 

DartmoorHedgehog

hollywoodrox said:

Well they sound interesting (the alternative apps) might have a read up 

To be honest while the Android app exists it's more convenient to use that most of the time, at least when my Spark's main use is as a practice amp.  I suppose if you're recording and have a PC/Mac running anyway (and Spark connected my USB) then the alternative programs would make more sense.

I was mostly just mentioning it as a counter to the "Sparks would be rendered useless if PG dropped support for the app"  fear.

Having said that, I'm tempted to have a go with them sometime out of curiosity.

hollywoodrox

I’m dismayed to see the new Spark live has no send & return sockets ,this would make it perfect 
  For use with a looper 

menamestom

hollywoodrox said:

p90fool said:

That’s outrageous

Not really.  They set up an instant ink service, that charges by the sheet.  Then changed they their payment method but didn’t tell the provider, resulting in not being able to use the ink they had not yet paid for.  

All they would have to do is cancel the service.  You’d probably be charged for the cartridges which is why HP block the printer until paid or everybody would be getting free cartridges by cancelling payment methods.

They set up a service, didn’t read the agreement, didn’t understand the agreement then seemingly didn’t even know they had signed up, then blamed HP.  They could have just not signed up and got cartridges from Amazon or Tesco like most normal people do with a HP printer.

I have a spark mini.  It is annoying when you get kicked out of the app.  That’s a general annoyance with IOS apps full stop for me, they periodically kick you out and don’t remember the password.  

NelsonP

I used to have an app so that I could automatically flush my toilet. Unfortunately they turned off the servers, and it turned out that it was, literally, a massive pile of shit.

midlifecrisis

two years ago I bought a 4 year old van which had apple play and android mirror link. Unfortunately, android doesnt support mirrorlink so my newer phone wont pair properly with it. (it will connect bluetooth so can take calls via the screen and play stuff off the phone but i cant show maps and other screen based stuff). there doesnt seem to be a way of updating it thats not easier or cheaper than just replacing the head unit, or buying an iphone , . Ive learnt to live with it but its shit these things happen.

ElectricXII

Never mind apps, touchscreens are almost as infuriating, particularly in newer cars. My wife has been nagging me to chop in my 15 year old E-Class "bandwagon", so to placate her I test drove a much newer used Volvo the other week. I nearly lost control at one point whilst trying to turn the heating down on the stupid IPad-alike in the middle of the dashboard which controls everything. 

The Merc isn't going anywhere soon.

darthed1981

Yes the touchscreen that controls everything is the single shittest feature of every single modern car.

normula1

ElectricXII said:

Never mind apps, touchscreens are almost as infuriating, particularly in newer cars. My wife has been nagging me to chop in my 15 year old E-Class "bandwagon", so to placate her I test drove a much newer used Volvo the other week. I nearly lost control at one point whilst trying to turn the heating down on the stupid IPad-alike in the middle of the dashboard which controls everything. 

The Merc isn't going anywhere soon.

Just replaced my old Volvo with one of the new ipad on wheels versions. I've learned where everything is on it, but no way on earth I could control it by touch like I could on the old one.

randella

darthed1981 said:

Yes the touchscreen that controls everything is the single shittest feature of every single modern car.

Putting car HVAC controls on a touchscreen should be punishable by death. I like the screen for info but digging about in menus to put the heat up a bit, not so much. 

Airmiles

+1 on the car HVAC thing

My personal beef is the Vox Toneroom app that comes with the Adio ( and other modelling amps) - it never worked with Android 13. At all. The Android 12 version now half-works with Android 14.... you can edit presents, but can't save them.

The manual does explicitly state "this software is not supported" (!) but nowhere in the marketing bumph does it say "Use the unsupported Toneroom app to..." Firms need to be honest with themselves, you're either a software firm or you're not.And if you're not, stick to analogue.

Still - it could be worse - imagine if you got a chip implant a la Musk and then a message flashes up "You are now end-of-life"....

Secret_Sam

Conceptually that 'end of life' notice is similar to what happens in the US healthcare system when you run out of insurance.  Not kidding.

Secret_Sam

Before we let HP printers off the hook:  I had an old but very good hp laser printer.  It had firmware in it that prevented you using refilled cartridges or cartridges from any other manufacturer.

So when hp stopped making the cartridges, 14kg of very functional and useful gear because e-waste. 

Obviously I won't buy from them again.  Good gear, predatory business.

Neil

I don't think I have anything that requires apps to use/run and long may it stay that way. 

goldtop

It's not just end-of-life BS that these tech-bros are foisting on consumers. Here's Roku's forced arbitration changes to their Ts & Cs. 

https://www.techhive.com/article/2258136/rokus-forced-arbitration-update-leaves-users-fuming.html



If you don't press 'Agree' you can't use your device.

Strat54

normula1 said:

ElectricXII said:

Never mind apps, touchscreens are almost as infuriating, particularly in newer cars. My wife has been nagging me to chop in my 15 year old E-Class "bandwagon", so to placate her I test drove a much newer used Volvo the other week. I nearly lost control at one point whilst trying to turn the heating down on the stupid IPad-alike in the middle of the dashboard which controls everything. 

The Merc isn't going anywhere soon.

Just replaced my old Volvo with one of the new ipad on wheels versions. I've learned where everything is on it, but no way on earth I could control it by touch like I could on the old one.

The big problem with this is when you need your reading glasses on to adjust anything whilst driving. Reading glasses, movement and looking ahead don't go together well...ffs.