The totally off-topic thread

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I do love FaceTime when I am traveling within Australia - the kids love seeing my hotel rooms.

Same :)
Also great when travelling overseas. Kids have had an iPad tour of Times and Trafalgar Squares from me. They also get me to chat to our family Labrador who looks really confused and can't work out where my voice is coming from :lol:
 
Same :)
Also great when travelling overseas. Kids have had an iPad tour of Times and Trafalgar Squares from me. They also get me to chat to our family Labrador who looks really confused and can't work out where my voice is coming from :lol:

Our dogs in both HK and GC generally don't seem to care who or where the voice is coming from.
 
I do love FaceTime when I am traveling within Australia - the kids love seeing my hotel rooms.

Same :)
Also great when travelling overseas. Kids have had an iPad tour of Times and Trafalgar Squares from me. They also get me to chat to our family Labrador who looks really confused and can't work out where my voice is coming from :lol:

Ditto. I love it and prefer it to Skype. It seems to be much more reliable. I use a wifi router in my apartment and FT rarely drops out where Skype is constantly slowing, pixelating the video and dropping out.
 
.... or just don't accept the call.

Yes, I know that now. :) I thought I was just accepting a normal call. Thanks mono88, I will switch it off.

And in our work environment, using buds at work are not on.

And I did say it would be a good thing for families when travelling, but like all things in life there is a time and place for using it. And we all know that it wont be long before facetime is used widely in environments where it shouldn't be. I am betting it wont be long before there is a thread complaining about someone using it in the QP and disturbing everyone else. ;)
 
Please share :)

Well the short version

We were on honeymoon, needed more cash. As we approached the ATM (being somewhat "nervous" as I guess we didn't want to get accosted for cash) a man exited the ATM "locked room" and a man held the door open for us. We just entered and made sure the door was closed behind us.

After withdrawing cash, we tried to leave but the door release wouldn't work. What we didn't know was that you get one entry / one exit per card swipe on the door to enter. So as we hadn't swiped in, we couldn't exit.

No-one came past for about 15mins whilst we contemplated what to do (no mobile phone with us etc). At least it was air conditioned!

Finally a young couple walked past - ensuing animated murmurings from mrsdoc as I frantically waved at them (and used what little spanish I have - very little!). As they approached mrsdoc freaked out thinking they would rob us! I tried to point out we couldn't get out so I'd have PAID them to release us. In the end, they didn't have a card so I had to slide one under the door. Cue more murmurings from mrsdoc about them stealing the card. Again, cue me pointing out I have about 4 cards so if they pinch it we're not really any worse off as we're stuck in a glass box.

In the end, they happily swiped the card and let us out. Following much gesturing as they attempted to communicate about how the door worked! And them having a good old laugh as they wandered down the street.
 
Well the short version

We were on honeymoon, needed more cash. As we approached the ATM (being somewhat "nervous" as I guess we didn't want to get accosted for cash) a man exited the ATM "locked room" and a man held the door open for us. We just entered and made sure the door was closed behind us.

After withdrawing cash, we tried to leave but the door release wouldn't work. What we didn't know was that you get one entry / one exit per card swipe on the door to enter. So as we hadn't swiped in, we couldn't exit.

No-one came past for about 15mins whilst we contemplated what to do (no mobile phone with us etc). At least it was air conditioned!

Finally a young couple walked past - ensuing animated murmurings from mrsdoc as I frantically waved at them (and used what little spanish I have - very little!). As they approached mrsdoc freaked out thinking they would rob us! I tried to point out we couldn't get out so I'd have PAID them to release us. In the end, they didn't have a card so I had to slide one under the door. Cue more murmurings from mrsdoc about them stealing the card. Again, cue me pointing out I have about 4 cards so if they pinch it we're not really any worse off as we're stuck in a glass box.

In the end, they happily swiped the card and let us out. Following much gesturing as they attempted to communicate about how the door worked! And them having a good old laugh as they wandered down the street.

Thanks for sharing.. Funny story & a nice start for today.. :D
 
Well, I just figured it couldn't be any worse given we had already been stuck in a glass box for 15mins.... (I gave him a card with the least number of accounts linked.....)
 
Those card readers are pretty dumb, in most cases a spare hotel key that as a strip will work.

But out of all the cards on my wallet... The next choice would be my Qantas FF card
.. And that's harder to replace than my debit visa!
 
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One day i'll have to tell the "exploding taxi in Mexico City" story. Not so funny.
 
One day i'll have to tell the "exploding taxi in Mexico City" story. Not so funny.

Wow.. Like to also hear that one.. :shock:
I've also had the taxi 'short cut" story & 'bandits" approaching one dark night in the back streets of Manila. Suffice to say I forcefully told the driver to 'step on it" in a fearful tone. It's not uncommon for a 'set up" which I was well aware of. :evil:
 
I've never even heard of Face Time. Don't have Skype either but our SIL is trying to convince us grand parents to get it so we can "see" our grand daughter more often. He tells us her other grand parents in Paris "see" her more often even though we fly over about once a month. I don't even have FB although Mrs Buzzard does. I must be living in some sort of time warp.
 
I've never even heard of Face Time. Don't have Skype either but our SIL is trying to convince us grand parents to get it so we can "see" our grand daughter more often. He tells us her other grand parents in Paris "see" her more often even though we fly over about once a month. I don't even have FB although Mrs Buzzard does. I must be living in some sort of time warp.

My SIL has two new grandchildren. They are interstate. She FaceTimes with them all the time. It's free on wifi. I can totally understand why she would do that. The thing is, I don't need to facetime with her - I see her every week!

And you know, I think it is only children who actually look nice - stand too close to the phone and all the flaws show up! :eek:
 
OK, same trip a few days earlier.

Initially we nearly missed the flight to MEX from ZIH as the flight was overbooked. (Also a funny story). Some "persuasion" from the check-in attendant got us on right before the door slammed behind us. But I digress....

On tour of Mexico City (minibus), had just stopped to look at Zocolo, bit delayed leaving there then onto the minibus to the next destination. Bear in mind all we'd heard was how dangerous Mexico city was, and the sight of cops on every second corner in the tourist areas with automatic weapons didn't help.

Heading down a narrow street and traffic all stuck, we were stopped just short of a side street with a cart on the corner selling random junk (drinks, snacks, souvenirs etc).

Suddenly a huge BOOM!! Then like a 5 second delay, and about 50m ahead of us a 30m (yes, 30m - it was as high as a 6 storey bulding) fireball that I can only describe as a "tornado of fire" for want of a better description. About 10 seconds after that, people on fire running down the street, arms waving etc. Everyone freaking out, me trying to decide do I stop and assist (medical) in an area where I speak virtually no spanish, no idea what had caused the fireball/explosion, personal safety etc. In the end I didnt really get a choice - the tour guide jumped out, shoved the cart out of the way (tipping most of it's contents on the ground, he jumped back in and the driver took off over the curb, wiping out another smaller stand on his way.

We found out the next day a taxi had caught fire - apparently it's a bit of a problem with the old VW beetles - they have all been converted to LPG (or CNG - i cant recall), and the back seat can catch fire as the battery is under the back seat and when used as a taxi the seating can wear through from over-use and the metal springs in the seat short the battery and set the rear seat on fire! So car on fire not put out quickly enough, with backyard LPG/CNG conversion (read: leaky hoses) and KA-BOOM!!


Not fun, and certainly if we'd left about a minute earlier from Zocolo we possibly would have been in the middle of the fireball.

So stuck in an ATM "box" - no problem.
 
And I did say it would be a good thing for families when travelling, but like all things in life there is a time and place for using it. And we all know that it wont be long before facetime is used widely in environments where it shouldn't be.

Replace "Facetime" with "video conferencing" and your statement would look more plausible, but it is still incorrect.

Facetime in its form, let alone VOIP with Skype and the lot, has been around for a while that environments which are highly exposed to it (in a deliberate and organised way) will already have standards of conduct. Public areas like lounges don't count; I'm referring more to organisations. For example, Skype is advocated in our workplace for some international calls as it is much cheaper than traditional landline. We have a standard procedure when it comes to making phone conversations (i.e. arranging a spare office or what not), but this procedure has existed long before VOIP entered the workplace (i.e. when they just used landline calls), and in fact we all mutually agreed easily on a "procedure" before it was ever formally codified as a procedure in black and white. (In other words, we used common sense and applied ethics).

As far as I can remember, iPhones (or iOS rather) clearly says "Facetime" at the top of the screen and the front camera is automatically activated if a Facetime call is being received, otherwise a different display / heading for a standard call through the Phone app. Also, the ring tones for each kind of call can be different (but I imagine are the same by default, and since there are several who don't change their ring tone from the default, viz. the marimba jingle). I guess that's kind of moot when your phone is in vibrate only mode.

I am betting it wont be long before there is a thread complaining about someone using it in the QP and disturbing everyone else. ;)

You're saying that like it has never been complained about ever before. :o
 
Replace "Facetime" with "video conferencing" and your statement would look more plausible, but it is still incorrect.

Facetime in its form, let alone VOIP with Skype and the lot, has been around for a while that environments which are highly exposed to it (in a deliberate and organised way) will already have standards of conduct. Public areas like lounges don't count; I'm referring more to organisations. For example, Skype is advocated in our workplace for some international calls as it is much cheaper than traditional landline. We have a standard procedure when it comes to making phone conversations (i.e. arranging a spare office or what not), but this procedure has existed long before VOIP entered the workplace (i.e. when they just used landline calls), and in fact we all mutually agreed easily on a "procedure" before it was ever formally codified as a procedure in black and white. (In other words, we used common sense and applied ethics).

As far as I can remember, iPhones (or iOS rather) clearly says "Facetime" at the top of the screen and the front camera is automatically activated if a Facetime call is being received, otherwise a different display / heading for a standard call through the Phone app. Also, the ring tones for each kind of call can be different (but I imagine are the same by default, and since there are several who don't change their ring tone from the default, viz. the marimba jingle). I guess that's kind of moot when your phone is in vibrate only mode.

And all of which is good information AFTER you have received your first call. I know all this now. :)

We use google hangouts, rather than conferencing calls, but the thing is, these are scheduled in peoples diaries. Having the same function, randomly, on someone's phone is entirely different. And not suitable in an office where calls are personal.

Just needs to be some general etiquette happening. And I now know this, but after my first dealing with it.
 
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