leap year
Latest
TomTom releases fix for leap year bug, gets GPS devices back on course
Not long after acknowledging that a leap year bug had borked a handful of its GPS devices, TomTom's releasing a fix to solve the problem. The company says some nav systems had tracking issues beginning March 31st, claiming the intercalary conundrum was mainly caused by a bug in the third-party software. Those whose GPS devices are acting a tad bit confused can head over to the source below, where deets on how to get things back to normal await you. [Thanks, Aryo]
TomTom confirms leap year bug is affecting a 'limited number' of GPS devices
Has your TomTom GPS let you down over the past few days? Then it looks like the company may have pinpointed your problem. It confirmed today that a leap year bug is preventing at least some models from obtaining a GPS position -- something that has apparently been occurring since March 31st. Exactly which GPS devices are affected isn't clear, with TomTom only saying that a "limited number of models" have been experiencing the problem. Unfortunately, the company doesn't have a permanent fix just yet, but it says that a hard reset of the device will temporarily resolve the issue if you find yourself in a pinch. Instructions to do that can be found at the source link below (you can also sign up to be notified when the permanent fix is available).
Sony: 'Don't use your PS3' until internal clock bug is fixed
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/playstation/Sony_Don_t_use_your_PS3_until_internal_clock_bug_is_fixed'; After a night of radio silence, Sony has finally spoken up about the game-crashing issues currently plaguing non-Slim PS3 models. A post on PlayStation Blog has confirmed that the problems are "being caused by a bug in the clock functionality incorporated in the system." The statement puts a loose timeframe on a fix for the issues, saying, "we hope to resolve this problem within the next 24 hours." Additionally, the PlayStation Blog post includes a word of warning to PS3 Phat owners: "if you have a model other than the new slim PS3, we advise that you do not use your PS3 system, as doing so may result in errors in some functionality, such as recording obtained Trophies, and not being able to restore certain data." (Read Sony's full statement after the break.) We know you're curious to see what the console apocalypse looks like, but trust us -- it's just not worth it. We'll let you know when it's safe to turn your system back on. Update: The issue has been resolved.
AppleCare and leap years don't mix
There's dog years and Internet years, but this is the first time we've heard of a special definition of 'a year' when it comes to warranty coverage. TUAW reader Tom Moore bought his AppleCare agreement on May 3rd, 2006, and recently called Apple to activate the coverage on an older iPod. Like all iPod AppleCare coverage, it's a two year agreement (3 year coverage applies to computers and servers), and the telephone rep told him it runs through May 2008 -- at least it runs through the 1st of May, instead of the 3rd. Why not cover until the 3rd? It's because AppleCare defines a year as exactly 365 days -- whether it's a regular year or a leap year. Seems kind of stingy on Apple's part, but that's the way the coverage crumbles. Update: Tom has asked that we mention he found the experience with AppleCare and the 'lost day' to be amusing rather than upsetting. So noted for the record! Thanks Tom!
