fowl2

Why does no one put captions outside the letterbox?

Oh no! Gemini has infected my Gmail.

Turning off “smart features in Google Workspace” removes the stupid summary prompt, but not the rest sparkles ✨ 😪

oh no moltbook reaching the 6pm tv news

I can’t believe they don’t just have a form, drop a pin and done.

Screenshot of portion of live chat with Telstra agent: Them: Okay! We'll report it. Could you please let me know when you're at the location? I can assist you further then. Me: There is no data flow at the location, how will I be able to let you know? Them: Please understand that we can't proceed with the resolution if you're not at the location, as it may lead to incorrect outcomes. If there is no data flow at your location, please connect to someone else's Wi-Fi or a hotspot, or use an alternate network to connect with us. This way, we can move forward. May I know once you're at the location? Me: How would that work in a location with no wifi and no alternative network? Them: There will be an alternate mobile device to connect to the hotspot or use Wi-Fi. Please connect with us from a different device. At the moment, we can't assist you. When you're at the location, could you please let me know?

Honestly what

lol Telstra mobile signal has been dead a few days at local shopping centre - trying to report to Telstra is hopeless, chat keeps insisting I go back (to where there is no signal) and message them again.

go back to the no signal area and then message them

*blinks rapidly*

I was dealing with the draaaawn out “everything is a secret” happenings on Silo s2, but wow that finale really is a kick in the teeth

Photo of 3 seat aisle with dark blue and orange fabric seats and back of seat screens, all off/black

somewhat surprising the IFE was just switched off instead of removed when Air Asia bought this plane that was previously owned by Philippine Airlines (9M-XBF)

weight saving must not overshadow any recertification expense?

Hotel rooms with autoplaying videos WITH MUSAK: 🗑️

That many of these transit facilities are made up of many different points in google maps with ~no topology or walking connections leading to spurious 5/10/20 walking segments in the same building really doesn’t help.

How much of it is choice of local carrier v. *gestures at QoI technical complexity* I do not know.

*figuring out how to get from the train station to the bus terminal was less fine

Tip: the “4 seats available”: aren’t.

Honesty the bus from JB to KL has been fine*, but was looking forward to catching the new train! (ETS)

Wow the quality of data roaming on Telstra is REMARKABLY different between Singapore and Malaysia.

~fine in Singapore.

Barely useable in Malaysia.

Praise be esimdb.com

Honestly every time I’m lazy/resist getting a local SIM I regret it.

So is every chromium fork reimplement this, or is it the same as the Edge impl that’s been stable for years?

Screenshot of Google maps displaying a ongoing navigation, with the map showing a bus route with the blue arrow indicating my position very far away

Google Maps gleefully continuing to count down stops for a vehicle I’m clearly not on

Screenshot of Grab iOS Scan to Pay with a GrabPay QR 01-01-2026 till 28-02-2026 Here's how Simply make an in-store purchase using a GrabPay QR (excludes PayNow). Receive a mystery reward every time you make an in- store purchase of S$3 or more. • Larger baskets may result in bigger wins. Terms and conditions apply. Did you know? GrabPay QR transactions can get you up to 25,000 GrabCoins and more! Scan to Pay

This promotional text in the Grab app implies that GrabPay is different from PayNow in the Grab wallet. 🤯

Successfully bought a juice from a vending machine using the PayNow option and GrabPay

Haven’t seen much ShopBack (pay?), despite this nominally being their homie

There are two many brands to distinguish based on colour: green is used by at least WeChat, Line, and Grab.

New information: “SG QR” is apparently some sort of multiplexing standard that allows multiple QR payment schemes in the one code.

Therefore GrabPay is just a PayNow provider, and a distraction to my cause, given that I haven’t seen a single PayNow logo yet.

Screenshot of Grab iOS, scanning a QR CODE: Scanner frame: PAYNOW | SG QR Popup: Invalid QR code This QR code can no longer be used with GrabPay or PayNow. Please scan a different QR code. Try again Cancel Wallet balance S$15.00

“No longer be used” is ominous

Hope I didn’t get sunburnt, UV 6 lol

I feel like a big thing people often don't get is that computers are stupid. They are really, truly, stupid. They can only do what you tell them, exactly what you tell them, and they cannot think "well this is an obvious problem, clearly this wasn't intended" the way even a small child often can

Update: first attempt at 7eleven at using PayNow failed. Invalid code error.

Side note: apparently Revolut (with which whom I already held an account) supports Singapore FAST payments, which are also accepted to top up GrabPay.

So I guess you could/should compare their fx rates and use whichever is better at the time.

Signing up to Wise was smooth enough though.

Looks nice! Still waiting for the e-ink patents to expire, because that’d be perfect for it.

3 instant-ish transfers across 3 apps, some passport scans and a day later I see a balance in my GrabPay wallet.

I’m readdy to attempt to buy lunch. It’s probably going to be SGD5.

Wish me luck.

The next day the scan function works.

It’s a red herring. I don’t need to scan a code. I activate PayNow VPA on GrabPay and it issues with me with an email address looking thing that includes my phone number.

I can send money to this address with Wise.

PayNow seems to be a competing QR payment scheme.

Wise (neé TransferWise), supports PayNow. I sign up for Wise. I can transfer money to Wise from an Australian bank with PayId. The “scan” function gives me an error saying it’s not available. Support says there’s nothing wrong.