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71
General Discussion / Charger evaluation by ZDNet.com
« Last post by Doug on February 10, 2025, 05:29:23 PM »
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Senior Contributing Editor for ZDNet: "I took apart this cheap 600W charger to test its claims. What I found inside was not right."


https://www.zdnet.com/article/i-took-apart-this-cheap-600w-charger-to-test-its-claims-what-i-found-inside-was-not-right/
72
General Discussion / APCUG Free Webinar 02/12/25 Security
« Last post by rsutter on February 10, 2025, 08:00:28 AM »
Hello All,
This is a re-post that I received today from APCUG
Ralph Sutter

February 12, 2025
WEDNESDAY WORKSHOP
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY ALLIANCE/STAY SAFE ONLINE
FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION
with
 Shivani Cowper, Operations Manager; Jen Cook, Sr. Director of Marketing; Creative Director Arturo "Efe" Morales; and Content Director Barry Eitel
 
SMARTWATCH HARD FALL DETECTION
with
John Krout, Presenter & Newsletter Contributor
Potomac Area Technology And Computer Society
 
Register once here ? https://tinyurl.com/3d2zw7x2 
 
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration. On February 11, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
 
Stay Safe Online Focus Group Discussion. Our first Workshop is a special open discussion with representatives from Stay Safe Online (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ? CISA ? a part of DHS). They highly value your unique insights about your peers and seek your input during a focus group sharing of ideas on several key questions. This feedback will help shape a presentation designed for seniors and contribute to developing a new website, printed workbook, and direct mail piece. Additionally, volunteer-led sessions to help attendees do things like check for operating system updates, enable MFA on essential accounts, etc.
 
We made a big impression on Lisa* at her presentation on Cyber Security. "It's a big investment, so that's why we're hoping for input from your group. Your participation is invaluable, and we look forward to your contributions!"
*Lisa Plaggemiera, Executive Director, National Cybersecurity Alliance (A Whole Lot of BS (Behavioral Science) about Cybersecurity)

Smartwatch Hard Fall Detection. Smartwatches are micro marvels. The hard fall detection feature,  though, is not yet perfected.
 
You will learn the basics of how a hard fall is detected, what the watch does to nudge its users, and find help when a hard fall is detected.
 
Your presenter bought a refurbished smartwatch and did not know Hard Fall Detection was enabled. He was awakened more than once when the smartwatch falsely detected a hard fall. After the first time, he researched ways to control that feature.
 
Learn the options to control Hard Fall Detection, your presenter's chosen option, and why it works well for him. No more sleep interruption!
 ##########
?   What are your biggest challenges with technology in general? For peers that you help with their tech (who are not as tech-savvy), what do you think their biggest struggles are?
?   How do you keep other seniors abreast of the latest scams targeting them? Who do people listen to? Where do they usually seek out or learn about this type of information?
?   Do you think configuring MFA on most apps is easy? (Gmail, Amazon, Meta, your bank, etc.) What would make it easier?
?   Do you use a password manager ? why or why not? What do you think would increase password manager use among seniors?
?   Who do you look to for information about staying safe online?
?   Would you use or recommend a "how to" guide (online or printed workbook) for basic cyber hygiene best practices to a friend?
?   When trying to implement security best practices (MFA, reporting a scam or phishing, using long, unique passwords, running updates, etc), what are your biggest challenges or barriers to those actions? What do you think they are to your less tech-savvy peers?
73
General Discussion / SLO Bytes Photo Group Report for 02/09/2025
« Last post by rsutter on February 09, 2025, 06:05:19 PM »
Hello All,
Here is my Photo Group Report for 02/09/2025
TOPIC: Tourist Destinations

Ralph Sutter began the meeting with visits to the Mind Body Campus in San Luis Obispo, grape vineyards, barns, the Baywood Park seaside, popular hamburger joints and the Monastery of the Risen Christ in San Luis Obispo.

Kaye Raul
followed travelling to Los Alamos. There, she showcased metal sculptures, restaurants, the Bedford Winery, Union Hotel and the Skyview Motel.

John Waller
reached into the past for images of a safari that he made to Kenya and Tanzania many years ago. He captured numerous animals on the Savannah; Hyenas, lions, Warthogs, Impalas, Cheetahs, Flamingos and other animals in their natural habitat.

Alan Raul, using only his iPhone, walked around Pismo Beach photographing hotels, houses, restaurants, bars and street scenes.

The topic for our March 9th Meeting will be Photographer's Choice
What follows are the meeting dates for 2025
  April 13
  May 18 (May 11 is Mothers' Day)
  June 8
  July 13
  August 10
  September 14
  October 12
  November 9
  December 14

See the Links page; https://www.slobytes.org/digital/links.html for tutorials and other resources

Ralph Sutter
74
General Discussion / Alan Raul February 2, 2025 Meeting Notes
« Last post by Alan J. Raul on February 01, 2025, 09:32:51 AM »
How to Disable Copilot in Microsoft 365
https://office-watch.com/2025/how-to-disable-copilot-in-microsoft-365/

What Microsoft 'forgot' say in an email to Microsoft 365 customers
https://office-watch.com/2025/what-microsoft-forgot-say-in-an-email-to-microsoft-365-customers/

Microsoft Office for Home
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/buy/compare-all-microsoft-365-products

DeepSeek - is a Chinese artificial intelligence company that develops open-source large language models.
https://www.deepseek.com/
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=DeepSeek&iar=news&ia=news
 
DeepSeek R1: This Free AI Model Changes Everything!
https://youtu.be/Ysu2BTBH3Uk

The All MSI Gaming Setup!
https://youtu.be/4L_psS1MVk8

World?s FIRST AI-Tracking iPhone Gimbal for Filming Pro video!
https://www.insta360.com/product/insta360-flow2-pro


75
General Discussion / APCUG Wednesday Workshops; Fraud Prevention
« Last post by rsutter on January 20, 2025, 07:09:12 AM »






 Hello All,
Hello All
This is a re-post of an announcement that I received from APCUG
Ralph Sutter
 
January 22, 2025
WEDNESDAY WORKSHOP
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
FRAUD PREVENTION
Deputy Tara Hardin, Oklahoma County Sheriff?s Office
TRIAD Coordinator for Oklahoma County
 
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
Member Group Ideas for 2025
 
Register once here - https://tinyurl.com/mr3yexs4
 
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration. On January 21, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
 

Fraud Prevention
Deputy Tara Hardin?s presentation is on Fraud, an exponentially growing issue over the past 3-5 years. Some experts even say it has surpassed oil as the largest revenue source in the world. So how are they getting all these billions of dollars from us, and how do you protect yourself from the con artists? We cannot prosecute our way out of this problem; prevention is the key. Join us to hear some easy-to-follow tips you can implement to help protect your hard-earned money and prevent you or someone you love from these predators. Bring your questions for Tara.
 
Roundtable Discussion
Since 1986, APCUG has been dedicated to helping its member groups succeed by providing them with resources and support for their members. Let?s begin 2025 by discussing meeting ideas, recruiting new members, and more and how APCUG can help.
 




 



   



   












76
General Discussion / Notes for the SLO Bytes Photo Group Meeting of 01/12/2025
« Last post by rsutter on January 16, 2025, 11:53:22 AM »
Hello All,
Here are the Notes of Alan Raul for the SLO Bytes Photo Group Meeting of 01/12/2025

Notes from the Meeting of 01/12/2025
TOPIC: San Luis Obispo Photo Shoot

Kaye Raul showed shots of different locations in San Luis Obispo including the Odd Fellows Hall and the Grange Hall where SLO Bytes previously held meetings and BBQ's.
She also gave some history on other shots around town.

Alan Raul shot pictures of the San Luis Obispo Train Station (Built in 1894).
His pictures included the Coast Starlight, Pacific Surfliner and a freight train.
He used his new Sony 28-70 F/2.0 zoom lens. Although heavier and more expensive than his previous 24-70 F/4.0 lens, it produced sharper and more vivid images.
The lens also focuses faster due to more and updated linear motors.
He used the latest ON1 Photo RAW 2025, Photoshop and ACDSee to enhance and modify his images.

Stanford Brown showed pictures of Mission San Luis Obispo, the Free Library, trees, different architecture types and his favorite restaurant, Novo..

John Waller showed the original French Hospital, Palm Theatre, San Luis creek area with bridges, Chong?s Candy Shop closed in 1978, now a real estate office. He then ventured to Poly Canyon to look at different architecture designs.

The topic for February is Tourist Destinations.
What follows are the meeting dates for 2025
  March 9
  April 13
  May 18 (May 11 is Mothers' Day)
  June 8
  July 13
  August 10
  September 14
  October 12
  November 9
  December 14

See the Links Page;  https://www.slobytes.org/digital/links.html for tutorials and other resources

Alan Raul
77
General Discussion / APCUG Free Webinars - Linux
« Last post by rsutter on January 13, 2025, 11:52:18 AM »
Hello All,
This is a re-post of an announcement received from APCUG today.
Ralph Sutter

LEARNING LINUX WEDNESDAY WORKSHOP
January 15, 2025
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET
 
DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT SHOWCASE
John Kennedy, APCUG Speakers Bureau
 
Register once here - https://forms.gle/4sDciGbyhgPDrXTK9
 
After you click Submit, you will receive the pop-up acknowledgment of your registration below. On January 14, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.

Desktop Environment Showcase. At a previous workshop, when something about different desktop environments was mentioned, an attendee asked, "Why so many, and what's the difference?" The comment was made that the question would make a good presentation, so here we have it.

The auto industry has its "makes" of cars, and the Linux system has its different "distributions/distros." Each make has different "models," and Linux distros have different "desktop environments." The reason that both cars and Linux have so many is that people like different things. So, both produce basically the same things, yet they provide differences.
 
Join John as he takes us through the showroom to showcase the major and minor differences between several popular desktop environments on many different distros. This might help you decide which one you like the best or what parts you want for building your desktop environment.
78
Hello All,
What follows is a re-post of an announcement that I received today from APCUG
Ralph Sutter

 
WEDNESDAY WORKSHOP
January 8, 2025
9 am PT, 10 am MT, 11 am CT, 12 pm ET

EXTEND YOUR LITHIUM-ION BATTERY LIFE
Part 1. Introduction to Smart Plugs
John Krout, Presenter & Newsletter Contributor
Potomac Area Technology And Computer Society
 
Touring the Web #11: End of 2024 Edition
JB Burke, President, Prescott Computer Society
 
Register once here - https://forms.gle/QyYtgTuTmNR2PjX27
 
After you click Submit, you will receive a pop-up acknowledgment of your registration (see below). On January 7, after registration closes at 6 pm Pacific Time, you will receive the encrypted Zoom link.
 
Extend Your Lithium-Ion Battery Life, Part 1?Introduction to Smart Plugs. John will cover the following topics: What is a smart plug? How long have they been around? Why are smart plugs helpful? Can you mix brands of smart plugs? How to use them while on the go, and other forms of smart devices.
 
Touring the Web #11: End of 2024 Edition. On this Tour, you will learn what OneDrive really is, see some iconic photos from the 20th Century, and learn how an 8-story 11,000-ton building was turned 90? while work went on inside. Plus, a bit about WWII innovations, worldwide favorite ice cream flavors, how to launch a satellite without a rocket, historic aircraft, and why you should switch to a Chromebook. Unsure of AI? We'll have some tips about how to get into it. Plus, videos, links galore, and much, much more.
79
General Discussion / Alan Raul January 5, 2025 Meeting Notes
« Last post by Alan J. Raul on January 03, 2025, 03:37:55 PM »
San Luis Obispo, CA | UPRR San Barbara Sub, MP 248.7 - PTZ | SouthWest RailCams LIVE
https://www.youtube.com/live/S2YHshIN0F8

RailRat.net - Real time Amtrak train status tracker, with arrival and departure updates organized by route, station and train.
https://railrat.net/

11 Seattle to LA https://railrat.net/trains/11/
14 LA to Seattle https://railrat.net/trains/14/
761 SD to SLO https://railrat.net/trains/761/
774 SLO to SD https://railrat.net/trains/774/
777 SD to SLO https://railrat.net/trains/777/
794 SLO to SD https://railrat.net/trains/794/

Amtrak Intercity Rail Map
https://asm.transitdocs.com/
 
Spectrum Internet Gig Service - $101.25/month
https://www.speedtest.net/result/17196679543.png
 
What All of the Markings on SD microSD and microSDXC Cards Mean?
https://www.servethehome.com/what-all-of-the-markings-on-sd-microsd-and-microsdxc-cards-mean/

Using OneDrive Without Using OneDrive
https://youtu.be/1e9mrY5UqiY
https://askleo.com/using-onedrive-without-using-onedrive/
 
Pyle PDA29BU Wireless BT Stereo Power Amplifier
https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Wireless-Bluetooth-Stereo-Amplifier/dp/B08W5BN4FK
https://www.fullbean.com/tutorials/pyle.html
 
Adobe All-new photography innovations and pricing updates
https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/12/15/all-new-photography-innovations-pricing-updates

Creative Cloud Photography (20GB) pricing changes | Common questions
https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/faq/ccpp-20gb.html

Adobe Photography and Lightroom Plan Updates
https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2024/12/15/all-new-photography-innovations-pricing-updates#photography-and-lightroom-plan-updates

MATTK Adobe 2025 Pricing Update FAQ
https://mattk.com/adobe-2025-pricing-update-faq/

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Mobile Communications Best Practice Guidance
https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/guidance-mobile-communications-best-practices.pdf

Enable This New Cell Phone Security Option Now!
https://youtu.be/mUiQgAIlEIg
 
Spectrum Mobile Account Fraud Protection
https://www.spectrum.net/support/mobile/account-fraud-protection
 
Avila Beach 2025 Polar Bear Dip - 805 Webcams Recap
https://youtu.be/CXkhVnSrbMw

Celebrating the new year at the Avila Beach Polar Bear Plunge
https://youtu.be/iULf7lM_j_k
 
2025 Avila Beach Polar Bear Plunge Countdown
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/61i7pl5vb9iaomalizbr7/2025-01-01-Polar-Bear.mov?rlkey=jspxbpnbskgnzna6klo37gf6i&st=9ezytxdi&dl=0
 
BleachBit - Clean Your System and Free Disk Space
https://www.bleachbit.org/

Sharge Disk Plus Enclosure
https://sharge.com/products/disk-plus

Thunderbolt 5 80Gbps M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQ8G95QP
https://www.trebleet.com/product-page/thunderbolt-5-80gbps-m-2-nvme-ssd-enclosure-transfer-rates-over-7000mb-s
 
Top 5 Thunderbolt 5 Features - CalDigit
https://youtu.be/6Xa61c2VND4

World's FASTEST Thunderbolt 5 DIY SSD: Save $700 on 4TB!
https://youtu.be/kY2rg_G7ylc

80
General Discussion / Pyle Wireless BT Stereo Power Amplifier
« Last post by rsutter on December 24, 2024, 06:59:10 PM »
Hello All,
I recently bought a Pyle Wireless BT Stereo Power Amplifier for $41.67.  I used it to power a pair of stereo speakers, orphaned  years ago when my Logitech 5.1 audio sound system died.
The new amplifier allowed me to connect two speakers into the back of the unit with the spring clips.  Next, I connected the amp to the computer via Bluetooth.  Everything worked seamlessly.
For more details, see https://www.fullbean.com/tutorials/pyle.html
I also posted a narrated version on YouTube at https://youtu.be/hLp_gLXVatI
Ralph Sutter
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