- Welcome to MUGOO Message Board.
Recent posts
#51
MUGOO Meetings / 2024-04-22 MUGOO Zoom iMeeting
Last post by AdminMan - March 31, 2024, 08:22:11 PMWe still cannot have in-person meetings at the library. So we will use Zoom.
Date: Monday April 22, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/expired
Meeting ID: expired
Passcode: expired
Although Zoom works in many browsers we STRONGLY recommend using the dedicated app on your device with the largest screen for the best experience.
You do NOT need a Zoom account to join a meeting!
If you need instructions, go here: https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/UsingZOOM
Agenda:
0 - Group chin-wag during log on 7:20 - 7:30
1 - News and Views - Members' new tech arrivals 7:30 - 7:45
2 - Apple's Legal woes plus $150 windfall for
some iPhone owners with Wally Kuzmicz 7:45 - 8:25
3 - Feeling Blue-in-the Tooth? - Bluetooth
problems plus car theft using Air Tags with Lynda Matsumoto 8:25 - 9:00
4 - Presidential Sign Off with Wally Kuzmicz 25.5 seconds
Unfortunately, no after meeting wings or desserts at the Royal Oak, but feel free to prepare your own snacks and share them with us on screen!
Did you miss a meeting?
Sign up for emailed meeting notices! https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/MeetingReminders
Don't forget the Ottawa Public Library!
Even though we are unable to meet in person at the library, the OPL still offers a wealth of services you can access online. Go to https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en
Date: Monday April 22, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/expired
Meeting ID: expired
Passcode: expired
Although Zoom works in many browsers we STRONGLY recommend using the dedicated app on your device with the largest screen for the best experience.
You do NOT need a Zoom account to join a meeting!
If you need instructions, go here: https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/UsingZOOM
Agenda:
0 - Group chin-wag during log on 7:20 - 7:30
1 - News and Views - Members' new tech arrivals 7:30 - 7:45
2 - Apple's Legal woes plus $150 windfall for
some iPhone owners with Wally Kuzmicz 7:45 - 8:25
3 - Feeling Blue-in-the Tooth? - Bluetooth
problems plus car theft using Air Tags with Lynda Matsumoto 8:25 - 9:00
4 - Presidential Sign Off with Wally Kuzmicz 25.5 seconds
Unfortunately, no after meeting wings or desserts at the Royal Oak, but feel free to prepare your own snacks and share them with us on screen!
Did you miss a meeting?
Sign up for emailed meeting notices! https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/MeetingReminders
Don't forget the Ottawa Public Library!
Even though we are unable to meet in person at the library, the OPL still offers a wealth of services you can access online. Go to https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en
#52
MUGOO Meetings / Re: 2024-03-25 MUGOO Zoom iMee...
Last post by DavidR - March 26, 2024, 08:48:03 PM1 - News and Views
During the pre-meeting, we chatted about the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8th. Depending on the weather forecast, some of our members are planning to drive to Brockville, Ivy Lee or Portland for closer proximity to the "totality." Marc is aware of someone who spent $1,000 to purchase a special 20 stop eclipse filter and stabilized tripod for his camera to get the best shot possible. Either no direct viewing or ISO certified eye protection is mandatory since the retina has no pain receptors and permanent vision impairment may not be apparent until a day or two afterwards.
Keith recently acquired a new M2 MacBook Air. His most recent desktop was in 2017 and it had been getting a bit sluggish. The speed of bootup with the new machine is almost instantaneous. He also purchased a compatible adapter to extend the number of USB-C ports.
LeRoy has upgraded to macOS Sonoma and it all went quite smoothly. Even his network attached Drobo and Plex servers are still working. Marc mentioned that Drobo as a company is officially done, with no further support available. Drobos are starting to fail so users are advised to ensure they have backups.
2 - Apple Vision Pro - what it holds for our future - with David Rhynas
David provided an overview of the recently released Apple Vision Pro. There's a remarkable amount of ingenuity on display here, and spatial computing takes multitasking to the next level. It's a fascinating look at what may be the future of computing and entertainment rolled into one very sleek package. By all accounts, this is the most innovative Apple product since the original iPhone, yet the premium starting price may limit broad acceptance. You can view David's presentation deck and comments at https://mugoo.com/bigfiles/2024-03-25_Apple_Vision_Pro.pdf Also, watch the Film and Guided Tour videos at https://www.apple.com/apple-vision-pro/ for a good sense of the capabilities.
In the discussion that followed, Stephen inquired about audio leakage from the headset speakers. For silent viewing, Apple recommends the use of AirPods.
Apple's vision has been to make computing as invisible as possible and the human factors engineering that went into designing this product is astounding. It becomes almost intuitive after a very short period time. There are also many possible uses of this technology for the handicapped, who not that long ago had use a rudimentary form of head pointer.
Lynda believes that this first release is a prototype for developers. Tune into the next WWDC to fully appreciate what's coming.
Chris mentioned that Meta's Quest 3 is a good, more reasonably priced ($600) mixed reality headset option for now.
3 - Lousy Browsing, AI, Grok and more - with Laurence Head
Wally opened the discussion by stating Google searches seem to be more cumbersome, perhaps a negative side of Artificial Intelligence. At our planning meeting, Steve mentioned two AI search tools https://www.perplexity.ai and https://copilot.microsoft.com which are really easy to use and seem to provide more accurate answers than https://chat.openai.com .
Laurence then moved on to offer further updates on the AI scene which continues to evolve at such a rapid pace. He started with some demo examples created by Sora, which provides a mind-blowing text to video capability https://openai.com/sora . Chris mentioned that people were astounded when Sora was first announced because it is so effective in rendering a 3D world. ChatGPT4 also does text to video creation. Ross added that Curious Refuge now has the ability to add AI generated audio to these videos. This field of development is one of the causes behind the recent Hollywood strike. The industry is being transformed before our eyes.
Laurence then provided an update on what's been happening with Humanoid Robotics where there are now over 10 companies dedicated to this mission. Figure 1 has partnered with OpenAI where the robot seems to have consciousness. The voice even has pausing and hesitation to make it more real. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pRKYkWbkkA
Klanara ran an AI test trial for customer support agents. They handled the work equivalent to 700 full time agents, two thirds of all the chats, with an average resolution time of 2 minutes and satisfaction ratings on par with human agents. https://www.klarna.com/international/press/klarna-ai-assistant-handles-two-thirds-of-customer-service-chats-in-its-first-month/
The economic benefit makes this trend unstoppable. Goldman Sachs estimates that there are 300 million jobs at risk, and many of them are in high end occupations. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2023/03/31/goldman-sachs-predicts-300-million-jobs-will-be-lost-or-degraded-by-artificial-intelligence/?sh=143fc20b782b
4 - Sunrise Video - with Ferriss High
We wrapped up the evening with Ferriss giving an introduction to his show 'n tell Sunrise Video from December where there had been problems with the sound. It has since been realized that the Zoom Audio Device must be installed for such sharing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7ni77hV4-8
During the pre-meeting, we chatted about the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8th. Depending on the weather forecast, some of our members are planning to drive to Brockville, Ivy Lee or Portland for closer proximity to the "totality." Marc is aware of someone who spent $1,000 to purchase a special 20 stop eclipse filter and stabilized tripod for his camera to get the best shot possible. Either no direct viewing or ISO certified eye protection is mandatory since the retina has no pain receptors and permanent vision impairment may not be apparent until a day or two afterwards.
Keith recently acquired a new M2 MacBook Air. His most recent desktop was in 2017 and it had been getting a bit sluggish. The speed of bootup with the new machine is almost instantaneous. He also purchased a compatible adapter to extend the number of USB-C ports.
LeRoy has upgraded to macOS Sonoma and it all went quite smoothly. Even his network attached Drobo and Plex servers are still working. Marc mentioned that Drobo as a company is officially done, with no further support available. Drobos are starting to fail so users are advised to ensure they have backups.
2 - Apple Vision Pro - what it holds for our future - with David Rhynas
David provided an overview of the recently released Apple Vision Pro. There's a remarkable amount of ingenuity on display here, and spatial computing takes multitasking to the next level. It's a fascinating look at what may be the future of computing and entertainment rolled into one very sleek package. By all accounts, this is the most innovative Apple product since the original iPhone, yet the premium starting price may limit broad acceptance. You can view David's presentation deck and comments at https://mugoo.com/bigfiles/2024-03-25_Apple_Vision_Pro.pdf Also, watch the Film and Guided Tour videos at https://www.apple.com/apple-vision-pro/ for a good sense of the capabilities.
In the discussion that followed, Stephen inquired about audio leakage from the headset speakers. For silent viewing, Apple recommends the use of AirPods.
Apple's vision has been to make computing as invisible as possible and the human factors engineering that went into designing this product is astounding. It becomes almost intuitive after a very short period time. There are also many possible uses of this technology for the handicapped, who not that long ago had use a rudimentary form of head pointer.
Lynda believes that this first release is a prototype for developers. Tune into the next WWDC to fully appreciate what's coming.
Chris mentioned that Meta's Quest 3 is a good, more reasonably priced ($600) mixed reality headset option for now.
3 - Lousy Browsing, AI, Grok and more - with Laurence Head
Wally opened the discussion by stating Google searches seem to be more cumbersome, perhaps a negative side of Artificial Intelligence. At our planning meeting, Steve mentioned two AI search tools https://www.perplexity.ai and https://copilot.microsoft.com which are really easy to use and seem to provide more accurate answers than https://chat.openai.com .
Laurence then moved on to offer further updates on the AI scene which continues to evolve at such a rapid pace. He started with some demo examples created by Sora, which provides a mind-blowing text to video capability https://openai.com/sora . Chris mentioned that people were astounded when Sora was first announced because it is so effective in rendering a 3D world. ChatGPT4 also does text to video creation. Ross added that Curious Refuge now has the ability to add AI generated audio to these videos. This field of development is one of the causes behind the recent Hollywood strike. The industry is being transformed before our eyes.
Laurence then provided an update on what's been happening with Humanoid Robotics where there are now over 10 companies dedicated to this mission. Figure 1 has partnered with OpenAI where the robot seems to have consciousness. The voice even has pausing and hesitation to make it more real. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pRKYkWbkkA
Klanara ran an AI test trial for customer support agents. They handled the work equivalent to 700 full time agents, two thirds of all the chats, with an average resolution time of 2 minutes and satisfaction ratings on par with human agents. https://www.klarna.com/international/press/klarna-ai-assistant-handles-two-thirds-of-customer-service-chats-in-its-first-month/
The economic benefit makes this trend unstoppable. Goldman Sachs estimates that there are 300 million jobs at risk, and many of them are in high end occupations. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2023/03/31/goldman-sachs-predicts-300-million-jobs-will-be-lost-or-degraded-by-artificial-intelligence/?sh=143fc20b782b
4 - Sunrise Video - with Ferriss High
We wrapped up the evening with Ferriss giving an introduction to his show 'n tell Sunrise Video from December where there had been problems with the sound. It has since been realized that the Zoom Audio Device must be installed for such sharing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7ni77hV4-8
#53
MUGOO Meetings / 2024-03-25 MUGOO Zoom iMeeting
Last post by AdminMan - March 15, 2024, 12:52:04 PMWe still cannot have in-person meetings at the library. So we will use Zoom.
Date: Monday March 25, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/expired
Meeting ID: expired
Passcode: expired
Although Zoom works in many browsers we STRONGLY recommend using the dedicated app on your device with the largest screen for the best experience.
You do NOT need a Zoom account to join a meeting!
If you need instructions, go here: https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/UsingZOOM
Agenda:
0 - Group chin-wag during log on 7:20 - 7:30
1 - News and Views - members' new tech arrivals 7:30 - 7:45
2 - Apple Vision Pro - what it holds for our future - with David Rhynas 7:45 - 8:25
3 - Lousy Browsing, AI, Grok and more - with Laurence head 8:25 - 9:00
4 - Sunrise Video
(held over from December Show-n-Tell) - with Ferriss High 9:00 - 9:10
5 - Presidential Sign Off - with Wally Kuzmicz 25.5 seconds
Unfortunately, no after meeting wings or desserts at the Royal Oak, but feel free to prepare your own snacks and share them with us on screen!
Did you miss a meeting?
Sign up for emailed meeting notices! https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/MeetingReminders
Don't forget the Ottawa Public Library!
Even though we are unable to meet in person at the library, the OPL still offers a wealth of services you can access online. Go to https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en
Date: Monday March 25, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/expired
Meeting ID: expired
Passcode: expired
Although Zoom works in many browsers we STRONGLY recommend using the dedicated app on your device with the largest screen for the best experience.
You do NOT need a Zoom account to join a meeting!
If you need instructions, go here: https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/UsingZOOM
Agenda:
0 - Group chin-wag during log on 7:20 - 7:30
1 - News and Views - members' new tech arrivals 7:30 - 7:45
2 - Apple Vision Pro - what it holds for our future - with David Rhynas 7:45 - 8:25
3 - Lousy Browsing, AI, Grok and more - with Laurence head 8:25 - 9:00
4 - Sunrise Video
(held over from December Show-n-Tell) - with Ferriss High 9:00 - 9:10
5 - Presidential Sign Off - with Wally Kuzmicz 25.5 seconds
Unfortunately, no after meeting wings or desserts at the Royal Oak, but feel free to prepare your own snacks and share them with us on screen!
Did you miss a meeting?
Sign up for emailed meeting notices! https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/MeetingReminders
Don't forget the Ottawa Public Library!
Even though we are unable to meet in person at the library, the OPL still offers a wealth of services you can access online. Go to https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en
#54
MUGOO Meetings / Re: 2024-02-26 MUGOO Zoom iMee...
Last post by DavidR - February 28, 2024, 11:02:25 AM1 - News and Views
Gillian recently purchased a gadget, not electronic, that holds all of her USB flash drives in a case with zipper and handle. There are slots for 35 drives and additional space for SD cards. It helps maintain some order.
Graham purchased a new camera this past weekend, a Fujifilm X-T5. He is blown away by the amount of technology in such a compact device, more than was ever dreamt of by the team who first put a man on the moon. It can automatically identify and focus on the eye of a bird at 30 feet. With the Fuji app on the iPhone, all photos are geotagged so they are in correct sequence with photos taken by the iPhone. There are a number of interchangeable lenses and Fuji are among the best available. David has had this kit for a year with great results, most recently in Australia. Graham will also soon be traveling to Australia with his new gear.
Laurence recently got a "new" 2020 iPad Pro, which was still covered under Apple Care ... refurbished with a brand new body on the outside and new battery. It worked out well.
2 - Apple Stolen Device Protection - with David Rhynas
We have become so dependent on our Apple devices and using just a numeric passcode leaves you vulnerable to theft, fraud and worse. In January, Apple released 17.3 for both iOS and iPadOS which introduces a new security feature Stolen Device Protection aimed at protecting your valuable data. It only works if you have Face ID or Touch ID enabled. While not 100% it is a significant step up. You can view David's presentation deck and remarks at https://mugoo.com/bigfiles/2024-02-26_Stolen_Device_Protection.pdf. Where feasible, everyone should enable.
As a sidenote, David shared his experience in temporarily "losing" his presentation file by accidently dragging it to the desktop trash can. Anything in trash no longer appears in Spotlight searches or Recents and for all intents and purposes, never existed. Something to be aware of.
3 - Houdahspot File Search Tool - with Graham Fawcett
Graham's computer system has over 1.3 TB of data and 95,000 emails. He provided an overview of HoudahSpot, a customizable search app integrated with Apple's Spotlight engine. While Spotlight is somewhat one dimensional, this utility has a comprehensive range of search criteria that can be used in combination, even down to the lens with which you may have taken certain photos! After reviewing his presentation deck below, Graham then provided some demos of the various search capabilities.
4 - Replacing my MacBook Pro battery - with Wally Kuzmicz
Wally shared his experience in replacing the drive of an older 2015 MacBook Pro. While this perhaps could have been done at an Apple Store, he preferred the do-it-yourself approach to save some money and the trips to and from Ottawa. The drive and associated repair kit was purchased from iFixit.com who also provide comprehensive step-by-step instructions online, with this repair as one example https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Retina+Display+Mid+2015+Battery+Replacement/89284
You can view Wally's presentation deck below. Although at first a bit daunting, Wally was happy with the outcome.
Gillian recently purchased a gadget, not electronic, that holds all of her USB flash drives in a case with zipper and handle. There are slots for 35 drives and additional space for SD cards. It helps maintain some order.
Graham purchased a new camera this past weekend, a Fujifilm X-T5. He is blown away by the amount of technology in such a compact device, more than was ever dreamt of by the team who first put a man on the moon. It can automatically identify and focus on the eye of a bird at 30 feet. With the Fuji app on the iPhone, all photos are geotagged so they are in correct sequence with photos taken by the iPhone. There are a number of interchangeable lenses and Fuji are among the best available. David has had this kit for a year with great results, most recently in Australia. Graham will also soon be traveling to Australia with his new gear.
Laurence recently got a "new" 2020 iPad Pro, which was still covered under Apple Care ... refurbished with a brand new body on the outside and new battery. It worked out well.
2 - Apple Stolen Device Protection - with David Rhynas
We have become so dependent on our Apple devices and using just a numeric passcode leaves you vulnerable to theft, fraud and worse. In January, Apple released 17.3 for both iOS and iPadOS which introduces a new security feature Stolen Device Protection aimed at protecting your valuable data. It only works if you have Face ID or Touch ID enabled. While not 100% it is a significant step up. You can view David's presentation deck and remarks at https://mugoo.com/bigfiles/2024-02-26_Stolen_Device_Protection.pdf. Where feasible, everyone should enable.
As a sidenote, David shared his experience in temporarily "losing" his presentation file by accidently dragging it to the desktop trash can. Anything in trash no longer appears in Spotlight searches or Recents and for all intents and purposes, never existed. Something to be aware of.
3 - Houdahspot File Search Tool - with Graham Fawcett
Graham's computer system has over 1.3 TB of data and 95,000 emails. He provided an overview of HoudahSpot, a customizable search app integrated with Apple's Spotlight engine. While Spotlight is somewhat one dimensional, this utility has a comprehensive range of search criteria that can be used in combination, even down to the lens with which you may have taken certain photos! After reviewing his presentation deck below, Graham then provided some demos of the various search capabilities.
4 - Replacing my MacBook Pro battery - with Wally Kuzmicz
Wally shared his experience in replacing the drive of an older 2015 MacBook Pro. While this perhaps could have been done at an Apple Store, he preferred the do-it-yourself approach to save some money and the trips to and from Ottawa. The drive and associated repair kit was purchased from iFixit.com who also provide comprehensive step-by-step instructions online, with this repair as one example https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Retina+Display+Mid+2015+Battery+Replacement/89284
You can view Wally's presentation deck below. Although at first a bit daunting, Wally was happy with the outcome.
#55
MUGOO Meetings / 2024-02-26 MUGOO Zoom iMeeting
Last post by AdminMan - February 14, 2024, 08:16:04 PMWe still cannot have in-person meetings at the library. So we will use Zoom.
Date: Monday February 26, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/expired
Meeting ID: expired
Passcode: expired
Although Zoom works in many browsers we STRONGLY recommend using the dedicated app on your device with the largest screen for the best experience.
You do NOT need a Zoom account to join a meeting!
If you need instructions, go here: https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/UsingZOOM
Agenda:
0 - Group chin-wag during log on 7:20 - 7:30
1 - News and Views - members' new tech arrivals 7:30 - 7:45
2 - Apple Stolen Device Protection - with David Rhynas 7:45 - 8:20
3 - Houdahspot File Search Tool - with Graham Fawcett 8:20 - 8:40
4 - Replacing my MacBook Pro battery - with Wally Kuzmicz
(time permitting)
4 - Presidential Sign Off - with Wally Kuzmicz 25 seconds
Unfortunately, no after meeting wings or desserts at the Royal Oak, but feel free to prepare your own snacks and share them with us on screen!
Did you miss a meeting?
Sign up for emailed meeting notices! https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/MeetingReminders
Don't forget the Ottawa Public Library!
Even though we are unable to meet in person at the library, the OPL still offers a wealth of services you can access online. Go to https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en
Date: Monday February 26, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/expired
Meeting ID: expired
Passcode: expired
Although Zoom works in many browsers we STRONGLY recommend using the dedicated app on your device with the largest screen for the best experience.
You do NOT need a Zoom account to join a meeting!
If you need instructions, go here: https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/UsingZOOM
Agenda:
0 - Group chin-wag during log on 7:20 - 7:30
1 - News and Views - members' new tech arrivals 7:30 - 7:45
2 - Apple Stolen Device Protection - with David Rhynas 7:45 - 8:20
3 - Houdahspot File Search Tool - with Graham Fawcett 8:20 - 8:40
4 - Replacing my MacBook Pro battery - with Wally Kuzmicz
(time permitting)
4 - Presidential Sign Off - with Wally Kuzmicz 25 seconds
Unfortunately, no after meeting wings or desserts at the Royal Oak, but feel free to prepare your own snacks and share them with us on screen!
Did you miss a meeting?
Sign up for emailed meeting notices! https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/MeetingReminders
Don't forget the Ottawa Public Library!
Even though we are unable to meet in person at the library, the OPL still offers a wealth of services you can access online. Go to https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en
#56
MUGOO Meetings / Re: 2024-01-22 MUGOO Zoom iMee...
Last post by wallykuz - January 25, 2024, 12:23:20 AMMeeting Notes for January 22-2024 iMeeting
1 - News and Views
Michel Arsenault discussed several upgrades and improvements in the recently released iOS 17.3
2 - Getting Organized
Gillian led a group discussion about members' methods of organizing and retrieving files on their Mac. She showed how she sets up and populates year-specific folders and subfolders with files of all types as they accumulate over time. The group discussed some built-in Mac features and apps for organizing and searching...
- Finder Search (Command-F)
- Spotlight Search (Command-Spacebar)
- Recents (Command-Shift-F)
- Notes app
Graham mentioned some helpful file search apps that do more than Spotlight and the Finder Search function...
Find Any File app - https://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/
Houdahspot app - https://www.houdah.com/houdahSpot/?lang=en
3 - Wondershare Uniconverter app
https://videoconverter.wondershare.com/video-converter-ultimate-mac.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iadZ3YwbwB4
https://videoconverter.wondershare.net/lp/uniconverter-best-video-converter-brand.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAh8OtBhCQARIsAIkWb6_rkOlqk_HWX69uQ93vx0xulJJXGM_gMau5Gs6UAAMVjNnVXYX5IXAaAiXoEALw_wcB
Ross showed this impressive multi-featured app and demonstrated some of its capabilities. Features include...
- video conversion
- video downloading from Youtube and other sites - usually successful, depending on the website
- audio and video compression
- video editing - cutting andmerging
- video and audio players support many formats
- photo conversion to numerous formats
- video metadata editing
- reading of music CDs
- conversion of video to VR headset format
- video enhancement
- photo editing and enhancement
- editing of background video portraits (faces) with artificial intelligence
- video cropping and stabilization
- screen recording
Summary by Wally Kuzmicz
1 - News and Views
Michel Arsenault discussed several upgrades and improvements in the recently released iOS 17.3
2 - Getting Organized
Gillian led a group discussion about members' methods of organizing and retrieving files on their Mac. She showed how she sets up and populates year-specific folders and subfolders with files of all types as they accumulate over time. The group discussed some built-in Mac features and apps for organizing and searching...
- Finder Search (Command-F)
- Spotlight Search (Command-Spacebar)
- Recents (Command-Shift-F)
- Notes app
Graham mentioned some helpful file search apps that do more than Spotlight and the Finder Search function...
Find Any File app - https://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/
Houdahspot app - https://www.houdah.com/houdahSpot/?lang=en
3 - Wondershare Uniconverter app
https://videoconverter.wondershare.com/video-converter-ultimate-mac.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iadZ3YwbwB4
https://videoconverter.wondershare.net/lp/uniconverter-best-video-converter-brand.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAh8OtBhCQARIsAIkWb6_rkOlqk_HWX69uQ93vx0xulJJXGM_gMau5Gs6UAAMVjNnVXYX5IXAaAiXoEALw_wcB
Ross showed this impressive multi-featured app and demonstrated some of its capabilities. Features include...
- video conversion
- video downloading from Youtube and other sites - usually successful, depending on the website
- audio and video compression
- video editing - cutting andmerging
- video and audio players support many formats
- photo conversion to numerous formats
- video metadata editing
- reading of music CDs
- conversion of video to VR headset format
- video enhancement
- photo editing and enhancement
- editing of background video portraits (faces) with artificial intelligence
- video cropping and stabilization
- screen recording
Summary by Wally Kuzmicz
#57
MUGOO Meetings / 2024-01-22 MUGOO Zoom iMeeting
Last post by AdminMan - January 10, 2024, 04:05:39 PMWe still cannot have in-person meetings at the library. So we will use Zoom.
Date: Monday January 22, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/expired
Meeting ID: expired
Passcode: expired
Although Zoom works in many browsers we STRONGLY recommend using the dedicated app on your device with the largest screen for the best experience.
You do NOT need a Zoom account to join a meeting!
If you need instructions, go here: https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/UsingZOOM
Agenda:
0 - Group chin-wag during log on 7:20 - 7:30
1 - News and Views - members' new tech
arrivals to chat about 7:30 - 7:40
2 - Getting Organized - Group chat with Gillian Villeneuve 7:40 - 8:25
3 - Wondershare Uniconverter - with Ross Slade 8:25 - 9:00
4 - Presidential Sign Off - with Wally Kuzmicz 25 seconds
Unfortunately, no after meeting wings or desserts at the Royal Oak, but feel free to prepare your own snacks and share them with us on screen!
Did you miss a meeting?
Sign up for emailed meeting notices! https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/MeetingReminders
Don't forget the Ottawa Public Library!
Even though we are unable to meet in person at the library, the OPL still offers a wealth of services you can access online. Go to https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en
Date: Monday January 22, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/expired
Meeting ID: expired
Passcode: expired
Although Zoom works in many browsers we STRONGLY recommend using the dedicated app on your device with the largest screen for the best experience.
You do NOT need a Zoom account to join a meeting!
If you need instructions, go here: https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/UsingZOOM
Agenda:
0 - Group chin-wag during log on 7:20 - 7:30
1 - News and Views - members' new tech
arrivals to chat about 7:30 - 7:40
2 - Getting Organized - Group chat with Gillian Villeneuve 7:40 - 8:25
3 - Wondershare Uniconverter - with Ross Slade 8:25 - 9:00
4 - Presidential Sign Off - with Wally Kuzmicz 25 seconds
Unfortunately, no after meeting wings or desserts at the Royal Oak, but feel free to prepare your own snacks and share them with us on screen!
Did you miss a meeting?
Sign up for emailed meeting notices! https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/MeetingReminders
Don't forget the Ottawa Public Library!
Even though we are unable to meet in person at the library, the OPL still offers a wealth of services you can access online. Go to https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en
#58
MUGOO Meetings / Re: 2023-12-18 MUGOO Zoom iMe...
Last post by DavidR - December 19, 2023, 11:40:50 AM1 - News and Views
Stephen asked if anyone had experience with the new Continuity Camera feature. This is where your iPhone 15 can be used as a webcam with a mac or Apple TV. The iPhone has to be locked and in landscape mode. He had used it Sunday for the weekly family Zoom meeting with great success but today could get it to work.
Jamie has tried Continuity Camera with an Apple TV and Facetime, and found it to be finicky. It's like the old days where you had to "do the incantation in the right order and face north at the same time." It sometimes takes two or three attempts. Hopefully this useful capability will stabilize over time.
Keith mentioned that his ability to make a payment with his Apple Watch is also finicky. Others have found it to work well and Jamie doesn't have to "face north when using the watch" ... although some contortion may be required to twist your wrist the right way to face the reader. There is a default credit card and you can scroll through the others on your watch, including gift cards.
Ross was trying to purchase an upgrade to his SoundSoap app (used for removing background noise from audio files) and encountered a payment problem with the intermediary FastSpring. From the description, Neil believed that the intermediary had accidently been left in test mode and that Ross should contact SoundSoap directly. Jamie mentioned that Final Cut Pro also has a super sound processing capability for cleaning up audio files.
2 - Show-n-Tell
Drone Video and Stittsville Campgrounds Memories - with Keith Hobbs
Keith started by screen sharing a 30 second video of aerial drone footage "crop duster diagonals" of his farm property. He prepared the clip using Final Cut Pro, integrating the music and a Ken Burns image of a local heron at the back creek. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmdqMSpAWBs http://www.hobbsfarm1860.ca
Ross mentioned that the 321 Rule is a simple and effective technique used by video editors to ensure that their videos are well-paced and engaging. The rule states that for every scene or shot in a video, there should be three different types of shots – wide, medium, and close-up – each shot lasting for two seconds, four seconds, and six seconds respectively.
Keith then screen shared the intro to another video he edited this year, that of the former Stittsville Campgrounds which operated from 1898 to 1974, in recognition of his mother's contribution. There was a compelling audio track of different testimonials from people who had fond memories of the camp. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSYvXSXV0Yg
Here Comes the Sun Video Project - with Ferriss High
In his introduction, Ferriss mentioned that they moved to a condo on Golden Avenue close the Clock Tower Brew Pub. Their tenth floor unit faces south and he would have his camera ready to capture sunrise photos since he takes medication at that time anyway.
Ferriss prepared a video collage of these sunrise photos and added the Beatles song Here Comes The Sun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7ni77hV4-8 Due the technical difficulties with Zoom, the audio did not come across. This will be resolved for screen sharing at a future iMeeting.
Evolving Storage Capacity - with Charles Archard
Charles opened by stating that we have all become used to gigabytes and terabytes of storage and tend to forget how far technology has progressed. He can recall the days when a mainframe computer would occupy an entire muti-story building with a CPU floor, an I/O floor and a storage floor!
He held in front of the camera a sizeable hard disk and asked people to guess the storage capacity. In fact it was 10 megabytes. Later in the meeting, Wally shared a photo of a 5 MB IBM hard disk weighing 1,000 KG (!) being loaded onto a Pan Am jet.
Scotland Slowly Slideshow - with David Rhynas
David shared photos from his Adventure Canada expedition cruise to the northern Isles of Scotland in June. https://www.adventurecanada.com/europe-expedition-cruises/scotland-slowly
The photos were taken with an iPhone 14 and a Fujifilm X-T5. Any editing was done with macOS Photos as well as presentation of the slide show. While there are subtle differences in quality between the two cameras, the iPhone is remarkably good and only requires a tenth of the storage requirement. He has recently upgraded to an iPhone 15 Pro primarily due to the telephoto lens capability and improved features.
Stephen asked if anyone had experience with the new Continuity Camera feature. This is where your iPhone 15 can be used as a webcam with a mac or Apple TV. The iPhone has to be locked and in landscape mode. He had used it Sunday for the weekly family Zoom meeting with great success but today could get it to work.
Jamie has tried Continuity Camera with an Apple TV and Facetime, and found it to be finicky. It's like the old days where you had to "do the incantation in the right order and face north at the same time." It sometimes takes two or three attempts. Hopefully this useful capability will stabilize over time.
Keith mentioned that his ability to make a payment with his Apple Watch is also finicky. Others have found it to work well and Jamie doesn't have to "face north when using the watch" ... although some contortion may be required to twist your wrist the right way to face the reader. There is a default credit card and you can scroll through the others on your watch, including gift cards.
Ross was trying to purchase an upgrade to his SoundSoap app (used for removing background noise from audio files) and encountered a payment problem with the intermediary FastSpring. From the description, Neil believed that the intermediary had accidently been left in test mode and that Ross should contact SoundSoap directly. Jamie mentioned that Final Cut Pro also has a super sound processing capability for cleaning up audio files.
2 - Show-n-Tell
Drone Video and Stittsville Campgrounds Memories - with Keith Hobbs
Keith started by screen sharing a 30 second video of aerial drone footage "crop duster diagonals" of his farm property. He prepared the clip using Final Cut Pro, integrating the music and a Ken Burns image of a local heron at the back creek. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmdqMSpAWBs http://www.hobbsfarm1860.ca
Ross mentioned that the 321 Rule is a simple and effective technique used by video editors to ensure that their videos are well-paced and engaging. The rule states that for every scene or shot in a video, there should be three different types of shots – wide, medium, and close-up – each shot lasting for two seconds, four seconds, and six seconds respectively.
Keith then screen shared the intro to another video he edited this year, that of the former Stittsville Campgrounds which operated from 1898 to 1974, in recognition of his mother's contribution. There was a compelling audio track of different testimonials from people who had fond memories of the camp. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSYvXSXV0Yg
Here Comes the Sun Video Project - with Ferriss High
In his introduction, Ferriss mentioned that they moved to a condo on Golden Avenue close the Clock Tower Brew Pub. Their tenth floor unit faces south and he would have his camera ready to capture sunrise photos since he takes medication at that time anyway.
Ferriss prepared a video collage of these sunrise photos and added the Beatles song Here Comes The Sun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7ni77hV4-8 Due the technical difficulties with Zoom, the audio did not come across. This will be resolved for screen sharing at a future iMeeting.
Evolving Storage Capacity - with Charles Archard
Charles opened by stating that we have all become used to gigabytes and terabytes of storage and tend to forget how far technology has progressed. He can recall the days when a mainframe computer would occupy an entire muti-story building with a CPU floor, an I/O floor and a storage floor!
He held in front of the camera a sizeable hard disk and asked people to guess the storage capacity. In fact it was 10 megabytes. Later in the meeting, Wally shared a photo of a 5 MB IBM hard disk weighing 1,000 KG (!) being loaded onto a Pan Am jet.
Scotland Slowly Slideshow - with David Rhynas
David shared photos from his Adventure Canada expedition cruise to the northern Isles of Scotland in June. https://www.adventurecanada.com/europe-expedition-cruises/scotland-slowly
The photos were taken with an iPhone 14 and a Fujifilm X-T5. Any editing was done with macOS Photos as well as presentation of the slide show. While there are subtle differences in quality between the two cameras, the iPhone is remarkably good and only requires a tenth of the storage requirement. He has recently upgraded to an iPhone 15 Pro primarily due to the telephoto lens capability and improved features.
#59
MUGOO Meetings / Re: 2023-11-27 MUGOO Zoom iMee...
Last post by DavidR - November 28, 2023, 04:41:00 PM1 - News and Views
Room rentals at the library are still not offered in the evenings (ever since the pandemic) so we are continuing with Zoom for the time being. There has been some discussion about the possibility of a daytime meeting since most of our membership are now retired ... to be considered in the new year.
Keith recently purchased an iPhone Pro Max, with the enhanced optical zoom capability. LeRoy took advantage of Black Friday and obtained an M2 iPad Pro. We'll hear about the new capabilities as people become more familiar.
Mary-Sue recently acquired a higher resolution BenQ monitor and can now view two pages of text side-by-side. She has not yet figured how best to attach a video cam.
We also encountered the curious anomaly where the Zoom AI thought that Marc was speaking Romanian so his chat transcription was in that language (Eu le-am găsit), before he changed it back!
2 - Just Press Record app - with LeRoy Lees
LeRoy shared his presentation outline using Notes and summarized his experience with the app Just Press Record https://www.openplanetsoftware.com/just-press-record/ It is available for iOS, iPad OS, macOS and there is now also a version for Apple Watch. It is a nominal cost ($6.99 Canadian) and provides one tap recording with optional transcription. He finds it very helpful when people are talking "a mile a minute" especially at the Doctor's office. It's also a boon when your financial advisor is giving you advice over the phone.
Once recorded, the app provides the ability to edit the audio and text transcription for a more concise summary. When his wife was in hospital, he could share the doctor's update with his nurse sister in Calgary to compare notes. The files can be stored on your iPhone or uploaded to iCloud for syncing across all of your Apple devices.
Stephen pointed out that the Apple Voice Memos app provides some of the capabilities, but not the in-built transcription to different languages. Marc also pointed out that you don't need to worry about privacy; there is no contact with an external server.
3 - Notes app - dictation and other features - group discussion
Wally observed that the Apple Notes app also has the capability of accepting dictation and providing real-time transcription. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT7TFVByKeI
You can also scan a scribbled handwritten list, document or photo in Notes. https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/things-you-didnt-know-apples-notes-app-could-do
Some of the other interesting Notes features include saving them in iCloud for access across all of your Apple ecosystem, searching for specific notes, sharing notes with a designated person with an optional privacy password, standard and customized folders, tagging your notes for ease of searching. Notes does not yet provide real-time language translation.
There was some post discussion on financial apps for the mac. Stephen was recently advised that one of his favourite apps, Inuit Mint, is being discontinued. Marc mentioned that Mint has a poor privacy rating. Monarch Finance is the most recommended follow-on to Mint. https://www.monarchmoney.com/compare/mint-alternative# with their associated privacy statement https://www.monarchmoney.com/privacy#how-we-share-your-personal-data. Apparently, it is soon to be but not quite yet available in Canada.
Our MUGOO Show 'n Tell will be on December 18th this year and an email will be coming soon for suggestions.
Room rentals at the library are still not offered in the evenings (ever since the pandemic) so we are continuing with Zoom for the time being. There has been some discussion about the possibility of a daytime meeting since most of our membership are now retired ... to be considered in the new year.
Keith recently purchased an iPhone Pro Max, with the enhanced optical zoom capability. LeRoy took advantage of Black Friday and obtained an M2 iPad Pro. We'll hear about the new capabilities as people become more familiar.
Mary-Sue recently acquired a higher resolution BenQ monitor and can now view two pages of text side-by-side. She has not yet figured how best to attach a video cam.
We also encountered the curious anomaly where the Zoom AI thought that Marc was speaking Romanian so his chat transcription was in that language (Eu le-am găsit), before he changed it back!
2 - Just Press Record app - with LeRoy Lees
LeRoy shared his presentation outline using Notes and summarized his experience with the app Just Press Record https://www.openplanetsoftware.com/just-press-record/ It is available for iOS, iPad OS, macOS and there is now also a version for Apple Watch. It is a nominal cost ($6.99 Canadian) and provides one tap recording with optional transcription. He finds it very helpful when people are talking "a mile a minute" especially at the Doctor's office. It's also a boon when your financial advisor is giving you advice over the phone.
Once recorded, the app provides the ability to edit the audio and text transcription for a more concise summary. When his wife was in hospital, he could share the doctor's update with his nurse sister in Calgary to compare notes. The files can be stored on your iPhone or uploaded to iCloud for syncing across all of your Apple devices.
Stephen pointed out that the Apple Voice Memos app provides some of the capabilities, but not the in-built transcription to different languages. Marc also pointed out that you don't need to worry about privacy; there is no contact with an external server.
3 - Notes app - dictation and other features - group discussion
Wally observed that the Apple Notes app also has the capability of accepting dictation and providing real-time transcription. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT7TFVByKeI
You can also scan a scribbled handwritten list, document or photo in Notes. https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/things-you-didnt-know-apples-notes-app-could-do
Some of the other interesting Notes features include saving them in iCloud for access across all of your Apple ecosystem, searching for specific notes, sharing notes with a designated person with an optional privacy password, standard and customized folders, tagging your notes for ease of searching. Notes does not yet provide real-time language translation.
There was some post discussion on financial apps for the mac. Stephen was recently advised that one of his favourite apps, Inuit Mint, is being discontinued. Marc mentioned that Mint has a poor privacy rating. Monarch Finance is the most recommended follow-on to Mint. https://www.monarchmoney.com/compare/mint-alternative# with their associated privacy statement https://www.monarchmoney.com/privacy#how-we-share-your-personal-data. Apparently, it is soon to be but not quite yet available in Canada.
Our MUGOO Show 'n Tell will be on December 18th this year and an email will be coming soon for suggestions.
#60
MUGOO Meetings / 2023-12-18 MUGOO Zoom iMeetin...
Last post by AdminMan - November 28, 2023, 03:54:05 PMWe still cannot have in-person meetings at the library. So we will use Zoom.
Date: Monday December 18, 2023 (1 week early!!)
Time: 7:30 PM ET You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/expired
Meeting ID: expired
Passcode: expired
Although Zoom works in many browsers we STRONGLY recommend using the dedicated app on your device with the largest screen for the best experience.
You do NOT need a Zoom account to join a meeting!
If you need instructions, go here: https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/UsingZOOM
Agenda:
0 - Group chin-wag during log on 7:20 - 7:30
1 - News and Views - members' new tech
arrivals to chat about 7:30 - 7:40
2 - show-n-tell 7:40 - 9:00
- The Stittsvile Camp - Drone Video and Precious Memories - by Keith Hobbs
- Here Comes the Sun - Video Project - by Ferriss High
- Scotland Slowly - Slideshow with Video - by David Rhynas
3 - Presidential Sign Off with Wally Kuzmicz 25 seconds
Unfortunately, no after meeting wings or desserts at the Royal Oak, but feel free to prepare your own snacks and share them with us on screen!
Did you miss a meeting?
Sign up for emailed meeting notices! https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/MeetingReminders
Don't forget the Ottawa Public Library!
Even though we are unable to meet in person at the library, the OPL still offers a wealth of services you can access online. Go to https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en
Date: Monday December 18, 2023 (1 week early!!)
Time: 7:30 PM ET You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/expired
Meeting ID: expired
Passcode: expired
Although Zoom works in many browsers we STRONGLY recommend using the dedicated app on your device with the largest screen for the best experience.
You do NOT need a Zoom account to join a meeting!
If you need instructions, go here: https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/UsingZOOM
Agenda:
0 - Group chin-wag during log on 7:20 - 7:30
1 - News and Views - members' new tech
arrivals to chat about 7:30 - 7:40
2 - show-n-tell 7:40 - 9:00
- The Stittsvile Camp - Drone Video and Precious Memories - by Keith Hobbs
- Here Comes the Sun - Video Project - by Ferriss High
- Scotland Slowly - Slideshow with Video - by David Rhynas
3 - Presidential Sign Off with Wally Kuzmicz 25 seconds
Unfortunately, no after meeting wings or desserts at the Royal Oak, but feel free to prepare your own snacks and share them with us on screen!
Did you miss a meeting?
Sign up for emailed meeting notices! https://mugoo.com/index.php/Main/MeetingReminders
Don't forget the Ottawa Public Library!
Even though we are unable to meet in person at the library, the OPL still offers a wealth of services you can access online. Go to https://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en