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2024-11-25 MUGOO Zoom iMeeting

Started by AdminMan, November 12, 2024, 01:17:20 PM

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AdminMan

We still cannot have in-person meetings at the library. So we will use Zoom.

Date: Monday November 25, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET  You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.

Join Zoom Meeting
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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 - 7:40

2 - Brave Browser                                           -  with Graham Fawcett                    7:40 -  8:15

3 - Apple Intelligence meets photography    -   group discussion                          8:15 - 9:00
                 

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

DavidR

#1
0 - Group chin-wag during log on
Our MUGOO social gathering at the Royal Oak on November 19th was most enjoyable, with 12 participants, and we hope to do it more regularly.

Marc outlined his current project, to render a series of Babylon 5 episodes using Handbrake and running multiple programs simultaneously on his Mac Mini M2 Pro.  He is knitting together online bits and blu-ray versions, while attempting to harmonize the video; think of it as a "Mongolian barbecue".  Marc's ultimate goal is to create an "editor's choice" version by combining the best elements from different sources of the episodes.

1 - News and Views - Members' new tech arrivals
Marc will be upgrading to a Mac Mini M4 Pro in the Spring.  Graham is planning to get a new iMac as his current one is outdated.  Leroy recently purchased AirPods Pro on sale.  Bill is considering upgrading from an iPad 6th generation to either the 10th generation iPad or iPad Air for future AI capabilities.  The group discussed upcoming Black Friday deals.  Apple typically does not offer major discounts on Black Friday, but may provide gift cards depending on the amount of your purchase.

2 - Brave Browser -  with Graham Fawcett
Graham presented an overview of the Brave web browser, which is focused on privacy and blocks most ads and website trackers by default https://brave.com .  It also offers faster web page loading, and easier navigation.  Brave has optional approved ads that users can opt in to view as a means of earning token rewards.  Graham observed that Brave, along with a few other privacy-focused browsers, still only occupy a small 1% share of the overall browser market space.

The presentation addressed key details about Brave's features, user base, and background on the Chromium engine it is based on.  Graham also compared Brave with Safari and DuckDuckGo, highlighting the differences in their features and functions.  He navigated to several websites to demonstrate how Brave effectively removes ads and trackers, and how it can save time and protect personal information.  Graham then presented a more detailed comparison of other browsers, focusing on their privacy features and performance.  You can view Graham's presentation slides at https://mugoo.com/bigfiles/2024-11-25_Brave_Presentation.pdf

The group discussed the potential of using Brave as a more private browser, with David expressing interest in trying it out.  Marc shared his past experience with Brave, noting that it broke some websites, but he was willing to give it another try.  The group agreed to revisit the topic at the January meeting, with Graham planning to provide a follow-up on his own use of Brave. 

3 - Apple Intelligence meets photography - LeRoy Lees and Wally Kuzmicz
Leroy outlined Apple's recently introduced Cleanup feature in Photos, which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to remove distractions from photographs.  You need an M-series iPad iOS 18.1 or macOS Sequoia, iPhone 15 Pro or ProMax or later.  He discussed the feature's capabilities, such as removing people, cars, wires, and shadows, and its ease of use.  The feature is particularly helpful for processing personal photographs and is essentially built into the operating system, making it free to use.  Even with AI changes, it is always possible to revert back to your original image.  Lightroom or Photoshop might be better for high end editing, but they cost money and time.  As Marc indicated, Photos is a good "90%" solution.  You can view LeRoy's presentation slides below.

Leroy also mentioned some upcoming features in Photos, including the ability to prepare movies from a narrative text prompt. He also recommended a book by Jason Snell, "Take Control of Photos 4th Edition," for further learning https://books.apple.com/ca/book/take-control-of-photos-fourth-edition/id6723865332 .

Wally demonstrated the use of Cleanup.  He showed how the tool can identify and remove objects such as people, vehicles, and even photobombers, with varying degrees of success. The tool also allows for manual adjustments and cleanups. There is even potential for Cleanup be used in creating new art genres.  The group agreed that the tool's ability to remove unwanted objects from images is impressive and can be considered as "close to magic."

4 - Post Agenda
In the post agenda chat, several long-time members reminisced about the early days of our computer club, discussing the evolution of technology and the importance of embracing change.  Charles shared his experience using Apple computers even before the Macintosh, and showed us a 1989 issue of the club's newsletter ... at that time under our former moniker NCMC – National Capital Macintosh Club.  Marc even has the original 1987 letters of incorporation.  NCMC/MUGOO is one of the oldest continually running Apple User Groups.  Sydney Australia has had theirs since 1984.

The next meeting, in three weeks, is our annual show and tell session.