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2025-01-27 MUGOO Zoom iMeeting - Happy New Year!

Started by AdminMan, January 06, 2025, 01:23:33 PM

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AdminMan

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

Date: Monday January 27, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM ET  You can join the Zoom meeting starting at 7:20.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81018027567?pwd=oxv7yDOzp6tnEtJ8i2qbfWlfjjZ6ic.1
Meeting ID:    810 1802 7567
Passcode:       970679

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 - Zoom vs Facetime - a comparison                       with David Rhynas                 7:40 - 8:30

3 - LeRoy's Phishing Adventure                                 with LeRoy Lees                     8:30 - 8:45

4 - Brave Browser follow-up                                   with Graham Fawcett                8:45 - 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
The group welcomed new member Martin, who joined our Zoom session from Carleton Heights Ottawa. The opening conversation touched on various topics, including current weather conditions across our member locations, and we were all envious when Peter mentioned the blue sky and 8 degree temperature in Victoria.

LeRoy introduced a new AI app called DeepSeek, a competitor to ChatGPT that is now available on the App Store. While he was driving, it provided a better answer to his question about Robert Louis Stevenson's book publishing. David explained that DeepSeek not only provides responses but also reveals the reasoning behind them. This Chinese developed AI cost substantially less to develop and uses less data than competitors. The group discussed where to find more information about DeepSeek https://www.deepseek.com, and LeRoy noted that Nvidia's stock dropped 17% due to this new arrival. Marc mentioned an allegation that the company behind DeepSeek may have stolen 50,000 GPUs from Nvidia, potentially explaining its lower development costs.
                                                                         
1 - News and Views - Members' new tech arrivals
Lynda shared her recent purchase of a new iPad M4, which she has found to be significantly faster and more capable than her previous model. However, it also required the purchase of a new Apple Pencil and Bluetooth keyboard. She mentioned her interest in exploring the AI features that come with the new device. The front facing camera is now on the landscape edge and we all noticed an improvement in "direct eye contact."

Linda purchased an iPad Air 13 inch which she can use to view music scores in their original size and format

Graham shared his recent acquisition of a Mac Mini and a new Studio Display, describing the upgrade as a significant improvement. He also plans to replace his old iPad with a new iPad Mini.

Ian described his experience with a Drobo that had stopped working with macOS Sequoia, leading him to purchase a 14TB drive for information storage. Marc found it curious that even with a direct USB connection, the Drobo was not recognized.

2 - Zoom vs Facetime - a comparison - with David Rhynas
David discussed the history of teleconferencing, including his personal experience with early systems at Bell Canada. Video conferencing technology today has far surpassed his expectations from the 1980s.

David then explained Zoom's background, including its founder's departure from Cisco to create a superior platform. He highlighted Zoom's features, such as its compatibility with various devices, ability to host up to 1000 participants, and collaboration tools. David also mentioned Zoom's pricing structure, with free calls limited to 40 minutes and paid plans starting at $20 CAD per month.
   
David presented a comparison between Zoom and Apple's FaceTime. He highlighted the similarities and differences between the two platforms, including user interface, features, and capabilities. David noted that while FaceTime is fine for personal use, Zoom offers more features for professional gatherings. He also demonstrated how to set up a group call in FaceTime and shared his concerns about the potential issues that could arise when switching between Zoom and FaceTime. Wally praised Zoom's AI Companion meeting summary feature. You can view David's presentation deck and commentary at https://mugoo.com/bigfiles/2025-01-27_Zoom_vs_Facetime.pdf

In the discussion that followed, Lynda asked about the feasibility of using FaceTime with non-Apple users, and David explained that a link could be sent to join the call from a browser window rather than the Apple app.

There was also a query as to how Apple was able to synchronize the viewing of a locally streamed movie by multiple FaceTime participants. Marc explained that all movies have 1Kb time codes that are synced through the Apple server; these require minimal bandwidth and there is very little delay.

3 - LeRoy's Phishing Adventure - with LeRoy Lees
LeRoy shared a personal experience of being targeted by a scammer posing as a friend on Facebook, which led to a discussion about the importance of verifying the identity of contacts before engaging in any transactions. He warned the team to be cautious when dealing with money-related matters.

Lynda also shared her experience of being targeted by a phishing scam, but she was able to identify it due to a specific question she asked the caller. The group discussed various scams, including the grandparent scam, and the importance of being vigilant and not falling for emotional manipulation. We also noted the use of safe transfer places and the potential for scams to use artificial intelligence to mimic voices. The team agreed to remain cautious and to report any other suspicious activities.

4 - Brave Browser follow-up - with Graham Fawcett
Graham provided an update on his continued use of the Brave browser since his initial presentation in November. He shared his positive experience with the browser, highlighting its impressive security features and its ability to block ads and trackers. Graham also reported on the number of ads and trackers blocked by Brave, noting a significant increase from October to January. He mentioned only two minor issues he encountered, a page freeze during a Microsoft subscription and another with Netflix. Graham expressed his intention to continue using Brave and encouraged others to try it.
   
This was followed by a group discussion the security of passwords in different browsers, particularly in Brave and Safari. Graham has been using Brave for his online banking. Lynda raised a question about where passwords are saved. Marc explained that Brave stores passwords in its own secure locker, but he couldn't find information on how it secures the passwords. He prefers using an external password manager like One Password for better security. The group also discussed the potential risks of having passwords saved in a browser, especially if the browser is left open.

5 - Group FaceTime Test - with David Rhynas
As a final "experiment" for the evening, David launched a FaceTime session from the Zoom meeting. The experiment was partially successful, with some participants joining both calls, but there were technical difficulties, such as frozen images and audio issues. David concluded that Zoom was still the preferred service for our monthly iMeetings.