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2020-01 BMUG Newsletter
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 BMUG NewsletterJanuary 2020 |
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Greetings!The first meeting for 2020 will be on February 11, 3.30 pm at the Ocean Grove Community Hub. All are welcome.The topics below have been chosen by the Committee in the absence of suggestions from the members. Members, please remember this is an association and everyone needs to contribute if it is to continue. If you have any things you would like covered in our meetings, please let the Committee know asap at info@bellarinemac.org.au The meeting will focus on IBM Research's ideas of the most important technologies for the future. We will consider the technologies chosen in 2018 and then some added more recently. Participants will be asked to contribute their experiences and how these technologies might influence their lives in the future, if IBM is right! Then these 2 items from AppleInsider will be considered: - 27/1/2020 Avast antivirus harvested user data, then sold to Google, Microsoft etc; and - 28/1/2020 Amazon’s Ring apps (for Android) caught spying on users, sharing data with third-parties. These topics emphasise the ever expanding security issues and intrusion into our privacy associated with the use of devices connected to the internet. Finally, we will have a run down on how the reworked version of ‘Reminders’ functions. Any other topics will be welcomed for a future BMUG members meeting as members consider their own concerns and experiences. News from AppleApple News is an app - "Apple News is a mobile app and news aggregator developed by Apple Inc., for its iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and macOS operating systems. The iOS version was launched with the release of iOS 9. It is the successor to the Newsstand app included in previous versions of iOS." Wikipedia Apple News has now been up-graded to Apple News+: At an event in March 2019, Apple unveiled Apple News+ for $9.99 per month. The service is integrated directly into the News app and features magazines from National Geographic, Popular Science, New Yorker, Vogue, Rolling Stone and more. Apple News+ will also include content from the Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal. See https://ww.9to5mac.com/guides/apple-news/# for more news.
BMUG members are reminded that in Australia, the local libraries offer free access to a substantial number of magazines, and lots of other things: see, e.g., what is available from the Geelong Libraries On the other hand, news from Apple, about Apple, celebrates even more success for the company, according to the BBC: Apple has credited a surge in demand for its iPhone 11 for record sales and profits over the Christmas period. Apple boss Tim Cook also said it was "closely monitoring" the coronavirus outbreak, which has made forecasting for the next quarter difficult. The company has limited travel and reduced store hours in China, while its suppliers' factories remain closed longer than expected. "The situation is emerging and we're still gathering data," Mr Cook said. Apple said sales in the last three months of 2019 rose 8% year-on-year to $91.8bn (£70.5bn), while net profits increased 11% to reach $22.2bn. The gains were driven by demand for iPhones and accessories such as watches and AirPods and marked a change from recent performance, which had disappointed with weak iPhone sales. How amazing is this?When people lose the ability to talk, or to use keyboards etc, they do not need to stop using the technology of the times - incredibly. This is because adaptive technologies are developed to assist them, including screens that can 'see' the person's eye movements and use them to drive the devices. Inclusive technologies are expensive to develop, and often not immediately used by a large market, but often they find their way into the mainstream and change practices.Here is a good example:  "Skyle harnesses the power of the iPad Pro to transform into an AAC device that can be controlled completely with your eyes. This has the potential to make all the difference for people with communication difficulties as a result of conditions such as cerebral palsy, ALS, Rett syndrome or spinal cord injury. Skyle is compatible with any App from the iOS Apple App Store. This includes a huge range of AAC Apps, so you can convert your eye movements into communication through symbol-based Apps such as Proloquo2Go, GoTalk NOW, TouchChat, Compass Connect & Predictable. Not only is Skyle lightweight and mobile, it also comes in a protective case with built in mounting plate. This means that your iPad will be safe and secure and you’ll be able to communicate everywhere you go. Skyle also includes an anti-reflective coating and high quality four speaker audio, so your user experience will be brilliant wherever you are." Does this mean we will learn to look at our devices instead of having to yell at Siri? |
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