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--- lctgmeetingsummary20250423 [2025.04.23 16:53] – created Steve Isenberg
+++ lctgmeetingsummary20250423 [2025.04.23 17:08] (current) – [Meeting Summary for Lex Computer Group's April 23, 2025 meeting] Steve Isenberg
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 =====Meeting Summary for Lex Computer Group's April 23, 2025 meeting=====
-<fs xx-large>Potpourri: Portable Software, Fast 1TB Thumb Drive, BackMarket for refurb equipment, and more</fs>
+<fs xx-large>Potpourri: Portable Software, Fast 1TB Thumb Drive, buying refurbished equipment, watching out for fake drive capacities, and more</fs>
 ====Quick recap====
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 ===Mouse Highlight and Uptime Robot===
-Drew shared a Microsoft app called Mouse Highlight that enlarges the cursor for better visibility during presentations. Steve discussed a website called Uptime Robot [https://uptimerobot.com] that monitors website availability and sends alerts when a site goes down. He also introduced a 1TB USB drive for faster data transfer (Amazon B0DCJMK9SN), emphasizing the need for a USB 3.2 port for optimal performance. Seth questioned the speed of the USB drive compared to an internal SSD, but Steve suggested comparing the speeds to determine the best option.
+Drew shared a Microsoft app called Mouse Highlight that enlarges the cursor for better visibility during presentations. Steve discussed a website called Uptime Robot [[https://uptimerobot.com]] that monitors website availability and sends alerts when a site goes down. He also introduced a 1TB USB drive for faster data transfer (Amazon B0DCJMK9SN), emphasizing the need for a USB 3.2 port for optimal performance. Seth questioned the speed of the USB drive compared to an internal SSD, but Steve suggested comparing the speeds to determine the best option.
 ===Device Performance and Pricing Discussion===
-Steve discussed the performance and pricing of a the 1TB USB drive, noting that the price had dropped from $100 to $84.99. Drew shared his experience with the device, stating that the new one was significantly faster than the old one. Steve also mentioned the possibility of holding off on buying the device if prices continue to drop. Drew emphasized the value of time when transferring data, suggesting that the device could save time compared to an old-fashioned flash drive.  Steve mentioned the Camel Camel Camel website that tracks the pricing of Amazon products, all you need to track a product is Amazon's B code that you extract from the Amazon URL (e.g., the B0DCJMK9SN from an Amazon URL like [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCJMK9SN/] )
+Steve discussed the performance and pricing of a the 1TB USB drive, noting that the price had dropped from $100 to $84.99. Drew shared his experience with the device, stating that the new one was significantly faster than the old one. Steve also mentioned the possibility of holding off on buying the device if prices continue to drop. Drew emphasized the value of time when transferring data, suggesting that the device could save time compared to an old-fashioned flash drive.  Steve mentioned the Camel Camel Camel website [[https://camelcamelcamel.com]] that tracks the history of pricing of Amazon products; all you need to track a product is Amazon's B code that you extract from the Amazon URL (e.g., the B0DCJMK9SN from an Amazon URL like [[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCJMK9SN/]])
+Bob discussed the need to be careful when buying large-capacity flash drives or cheap SSDs on Amazon and other sites, especially off-brand products as they often are rigged and do not have their stated internal components -- meaning that the capacity is reported incorrectly (so that a thumb drive identified as 1TB and showing 1TB may in reality only have 32GB, for example).  He pointed the attendees to a MakeUseOf page that offers 9 Ways to Test Real Drive Capacity (and Spot a Fake)  [[https://www.makeuseof.com/ways-to-test-real-drive-capacity-spot-a-fake/]]
 ===Refurbished Devices: Pros, Cons, and Sources===
-Steve discussed the possibility of purchasing refurbished devices from various sources, including the manufacturer's site (e.g, for Apple, [https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished]]), Amazon, and Back Market [https://backmarket.com]. He highlighted the benefits of these options, such as lower prices and a one-year warranty. Peter and Seth shared their experiences and opinions on the quality of refurbished devices, emphasizing the importance of choosing a reputable source. They also discussed the potential risks and the need for caution when purchasing refurbished items.
+Steve discussed the possibility of purchasing refurbished devices from various sources, including the manufacturer's site (e.g, for Apple, [[https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished]]), Amazon [[https://amazon.com]], and Back Market [[https://backmarket.com]]. He highlighted the benefits of these options; Amazon offers 30 day return policy and a paid "protection plan", and both Back Market and Apple also offer 30 day return and 1 year warranty. Peter and Seth shared their experiences and opinions on the quality of refurbished devices, emphasizing the importance of choosing a reputable source. They also discussed the potential risks and the need for caution when purchasing refurbished items.
 ===Free Movie Streaming and Proto Page===
-Steve discussed various free movie streaming sites (from MakeUseOf [https://www.makeuseof.com/no-login-no-fees-free-movie-sites/]  and a website called Proto Page [https://protopage.com] that allows users to customize their homepage with widgets and bookmarks. Peter suggested caution with ad-supported sites and mentioned that Proto Page is not portable [ProtoPage is indeed available for all browsers]. Seth agreed with Peter's point about ad-supported sites and suggested that the list of sites might include some less legitimate options.
+Steve discussed various free movie streaming sites (from MakeUseOf [[https://www.makeuseof.com/no-login-no-fees-free-movie-sites/]]  and a website called Proto Page [[https://protopage.com]] that allows users to customize their homepage with widgets and bookmarks. Peter suggested caution with ad-supported sites and mentioned that Proto Page is not portable [ProtoPage is indeed available for all browsers]. Seth agreed with Peter's point about ad-supported sites and suggested that the list of sites might include some less legitimate options.