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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER 13 - 18 JANUARY 2025
Hello and Welcome,
Meetings This Week
NO MEETINGS
Meetings Next Week
NO MEETINGS
Schedule of Current & Upcoming Meetings
First Tuesday 18:00-20:00 — Main Meeting
Third Tuesday 10:00-12:00 — Tuesday Group
Third Saturday 14:00-16:00 — Web Design
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Go to the official Sydney PC Calendar for this month's meeting details.
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ASCCA News:Tech News:
Australia to introduce mandatory SMS Sender ID Register
See the iTWire article by Josh Martinez | Wednesday, 04 December 2024, 16:32.
Receiving a Registered SMS
The Albanese Labor government of Australia plans to implement a mandatory SMS Sender ID Register, claiming it will enable it to crack down on SMS scams.
The Government says the Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, will direct the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to develop an enforceable industry standard requiring telecommunications providers to check whether messages sent under a brand name correspond with the legitimate registered sender.
The ACMA will block the SMS or include a warning if the Sender ID is not on the Register.
The Government has provided the ACMA with A$10 million over four years through the 2023-24 Federal Budget to launch and maintain the Register.
"The Register will help stop scammers from using the names of trusted brands, including banking institutions, service providers or government entities — like ANZ, Linkt or myGov — and deceiving Australians into thinking the scam messages are from reputable sources," the government states in its announcement.
"With SMS the most commonly reported scam delivery method, the Register will provide greater protection to more consumers, as well as to legitimate brands and organisations impacted by scam activity."
According to the government, the Register will make Australia a more challenging target for SMS scammers.
"It forms part of the Albanese Government's suite of measures to make Australia the toughest target in the world for scammers and bring losses down," the government says.
"We've invested over $168 million to tackle scam activity across the economy, established a National Anti-Scam Centre, and introduced the Scams Prevention Framework that will impose world-leading obligations on banks, telcos and social media companies to prevent, detect, report, disrupt and respond to scams."
During the first half of 2025, the ACMA will consult on the industry standard to establish the systems and processes required to operate the Register and provide a transition period for entities to submit and register their Sender IDs.
The Government anticipates that the Register will be open to register Sender IDs in late 2025.
Meanwhile, a pilot SMS Sender ID Register established by the ACMA and industry in December 2023 will continue to operate.
The pilot Register involved several network operators and major brands (including National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank, and the Australian Taxation Office) registering their Sender IDs.
"We've all received scam messages on our phones purporting to be from reputable sources — and it's costing Australians millions of dollars yearly," said Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland.
"This mandatory Register will enable these messages to be blocked or flagged as a scam — better-protecting consumers from being cheated."
Are You Wearing Your Smartwatch Correctly?
See the How-To Geek article by Dibakar Ghosh | Published January 4, 2025.
A Smartwatch
Quick Links:
Why You Shouldn't Wear a Smartwatch Like a Traditional Wristwatch.
So, What's the Right Way to Wear a Smartwatch?
Signs You Are Wearing It Wrong.
It's natural to wear your smartwatch the same way you would any other watch. However, if you're not wearing it correctly, it can interfere with the accuracy of the health sensors.
Why You Shouldn't Wear a Smartwatch Like a Traditional Wristwatch
The smartwatch sensors must make perfect contact with your skin to accurately read your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, etc. Even a tiny gap can significantly reduce its efficiency and produce inaccurate data. When you wear your smartwatch like a traditional watch — close to the wrist bone — it experiences considerable bone movement. Albeit subtle, this movement can disrupt the sensor's ability to get consistent blood flow readings beneath your skin. Furthermore, this area generally has a poorer blood supply, making it even harder for the sensors to take accurate measurements.
A Smartwatch with Health Sensors
Modern smartwatches use sensors that shine an intense light on your skin and measure how much of that light is absorbed or reflected by your blood vessels. It's like shining a flashlight through your finger to see your pulse. However, the accuracy suffers significantly if any movement, gap, or skin irregularity breaks the contact between the sensors and your skin.
Now, it's worth noting that these sensors can be as accurate as medical-grade equipment — when worn correctly. In my own experiment with my Galaxy Watch, I found the readings to be similar to my Pulse Oximeter. As such, if you're using a quality smartwatch but noticing inaccurate data, the solution might be as simple as adjusting how you wear it.
So, What's the Right Way to Wear a Smartwatch?
Everyone's wrists, comfort needs, and styles are different, but there are a few best practices that you can follow to maximize the accuracy of your smartwatch.
For Day-to-Day Use
For everyday wear — whether walking around, working at a desk, or running errands—position the watch about two fingers' width above your wrist bone. You should tighten the strap just enough so the watch doesn't slide up or down when you shake your arm, but not so tight that it leaves marks on your skin or cuts off circulation. By positioning the watch away from the wrist bone and closer to the forearm, you ensure the sensors detect better blood supply to function accurately. Also, as long as the strap is sufficiently tight, the sensors will maintain skin contact — no need to worry about movement-induced interference disrupting your readings.
During Exercise
There will naturally be more movement and sweat when exercising — whether running, lifting weights, or doing high-intensity interval training. This combination can cause the watch to slip and slide on your arm, affecting the overall tracking accuracy. You can easily prevent this by simply tightening the strap one notch tighter than your typical setting. It should feel secure but not uncomfortable.
NOTE: Remember to loosen your watch after workouts and clean any sweat from the area, as it can cause skin irritation.
Sleep tracking is another significant benefit of smartwatches. However, wearing the watch too tightly can cause discomfort and make it harder to fall asleep. Meanwhile, wearing it too loosely can lead to inaccurate readings. Now, try sleep tracking at the usual day-to-day tightness. You can loosen it by one notch if it feels uncomfortable. The readings should remain accurate if you don't move your hands too much during sleep.
However, if your sleep data seems inaccurate, and you think it's because of the loose strap, consider getting something like a Milanese mesh strap, a loop-style band, or a Velcro band. These adjustable bands allow you to fine-tune the tightness so the watch doesn't slip around, and you can sleep comfortably without feeling like someone is holding onto your wrist.
Signs You Are Wearing It Wrong
You shouldn't wear your smartwatch on your wrist, but slightly above, towards the forearm. You should also keep the wearables tight but not too tight. It can be trial and error for the first couple of days until you find the correct configuration. However, here are some telltale signs that say you're probably doing it wrong:
1. If the watch slides on your wrist when you move your arm up and down, even by a centimetre, it's too loose and needs to be tightened.
2. If you experience tightness or tingling in your palms or fingers, the watch is likely too tight and restricting your blood flow. In this case, you need to loosen it until the tingling sensation stops.
3. If there's only one notch of difference between tight and loose — where tightening by one notch causes tingling but loosening by one notch makes it slide up and down — you should replace your strap with a more adjustable band with more tightness levels.
4. If you develop skin irritation or rashes, it may be an allergic reaction to the band material. Consider replacing it with a more breathable and hypoallergenic option.
5. If you notice a rash precisely where the watch dial sits, it's likely due to sweat buildup or soap residue from handwashing. The best solution is to regularly clean the watch and your wrist, especially after exercise.
Smartwatches accurately track heart rate and other vital signs, but you need to wear them correctly. The key lies in ensuring you give the sensors the best environment to do their job. Wearing your smartwatch two fingers above your wristbone, tightening it slightly during exercise, and switching to a more adjustable and breathable band for sleep tracking allows it to accurately track your health data throughout the day.
Fun Facts:
(I): ASHAMPOO — Photo Optimizer 11
See the Ashampoo Software Deals in Australia.
Brilliant photos in a single click
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Photo Optimizer 11
The lifesaver for your vacation shots
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Level up your vacation, wedding, and party shots!
Straighten misaligned shots, fix perspective errors, or apply a whole range of beautiful effects. Minor issues like red eyes, skin imperfections or stains are now easily fixable. Save time and nerves and achieve stunning results almost instantly with Photo Optimizer!
Essential basics and creative freedom
Ashampoo Photo Optimizer includes all the usual suspects, like image cropping, rotating, watermarking, and softening. But it doesn't stop there. Feel free to get creative with artistic effects and elegant frame designs. Whether recovering failed shots, cranking up the image quality by another 5% or just having fun, this program is for you!
Experience the magic of LUTs
Imagine you could completely change the mood in your photos with a button. That's the magic of lookup tables! From warm summerly hues to cold winterly shades, with LUTs, anything is possible — in mere seconds! LUTs save you loads of time and provide a fast and easy path to stylistic uniformity across your photo libraries. Take the complexity out of image processing with Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 10 and experience the magic of LUTs today!
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[ Sounds pretty good — Ed. ]
See More »
(II): Go Bald With Confidence and Use Manscaped's New Dome Shaver
See the Manscaped Website From the "Trimmers for Men" Company.
The New Dome Shaver™ Plus
Go Bald
Introducing The Dome Shaver™ Plus — Head Shaver.
The original price was $99.99.
Price now is $94.99 (Save 5%)
With FlexAdjust technology, ultra-thin blade guards, and a four-blade design, The Dome Shaver™ Plus gets you back to smooth.
SkinSafe® Technology.
Four Double-Track Blade Heads.
Curved Blade Pad.
Waterproof.
Long-Lasting Rechargeable Battery.
8,000 RPM Motor.
Ultra-Thin Stainless-Steel Blade Guards.
FlexAdjust Technology.
Ergonomic Handle.
Magnetic Detachable Blade Pad.
Hair Chamber.
Up to 60 Minutes of Runtime.
Protective Cap.
How to Use the Head Shaver
You have questions. We have answers on the website.
How do I use The Dome Shaver™ Plus?
How close of a shave can I get with The Dome Shaver™ Plus?
Can I use The Dome Shaver™ Plus with all hair types?
Is The Dome Shaver™ Plus waterproof?
How do I clean The Dome Shaver™ Plus?
How do I charge The Dome Shaver™ Plus?
What is The Dome Shaver™ Plus + Peak Hygiene Plan?
Can I get The Dome Shaver™ Plus added to my next Peak Hygiene Plan replenishment box?
Meeting Location & Disclaimer
Bob Backstrom
~ Newsletter Editor ~
Information for Members and Visitors:
Link to — Sydney PC & Technology User Group
All Meetings, unless explicitly stated above, are held on the
1st Floor, Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney.
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