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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER 11 - 16 SEPTEMBER, 2023
Hello and Welcome,
Meetings This Week
2023/09/12 — 18:00-20:00 — September, Tue — Programming
2023/09/16 — 14:00-16:00 — September, Sat — Web Design
Meeting Next Week
2023/09/19 — 10:00-12:00 — September, Tue — Tuesday Group
Schedule of Current & Upcoming Meetings
First Tuesday 18:00-20:00 — Main Meeting
First Saturday 13:00-14:00 — Penrith Group
Second Tuesday 18:00-20:00 — Programming
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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Penrith meetings are held every 2nd month on the 1st Saturday from 1-2 pm.
The following meeting is in November 2023.
ASCCA News:Tech News:
Six Australian MPs to visit the US and lobby for Assange's release
See the iTWire article by Sam Varghese | Wednesday, 06 September, 2023, at 10:12 am.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is in the midst of appealing
the United Kingdom's decision to agree to US extradition.
Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA
Six Australian MPs will visit the US on 20 and 21 September to lobby for the release of WikiLeaks founder and publisher Julian Assange.
The MPs are former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, Liberal Senator Alex Antic, Labor MP Tony Zappia, Independent MP Monique Ryan and Greens Senators David Shoebridge and Peter Whish-Wilson.
The planned visit comes ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's scheduled state visit to the US in October.
On Tuesday, Joyce told the Sydney Morning Herald: "We span the hard left to the hard right; besides the weather and Julian Assange, we probably don't agree on anything.
"Both Labor and the Coalition think this matter has gone far enough. What is to be gained by this going any further? If the Justice Department is seeking a sense of retribution, that's already been achieved by the amount of time Assange has been in jail."
Assange is still being held in the UK's Belmarsh maximum security jail as he awaits the outcome of a second appeal to the UK High Court against an extradition order.
In June, the Australian lost his first appeal against the order that aims to send him to the US for trial over alleged espionage charges.
The second appeal was filed on 13 June. Since then, his wife, father and brother have campaigned for his release.
Ryan said, "I'm not sure I agree with Barnaby Joyce on pretty much anything else, which suggests how important this is."
She added that the US bid to extradite Assange "sets a dangerous precedent for all journalists, media organisations and freedom of the press".
In July, former foreign minister Bob Carr questioned why Albanese had not raised the Assange issue with the US again.
Carr said Albanese had made his position clear to the US administration by saying: "We are working through diplomatic channels, but we're making very clear what our position is on Mr Assange's case."
Assange was arrested by British police on 11 April 2019 and removed from the Ecuador Embassy where he had taken refuge. His asylum was withdrawn shortly before he was arrested, and he appeared in court soon after. The US made a formal request for his extradition on 6 June 2019.
Assange, 52, is one of the better-known hackers Australia has produced.
Samsung HW-Q800C review: the best-value Dolby Atmos soundbar in town
See the TechRadar article by John Archer | published 5 Sept 2023.
Samsung's new mid-range soundbar is the best performer for this price.
SAMSUNG Soundbar
TechRadar Verdict 4 1/2 Stars.
Be aware of the Samsung HW-Q800C's unassuming looks. Inside that, all that angular grey plastic resides a powerful multi-channel speaker system capable of unlocking the joys of a good movie soundtrack more effectively than arguably any other soundbar in its class. Plus, you can add optional rears to crank up the immersion even more.
Pros
+Phenomenal power and projection.
+Can be upgraded for full surround.
+Aggressively priced for what it offers.
Cons
-No 4K/120Hz HDMI passthrough.
-Not as musical as some rivals.
-Not the prettiest soundbar around.
Why you can trust TechRadar: We spend hours testing every product or service we review so you can be sure you're buying the best. Please find out how we test.
SAMSUNG HW-Q800B: TWO-MINUTE REVIEW
The Samsung HW-Q800C is the company's premium "convenience" soundbar from 2023, meaning that while it dispenses with the rear speakers and some of the size and power you get with Samsung's flagship Q990C soundbar, its "bar-plus-subwoofer" package still offers more power and natural channels — it claims 5.1.2 — than the majority of rival soundbars hovering around its official £749 / $699 / AU$799 price.
The Samsung HW-Q800C supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, with two up-firing drivers to deliver the height channels. There's also support for various music files, including high-resolution ones like FLAC.
There's an HDMI passthrough system for anyone concerned about losing one of their HDMI ports to the TV. If you use the soundbar with a recent Samsung TV, you can also get the speakers of each device to join forces into an ever bigger sound using Samsung's Q-Symphony tech.
In action, the Q800C delivers spectacular power and excellent channel steering for movies and TV shows, which is as good as any of the best soundbars get for this price. The bass is deep, the dialogue is clear, and spatial effects are convincing — as much as a lack of rear speakers allows. It doesn't sound quite as consistently "hi-fi" with music as something like the Sonos Arc, but not everyone will mind that.
iPhone To Switch To USB-C
See the InfoPackets article by John Lister on September 6, 2023, at 12:09 pm EDT.
Lightning vs. USB-C Cable
Apple looks almost sure to switch to a USB-C charging port for the next iPhone. It could spell the beginning of the end for its exclusive Lightning port format.
The iPhone 15 debuts next week and is widely expected to feature the USB-C format. That's the latest version of USB and has a symmetrical plug that fits either way around.
Bloomberg lists several factors Apple is expected to market as good reasons for switching. However, whether these are based on inside info or simply a logical assumption needs to be clarified. The plus points include increased compatibility with other chargers, faster charging and faster data transfers. (Source: bloomberg.com)
New Rules Forced Hand
In reality, Apple has effectively been forced to change thanks to European Union rules, which mandate a USB-C format on new phones. This one has worked, unlike previous attempts to enforce a standard. (Source: businessinsider.com)
That left Apple with three main choices: make the switch worldwide, only in the EU market, or ignore the rules and face financial penalties. It seems to have concluded the first option is the simplest.
The logic behind the rules is that having a standard format makes life easier for users and reduces unnecessary environmental waste from people throwing away or replacing chargers when they switch between different phone brands. It also means there's less need to include a charger with a new phone.
Licensing Fees Lost
Most criticism of the rules has centred on whether politicians should tell companies how to design their handsets. However, some have also noted that forcing Apple to switch could mean millions of Lightning cables heading to landfills.
The switch will also have financial implications for accessory makers by significantly reducing the market for Lightning-compatible cables. It will also reduce Apple's revenue for licensing fees to use the format, commonly reported as $4 per cable.
It's also possible that iPhone users will be more willing to switch to Android handsets if they don't need to buy new chargers and data cables, though that's likely only a tiny factor in the decision.
What's Your Opinion?
Are you surprised Apple is likely switching to USB-C worldwide? Is it right to have rules demanding a standard charging format? How important are charging and data cables to your phone buying choices?
Fun Facts:
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— Ed.
Was India the first to land on the "far side" of the Moon?
Last week in this Newsletter, we highlighted that India had launched an uncrewed spacecraft and successfully landed it on the "far side" of the Moon.
See the News.com article by Benedict Brook | @BenedictBrook | August 24, 2023 — 6:32 am.
The article calls it the "dark side".
"The Dark Side of the Moon" is a studio album by Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973.
Far Side vs. Dark Side
As the Moon orbits the Earth, every side of the Moon will face the Sun during the lunar month. Thus, there are NO "dark sides" of the Moon.
The only "dark" areas of the Moon are in deep craters at the North and South Poles. On the other hand, Lunar mountains at these poles are in perpetual bright sunlight.
[ In fact, the landing was aimed at the South Pole, strictly speaking, on neither "side" of the Moon — Ed. ]
Lunar Landings
There have been 23 landings on the Moon by various countries, starting from the USSR's Luna 9 on 3 February 1966 up to India's Chandrayaan-3, which landed on 23 August 2023.
See this clickable graphic listing of all the Moon landings:
Lunar Landings
Landing number 21 shows the Chinese spacecraft Chang'e 4 (far side) on 3 January 2019.
So, were India the first to land on the "far side"? No. This is FAKE NEWS.
— Ed.
PS: Thanks to the former CSIRO Scientist and Club Member, Ron Cox, who brought this to the Editor's attention.
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
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