Tablets, Tablets and More Tablets

There are now many tablets on the market; many are replacing the desktop and laptops. There are Apple Tablets, Microsoft Window Tablets, Google Android and Chrome Tablets, and Amazon Kindle Tablets.

Please bring your favorite tablet to the meeting and discuss some of the benefits and issues you are having with your tablet.

We will also be having the giveaway of gifts to IBM PC Club members -- say good-bye to John Eldred and elect Club officers for 2014.

Happy Holidays

IBM is changing the IBM Retirees Health Plan and providing more options. Individuals and families will have to decide on which plan to use that suites them best. At the IBM PC Club meeting, we will discuss as a group the available plans along with the issues and benefits for each available plan.

Please plan on discussing what you have learned about the plans to contribute to the discussions.

Invite other retired IBMers to attend the meeting who have an interested in the health plans.

Updates/Feedback (all in PDF):

1) October 21 Presentation
2) IBM Extended Healthcare Comments 1
3) IBM Extended Healthcare Comments 2

New Google Technologies
By Peter Hirsch

Google has recently developed 2 interesting new technologies that we will discuss. One is called Google Glasses and the other is called Google ChromeCast. We will show some videos showing both of these technologies and show an actual ChromeCast device.

View Presentation on Google Glasses & ChromeCast (PDF)

The July 3rd Monday PC Club meeting is postponed by one week to July 22.

The Computer Doctor – Sue Kayton

will be the featured guest at our meeting and will cover a variety of topics –

• The Future of Personal Computing
  • Cloud Computing and Data Storage, Tablets, Chrome Books, Smartphone Docks, and the demise of the desktop computer
• Sue will provide personal help to speed up or fix your personal computer
• If there is time, Sue will provide updated information on backup and disaster recovery.
• If you have a "patient" for The Computer Doctor, bring it to the meeting - don't forget the power adapter, if it's a laptop. For desktop computers, just bring the tower, please.

New Presentation Program "Prezi"
by Peter Hirsch

Prezi is a new innovative presentation program that does similar things as Micosoft’s PowerPoint. It is heavily used in the high schools and has some innovative capabilities, such as zoom capabilities and non-linear presentations.

We will compare PowerPoint and Prezi and use Prezi to show some interesting smartphone apps that we have not seen before.

Click here to view the presentation.

Where is the Cloud Today?
David Hirsch, Director of Cloud Computing, Acer Corp.

Today everyone is talking about "the cloud". But what is it? Where is it going? The cloud today comes in many flavors and is playing different roles for different situations. We will walk through the differences between private clouds and public clouds. We will also discuss the ways businesses are using clouds vs. how clouds are now being used by end consumers. This is all part of larger trends of the move away, from a PC centric, localized data center nvironments, to a much more pervasive heterogeneous computing environment in a more always connected world.

View presentation (PDF)

Applications (Apps) for mobile devices.

This will be a group presentation and discussion. To prepare for this meeting please send to me a list of 5-10 apps that you think the IBM PC Club would enjoying knowing more about these apps.
· Operating system for the app|
· Cost of the app
· Basic description of the app
· Important features of the app
· A picture of the app

Please send this information by Friday, March 8, 2013. I will assemble this information into a PowerPoint presentation. You can give the talk on your Aps and demonstrate the app at the March meeting. I have a cable that will attach to Apple iOS 4 devices to the VGA projection screen.

View Presentation (PDF)

Facebook Facial Recognition Capability
by Marjorie Morales

Facebook is using facial recognition technology to "suggest" tags to users who upload photos. In other words, if one uploads several photos of a
friend, Facebook may "recognize" the friend using other tagged photos on the website.

This discussion will discuss and demonstrate the new application, and also discuss negative aspects of this new application.

Watch Presentation (PDF)

Cell Phone Providers -- Overview & Experience by IBM PC Club Members

View Presentation (PDF)