Year: 2021

Looking for a good webcam? May I recommend this one?

Dan Uff January 29, 2021 0

Now that we're at home more due to the Pandemic, you're probably in the market for a good and inexpensive webcam.

I was looking around for one for my new Mac, and came across this one for just under $60.00 from Amazon.com.

The Nexigo is a small but mighty web cam, ready to go to work on day 1. Here are the specs (according to Amazon.com):

【HD Webcam 1080p Autofocus】 The NexiGo PC External Webcam with a 2-megapixel CMOS features up to a 1080p resolution at 30fps. With a 7cm starting point and a nearly infinite range, the autofocus feature is able to ensure your videos are always sharp and crystal clear. Auto Focus can also be turned off in Windows/Mac App to set the camera to any focal distance as you like. The other fixed focus camera gives you blurry images if you are not within the range of camera pre-set focal distance.
【Webcam with Privacy Cover】 The privacy cover for the NexiGo PC Webcam covers the lens when it is not in use. It's perfect to help provide security, and peace of mind to anyone, from individuals to large companies. It also helps to protect the lens from dirt and debris to ensure your video remains clear for the life of the camera.
【Webcam with Microphone】 Great for webinars, video conferencing, live streaming, etc. The built-in Noise-canceling microphone reduces ambient noise to enhance the sound quality of your video. Even in noisy surroundings you can capture the sounds you want. Great for Zoom / Facetime / Video Calling / OBS / Twitch / Facebook/ YouTube/ Xbox one/ Conferencing / Gaming / Streaming / Recording / Online School.
【USB Webcam Plug and Play】 Works with USB 2.0, NO additional drivers required. Ready to use in less than 1 min with any compatible device. The convenient foldable design allows you to easily take it anywhere, and the 6.5 Inch (2 Meter) USB cord is long enough for any task. The mounting clip can be flexibly placed on any desktop / monitor/ laptop / Chromebook / PC / smart TV / tripod.
【Widely Compatible & Multi Application】The NexiGo webcam is compatible with Multiple Operating Systems. The webcam can be compatible with the current popular video/meeting softwares. Compatible with Windows XP/7/8/10, Mac OS 10.6, Linux 2.6.24, Chrome OS 29.0.1547, Ubuntu Version 10.04 or above, and more.

Setup is a snap for Macs. Just plug it into an available USB port, and you're ready to use popular web cam apps such as FaceTime, Skype, Zoom and more.

For more information and to purchase this immediately, click here.

General Motors sets goal of offering electric-only vehicles by 2035, going carbon neutral by 2040, unveils new logo

CompuScoop Staff January 29, 2021 0

DETROIT (AP) - General Motors, the Detroit automaker making an aggressive push into electric vehicles, established a goal Thursday of becoming carbon neutral in both its global products and its operations by 2040.

GM has already announced that it will invest $27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles in the next five years, a 35% increase over plans made before the pandemic. It will offer 30 all-electric models worldwide by the middle of the decade. By the end of 2025, 40% of its U.S. models will be battery electric vehicles. The company plans to include crossovers, SUVs, sedans and trucks in its electric vehicle offerings.

GM will source 100% renewable energy to power its U.S. sites by 2030 and global sites by 2035. That's five years faster than its previously announced global goal.

GM also wants to eliminate tailpipe emissions from new light-duty vehicles by 2035. The company will concentrate on offering zero-emissions vehicles in different prices ranges. It's also working with others, including the Environmental Defense Fund, to build out the necessary infrastructure to power its electric vehicles and to promote their use.

To account for carbon emissions that it cannot eliminate, GM expects to invest in carbon credits or offsets

The 112-year-old auto giant unveiled a new corporate logo this month to signify its new direction as it openly pivots to electric vehicles. It wants to be seen as a clean vehicle company, rather than a builder of cloud-spewing gas-powered pickups and SUVs.

GM scrapped its old square blue logo for a lower case gm surrounded by rounded corners and an ‘m’ that looks like an electrical plug.

It also announced a new partnership with Microsoft this month with hopes of accelerating its rollout of electric, self-driving cars.

So far, Wall Street has cheered the shift by GM which says the industry has reached a history-changing inflection point for mass adoption of electric vehicles.

Its shares this year have outpaced even high-flying Tesla, rising more than 20% to date. Shares rose almost 2% Thursday.

Via: Fox29 Philadelphia

US President Joe Biden signs Executive Order Re-Opening HealthCare.Gov

The White House January 29, 2021 0

The Biden-Harris Administration will open a Special Enrollment Period for Americans to sign up for health coverage and roll back attacks on the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and access to reproductive health care

After four years of attempts to strip health care from millions of Americans, President Biden will sign two executive actions that will begin to restore and strengthen Americans’ access to quality, affordable health care. The Biden-Harris administration will re-open enrollment to the Health Insurance Marketplace, take additional steps to strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, and protect women’s health. These actions demonstrate a strong commitment by the Biden-Harris Administration to protect and build on the Affordable Care Act, meet the health care needs created by the pandemic, reduce health care costs, protect access to reproductive health care, and make our health care system easier to navigate and more equitable.

For President Biden, this is personal. He believes that every American has a right to the peace of mind that comes with knowing they have access to affordable, quality health care. Because of the Affordable Care Act, over 100 million people no longer have to worry that an insurance company will deny coverage or charge higher premiums just because they have a pre-existing condition. Roughly 20 million additional Americans obtained the security that comes with health insurance, and young people transitioning from school to a job can stay covered by their parents’ plan until age 26.

As we continue to battle COVID-19, it is even more critical that Americans have meaningful access to affordable care. The actions the President is taking today complement the commitment he made in the American Rescue Plan to make health insurance coverage more affordable for millions of Americans. Reliable and affordable access to health insurance doesn’t just benefit families’ health; it is a critical source of economic security and peace of mind for all.

Today’s actions include:

Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. This Executive Order takes critical steps to reverse attacks on and strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, so they can continue to provide access to life-saving care for millions of Americans. Based on this Executive Order, it is expected that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will open HealthCare.gov for a “Special Enrollment Period,” from February 15, 2021 – May 15, 2021. This Special Enrollment Period will give Americans that need health care coverage during this global pandemic the opportunity to sign up.

The President will also direct federal agencies to reconsider rules and other policies that limit Americans’ access to health care, and consider actions that will protect and strengthen that access.

Agencies are directed to re-examine:

Policies that undermine protections for people with pre-existing conditions, including complications related to COVID-19;
Demonstrations and waivers under Medicaid and the ACA that may reduce coverage or undermine the programs, including work requirements;
Policies that undermine the Health Insurance Marketplace or other markets for health insurance;
Policies that make it more difficult to enroll in Medicaid and the ACA; and
Policies that reduce affordability of coverage or financial assistance, including for dependents.

As part of their reviews, agencies will consider whether to take additional actions to strengthen and protect access to health care.

Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad. Across the country and around the world, people — particularly women, Black, Indigenous and other people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and those with low incomes — have been denied access to reproductive health care. President Biden is also issuing a Presidential Memorandum to protect and expand access to comprehensive reproductive health care. The memorandum reflects the policy of the Biden-Harris Administration to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights in the United States, as well as globally. Like memoranda issued by President Clinton and President Obama before him, it immediately rescinds the global gag rule, also referred to as the Mexico City Policy, which bars international non-profits that provide abortion counseling or referrals from receiving U.S. funding. In recognition of the additional work necessary to protect access to reproductive health care, President Biden’s memorandum also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to take immediate action to consider whether to rescind regulations under its Title X family planning program.

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Apple Watch saves cyclist’s life

CompuScoop Staff January 28, 2021 0

A UK cyclist was swept off his bike into the swollen River Wye in Rotherwas, Hereford, on Thursday. He was carried a mile downstream, but managed to grab hold of a branch and speak to fire control using his Apple Watch.

When you make a call with SOS, your iPhone will call the local emergency number automatically. In some countries and regions, you may need to choose the service that you need. You can also add emergency contacts. After an emergency call has finished, your iPhone can alert your emergency contacts with a text message, unless you choose to cancel this option. Your iPhone sends them your current location, and, for a period of time when you have entered SOS mode, it sends updates to your emergency contacts when your location changes.

To read the entire article, click here.