NEWSLETTERAPRIL 2017

Editor Ron Everitt Contact on 020 8394 2123 or newsletter@everitt.org.uk The meeting on the 15th March was attended by some 20 members and guests for a talk on the history and

development of our ideas on Neutonian Gravity by John HolcroftHe started his talk By describing the early ideas on the nature of the universe as an Earth centred structure This was how Plato, Aristotle and Ptolemy saw the Universe with the Earth as a perfect sphere and thestars fixed on a celestial sphere rotating round the Earth. This model resulted in some anomalies such assome of the planets reversing their motion and apparently sometimes going backwards. Ptolemy (AD 100-170) refined the model to attempt an explanation for the so called wanderers

Copernicus (1478 - 1543 ) described a sun centred universe whichwas a considerable improvement and eliminated the need for the socalled epicycles and he produced astronomical tables which gaverise yo predictive astronomy. He still assumed circular orbits whichresulted in a loss of accuracy.The next improvement was made byJohannes who published three lawsbetween 1609 and 1619He stated that the orbit of a planet was anellipse with the sun at one focus.

The planet would sweep out equal areas in equal time. The next development was made by Newton who applied his laws of motioncoupled with his law of universal gravitation. This provided the best theoryuntil 1915John went on to describe the mathematics of celestial orbits and also showed a series of animations ofmulti body systems showing the effects of collisions which can result in bouncing, break-up or absorptionsof the colliding bodies.

System peculiaritiesPerhaps one of you has experienced problems similar to the following and might be able to offer a solution.When I looked at this month’s Puzzle Page I noticed that the diagram in the current problem page did notshow the lines and only showed the letters. When I looked at the original using my Word Player softwarethe lines were part of the diagram but when I asked the system to copy the article and then inserted it inmy Wordperfect file the letters remained in apparently the correct positions but the lines were not present.I tried the same thing using LibreOffice to open the same source file and this did the same thing. If I imported the file directly into Wordperfect X7 it showed the letters but not the linesChris then sent me the same file as both a doc and as rtf but using a group function procedure to group thelines into one unit but the result was the same for both the doc and rtf formats.I finally solved the immediate problem by printing the article and then scanning it back into the system asa jpeg file. This allowed me to complete the Newsletter but highlighted another problem that has beenannoying me for some time.I print and scan using an HP all in one printer which is connected by a wireless link. Until recently I hadno problem with this but now although it will print from my Desktop it refuses to scan.If I contact it via my laptop everything seems to work OK but from the Desktop it tells me that the softwareinstallation is not complete. The same software was used to install the drivers for the laptop and thedesktop and both work through the same router. Reinstalling the software has no effect and changing therouter also has no effect. Ron Everitt

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This is an American article but the same considerations apply to us.

Are Extended Warranties and Device Insurance a Waste of Money?

First, let me explain why device insurance is a scam. Sellers of device insurance sell policies that do not provideany protection until the manufacturer’s warranty expires. Every device comes with at least a one-year warrantyfrom the manufacturer. So the first 12 payments you make to a device insurer give you absolutely nothing!

Consumer Reports tells us that 57% of insurance-covered accidents that happen to electronic devices happenwithin the first year of ownership. In my experience, the percentage is even higher for big ticket items andappliances. So there is a better than even chance that your high-priced device insurance won’t be there when youneed it.

Even when you are covered, “some restrictions apply.” AT&T’s so-called “comprehensive” Mobile Insuranceplans have deductibles and maximum numbers of claims per year. These variables are calculated bybeancounters who know, to the penny, how many claims to expect in a year and what the average cost of a claimis. The restrictions are cunningly set to ensure that you pay more than you can expect to lose. The difference isAT&T’s profit on device insurance; if it’s not enough, AT&T just raises the price as it did recently, from $6.99for a single device, to $7.99 or $10.99 per month.

Most extended warranties provide that you must accept a refurbished replacement device if a replacement isgranted. If after just 12 months, your iPhone was stolen, your (refurbished) replacement from Verizon wouldcost $320 in warranty plus deductible costs. But these phones can be found all over eBay for under well under$300. And you'll continue to pay monthly for that warranty, at least until your two-year contract expires.

Speaking of refurbished replacements, here’s a new scam that at least one insurer (Assurant) failed to get awaywith: counterfeit refurbished replacements! The long sordid story is here. The short story is: Melvin Williamscalled Assurant, T-mobile’s device insurer, when his daughter dropped her iPhone. Assurant charged him a $250deductible to replace the damaged iPhone with a refurbished one.

Six months later, the replacement phone first stopped charging, then died completely. “That’s not one of ourphones,” the Apple Store geniuses told Williams; a sharp eye for iPhones could spot the differences in thechassis, and when the fake phone was opened all the components were cheap imitations. Assurant, of course,claims this was an isolated aberration in its supply chain. But the company also admits it does not inspect therefurbished devices it buys from third-party refurbishers, so how would it know?

Complications and Considerations

Verizon is the best at making a simple subject complicated. You have to choose whether you want the TotalMobile Protection, Total Equipment Coverage, or the Asurion Wireless Phone Protection plan. For basic phonesand tablets, you pay between $5 and $11 per month per covered device. There's a $49-$199 non-refundabledeductible per approved claim for devices lost, stolen, or damaged. You get two replacements in a 12-monthperiod with an equipment maximum of $400 or $1500 per claim, depending on device. That's the large print --and it gets more complicated from there.

Other big-ticket consumer electronics merchants invented the extended-warranty scam years ago. You cannotescape Best Buy with a simple phone charger without answering the question, “Do you want to add the extendedwarranty” thing that cost three bucks, delivered, on eBay. Of course, Best Buy charges $19.95 plus sales tax.And of course, as the price tag goes up, so does the cost of these "Protection Plans". As an example, plan onspending an extra $150 for two years of coverage on a big-screen HDTV. And after 24 months, they'll hit you upagain to extend your coverage.

You can replace a cracked smartphone screen with a $30 repair kit, a hair dryer and a sharp blade. If you're just alittle adventurous, you can fix almost anything with the help of YouTube. I've found parts and instructionsonline to fix my own washer, dryer, and lawn mower. Most components in your computer can be easily replacedwithout a soldering iron or a degree in electronics. If you know how to use a screwdriver and a socket wrench,and you're willing to do a bit of online research, chances are you can fix a lot of things on your own.

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Some credit card companies offer extra warranty protection at no cost. American Express will automatically addone year to the original manufacturer’s warranty on any product that you purchase with it. Check with your cardissuer to see if they provide a similar benefit.

The Bottom Line is YOUR Bottom Line

My advice: Don’t ever buy add-on insurance for any appliance or electronic device. If you're not a do-it-yourselfer, talk to your insurance agent about adding a rider to homeowner’s or renter’s insurance that covers allsuch devices. One reader tells me he got such a rider for a mere $27 per year with a $50 deductible per claim!

If you feel that you MUST purchase an extended warranty or protection plan, don't buy it from the serviceprovider or store where the item is sold. A third-party like SquareTrade will provide similar coverage damage fora fraction of the price.

So am I wrong to call mobile gadget insurance, extended warranties and protection plans a scam? I don't thinkso. These things prey on your fear of the improbable. The likelihood that you'll come out ahead in the long run isvery small. Factor in those confusing terms, exceptions, and deductibles, and you'll almost always end up payingmore in the long run.

At the very least, device insurance is waste of money. Don’t buy it. Your thoughts on this topic are welcome.

Please rell us what your experience has been on extended warranties

MEETINGS ARE ON THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH THEMEETINGS WILL BE IN THE VILLAGE HALL AT NEWDIGATE(grid ref TQ 195 422)A map and directions are available on the club website:http://www.ietrms-surrey.org.uk/pc_group.html

The hall is available from 9.00 a.m until 1.00 p.m. The meeting commences at 10.00 a.mfor 10.30 a.m. and will normally be the third Wednesday of the month.

The next meeting is on Wednesday April 19th which will be the AGM followed by ademonstration of Digital Photo editing by Peter Dulley. He has offered to use any members pictures todemonstrate the editing process. Please contact Peter if you have a photo in need of improvement.

For the latest information on the program please see

http://www.ietrms-surrey.org.uk/pc_group.html

CURRENT AND PAST NEWSLETTERS CAN NOW BEDOWNLOADED FROM http://www.ietrms-surrey.org.uk/pcg_newsletters.html

Contributions to the Newsletter

Please let me have your contribution to a future Newsletter. A short description of any problemyou may have experienced particularly if you have a solution may help somebody experiencing asimilar problem.

Your experience with Windows 10 would be of particular help at the present time.