volcan

 I gues that makes me part of the problem. Still using an iPhone 6 and had my battery replaced for $29. Actually they just gave me a refurbiruished phone which I plan to keep using as long as it still works. I’m not a power user, just text, email, phone, casual photography, some music, but nothing that requires the latest technology.

i also have older Macs, iPads and Apple Watch. Haven’t spent a dime on Apple hardware in around four years or more.

Software has bugs. Users are lazy.

500 hours of 40Mbps HD video = 9,000 GB

WD 2 TB external hard drive w/USB 3 can be had for $64 on Amazon.

There are so many ways to back up: Cloud storage, external HD, thumb drives, or simply zip the folder at the end of each editing session.

There is no excuse not to be backed up, especially on a big project. I use Time Machine, but he was probably using Windows.

I used Super Micro motherboards for years but back then they were made in USA. I bought a little Atom server from them a couple years ago and it only lasted about 18 months. Unknown motherboard failure, not repairable and out of warranty. Since then I have only purchased Intel boards but I never investigated where they were manufactured.

MplsP said:

...and this should show just how much your data is worth to Google. 

How does Google capture your personal data from a search box?

mac_128 said:
Well, hopefully you’ll never lose your phone, break it, or have it stolen, or leave it behind. You don’t need to even activate the LTE service for it to be useful. My mom forgot her phone at home when she ran an errand one day, and of course that’s the day her car broke down, stranding her on the road, and having to seek out a phone to call a tow truck. It’s cheap insurance to have access to emergency services without even paying for a phone plan to otherwise use the calling and data features. A friend had his phone stolen while traveling and would have had a real problem if not for his LTE connected watch.

The cellular model costs $100 more than GPS only. Not a problem for me, although I'm not buying either, but if the only use for cellular is in a situation where you forgot your phone or it was stolen, it doesn't seem worth it. Not having your phone is not a "real problem", at least from a communication perspective. You just walk into any Walmart, 7 Eleven, or Verizon store and buy a cheap prepaid burner phone with minutes for less than $100. As far as being stranded with your car, perhaps you should consider a car with roadside assistance built in. Every car I've owned in the last 20 years had that service.