Remote surgical robot could join astronauts on futures remote surgical robot could join astronauts on iss remote surgical robot could join astronauts on the international space remote surgical robot could join astronauts on dwts remote surgical robot could join astronauts eating remote surgical robot could join astronauts wives remote surgical robot could joint remote surgical robot could join pdf remote surgical coding jobs remote surgical case support remote surgical robots
Remote Surgical Robot Could Join Astronauts on Future Mars Missions
Remote Surgical Robot Could Join Astronauts on Future Mars Missions
No matter how mentally and physically prepared they are, future astronauts bound for deep space can't escape their mortal restrictions. At some point during their long and isolated journeys, these pioneers might need medical care. But that's tough. In space, there are no hospitals.
Enter MIRA.
On Tuesday, scientists from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said their invention of a small surgical robot -- called the miniaturized in vivo robotic assistant, or MIRA -- will board the International Space Station for zero-gravity testing in 2024. Ultimately, the team's hope is for MIRA to accompany astronauts as they fly toward Mars and zoom through the untouched outer reaches of space.
"As people go further and deeper into space, they might need to do surgery someday. We're working toward that goal," Shane Farritor said in a statement. Farritor is a professor of engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and co-founder of Virtual Incision, the company behind MIRA.
The 2-pound bot basically looks like a white rod with a duo of small armlike attachments on one end. These attachments are each adorned with two metal instruments. It's the product of nearly 20 years of development -- Virtual Incision has attained more than $100 million in venture capital investment since its genesis in 2006. To add to that, NASA recently awarded the University of Nebraska-Lincoln $100,000 to get the device ready for the 2024 journey.
A view of the International Space Station, where MIRA will hopefully live in a few years.
NASA/Roscosmos
Already, according to a press release on the robotic surgeon, MIRA has helped with important procedures. Doctors have successfully used the instrument to perform minimally invasive colon resections, for instance, which involve removing part or all of a patient's colon.
If MIRA works well in space, a surgeon aboard the ISS could take advantage of the tech to help astronauts in need of medical assistance, without posing major risks to their bodies. MIRA could be especially important given the lack of personnel, time and tools on spacecraft.
Beyond that, the team says its technology could also allow ground-based surgeons to remotely work on a space-borne astronaut patient. As proof of principle, NASA astronaut Clayton Anderson took the robot's controls while situated at the Johnson Space Center in Houston and guided MIRA to perform surgerylike tasks in an operating room 900 miles away, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. It worked.
This remote-control aspect of MIRA may also aid in surgeries closer to home one day -- an example the team gives is injured soldiers in the field who need advanced procedures calling for specialists stationed elsewhere. In fact, with that in mind, the US Army has also provided some funding for the MIRA project.
This is what MIRA attached to a patient bed might look like.
Virtual Incision
Come 2024, we'll have a better idea of how MIRA fares in intense situations.
If MIRA can survive the aggressive jostling that accompanies rocket launches, it'll reach the ISS and promptly be fit inside a space station experiment locker. Per the team, it'll probably be a year before astronauts conducting science experiments can put it into action. Then, once it's turned on, the robotic contraption will pretty much operate autonomously, Farritor said.
"The astronaut flips a switch, the process starts and the robot does its work by itself," he said. "Two hours later, the astronaut switches it off and it's done."
Recently, extraterrestrial surgery has become more talked about, given space agencies' goal of sending humans to other planets and coming up with new forms of transportation to access deep space. In April, NASA even "holoported" flight surgeon Dr. Josef Schmid onto the ISS as part of its endeavor to advance remote, cosmic medicine. Combined with MIRA, that mechanism suggests that one day life might truly be imitating Star Trek when it comes to health care.
Motorola mh7603 mesh router review a discount wi fi 6 setup wizard motorola mh7603 mesh router review a discount wi fi 6 setup office motorola mh7603 mesh router review a discount window motorola mh7603 mesh router vs normal router motorola mh7603 mesh router with a cable modem motorola mesh routers motorola mesh wifi motorola mesh networking
Motorola MH7603 mesh router review: A discount Wi-Fi 6 setup that falls short
Motorola MH7603 mesh router review: A discount Wi-Fi 6 setup that falls short
Like
Easy app-based controls
About as affordable as 3-piece Wi-Fi 6 mesh setups get
Don't Like
Poor routing compromises Wi-Fi 6 speed gains
No alternative to the app for setup and system management
At this point, the majority of newly released Wi-Fi devices support 802.11ax, or Wi-Fi 6, the wireless standard's newest and fastest generation. You'll need a compatible router in order to put those faster speeds to work at home, but fortunately, you've got lots of Wi-Fi 6 router options from a fairly wide range of manufacturers.
Motorola is in that mix after releasing new Wi-Fi 6 home networking hardware last year, and among the new devices, you'll find a three-piece mesh router with full support for Wi-Fi 6 and an asking price of just $239. That's $40 less than you'll pay for a three-piece Eero 6 system, $60 less than a three-piece Netgear Nighthawk system, and more than $100 less than a three-piece Nest Wifi setup, which doesn't support Wi-Fi 6 at all.
Ry Crist/CNET
That's a decent bargain for anyone looking to make the upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 in a large home, where a mesh setup with two extenders instead of one would be ideal. However, the system did a poor job of routing my connection during my at-home tests, and frequently sent my signal through an extender when it shouldn't have, which slowed things down. There also isn't any alternative to the app when it comes to setup or system management, which isn't ideal if you're concerned about data collection. This is still a stable, workable mesh system at an attractive price, but I think most households will want to shop around before buying in.
Each device in the system is identical and interchangeable, and features two Ethernet jacks.
Ry Crist/CNET
Setup and design
With a basic-looking, all-white plastic design featuring a single indicator light and a subtle Motorola logo etched up top, the MH7603 is far from the most interesting-looking mesh system on the market. Still, it's unobtrusive enough to blend in with most home decor, and the build doesn't feel overly cheap.
About as big as a cereal bowl, each device in the system is identical and interchangeable, so you can use any of them as the main router for your network and the other two as satellite extenders placed elsewhere around the home. Turn them around, and you'll find two Ethernet jacks on each device, along with a USB-C jack that you'll use to plug the things into power. Like a lot of entry-level mesh systems, you won't find any standard USB ports at all.
The Motosync app walks you through the setup process on your Android or iOS device. I had my network up and running in about 10 minutes.
Screenshots by Ry Crist/CNET
To set the system up, you'll need to download Motorola's Motosync app on your Android or iOS device. It's a well-designed app that does a very good job of walking you through the setup process, which requires you to scan a QR code on the bottom of one of the devices to set up the router before adding the extenders to the network. Though I admittedly only tested the system with a single extender in my home, setup was wrapped up within 10 minutes.
The Motosync app incorrectly labeled the devices on my network as threats and couldn't offer much information about them.
Screenshots by Ry Crist/CNET
Once the network is up and running, the app offers the usual mix of features for managing your network. You can see which devices are currently connected, run a quick speed test, activate parental controls or the guest network or monitor potential threats to your connection.
Specifically, the app will alert you if an unidentified device joins your network, though it seems a bit sensitive. After I finished setup, the app erroneously listed every device on the network as an unidentified potential threat, complete with an ominous skull and crossbones icon. Additionally, the app wasn't able to offer much information about those devices at all, with no autodetection of manufacturer or device type metadata. It's a pretty minor quibble, but I could see it all adding up to unnecessary confusion and concern for networking novices.
Privacy considerations
One other note about that app: It isn't made by Motorola. Instead, the app (and all of the software powering Motorola's home networking hardware) is the exclusive product of a New Hampshire-based company called Minim that specializes in "intelligent connectivity products that dependably connect people to the information they need and the people they love."
It always gives me pause when a router manufacturer turns to another company for its home networking software instead of designing its own because it can mean you now have two companies' worth of privacy policies and service agreements to read through in order to get a sense of what's going on with your data. That's unrealistic for most people.
The section of Minim's privacy policy for California residents outlines the types of personal data collected when you use the Motosync app. Among other things, that data includes your search history and your financial account records.
Screenshot by Ry Crist/CNET
Minim tells CNET it doesn't share any user data with Motorola, and the Minim privacy policy is relatively straightforward. It's more or less in line with what I've seen from other companies. That said, being in line with the rest of the industry means that Minim is definitely collecting data, including personal data such as your name, email address, phone number and device identifiers. A lot of that goes toward network optimization and threat detection, but some of it is used for direct marketing purposes, like emailing customers about a third-party product if their data suggests it would be relevant to them.
According to a separate section of the policy for residents of California, where disclosure laws are more strict, Minim gets more specific and acknowledges that it collects but does not sell various categories of personal data, including information about past purchases and usage habits, "inferential information" about your behavior and preferences and online information like your browsing history, your search history and your service interaction history. Minim acknowledges that it collects employment history and financial information, as well, though the company says that neither one is used for marketing purposes.
As for the third parties Minim shares data with, the list includes unnamed vendors and contractors as well as internet service providers that lease Motorola networking hardware to their customers. That data is encrypted both in rest and in transit, and retained for 30 days, the company says.
"Our Privacy Policy does allow for data captured from consumer activity on the Minim and Motosync apps and on Motorola hardware to be kept for a maximum of 30 days," a Minim spokesperson said. "This is because we wanted to enable ISP customers, depending on their support department tracking and reporting requirements, to have access to subscriber data for that period. Notably, specific website/service (DNS) activity and user profiles are not visible to the ISP."
In fairness, you'll find similar data disclosures in the privacy policies of other manufacturers, including TP-Link, Netgear and Asus, but Minim seems to be casting a wider net than most. For instance, most manufacturers use your IP address to track your rough location for marketing and analytics purposes, but Minim uses your device's mobile GPS coordinates to pull that info, as well.
Head to the Motosync app's settings and tap "Revoke data consent" if you'd like to opt out of data collection.
Screenshot by Ry Crist/CNET
"When a customer uses our mobile application, Minim and MTRLC LLC may collect and store information about the customer's location by converting his or her IP address into a rough geo-location or by accessing the customer mobile device's GPS coordinates," the policy reads. "Minim and MTRLC LLC may use location information to improve and personalize our services for customers. If customer does not want us to collect location information, he or she may disable that feature on the mobile device."
The other problem with all of this is that Motorola doesn't offer an alternative to the app, with no instructions for web-based router setup or management in the in-box quickstart guide. A quick glance at the terms of service tells you why:
"In order to use the Service, Subscribers must download and use a mobile application," the Minim terms read. "In order to download and use the mobile application, Subscribers agree to certain contractual terms of use."
On the plus side, you can opt out of data collection entirely. To do so, go to the settings section of the Motosync app and tap "Revoke data consent." Doing so will automatically draft an email to the company requesting to opt out of data collection.
Represented by the green bars in this chart, the Motorola MH7603 wasn't a standout in our speed tests.
Ry Crist/CNET
Performance and speed
In terms of speed, the MH7603 was a middling performer among mesh routers. In my home, a 1,300-square-foot, shotgun-style house in Louisville with a 300Mbps fiber internet connection, the MH7603 returned an overall average download speed of 219Mbps, averaged across five spots throughout the house (you can read more about how I test Wi-Fi routers by clicking here).
An average of 219Mbps is lower than you might expect, but right in line with other dual-band, AX1800 mesh routers I've tested, including the Netgear Nighthawk mesh router (218Mbps) and the Asus ZenWiFi AX Mini (207Mbps). Like those other basic Wi-Fi 6 systems, the MH7603 saw its average fall because of poor routing -- specifically, it had a habit of routing my connection through an extender when connecting directly with the main router would have been faster.
Speeds were fine when I'd connect at close range to the main router, in the living room (green), but speeds were much lower whenever my connection started in the back of the house (yellow), closer to an extender.
Ry Crist/CNET
To account for that in my data, I run two separate sets of speed tests with every mesh router I review. For the first, I connect to the network while I'm in the living room, the same room as the main router, and then I work back toward the opposite end of the house. For the second set of tests, I reverse it and start my connection in my home's back bathroom at the back of my house, near the extender.
In both cases, the system should be smart enough to figure out when the extender is and is not necessary, but the MH7603 struggled at that task, which showed up in the numbers. In the first set of front-to-back tests, my average, close-range download speed in the living room was a lofty 370Mbps, which is about as fast as things get with my connection. But when I'd start my connection near the extender and then move into the living room, that average speed fell all the way to 244Mbps. That's because at several points the system was still routing my connection through the extender.
Faulty routing like that compromises performance because it means that your connection is often making an extra and unnecessary jump on its way to the cloud. Compare Motorola's overall average of 219Mbps in my home with the overall average for Google's Nest Wifi, a mesh router with no support for Wi-Fi 6 at all. That system is slower and less advanced than what Motorola's offering, but it does a much better job of routing your connection, and finished with an overall average of 222Mbps -- higher than the MH7603. Motorola's poor routing is essentially wiping away the Wi-Fi 6 speed gains.
For better performance from a Wi-Fi 6 mesh router, your best bet is to go with a tri-band model, with an additional 5GHz band that serves as a dedicated backhaul connection between the router and its satellites. The fastest we've tested is the AX6000 version of the Netgear Orbi, but it's too expensive for most at $700 for a two-pack. Fortunately, the TP-Link Deco W7200 is right behind it, performance-wise, and only costs $230 for a two-pack if you can catch it in stock at Walmart. For now, that system still sits in the top spot on my list of the best mesh routers we've tested.
Ry Crist/CNET
The verdict
The Motorola MH7603 mesh router is easy to use and capable of delivering fast speeds, but it's also prone to slowing things down with poor routing, and that makes it a fairly mediocre pick among entry-level Wi-Fi 6 systems.
Superior options include the aforementioned TP-Link Deco W7200, which only comes with one extender but makes up for it with outstanding tri-band performance, as well as the pricier Asus ZenWifi XD6, which is the top-performing dual-band mesh system I've tested to date. I'd even prefer a solid Wi-Fi 5 system like the Google Nest Wifi over the MH7603 thanks to the noticeably better routing. Bottom line: If you're going to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6, then I think you want more of an upgrade than this.
Correction, Feb. 1: This review has been updated to reflect that Minim is the exclusive owner of the Motorola brand license for home networking and home security products.
The bob s burgers movie how to watch on hulu or hbo max app the bob s burgers movie how to watch on hulu or hbo max download the bob s burgers movie how to watch on hulu or hbo max shows the bob s burgers movie how to watch on demand the bob s burgers movie how do you know the bob s burgers movie how i live now the bob s burgers movie cast when is the bob s burgers movie coming out the bob stroller the bob s burgers movie trailer the bob and tom show how to get the bob badge in slap battles
The Bob's Burgers Movie: How to Watch on Hulu or HBO Max Today
The Bob's Burgers Movie: How to Watch on Hulu or HBO Max Today
If you don't have time to see The Bob's Burgers Movie in a theater, don't worry. The Belchers' big picture is now streaming on Hulu and HBO Max.
The film follows Bob and his lovably chaotic family as they're prepping for what they hope will be a busy summer. As luck would have it, a ruptured water main opens a giant sinkhole in front of the burger joint (the show's Twitter page suggests that episodes have been teasing this incident for some time). Bob (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin), his wife, Linda (John Roberts), their kids -- Louise (Kristen Schaal), Gene (Eugene Mirman) and Tina (Dan Mintz) -- each take an individual, quirky approach to keeping the business afloat.
Here's how to watch the movie.
Hulu
Hulu is the best place to watch The Bob's Burgers Movie and all 12 seasons on-demand. It's also the cheapest. Hulu's basic plan costs $7 a month and you get a 30-day free trial. You can also try the ad-free tier, which costs $14 a month, but you also get a 30-day free trial.
Here's how to sign up and start watching:
1. Visit Hulu's website (the mobile app doesn't support sign ups) 2. Click Sign up for Hulu Only (if you're not interested in the Disney Plus Bundle) 3. Choose one of Hulu's six plans 4. Click Select 5. Fill in the requested information 6. Click Continue 7. Add your payment information 8. Click Submit
If you subscribe to Hulu Live TV ($70 per month, no free trial), you can also keep track of when the show is running a marathon on Adult Swim or FXX. Hulu also has a special section called Belt it Out with the Belchers, which features a list of some of the show's more musical episodes.
The Bob's Burgers Movie is an absolute delight.
YouTube video screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET
HBO Max
The Bob's Burgers Movie is also headed to HBO Max the same day. HBO Max is one of the more expensive streaming services, but it recently added a cheaper, ad-supported tier. In addition, the catalog offers quite a bit of bang for your buck. Here's how to sign up and start watching:
1. Visit HBO Max's website (the HBO Max app also supports sign ups) 2. Click Sign Up Now 3. Choose the ad-free plan or the ad-supported plan 4. Fill out the requested information and click Create Account 5. Add your payment method and click Start Subscription
HBO Max's ad supported tier costs $10 a month or $100 annually, while the add-free tier costs $15 a month, or $150 annually. The service has a lot to offer, but if you only want to watch The Bob's Burgers Movie, Hulu is the better option with a free trial option as well as access to all 12 seasons.
For more information, check out Hulu: The 42 Best TV Shows to Watch Now and HBO Max: The 30 Best Movies to Watch.
Dji drone registration india dji official drone website register dji drone faa dji drone faa registration dji drone account login dji register drone how to register a dji drone how to register dji drone
DJI: Register your drone on our site, or we'll throttle it
DJI: Register your drone on our site, or we'll throttle it
Last week we learned that the FAA's drone registration system for hobbyists may not be legal. But Chinese drone maker DJI is making sure you register anyway.
The drone market leader on Monday said it's introducing a new online "application activation process" for international users that takes effect at the end of next week. The system ensures "you will use the correct set of geospatial information and flight functions for your aircraft."
In other words, if you don't activate your drone through the website, DJI will cripple your drone. Camera streaming will be disabled and flight range will be curtailed to a 164-foot radius, up to 98 feet high.
DJI's move is an example of the soaring new industry regulating itself, just as the FAA's 2-year-old registration system for hobbyists encounters some turbulence. Drone sales, meanwhile, have more than doubled in the past year.
Huawei phones can no longer preinstall facebook instagram organic followers huawei phones can no longer preinstall facebook instagram png huawei phones can no longer preinstall facebook instagram lawsuit huawei phones can no longer preinstall facebook messenger huawei phones can no longer preinstall facebook search huawei phones can no longer preinstall data2 huawei phones can no longer preinstalled huawei phones can no longer get email buy huawei phones
Huawei phones can no longer preinstall Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp
Huawei phones can no longer preinstall Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp
Facebook has slapped Huawei with yet another ban by no longer letting the embattled Chinese phone marker preinstall its apps.
Huawei phone owners will still be able to download and update Facebook's apps, but fresh Huawei devices can't come with Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram apps preinstalled, as previously reported by Reuters.
"We are reviewing the Commerce Department's final rule and the more recently issued temporary general license and taking steps to ensure compliance," a Facebook spokesperson said in an emailed statement confirming the move.
In May, President Donald Trump signed an executive order effectively banning Huawei from US communications networks, because of national security concerns about Huawei's close relationship with the Chinese government. Soon afterward, Google cut Huawei off from future Android updates, before temporarily resuming work.
The US is also urging its allies not to do business with Huawei. The company has consistently denied that its products are used for spying, and its chairman said this week that Huawei is willing to sign a "no-spy agreement" with the US.
Huawei didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
First published at 1:44 a.m. PT. Updated at 3:10 a.m. PT: Adds Facebook statement.
Facebook locks people out of accounts for not accepting facebook locks people out of accounts for kids facebook locks people out of accounts for minors facebook people following me when facebook locks you out facebook locks my account facebook locks out users
Facebook Locks People Out of Accounts for Not Activating Protect Feature
Facebook Locks People Out of Accounts for Not Activating Protect Feature
If you're wondering why you can't get into your Facebook account today, the social media giant is locking out some users who were required to activate Facebook Protect with two-factor authentication by the March 17 deadline.
"Turn on Facebook Protect to unlock your account," the notification says. "Account locked on March 17, 2022. We've taken this precaution to keep your account secure while you enable additional security measures."
However, some users who had enabled the additional security measure still found themselves locked out of their accounts Friday. Others who hadn't requested Facebook Protect were also locked out, with some experiencing tech issues in getting a code sent to their phones.
Facebook parent company Meta in December announced it'd begin requiring higher-risk users to protect their accounts using two-factor authentication.
Facebook Protect is offered to high-profile users of the platform, such as journalists, government officials, human rights activists and those with a higher-reach following who may be more likely to be targeted by hacking attempts. By December, around 1.5 million accounts had enabled Facebook Protect.
"We're continuing to improve the enrollment process and notifications to avoid confusion and will keep iterating," Nathaniel Gleicher, head of security policy at Meta, tweeted late Friday. "We're looking into isolated examples where people may need help enrolling in the program."
Should you buy used tires should you buy used rental cars should you buy used makeup brushes should you buy used bee equipment should you buy travel insurance should you buy stocks now should you buy bitcoin when should you test for covid how long should you keep tax records how long should you quarantine after covid 19
Should You Buy Used Camera Gear?
Should You Buy Used Camera Gear?
If you're looking to save some money and don't need the latest and greatest, it's worth considering buying used camera gear. Whether it's for a summer vacation, a road trip or you just want something that's better than your phone, a great camera at a not-quite-new price is the best of all worlds.
And it's not just the cameras themselves. Lenses and many accessories are also available used. I'm not talking about eBay... or at least, not exclusively: There are a variety of ways to get used camera gear that's been tested by professionals so you know exactly what you're getting.
Is it worth the risk? I thought so. I've bought a variety of used camera gear in the last few years, including most recently an $1,100 lens in like-new condition for 30% off. Here's what to consider and where to look.
Options
Three used GoPro Hero 10 action cameras on KEH.com. For reference, the Hero 10 is $500 new.
CNET/KEH
If you have a local camera shop, that's ideal so you can physically look at the camera/lens/whatever and make sure it works, doesn't have peanut butter smeared in the battery compartment, and so on. I actually drove out of my way on my 10,000-mile road trip last year to visit a used camera store so I could sell my old gear and buy a new Canon R6 and a used Sigma 50mm f1.4. However, this is not feasible for most people.
So what about the web? If you've visited eBay at all in the last few years you'll have noticed the vast majority of sellers are companies hawking their wares. You can find person-to-person sales, sure, but they're quite outnumbered. I mention eBay first as it's the website that's probably top of mind when most people think "buying used on the internet." Personally, I'd never buy expensive gear on eBay, because you never know what you're going to get until it arrives. The same is true of Craigslist, which offers the added bonus (terror) of meeting the seller in person.
A listing for the Sony ZV-1 on Adorama. For reference, the ZV-1 is $750 new.
Adorama/CNET
What's needed is a filter or a middleman that can look at the used gear, judge its fitness and sell it. Fancy car companies call this "certified pre-owned." Fortunately, there are several websites that do exactly this: Examples include KEH Camera, MPB and LensRentals. Most of these sites either have pictures of the actual item, a description of what appraisers found or both. Some other companies, like Adorama and B&H, include used options alongside their new offerings.
Beyond the camera-speciality realm, there's also Amazon's dedicated Amazon Renewed program. What's notable there is a 90-day satisfaction guarantee. (Keep in mind that's not for any used items or third-party Marketplace items on Amazon, only items in the Amazon Renewed program.)
How it works
Most sites have info about the specific item you're considering, but MPB has photos of it, which is rare.
A screenshot of a Sony camera on the MPB website.
I had a lens I wanted to sell as I'd never used it. I had also fixated on getting another lens for my current camera. (Don't get into photography, kids. It's expensive.) I decided to check out the used camera gear sites.
First, selling. The process is similar on each. You put in the brand and model of what you're selling along with a general appraisal of its condition (good, OK, peanut-butter smeared, etc.). You're then given a quote/estimate of what the company will pay you for the product. (In my case, a lens.) I went with the site that gave me the best estimate, obviously, and it emailed me a label I could print out for shipping. The cost of this shipping must be included in their pricing as there is no separate shipping charge.
After a brief time in transit, I got an email saying they'd received it. A few days after that I got a final quote, which I accepted; it was for slightly less than the original quote, which I deemed fair based on the lens' condition. A few days after that, the money hit my PayPal. It was exceptionally easy, so it's certainly worth seeing if any of your older gear is worth selling.
KEH's grading system.
KEH/CNET
Buying is, with one addition, like buying anything else online. That addition varies a bit with each site. It's how, and how elaborately, they explain the condition of the used gear. For instance, KEH uses an 8-point scale, as seen in the image above. LensRentals has a 4-point scale. MPB goes all out and actually photographs the specific piece of gear you're considering.
B&H's rating system
B&H/CNET
I ended up going with KEH for both as they had the highest price for the one I was selling and lowest for the one I was buying. That price difference is going to vary depending on the gear, so it's absolutely worth checking all the sites for the best deal.
Weighing the risks
The obvious risk is the gear not working as promised. With most websites and on most gear there is a return policy, often a few weeks. So if it doesn't work or look as described, you can return it.
Then there's the question about longevity of gear that's already been used, perhaps heavily. There's no way to know this risk: That's the price you pay to get lower prices. This is mitigated somewhat by the inspection process you're paying these middlemen for, when you could theoretically get the same gear for less direct from someone selling it used.
There likely won't be any manufacturer's warranty. If something does go wrong, you'll have to pay to fix it. Even if you get something within the manufacturer's warranty window, since you didn't buy it new they likely won't honor it. Since you didn't buy it new from a licensed dealer, it's possible the manufacturer won't fix it even if you're willing to pay. However, you should still be able to get it repaired at a third-party repair place.
Certain sites will offer their own short-term warranty on gear they sell to you. KEH and MPB each come with six months, while Amazon Renewed and LensRentals products have three. You might also be able to buy an extended warranty from the website, though read the details about what these cover.
Is it worth it?
If you have old cameras or lenses laying around it's worth seeing if it's worth anything. It might partially or fully pay for new gear!
GettyImages/Ozgur Donmaz
Personally, I've had good luck with used gear. Then again, I've bought lenses (and they tend to last a long time). If the price was right I'd probably buy a GoPro if it was in good condition, since most people use them for Disney vacations and not wingsuiting through canyons or whatever this is.
I'd also check used sites for any accessories, with the exception of batteries. There's no telling how poorly a battery's been treated.
Would I buy a used, full-size expensive camera? I don't think so. I think for something I couldn't easily replace if it was damaged I'd want a warranty and the peace of mind that it was all new parts... and any damage done was only the result of my own clumsiness.
However, that's all a personal calculation. Saving dozens, perhaps hundreds of dollars against the chance that something might not last as long as a new one could be worth it. Just go in with your eyes open. If the price seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000-mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.
