Quick Links Summary The spread of AI-generated content is a tidal wave that can’t be stopped, and social networks like Facebook are full of it. So how can you spot this content, and why is it shared in earnest? AI-Generated Photos Are Taking Over Facebook It takes seconds togenerate an image using tools like DALL-Eor Midjourney, and these tools are improving with each update. While some people can easily spot AI-generated photos, others are less likely to question what they see appearing in their Facebook feeds....

Summary Remember the times when you had to make sure no one in your household was using the phone before logging online? The age of dial-up internet is distant now, with broadband and fiber internet being present in most households, but the service has been kept around. Now, though, it’s going offline in less than a couple of months. AOL (which is now owned by Yahoo and has been bought out and sold off several times in the last few years) has announced that it will be taking its iconic dial-up service offline on September 30th, just about 51 days from the time this post was published....

Quick Links Wearing your Apple Watch to bed only to discover it’s not tracking your sleep is frustrating. This problem can appear randomly, for seemingly no reason. Here are some tips on getting it working again. Make Sure Sleep Tracking is Turned On Sleep tracking is an optional function of your Apple Watch, so you’ll need to turn it on to use it.Set up sleep tracking on your Apple Watchusing the Sleep app on your Watch (tap “Use This Watch for Sleep”) or under Watch > Sleep on your iPhone....

Quick Links Summary Yes, Christmas lights can be a fire hazard. However, Christmas light fires can easily be avoided by inspecting your lights, following electrical best practices, and storing them properly at the end of the season. People talk about how Christmas lights are a fire hazard. But is it mostly an urban legend up there with razor blades in Halloween candy or something to take seriously? Here’s what you need to know to live your best Christmas Vacation life without burning your house down....

Summary AI image generation is an incredible (if controversial) technology that has plenty of great use cases, but like any new technology it provides new opportunities for scammers. Particularly, it creates the possibility to make “photos” of products that don’t really exist. E-Commerce Is Easy These Days One of the best things about the modern internet is that almost anyone can make, sell, and ship products anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, that’s also one of the worst about the internet....

Beats Studio Buds The Beats Studio Buds are a great AirPod alternative, with advanced features like ANC and Transparency mode, stylish color options, and excellent sound. you’re able to now get the Beats Studio Buds for less than $100. At this much lower price, these completely wireless earbuds pack in a lot of useful features and solid performance, making them a great deal for the money. You can get the Beats Studio Buds for$99....

Quick Links You’d be forgiven, in the not-so-distant past, for writing Bluesky off as merely a fringe social media network. Today, however, the outlook couldn’t be more different, as evidenced by the fact that a comparison with Facebook is warranted. Let’s see if Bluesky can handle the bright lights. Similar Product, Different World Bluesky and Facebook may share the same industry, but their origins could hardly be more different. Facebook, launched by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, began rather humbly as a networking site for college students but evolved over the next decade into the global phenomenon we know today....

Quick Links When you’re building a new computer, some of the parts are nearly guaranteed (and necessary) upgrades from your old build, but the PSU doesn’t have to be one of them. Yes, You Can Reuse a PSU in a New Build While PSU design and manufacturing have improved incrementally over the years, the fundamental standards haven’t changed much. A 2010-era PSU design will power an ATX motherboard and peripherals just like a 2020-era on would....

Summary You might have seen the news reports with tongue-in-cheek segments noting the uptick in people collecting and listening to cassette tapes. Yes, those fiddly plastic rectangles I thought we’d left long behind once people figured out how to put a CD player in a car. It’s bemusing to say the least, though, as I’ve read more about this phenomenon, I sort of understand its appeal, but it appeals to me personally in no way at all as someone who had to live through the cassette era....

Summary Bad actors have always been a prevalent issue on the internet. You’d think that “Big Tech” has created advanced systems to catch and stop fraudsters before they had a chance to swindle money, but it turns out that things are actually taking a turn for the worse with sophisticated scam ads. The Ads May Be Real, but What They Promise Certainly Isn’t Most ads that I get on Facebook are actually pretty good for the most part....

Quick Links Given the growing prevalence of Copilot in Microsoft’s productivity apps, it’s no surprise that the company has unveiled a host of major upgrades to its OneNote mobile app, all due to be implemented within the next few months. Microsoft first introduced Copilot to OneNote in March 2023. Now, nearly two years later, the company is adding several automation features that will increase efficiency and make life a lot easier for OneNote fanatics....

Quick Links Dashlanehas earned itself a reputation for being one of thebest password managersout there, with great security, a simple interface, and reasonable pricing. I took it out for a spin to see if its reputation held up. In all honesty, it did. Though Dashlane isn’t perfect—there are some minor interface issues, and the pricing doesn’t always work out—it’s definitely one of the best choices out there when it comes to managing your passwords....

If you’re a Windows user who wants it all, the new Dynabook Portégé Z40L-N laptop might be what you’re looking for. It’s thin yet incredibly light while packing a durable alloy frame and a user-replaceable battery. Here’s what you need to know about this new Copilot+ laptop. Dynabook, known for its rugged yet lightweight machines, announced its latest and greatestZ40L-N laptop. The Portégé line often delivers some of the thinnest or lightest laptops around, and this one is no exception....