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Google has announced search improvements for the Google Photos service, including early access to its Ask Photos feature to select U.S. users. Google Photos has long used artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize people, pets, objects, places, and more on images. And because search is such an important part of the experience, the company is adding more AI capabilities to enable more descriptive queries instead of just keywords. For example, you can use queries like “Alice and me laughing,” “Kayaking on a lake surrounded by mountains,” or “Emma painting in the backyard” to quickly sift through massive image libraries and find that needle in the haystack....

The Pixel 7 lineupis now available for pre-order. Google showed several improvements during its Made by Google hardware event, such as the new Tensor G2 system-on-a-chip and an improved rear camera setup. But it forgot to mention one important detail — you’ll only get three major OS updates. Even though both phones have 5 years of security updates, Google is only committing to three years of major OS updates for the just-released Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro....

Summary A new “Use Listening History” Focus filter in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS Sonoma finally lets you create private listening moments in the Music app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. This means that your recommendations stay accurate and your history remains private. Why Disable Listening History on Apple Music? Apple Music lacks a proper incognito toggle to prevent listening activity being recorded. Instead, you must use a Focus Mode to prevent tainting your recommendations with unwanted tracks....

Quick Links Summary Since its inception in 2009, Venmo has witnessed tremendous growth over the past fifteen years. Unfortunately, this growth has also led to an increase in Venmo scams. This guide delves into common scamming techniques scammers use and offers advice on how to avoid them. Don’t Refund the Money You Receive If you receive an unexpected payment in your Venmo account and the sender asks you to return it because they mistakenly sent it, don’t refund it immediately....

Summary Cloning someone’s voice using AI is now easy enough even scammers can do it. People are already being victimized by this abuse of AI technology, but you don’t have to be the next person to fall for the scam. Here’s how you can beat them before they get you. How Voice Cloning Scams Work Imagine getting a phone call from a family member. It’s 3AM, they’ve been in an accident, they’ve been arrested, they need money to post bail....

Summary Windows Modules Installer Worker (TiWorker.exe) is a normal Windows process related to your PC’s updates and maintenance. However, if it uses up a lot of CPU for an extended period it may be due to an error. Here are some things you can do to fix it. Wait for It to Finish Running Windows launches the Windows Modules Installer Worker when there’s an update to install or a PC maintenance task to run....

Summary Artificial intelligence (AI) is slowly appearing everywhere, and now you may use it to improve your Instagram stories. In December, Instagram rolled out new AI Backdrops that let you change the background of any image into something fun or unique. For example, you can upload a photo from your phone, remove the background, type any text prompt you can imagine and let the AI work its magic. You can surround yourself with puppies, get chased by dinosaurs, or stand in Paris, all in seconds....

Quick Links Imagine working on a key document in Google Drive, only to find out later that someone made unwanted changes. To prevent this, Google Drive lets you lock files for editing, ensuring only you can modify them. This guide will show you how to secure your files and maintain full control. Why Locking Files in Google Drive is Useful Locking files in Google Drive is a simple way to keep important documents safe from accidental edits or unwanted changes....

By restarting a Windows app, you can fix the app’s minor issues, bring your changes in the app into effect, and sometimes even update your app. Closing and reopening an app on a Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC only requires a few clicks. Here’s how to do it. Close and Relaunch an App on Windows 11 and Windows 10 To quit and reopen an app on your PC, first, access the app you want to close....

Quick Links Summary Scrolling through birthday wishes or vacation photos on your Facebook feed, you might ask yourself, “When did all this begin?” Well, if you’re ever curious about when you joined Facebook, good news! It’s possible to see when you joined Facebook. How to See When You Joined Facebook on Mobile It’s very easy to find out the exact date you joined Facebook on mobile. Navigate to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Account Center > Your Information and Permissions > Access Your Information > Personal Information....

HP’s new OMEN series of gaming laptops offers powerful processor options from AMD and Intel and next-gen NVIDIA GeForce graphics. No matter what you need out of a gaming laptop or graphics-heavy workstation, HP probably has something for you here. The HP OMEN 16 can come in a range of processors, including AMD Ryzen AI options like the Ryzen AI 9 365, Ryzen AI 7 350, and Ryzen AI 5 340....

I’ve spent a fair amount of time with Linux and Windows and concluded that I can’t live without either. So, I finally overcame the conflict of “which to use” and decided to keep both. Here’s why it was a great decision. Both Have Their Merits and Limits Comparing operating systems, neither Windows nor Linux can claim the title of “perfect.” Both have distinct strengths that make them ideal for specific use cases....

Summary I had the opportunity to pick up a nice little 17-inch Samsung SyncMaster CRT monitor a while ago, which I bought specifically for retro gaming—which worked out pretty well. Then, I got the idea to relive my college years and actually do some work on the little tube. I literally last worked on a screen like this in my first year of university, so spending a day back in the year 2006 seemed like a fun way to pass the time, and you know what?...