Eliana Willis

ZDNETMicrosoft users who still rely on Skype may soon have to find a different chat and calling service. A message inside the latest preview of Skype for Windows warns that the app will be retired in May.’Continue your calls and chats in Teams’Spotted by someone with access to the new preview and verified by XDA Developers, the message states: “Starting in May, Skype will no longer be available. Continue your calls and chats in Teams.” A note adds that a certain number “of your friends have already moved to Teams free,” with that number based on how many contacts you have. If true, the news is hardly surprising given Skype’s checkered history.  More

Last year’s MWC saw the unveiling of Tecno’s rollable phone concept. What about in 2025? Kerry Wan/ZDNETMobile World Congress (MWC) is shaping up to be an exciting one this year. Off the heels of Samsung and OnePlus’ recent smartphone launches, the Barcelona trade show will shine a brighter spotlight on the trends and innovations we’ll see in 2025. As always, leading global brands, including Xiaomi, Honor, and Huawei, will be present — and they’ll likely occupy a large part of the show floor. Google and Samsung are also expected to have a presence, but the chances of any major announcements are slim. And there’s almost always a showstopper that no one sees coming. Also: This 5-year tech industry forecast predicts some surprising winners – and losersAt MWC 2025, expect to see all of that, both in market-ready products and concepts that, while unconventional, may be just buzz-worthy enough to influence future business decisions. Here’s a run-down of what’s coming at this year’s trade show.When is MWC 2025?This year’s MWC will occur from March 3 to March 6, but manufacturers typically make announcements as early as the weekend before, so you’ll likely hear more about the event starting tomorrow. While the trade show was built around members of the press, analysts, business partners, and brands, anyone can access the show floor by purchasing a ticket, which costs about $1,028.Google More

ZDNETThe human psyche is a fascinating thing. People often won’t bother to take the time to learn all the features and facets of a product or service. But take away a feature, even one they may never have used, and their reactions are swift and fierce. Such has been the reaction this past week to the news that Amazon will no longer allow Kindle ebook files to be downloaded to your computer for backup. It is a feature that some collectors counted on, but many Kindle users didn’t even know it was there until someone told them it would go away on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. Also: The best e-readers of 2025: Expert tested and reviewedFor some users of older Kindles, the ability to download files was the only way to move Kindle files onto their Kindles. The first and second-generation Kindles and the Kindle DX could only wirelessly transfer data via the now-obsolete 3G telephony networks. The only other way to move Kindle books was via a USB connection to a computer. Users of slightly newer Kindles might also have had difficulty wirelessly transferring files to their Kindles. My wife deregistered her old Kindle Fire 7, bought back in 2011, so that I could put it on my account. But try as I might, I could not get that Fire to register. I even tried working with Amazon tech support, but they gave up as well. So, if I want to put files on that device, transferring via USB is the only option. Also: Want free ebooks? These 10 sites offer thousands of optionsIn this article, we’ll explore the process of transferring files (Kindle files and popular ebook formats) to Kindle devices, both old and new. But before we do so, I want to share a very important warning. Do not unregister your old Kindle If you were one of the folks lucky or persistent enough to download your Kindle books, keep in mind that many Kindle books have DRM protection. They are locked in such a way that they will only work when both the device and book are registered to the same Amazon account. More

ZDNETKindle devices appeal to many people. When everything works, they’re great. But Amazon is becoming more and more finicky, both in terms of supported formats and the freedom to manage your own books.Kindle books use their own formats, most of the time with embedded DRM. However, there are oh-so-many ebooks available online, both for purchase and for free, that are not specifically tied to the Kindle ecosystem and your Amazon account. Also: Want free ebooks? These 10 sites offer thousands of optionsCalibre is an open-source ebook management and editing program. In this article, we’re going to use Calibre to go beyond the Kindle format for our ebooks on Kindle. Install Calibre To get started, point your browser to the Calibre download page and download the version for your computer. I’ll be using the Mac version from now on. Once installed, there are a few simple, if confusing, steps necessary to get started with Calibre. First, launch the application. You’ll see a setup screen like this. More

Yagi Studio/Getty Images Smartphone sales will grow in fits and starts, while tablet demand will wane. Large language models (LLMs) will boom, and demand for data management solutions will soar. Also: Crawl, then walk, before you run with AI agents, experts recommend These technologies will be “hot” — or “not” — over the coming five years, […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Lenovo’s 10th-Gen Yoga Slim 9i retails for $1,760. It’s a lightweight laptop with a striking design and an even more striking 4K OLED touchscreen. However, some will find its lack of ports limiting and the webcam low-quality. more buying choices One of the things I appreciate about Lenovo is its willingness […] More

Matthew Miller/ZDNETThe Pixel Watch 3 is getting a first-of-its-kind, potentially life-saving feature. In a blog post, Google announced that it had received FDA clearance for its Loss of Pulse Detection feature.Also: My new favorite Android smartwatch outperforms Google and Samsung in a crucial wayThe feature works by tracking your heartbeat. If your heart stops beating — due to cardiac arrest, respiratory or circulatory failure, overdose, or poisoning — your watch will automatically turn on more accurate infrared LEDs and look for motion data. If the watch determines you’re not responsive, it will start a countdown and audio alarm. If you still don’t respond, the watch will place a call to emergency services using your LTE or phone connection, inform them that you don’t have a pulse, and share your location. More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Canon EOS R100 mirrorless camera is a great starter for aspiring photographers. It features a 24-megapixel sensor for great image quality and color and can capture 4K (UHD) video at 24 frames per second. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a flip-out preview screen. more buying choices You can buy the Canon […] More