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    Open-source skills can save your career when AI comes knocking

    Liudmyla Lishchyshyna/Getty Are you panicked by headlines like ‘Why this leading AI CEO is warning that tech could cause mass unemployment’ and ‘AI’s impact on the job market is ‘inevitable’? My advice is chill.  While there is a big shift in jobs coming, it’s not as scary-sounding as you might fear. At the Open Source […] More

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    Storms and bad weather? How to prep your tech ahead of possible emergencies

    Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETThe 2025 hurricane season is underway, and while so far things have been surprisingly quiet, this could — and probably will — change. And if you happen to find yourself in the path or in surrounding areas of an, then it’s time to take things seriously and get your tech ready for whatever Mother Nature has in store.Also: 5 hurricane-tracking appsHow to prep your tech for bad weatherWhat you need: I detail what you’ll need in the steps below, but it’s basically all the essentials. That includes power banks and cables, flashlights or lanterns, waterproof bags, spare batteries, a first-aid kit and fire extinguisher, warm hats and gloves, emergency food and snacks, power station or jump starter, multitool, emergency radio or SOS beacon, and a waterproof drive. Also, bookmark reliable forecast sites or install a weather app, and practice with every bit of gear now so you’re not learning under pressure.Home kitThe essentialsAlso: The 5 brightest flashlightsThings that are nice to haveAlso: The 5 best portable power stationsCar kitThe essentialsThings that are nice to haveAlso: The best portable jump starters More

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    Got an old Kindle? How to resurrect it from the dead with fresh ebooks

    Amazon / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETEarly 2025 was a tough time for Kindle fans. Also: The best Kindles of 2025: Expert tested and reviewedOn Feb. 26, 2025, Amazon disabled the ability to download Kindle book files to your computer. While Kindle books will no longer be available for your old devices after next week, you can upload EPUB (with a workaround) and mobi files. Here’s how to do that. Of course, it all starts with a storyAs a tech professional, there are many things I know because I know them. But I also learn things because it’s my job to fix the tech problems around the house. In this case, my wife had performed a factory reset on her cherished Kindle DX, which she purchased almost exactly ten years ago. After the reset, she couldn’t get any of her books to download.She wanted to clean the Kindle of all its cruft. Every book she ever bought, up until the last time she powered up the machine, had been on that device before the reset. She thought a factory reset would be the fastest way to start with a clean slate. It was indeed a clean slate. All that was left was a dictionary and user guide, both installed as part of the reset process. She couldn’t download anything else she wanted on it. Also: This simple Kindle accessory has seriously upgraded my reading experience – and it’s on saleI don’t use Kindles nearly as much as she does. I have one entry-level Kindle, which I read in the biologitorium, but that’s about it. I like keeping a Kindle there because it’s always available and nearly always has enough charge for bio-break sessions. As for my wife’s Kindle DX issue, it took a bit of Googling to figure out that the DX never supported Wi-Fi. The device did, however, come with full-time 3G cellular support, which is how she had loaded books on it throughout the years. Read that last paragraph and note that I’m writing this article in 2025, not 2014.  In 2014, we had 3G. By 2025, most of the major carriers in the US have shut down their 3G networks. Amazon has also phased out support of 3G More

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    Forget AirPods: Beats’ updated Solo4 headphones sound great, and they’re $70 off

    <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Beats Solo4 headphones are available for $200 in Matte Black, Slate Blue, and Cloud Pink. Beats’ best-selling headphones return with up-to-date features, signaling that the company used the product’s long hiatus wisely. A tight fit and small ear cups may cut your listening experience shorter than you’d like. –> The […] More

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    You should probably delete any sensitive screenshots you have in your phone right now. Here’s why

    zf L/Getty It’s generally not a good idea to keep screenshots of sensitive information on your phone, but you should probably delete them, especially if they’re related to your crypto wallet. A new Trojan spy known as SparkKitty targets information from screenshots stored in your gallery. This spy, likely connected to the infamous SparkCat data […] More