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    5 Linux commands I use to keep my device running smoothly

    Jack Wallen/ZDNETOne of the many nice things about Linux is that there’s always so much power at your fingertips. With that power comes great information that can help you troubleshoot issues or simply see how much RAM or storage is being used.Over the years, I’ve come to depend on these tools, which are built into most Linux distributions and are fairly easy to use.Also: These Linux distributions are best for developers – here’s whyBefore I dive into these commands, know that you might never use them. In fact, with today’s GUI desktops, the goal should be to no longer have to depend on the command line. Of course, if you’re working with a server, that’s a different story. But as far as the desktop is concerned, you’ll be glad you know them if the occasion ever arises.With that said, let’s jump to the commands. More

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    Buy a Microsoft Office 2019 license for Windows or Mac for $25

    Score a Microsoft Office license now at a big discount. StackSocial Whether you’re setting up your new laptop or using a machine you’ve had for years, access to Microsoft Office is a necessity for many of us to get things done. Right now, you can buy a lifetime license to the 2019 version of Microsoft Office Professional […] More

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    Google Workspace users get this new productivity boost in Chrome

    GoogleGoogle has been rolling out features, updates, and enhancements to maximize easier accessibility, tab management, and productivity for Workspace users during the past few months. Chrome is even experimenting with suggesting pages users can revisit based on the tabs they’ve opened on other devices. In a recent blog post, Google announced it would improve Chrome tabs for Workspace users by adding a new daily calendar view for easier access and increased efficiency. Google has described it as a “new productivity tool”. Whether you’re signed in to your work, business, or personal account, your daily Google Calendar, including upcoming meetings and schedule layout, will be the latest addition to your tabs page. Also: Google Chrome just made it even easier to use passkeys across all your devicesCalendar in Chrome is just one of several new features and updates being added for tab management. One Google Workspace update includes enterprise-managed site shortcuts (quick links to frequently visited sites on the URL dropdown). The updates are in addition to existing tab page customization options, such as integrating Google Drive into Chrome’s front page.  More

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    6 iOS 18 settings I changed immediately – and why you should too

    There are only a few things to change here, mostly around battery and data usage, in addition to little annoyances.Go to Settings > App Store. Under Automatic Downloads, turn off App Downloads if you have multiple devices and don’t want apps you downloaded on one to appear on all of them. Next, under Cellular Data, you have options here to reduce data usage. If you don’t want apps downloaded over cellular, turn off Automatic Downloads. If you do want them downloaded, but not the huge apps weighing in at many hundreds of megabytes, change from Always Allow to either Ask If Over 200 MB or Always Ask. Also: iOS 18 is bricking some iPads. Here’s what to know before you install itAs a bonus: want to stop apps from hassling you for a five-star review? Go back to the App Store and turn off In-App Ratings & Reviews.  More

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    OpenAI’s o1-preview ‘excels’ at coding and thoughts can now control Alexa

    gremlin/Getty Images Welcome to ZDNET’s Innovation Index, which identifies the most innovative developments in tech from the past week and ranks the top four, based on votes from our panel of editors and experts. Our mission is to help you identify the trends that will have the biggest impact on the future. In first place this […] More

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    Where’s your BitLocker recovery key? How and why to save a copy before the next Windows meltdown

    JuSun/Getty Images Windows 11, like its predecessor, includes easy options to encrypt your system drive. With device encryption turned on for your PC’s system drive, your personal data is safe if your laptop is lost or stolen. If Windows determines that boot integrity has been compromised, it will demand a recovery key (a 48-digit number, […] More

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    Google Photos now has a subtle new but much needed feature

    June Wan/ZDNETWhether you are an iOS or Android user, Google Photos is a great photo storage and sharing service with features such as Magic Editor and Ask Photos. However, one very basic feature was missing until this week — a photo flip option. First spotted by Android Police, users can now flip or mirror their photos from the Google Photos app. Although that may sound like a fundamental feature, the basic edit functions only allowed users to crop, rotate, or adjust a picture’s aspect ratio before this update. Also: Gemini Live is finally hitting Android phones – how to access it for freeSome helpful instances of mirroring an image include taking a selfie on an iPhone, which is automatically set to invert your selfie camera, keeping the real orientation of the photo. This is a personal pet peeve of mine because I generally want my selfies to look like what I see in the mirror. However, I can’t get myself to turn on the “mirror font camera” setting because, sometimes, having the actual orientation is better.  More