Vladimir Sukhachev/Getty Images As a kid, I was inspired by the decorative lighting in my grandparents’ finished basement. They had festooned the place with multicolored C9 string lights (aka old-school Christmas lights) from wall to wall, beneath the built-in wet bar, around hanging mirrors, and anywhere else they could add an ambient accent for the […] More
photo_Pawel/Getty Images We ran a piece last year summarizing an IEEE study of programming-language popularity based on job listings. This article fostered conversation, including debates about whether the languages IEEE used in its survey were even languages. Most of us are familiar with polls and poll results, especially during campaign seasons. Unfortunately, polls have long been […] More
In my experience, you have three backup strategies to choose from. Which one you choose involves equal parts personal preference and practicality. The biggest factor to consider is whether the data you need to back up is work related or strictly personal.Here is a brief description of each one.Just keep the important stuffThis approach is for people whose PC is primarily for casual personal use. If your IT department takes care of managing your work laptop and backing up work-related files to your company’s network, you only need to worry about personal files: photos, digital photos and videos, and important documents. Backing up those crucial files to your preferred cloud service is the logical solution.Also: 5 simple ways to regain your data privacy online – starting todayIf your system drive has a catastrophic failure, you will have to reinstall your operating system and apps, but you do not have to worry about losing those important files, which are safely tucked away in the cloud, with one or more synced copies available locally, just in case. On a PC running Windows 10 or Windows 11, you can use the Windows Backup app to automate the process of backing up files, apps, and settings to OneDrive.Back up all data filesOn a PC that you (and possibly other family members) use for work, school, and personal tasks, you might want to ensure that every data file for every user account is backed up for quick recovery in the event of a problem. You can back up everything (except the operating system, apps, and saved settings) to the cloud, a local drive, or both.Also: The best cloud storage services: Expert testedThis option lets you recover older versions of a file or folder after accidentally deleting it. It also allows you to retrieve an older version of a document that has been overwritten by more recent work, and it gives you the option to recover all data for all users if you migrate to a new PC, replace your primary storage, or reinstall your operating system from scratch — or, in the worst-case scenario, if that PC is lost, stolen, damaged, or compromised by a ransomware attack.Create a system image that you can restore to a new PC or Mac in case of disasterThis option is the one to choose if business continuity matters more than anything else. It is labor intensive initially, and it can require intermediate-to-advanced technical skills, but it will save you a tremendous amount of time if you need to recover quickly from a crash or upgrade to a new PC or Mac with the absolute minimum of downtime.A system image includes everything on the target drive: hidden configuration files, installed programs, settings, and data files. Typically, the image file is saved on an external drive connected via USB; with the right software, you can save an image file to another PC or server on a local network or in the cloud.Done right, a backup image is a perfect clone of the system configuration at the time it was taken. That means, of course, that you have to find a way to back up data files and other system changes you make after that image is created.Also: How to clear the cache on your Windows 11 PC (and free up valuable system resources)Both Macs and Windows PCs include built-in software that can help with this task. MacOS has Time Machine, which can be used to do a full system restore. Windows 11 and Windows 10 offer the legacy Windows Backup client, which does image backups as well as allowing incremental backups of data files in common locations.If you choose third-party software, you can create fairly sophisticated routines that capture occasional full images along with differential or incremental backups to keep you covered. More
Lester Mapp / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET54.6%! That’s how much organic click-through rates drop when Google adds an AI overview to a search query. 😲 I’ll give you a second to finish clutching your pearls. In a recent comprehensive study by Tracy McDonald from Seer Interactive, Tracy analyzed 10,000 keywords with informational intent ranking in the top 20 positions. The research showed a significant decline in engagement. To validate these findings, the data sources included Google Ads for paid click-through rate (CTR), Google Search Console for organic CTR, and ZipTie AIO data to track whether an AI overview was present. Also: Google Search just got an AI upgrade that you might actually find useful – and it’s freeThe data was then grouped into two sets. Group one had queries where an AI overview appeared. Group two had queries where an AI overview was absent. Based on my research, Tracy’s findings align with what I’ve been seeing. 🧠 As a matter of fact, Google’s most recent 10-K filing mentioned that Google Network impressions were down 11%. Google doesn’t directly say AI overviews are the cause, but it’s safe to assume that if users see an overview, get the answer, and never land on a site, they never see an ad. In this article, we’re breaking down the challenges Google faces, how it directly affects you, and what steps you should take ASAP before it’s too late. If you’re new to my work, my name is Lester, but feel free to call me Les. 👋 I’m a founder with a successful exit, executive chairman of several DTC brands, and an award-winning performance marketer. If you like data-driven marketing insights, check out my free newsletter, No Fluff Just Facts.Also: Reddit’s new Google-powered AI search tool makes finding answers faster than everI break down what’s working in marketing right now and the AI innovations you need to pay attention to. This isn’t a “Google is doomed” piece. Trust me, they’ll be fine. But if your business relies on organic traffic to drive revenue, you should pay attention to this. What’s just annoying for Google could be detrimental for us, ya feel me? Let’s drop straight into what’s going on and what you need to do ASAP. 🤓☝️ Understanding the landscapeTo bring you up to speed, an AI overview (AIO) is when Google provides what it thinks is the best answer to your question using an AI-generated summary at the top of the results. No scrolling. No clicking. No visiting a site. AI search engines like Perplexity, along with platforms like TikTok, are changing how users interact with the internet. 😔 Users want answers fast. So Google is being forced to fundamentally change how it operates, even if that means putting its core business at risk… Yikes. Also: Google Workspace gets a slew of new AI features. Here’s how they can help your daily workflowThe internet is free and packed with valuable information because blogs get paid for their knowledge through banner ads. That ad revenue covers the cost, so users don’t have to pay. It’s easy to forget that even if the content feels free, someone is footing the bill. Running a website in a real way isn’t cheap. Paying staff to create content and storing it online adds up fast, and honestly, advertising gets a bad rap for covering those costs. 😩 AIO also takes away from everyday people who provide helpful information for free online and are compensated for their hard-earned expertise through a banner ad on their website. This shift in behavior could break the internet as we know it. It forces creators with helpful information to move their content behind a paywall, making the internet pay-to-play or, in this case, pay-to-know. 👎 Also: Microsoft is offering free AI skills training for all – and it’s not too late to sign upImagine a world where you had to pay for the answer to every single question, from product reviews to how to fix a sink. It may seem extreme but think about all the blogs that now require you to subscribe just to read a story. While some websites paywall their content for different reasons, the core of what’s happening is still the same. With fewer people seeing banner ads, users will pick up the tab, and AIO is only accelerating that shift. More
Kayla Solino/ZDNETIt’s everyone’s favorite January news — tax season is nearly here, and if you want to get a jump on filing, TurboTax is offering up to 10% off right now More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Belkin Connect Universal Pro Dock retails for $150, but right now it’s on sale for $130. This midrange docking station is an excellent accessory, adding 11 additional ports while serving as a supportive base. The device sports a power cable that cannot be removed and may get in the way. […] More
Image: Polar Your smartwatch is slowly becoming your personal trainer, thanks to subscription plans that use the biometric data gathered by the watch to create customized training plans. Smartwatch and fitness brand Polar introduced its paid, subscription-based Fitness Program on Thursday. The program brings “science-backed” cardio training plans to the Polar ecosystem, tailored to the […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETIs your smart TV slow to respond or stuttering during scenes? You’re not alone — many people experience laggy performance and choppy playback. The good news? A few simple fixes can get things running smoothly again. Also: The default TV setting you should turn off ASAP – and why it makes such a big differenceModern TVs have plenty of features and apps (and services that run in the background) that can slow them down over time. Fortunately, some simple actions can rectify your flatscreen’s sketchy performance. More
