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Your First Steps in AI: Friendly Intro to Machine Learning and Google Tools

​Getting Started with AI: A Friendly Guide to Google Tools and Machine Learning If you’re curious about AI but don’t know where to begin, you’re in the right place. This beginner-friendly guide will introduce three Google tools you can use right now—Gemini, NotebookLM, and AI Studio—and explain the basics of machine learning in plain English. What You’ll Learn What AI and machine learning (ML) are in simple terms How Gemini, NotebookLM, and AI Studio can help with everyday tasks and projects Why data matters so much in ML Real-life examples of ML you already use Meet the Tools Gemini: Your everyday AI helper Think of Gemini as a flexible assistant you can ask for help with all kinds of work: Brainstorm ideas for a project or blog post Summarize long documents or articles Write and review code Analyze images and describe what’s inside Gemini also works inside Google Workspace, so you can use it alongside tools like Docs, Sheets, and Gmail. NotebookLM: Research without the noise Notebook...
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​Dell XPS Makes a Premium Comeback That Actually Matters

Photographer: Dell | Source: Unsplash While everyone's obsessing over AI PCs and the latest buzzword features, Dell quietly pulled off something more impressive: they remembered how to build premium laptops that don't suck. The XPS 14 and 16 models are back, and they're generating serious buzz among professionals and creatives who've been burned by flimsy "premium" machines one too many times. In a market saturated with gimmicky features and questionable build quality, Dell's approach feels almost radical in its simplicity. The Premium Problem Dell Solved For years, the premium laptop market has been a minefield of disappointment. Sleek designs that crack under normal use. Gorgeous displays with terrible color accuracy. Powerful processors that throttle at the first sign of real work. Dell's previous XPS iterations weren't immune to these issues—earlier models suffered from thermal problems, keyboard reliability issues, and inconsistent qual...

Is Your Bluetooth Safe? What You Need to Know About Your Wireless Headphones

Photographer: Marília Castelli | Source: Unsplash ​If you're like most people, you probably use Bluetooth headphones or earbuds daily. They're convenient, wireless, and let you move freely while listening to music or taking calls. But here's something that might surprise you: there's been a major security scare this year that affects millions of popular headphones, and many people still don't know about it. Let me break this down simply and show you exactly what you can do to protect yourself. The 2025 Bluetooth Vulnerability That Has Everyone Worried Back in 2025, security researchers found three major flaws, which were officially labeled CVE-2025-20700, 20701, and 20702. These vulnerabilities exist in Bluetooth chips made by Airoha, and here's the concerning part: they're inside tons of popular headphones and earbuds from major brands. I'm talking about devices you probably recognize: Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, Bose QuietComfort series, JBL, M...

​5 Hidden Brave Browser Features That Will Transform How You Browse the Web

Photographer: Denny Müller | Source: Unsplash Picture this: You're drowning in browser tabs, your laptop fan is screaming like a jet engine, and you're scrolling through three pages of Google ads just to find one legitimate result. Sound familiar? Most people discover Brave Browser for its ad-blocking superpowers and stay for the privacy protection. But here's what they don't realize—buried beneath that familiar interface lies a treasure trove of productivity tools that can revolutionize your entire browsing experience. Greg Doig uncovers five hidden Brave features that can totally change your online experience. While most people switch to Brave to escape trackers, these tools turn the browser into a high-performance digital workspace. After diving deep into Brave's lesser-known capabilities, I discovered features so helpful that I wondered how I ever browsed without them. These aren't just nice-to-haves—they're game-changers that address the most ann...

How Microsoft is Revolutionizing Nonprofit Work with AI: Key Takeaways from Ignite 2024

Photographer: Nastuh Abootalebi | Source: Unsplash ​ Microsoft Ignite: The future of nonprofit technology is here, and it's incredibly exciting! If you're working in the nonprofit space and wondering how AI can actually help your mission (beyond the usual buzzwords), you're in for a treat. Let me break down what I learned. Why Microsoft's $4 Billion Bet on Nonprofits Matters to You First, the big picture: Microsoft isn't just talking about supporting nonprofits – they're putting serious money behind it. Through their Microsoft Elevate Initiative , they're investing $4 billion and aiming to skill 20 million people globally in AI and cloud technologies. But here's what caught my attention: this isn't about replacing human judgment. It's about freeing up your team to focus on what matters most – your mission. Breaking Down the Walls: Why "Silo Busting" Could Transform Your Organization (From session BRK381: Silo Busting for Nonpr...

Account Takeover Fraud Is Exploding — Here's How to Protect Yourself

​The FBI just issued a stark warning: account takeover fraud is surging, and the numbers are alarming. Since January 2025, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center has received more than 5,100 complaints about this type of fraud, with losses exceeding $262 million. Being aware of this trend can help you feel more in control and prepared. This isn't just targeting wealthy individuals or large corporations. Criminals are going after everyone — individuals, small businesses, organizations of all sizes. If you have an online bank account, payroll system, or health savings account, you're a potential target. Understanding that anyone with online accounts can be targeted helps prevent false security assumptions and encourages proactive protection. How Account Takeover Fraud Works Account takeover (ATO) fraud is exactly what it sounds like: criminals gain unauthorized access to your online financial accounts, then drain the funds before you realize what's happened. Rece...

The Apple Support Scam That Uses Real Apple Emails (And How to Beat It)

​This Apple Scam Almost Got Me (And It Might Get You Too) So here's what happened to my friend Sarah last week. She's not someone who usually falls for scams—she's a marketing director, pretty tech-savvy, always careful online. But this Apple scam? It almost got her completely. And honestly, after she walked me through what happened, I totally get why. This thing doesn't use obvious red flags like those "URGENT: Your account will be deleted!" emails we're all used to spotting. Instead, it's scary good. We're talking real Apple security messages, real Apple Support emails, real everything —while scammers quietly work in the background to steal your entire account. Sarah described it perfectly: "It made my blood run cold when I realized what almost happened." Yeah. That tracks. So let me break this down for you: How the scam works, step by step Simple rules you can follow to avoid it What to do if you think you've already been ta...