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Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET Windows 11 has been around for a few years now, and if you were an early adopter like I was, there’s a good chance your computer has slowed down significantly since then. There are several reasons why a device’s performance may plummet.  It could be the result of too many apps taking up resources, unoptimized settings, or even a virus infecting the hardware. The easiest thing you can do in the short term…

ZDNET IBM is zooming along with new open-source Granite Large Language Models (LLM) releases every few months. Granite 3.1  is the latest generation model, building upon the success of Granite 3.0. The model offers enhanced capabilities and performance optimized for business applications. Also: Gemini Advanced users can now access Google’s most experimental model The family of Granite 3.1 models boasts an impressive 128K token context window, a substantial increase from their predecessors. This expansion allows the models…

@Tyra__Lynn (TikTok)/ZDNET A viral trend is currently sweeping TikTok, where people are revisiting the past by looking up old versions of their homes through Google Street View. As they do, many are spotting long-gone family members on front porches or mowing the lawn, catching glimpses of their younger selves riding a bike in the driveway, or seeing beloved trees that were cut down years ago.  Also: Google Maps adds more incident reports to your drive, thanks…

Adam Breeden/ZDNET Fire TV users with impairments that limit their hearing or vision might soon find life easier thanks to some new features from Amazon. Amazon has introduced three new features to make Fire TVs more accessible for people with disabilities. Also: Turn your AirPods Pro 2 into hearing aids: Testing and tracking hearing health First up is an expansion of Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA). Amazon Fire devices already support ASHA, which lets…

10’000 Hours/Getty Images The holiday season is an opportunity to unwind and relax with family and friends. Everyone should step away from the daily grind and forget about work sometimes. However, mental fatigue remains a big issue — especially at this time of year. What’s more, research suggests it has a measurable effect on behavior, leaving people exhausted, unproductive, and more likely to be aggressive. Also: 5 ways to tell people what to do at…

blackred/Getty Images Sometimes it can be hard to get all your reading done, especially with ADHD diagnoses on the rise. If you’re tasked with a school or work project and you’re pressed for time (or focus), artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots like ChatGPT can help summarize long articles, research papers, and books to make them a bit more accessible.  Also: You can now talk to ChatGPT on the phone – no Wi-Fi needed ChatGPT has come a long…

Yaroslav Kushta/Getty Images With the year coming to an end, Google has been on an AI launch streak, releasing Veo 2, Whisk, a redesign of Google Labs, Project Mariner, and more. One of the biggest standouts was its Gemini 2.0 family of models, and users can get started with it today.  Also: You can interview the AI hosts of your NotebookLM podcast now Last week, Google announced its Gemini 2.0 family of models, with Gemini…

Sabrina/ZDNET Instagram has introduced several major changes and updates during the last couple of months — including new features and privacy protections. Today, the social site announced profile cards: Users no longer need to type in handle names to find a mutual or new connection; now you can set up a profile card that makes you easily findable with a custom QR code.  Also: Instagram just beat TikTok to new feature creators will love The new…

Nina Raemont/ZDNET The new year is around the corner, but before we start thinking about all the technology that will emerge in 2025, let’s take a look back and remember this year’s greatest hits.  I spend 40 hours a week testing products, writing reviews, and curating best lists (like the one you’re about to read). To compile a list of the best products released in 2024, I considered a few things. The first is my…