Brought to you by:Architect: LEVER ArchitectureLocation: Los AngelesCompletion Date: 2024In Universal Citythe neighborhood-sized home of Universal Picturess corporate campus, production lots, and theme parkLEVER Architecture has designed two new buildings: The Commons and One Universal. The former, an employee amenity space, evokes early moving picture technology through its circular structure and lenticular shade screen of thin aluminum tubes. Its companion, One Universal, is a more conventional glass office building that navigates the campuss rugged hillside through a succession of staggered volumes. Together, these additions are part of the larger Campus Project, an effort to modernize Universal Studioss corporate facilities, while also improving the campuss walkability, beauty, and landscaping. LEVER Architecture designed two new buildings for the campus: The Commons, a circular structure containing employee amenity spaces, and One Universal, a glass office building composed in staggered boxes that straddle the highway. (Ema Peter)Working closely with the projects landscape architect, Field Operations, LEVER separated the two additions with a green lawn. This space creates much-needed breathing room on the campus and functions similar to college quad, providing a place for recreation and leisure. Field Operations also worked to improve pedestrian access along Gregory Peck Drive, a once bare inner-campus thoroughfare now lined with trees and landscaping. Ultimately, the Campus Project is designed to make sense out of years of haphazard development. Opened in 1915 by Carl Laemmle, Universal Studios was built atop a ranch property and remains today an unincorporated community within Los Angeles County. Its character is very much that of a company town.We were interested in putting the city back in Universal City, Thomas Robinson, founding principal of LEVER, told AN. Over the years, the core of the studio had been redeveloped to focus on cars, much like a lot of redevelopment you saw in other cities during the 1960s and 1970s. Instead of having one mega building, we separated the commissary and theater programs [from the office], creating a central building called The Commons that has its own shape and identity.The Commons is located near the center of the corporate campus, allowing for easy employee access. (Ema Peter)Universals new employee amenity space pays homage to the studios long history of filmmaking through its circular form, which was inspired by a zoetrope, an early moving picture technology in which the painted interior of a spinning cylinder cycles through a series of gradually changing images to create the illusion of motion, a technique similar to that of flipbook animation. The building contains a food hall on its first floor, theaters and screening rooms on the second, and a rooftop event space. Open to sunlight on all sides, The Commons is shaded by a screen of vertically oriented aluminum tubes that wrap the circumference of the structure. The individual tubes are painted white and were influenced by the extruded masts of sailboats, according to Robinson. To further the buildings zoetrope metaphor, LEVER worked to create the illusion of movement across the surface of the screen. A crescent-shaped cut was applied to each of the extrusions and a reflective inner lining was applied, creating a lenticular effect, where the appearance of color, depth, and movement are shaped by light conditions as well as the viewers perspective in relation to the facade.The screen steps outward from the building mass to create shaded outdoor dining spaces along the ground level of The Commons. (Ema Peter)Across the lawn, One Universal delivers new Class A office space to the campus as well as a 500,000-square-foot parking garage. Tasked with spanning a 90-foot grade change, LEVER used this opportunity to conceal the garage within the hillside, situating the office space above in two offset glass volumes. The stepped design of the building recalls the design of Los Angeless luxury hillside residences, and offers views of the nearby San Gabriel mountains. An outdoor deck was also incorporated on the seventh floor at the intersection of the split volumes. To improve the buildings carbon footprint, the western elevations of the office are shaded with horizontally oriented blinds while the structure itself was constructed using a low-carbon concrete.One Universal contains an 11-story office building above a 1,200-car garage. (Ema Peter)Despite its large scope, the Campus Project is but a single objective in Universals Evolution Plan, focused on capital improvements in Universal City, which has been underway since 2013. Over the next few years, the company plans to add 14 new sound stages, additional attractions and immersive lands within the Universal Studios theme park, a child care center, and sheriff substation.The interventions made by LEVER and Field Operations provide a reprieve from the 20th-century mall and theme park urbanism of Universal City, supplying new amenity and outdoor spaces that are key to employee retention in the 21st century.Project SpecificationsArchitect: LEVER ArchitectureArchitect of Record: House & Robertson ArchitectsInterior Design: LEVER, AvroKO, GenslerStructural Engineer (One Universal): WSP, Englekirk Structural EngineersStructural Engineer (The Commons): Thornton TomasettiMEP Engineer: AMA Consulting EngineersCivil Engineer: LanganGeotechnical Engineer: Shannon & WilsonTraffic Engineer: Gibson Transportation ConsultingLandscape Architect: Field OperationsSustainability Consultant: Atelier TenAcoustic Consultant: SalterTheater Consultant: Fisher Dachs AssociatesLighting Consultant: Horton Lees BrogdenFire/Life Safety Consultant: ArupBuilding Envelope: Thornton TomasettiFacade Access: Lerch BatesWaterproofing: Wiss, Janney Elstner AssociatesAccessibility Consultant: Jensen HughesVertical Transportation Consultant: Edgett Williams Consulting GroupCommissioning Agent: Altura AssociatesPermit Expeditor: Kimberlina Whettam & AssociatesGeneral Contractor: Hathaway Dinwiddie ConstructionCMU Masonry: Angelus BlockMetal Panels: MetalWrksCurtain Wall: Kawneer, ArcadiaEIFS, ACM: DryvitMoisture Barrier: PerprufeGlazing: Guardian

The oldest extant building on Hillhouse Avenue in New Haven is this Federal-period house with later Victorian-era modifications. The Abigail Whelpley House was built by 1826 (with some estimates as early as 1800 and moved to the site) and was a traditional, five-bay, two-story Federal style residence. It is said that the house was built by James Abraham Hillhouse (1789-1841) for his widowed family member, Ms. Whelpley, and her two sons. As of 1849, the property was owned byNoah Porter, later President of Yale, who would alter the house in the 1860s with the addition of a mansard roof and trim, all designed by architect, Henry Austin. The house, now known as Allwin Hall, is maintained by Yale University and contains offices for the program on Ethics, Politics & Economics.

Hydration. Photo Abdulaziz Al Saleh/UPY 2025. All photos courtesy of UPY, shared with permissionThe Underwater Photographer of the Year Celebrates 60 Years of Wildlife DiversityFebruary 28, 2025NaturePhotographyJackie AndresEntering its 60th year, the Underwater Photographer of the Year Contest continues to be one of the most noteworthy international photography competitions. Surpassing last years numbers, the 2025 edition received more than 6,750 entries with winners from around 30 different countries.From the depths of the Red Sea to the swamps of the Everglades, the noteable images take viewers on a journey across the world, highlighting the diversity of ocean wildlife and emphasizing the importance of conservation. Diver and photographer Alvaro Herrero, a.k.a. Mekan, snagged the top honor this cycle with Radiant Bond. Off the coast of Moorea, a young whale still learning to breathe travels to the surface with its mother.Radiant Bond. Photo Alvaro Herrero (Mekan)/UPY 2025Among the other winning snapshots are scenes of two Asian sheepshead wrasse fighting in Japan, teeming coral reefs in Indonesia, a distorted portrait of camels hydrating in Kuwait, and a Florida gar circling its swampy habitat.Read the context behind each photo and see more on UPYs website.Fluo Spiny Squat Lobster. Photo James Lynott/UPY 2025Kaleidoscope of Colour. Photo Catherine Holmes/UPY 2025The Beauty of the Swamp. Photo Bryant Turffs/UPY 2025Ethereal Moonscape. Photo Alvaro Herrero (Mekan)/UPY 2025Chasing Dolphins. Photo Enric Gener/UPY 2025A Frondly Snoot Boop. Photo Patrick Webster/UPY 2025Face Off. Photo Shunsuke Nakano/UPY 2025New Moon Madness. Photo Joost van Uffelen/UPY 2025Next article

EyeEm Mobile GmbH/Getty ImagesLive TV streaming services were designed to disrupt the cable monopoly. And for a while, it looked like the plan was working.Cable companies, no longer blessed with monopoly power, arelosing millions of customers every year. But the cord-cutting alternatives that were supposed to save us have been raising prices steadily, and today the price of a live TV streaming service is nearly as high as one of those old cable bills.Also: DirecTV's new no-contract 'Genre Packs' start at $35 - and you can try them for freeTake YouTube TV, for example. At its launch in 2017, Google's live TV streaming service cost a mere $35 a month. Since then, Google has raised prices every year. By the time I signed up in early 2020, the price had crept up to $50 a month. The latest price increase, which took effect in January 2025, raised the cost of the base plan to $83, plus an extra $10 for the 4K add-on. For the base plan alone, that's a 66% increase in five years.And then there's Fubo TV, which announced at the start of January that it would be acquired by Disney and would share the same corporate parent as Hulu with Live TV. And by the end of January ... yes, you guessed it: Fubo raised the monthly base prices of all its subscriptions.Also:Bye bye, Wi-Fi: How to add a wired network to your home without running EthernetThat flurry of price increases got me asking questions:Am I really getting my money's worth out of that $90-plus subscription?Are any competitors offering a better deal?What happens if I decide to just cut out my live TV streaming service altogether?The competitionFor customers in the US, there are currently six live TV streaming services to choose from. Each one works using an app on a streaming device or smart TV platform. Subscribers choose a plan that offers some combination of basic and premium cable channels, local broadcast channels, and regional sports networks, along with DVR capabilities so you can pause live TV and record shows to watch later.Also: How to disable ACR on your TV (and why you shouldn't wait to do it)ZDNET has already done the work ofassembling the available choices. I reviewed each one of those services three years ago and decided to take a fresh look in 2025 to see what's changed.Four of those services offer strikingly similar lineups at prices that are nearly identical: between $82 and $87 a month, before add-ons. The other two are noticeably cheaper, so that's where I started, working from least to most expensive.But be sure to read all the way to the end, where some new packages from DirecTV Stream have the potential to be game-changers. At a mere $28 a month for 70+ channels, this service seems like a genuine bargain. You also get access to the AMC+ library and another 100+ free ad-supported channels. (You can see the whole lineup in Philo'schannel guide.)If you just want something to watch, Philo has plenty to offer, but its offering is too lean for me. It keeps costs low by not paying to carry the most expensive cable channels, so you won't find The Weather Channel, for example, or any of the three big US-based cable news networks: CNN, MSNBC, or Fox News. (The only news is via BBC World News.) Philo also doesn't include any local channels or regional sports networks, which means no weekend sports.Also:Having trouble hearing whispery TV dialogue? I found 3 ways to fix thatPhilo offers only stereo sound (all of the other streaming services in this list deliver at least some content in 5.1 surround sound). On-demand playback is in full HD (1080p), but live TV is available only in 720p. I'll pass. Show more View now at Philo Sling TV (ZDNET's choice as "best budget TV streaming service overall") is available in your choice of two basic packages, Orange and Blue, for $46 per month. Both offerings have a collection of extremely basic channels that include CNN. The Orange tier (billed as "Sports and Family") adds the Disney Channel and all the (Disney-owned) ESPN options. The Blue tier ("News and Entertainment") has a solid basic cable lineup that includes MSNBC, Fox News, FX, Bravo, and the like. But don't let the name fool you -- it also includes a fair amount of sports-related programming, including Fox Sports 1 and the NFL Network.For $61 a month, you can get a Blue+Orange combo that includes everything from both packages.The one wildcard in Sling TV's offering is local TV channels, where availability depends on your home market. No one gets CBS or PBS, but in some cities (Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, for example), the Sling Blue package includes ABC, Fox, and NBC channels. In Detroit, you get no local channels at all. In my hometown, Sling offers only the local ABC affiliate. If local channels are important, check your area's coverage atthe Sling TV Help Center.My biggest hesitation with Sling TV is its user interface, which has more than its share of rough edges and annoyances. To sign in for the first time on a new TV, you have to enter your username and password -- a tedious task with a remote control. Most competing services allow you to sign in by scanning a QR code or using a web browser on another device.Sling also displays ads whenever you hit the pause button while playing back a recording or watching TV. You can turn that feature off, but it's annoying. During playback, the skip buttons (back 10 seconds, forward 30 seconds) were glitchy enough to give me pause.I suppose all those tiny annoyances can be fixed, but will they? Sling TV is owned by Dish Network, which tried to sell itself to rival DirecTV last September for the princely sum of $1. The deal fell apart, which makes one wonder.Still, that $46 price tag for Sling Blue is literally half what YouTube TV charges for a package that has a lot of what I need. That's potentially a winning formula, even with those rough edges. Show more View now at Sling The tagline for Fubo is "watch live sports and TV without cable." That's a pretty accurate description, not surprising as this network started out as a service designed to deliver European ftbol to a sports-hungry overseas audience (ftbol, Fubo, get it?). After the latest price increase, the lowest-price package, Essentials, costs $85 a month and includes 202 channels with a genuinely impressive collection of sports-related content. The user interface and DVR features are slick and clean.Also:Ham radio is still a disaster lifeline, even in the iPhone era - here's whyThe biggest knock on Fubo is the long list of missing channels. With a subscription, you won't get AMC, BBC America, TBS, PBS, CNN, the Food Network, or any of a dozen more channels owned by theWarner Bros. Discovery Networks.If you want to watch 4K broadcasts, you need to upgrade to the Pro or Elite plans. But watch out for this gotcha: Those plans require a monthly fee for regional sports networks, which also went up in price with the latest increase, making the total cost of those plans somewhere between $98 and $111 -- that's eerily reminiscent of what your cable network used to do.Are any of those issues dealbreakers? If you're a sports fanatic, probably not. But for everyone else, there are better choices. Show more View now at Fubo Technically, Hulu's Live TV package costs a tiny bit less than YouTube TV, at $82 a month. But nobody in their right mind pays that price. Instead, most people will pay $1 a month more for a bundle that includes the live TV streaming, the Hulu library of movies and TV shows, and access to two additional premium channels, Disney+ and ESPN+, all in an ad-supported format.For another $13 a month, you can ditch the ads on Hulu and Disney+. If you were already going to pay $10 or $19 a month for a Hulu or Hulu ad-free package, that makes the net price for live TV $73 or $77, which is a relative bargain -- at least until the next price increase. And if history is any guide, you can make a note in your calendar to see that bill go up in October. (At least, that's what Hulu has done for the last three Octobers.)Also: Your TV's USB port has superpowers: 5 useful benefits you're not taking advantage ofI had to put together a spreadsheet to figure out the differences in channel lineups between YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV. The basic lineup is nearly identical, with only a few differences. YouTube TV does not offer A&E, Bloomberg TV, FYI, History, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, MLB Network, Accuweather, and Boomerang; if you have Hulu with Live TV, you won't be able to watch Accuweather, AMC, BBC America, BBC World News, IFC, NBA TV, Sundance TV, Tastemade, or WE tv.The Hulu interface mixes live TV in with all the other Hulu content. Three years ago, that design was more cluttered than the alternatives and a bit confusing. Today, with the increased blurring of the lines between streaming services and live TV, it's cutting edge. And there's only one package to choose from, with minimal add-ons, upsells, and extras. Show more View now at Hulu YouTube TV (ZDNET's choice as "best live TV streaming service overall") offers a simple but sophisticated user experience and has probably the easiest, cleanest, fastest commercial-skipping option of any service I tried: Tap the Fast Forward button to skip ahead 15 seconds, with a freeze-frame thumbnail showing you exactly where you've landed. Need to skip ahead two minutes? Tap that button eight times and you're there, with no pauses or glitches -- at least on my set. It also has the best picture quality of any of its rival services, although that's a purely subjective judgment on my part.At $83 a month for the Base Plan, YouTube TV is competitive with its rivals in the premium tier. There's an option to pay $10 extra every month for a limited amount of 4K programming, which also includes the ability to download DVR'ed shows for offline viewing on mobile devices. That add-on might be worth it if you watch live sports in 4K, but otherwise don't expect to see a lot of 4K content. As a reader points out in the comments, YouTube TV is, for now at least, the best way to subscribe to NFL Sunday Ticket. That package costs $379 per season for YouTube TV subscribers and at least $100 more if you get your TV elsewhere and get the live NFL programming as a premium YouTube channel. YouTube TV is fairly priced, and it has a channel lineup that is just as good as whatever your local cable company offers. Just be aware that the price is going to go up next year, and the year after, and the year after... Show more View now at Tv.youtube DirecTV's streaming options are confusing, to say the least. The service called DirecTV Stream (formerly known as AT&T TV Now) is the closest thing you can get to a cable network without actually having to plug something into a decoder box next to your TV. And despite its heritage, there's no satellite dish needed, either. It doesn't help thatdirectv.com/streamandstreamtv.directv.comgo to completely different destinations, with only the barest explanation of the differences between the alternatives.Like cable companies, DirecTV offers multiple packages and multiple ways to receive programming. You can still get the service with a satellite dish, or you can subscribe to DirecTV via Internet (which includes a streaming device). DirecTV Stream is a pure over-the-top service that works with most smart TVs and streaming devices. The base package is a pricey $87 a month, but it includes the C-SPAN and C-SPAN2 networks, which aren't on any other streaming service.Want more channels? You can go all the way to a cable-worthy $198 a month, which includes a bunch of premium channels like Max and Paramount+ with Showtime. Like the cable company, there are all sorts ofrequired fees, including a mandatory $ 18-a-month regional sports fee if you choose anything above the basic Entertainment package with DirecTV via the Internet. (Those fees are built into the price if you purchase the corresponding plans using DirecTV Stream.)Also:Changing these 6 TV settings instantly sped up its performanceIn February 2025, DirecTV Stream announced a new batch of four "skinny bundles" designed for subscribers who don't want to pay for all those other cable channels. Each base pack includes a group of channels organized around a genre -- MySports, MyEntertainment, MyNews, and MiEspaol -- at prices ranging from $35 to $70 a month. Don't let the names fool you; the MyEntertainment and MySports lineups includes news channels, and, depending on your market, local network affiliates from ABC, NBC, and FOX might also be available. For details, see DirecTV's new no-contract 'Genre Packs' start at $35 - and you can try them for free Show more View now at DirecTV Stream So, what did I choose?Years of disruption in the TV streaming business have completely changed the way I watch TV, and I suspect I'm not alone.I rarely watch prime-time network shows (what NBC used to call "Must See TV") anymore. If something earth-shattering is happening in the world, I'm just as likely to look for information online as I am to tune in to CNN, MSNBC, or Fox News. Every so often, there's a new series on FX or AMC, but those moments are becoming increasingly rare as other streaming services expand their offerings.Also: My home internet was frustratingly slow - so I checked these 3 things first for faster Wi-FiMostly, I tune in to live TV because there's a sports event I'm interested in watching as it happens, especially during playoff season for any major sport or for big events like the World Cup or the Olympics. But those occasions are also few and far between.I was tempted by Sling TV Blue. I could have added a bit of extra hardware from Tablo or AirTV to grant me access to local network channels, but those options meant extra complexity and hassle. Both Comcast/Xfinity and Charter/Spectrum are now offering their own streaming packages, too, based on the same Xumo platform. My week-long trial of Spectrum's service was unsatisfactory, and I can't recommend it.DirecTV's brand-new MySports bundle is worth a long look too. The winner: Hulu with Live TV Ultimately, I settled for Hulu with Live TV. I'm already paying for Hulu, and the Live TV add-on comes at a meaningful discount over the alternatives. But I will probably downgrade that plan to drop the Live TV during months when I don't expect to find much programming that warrants the "must-see TV" label. Show more View now at Hulu What do you get with each live TV streaming service?The most popular streaming services, like Netflix and Hulu, offer extensive libraries of movies and TV shows for on-demand playback. Live TV services, by contrast, deliver linear content on predefined channels, using schedules that you access via a live program guide.In general, every live TV streaming service offers some combination of the following features:Basic cable channels. These are the bread and butter of every live TV streaming service. The list includes networks like CNN, The Weather Channel, AMC, and HGTV. There's lots of overlap, but each service has a unique lineup, based on deals with the content providers.Local channels. Some services include access to channels in your area that broadcast over the air and are affiliated with the major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) and PBS.Live sports channels. Sports fans need to look carefully at the lineup for each service, which typically includes Fox's FS1 and FS2, ESPN and ESPN2, and perhaps some regional sports networks. Some premium sports channels (MLB Network and NFL Red Zone, for example) might require paying for an add-on.DVR capabilities. Every service lets you record individual shows or series for watching later. Some include unlimited storage space, while others require a paid upgrade to increase storage beyond a basic amount.Options to add premium channels.Some services offer the option to add premium services (Max, Starz, Hallmark+, and so on) for an extra fee.Just to make things confusing, the lines between streaming services are becoming increasingly blurry. Some basic cable channels are now available in standalone apps. Local channels also have new options. With the Paramount+ app, for example, I can stream my local CBS channel live and watch the latest CBS shows on demand. Peacock TV offers similar access to local NBC affiliates and network content.I can watch anything from my local PBS affiliate using the PBS app on my smart TV -- no subscription required.If you want to compare the channel lineups for these services, go to our sister site CNET, where you'll find a regularly updated big chart comparing the top 100 channels available on each service.Editor's note: This article was originally published on September 2, 2022. It has been revised multiple times since then. The most recent update was February 28, 2025.ZDNET Recommends

ZDNETThe human psyche is a fascinating thing. People often won't bother to take the time to learn all the features and facets of a product or service. But take away a feature, even one they may never have used, and their reactions are swift and fierce. Such has been the reaction this past week to the news that Amazon will no longer allow Kindle ebook files to be downloaded to your computer for backup. It is a feature that some collectors counted on, but many Kindle users didn't even know it was there until someone told them it would go away on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. Also: The best e-readers of 2025: Expert tested and reviewedFor some users of older Kindles, the ability to download files was the only way to move Kindle files onto their Kindles. The first and second-generation Kindles and the Kindle DX could only wirelessly transfer data via the now-obsolete 3G telephony networks. The only other way to move Kindle books was via a USB connection to a computer. Users of slightly newer Kindles might also have had difficulty wirelessly transferring files to their Kindles. My wife deregistered her old Kindle Fire 7, bought back in 2011, so that I could put it on my account. But try as I might, I could not get that Fire to register. I even tried working with Amazon tech support, but they gave up as well. So, if I want to put files on that device, transferring via USB is the only option. In this article, we'll explore the process of transferring files (Kindle files and popular ebook formats) to Kindle devices, both old and new. But before we do so, I want to share a very important warning. Do not unregister your old Kindle If you were one of the folks lucky or persistent enough to download your Kindle books, keep in mind that many Kindle books have DRM protection. They are locked in such a way that they will only work when both the device and book are registered to the same Amazon account. David Gewirtz/ZDNETIn the above case, we tried loading a .azw Kindle file downloaded by my wife as part of her bulk download spree prior to Amazon's shutdown of the download service. Because the attempt was on an unregistered Kindle third-generation machine (vintage 2010), we got the error shown above. Here are a few important notes: You can't transfer books wirelessly to the Kindle 1, Kindle 2, and DX anymore.You can't download Kindle books to your computer anymore.But if you've already downloaded Kindle books prior to the February 2025 cutoff date, you can upload them to discontinued devices (and even current devices) via USB.If you unregister a Kindle 1, 2, or DX, you can't re-register it because there's no way to establish connectivity to Amazon. This is a big "what not to do" because you need a registered device to read some of the downloaded Kindle books.If you unregister some of the other older Kindles, even those that do have Wi-Fi, you may not be able to re-register them. Amazon tech support didn't help, and some posts around the web indicate that those older devices don't support more modern security protocols required by Amazon.If you still have the obsolete Kindle registered to your account, any of your Kindle books you've downloaded should be compatible.Even if you have a registered book and a registered device, some newer format Kindle books won't run on older Kindle devices because those older devices can't read the newer formats.So, if you ever want to use an older Kindle, never, ever unregister it. Likewise, you won't be able to gift that older Kindle to someone else, because they won't be able to register it. Next, I'll show you how to transfer files to your Kindle via USB. Later in the article, I'll also show you how to use EPUB and other formats on your Kindle devices. But for now, let's just get a connection going. Gather your cables All Kindles, from Generation 1 on, can be turned into mountable USB drives via their USB connection. Here are the cable connections for Kindle generations: Mini USB: Kindle 1Micro USB: All Kindle generations from Kindle 2 to Kindle Oasis 3. These are 2009 to 2017 models, considered 2nd generation through 9th generation.USB C: All Kindle models from 2018 on, starting with the 10th generationWe found out that not all cables will work. We tried two cables that were known to work with other devices, but the Kindle didn't respond. It wasn't until we tried a third cable that it properly responded. Here are cables that should work,one made by Monoprice and one from Amazon Basics. Beyond that, I don't have any guidance here for how to pick a cable, but if at first it doesn't work, try, try again with different cables. My other big tip is to check for the "Free Returns" mention right under the price. Mount your Kindle as a drive on Windows The process is fairly pain-free on Windows 11. I didn't find any indication of issues on Windows versions prior to Windows 11, but I only tested on my Windows 11 machines. Simply plug in your USB cable to both your Windows machine and your Kindle. This should mount the Kindle as a drive. Then drag whatever ebook files you want to the Kindle>Internal Storage>documents directory. Older Kindles may just have the documents directory at the top level of the Kindle. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNET I went crazy trying to find the Eject option when I was done. But then, on the Connect My Kindle page discussed below, I found this statement: There's no need to select an eject button on the Mac or Windows computer. To eject the Kindle, select the Disconnect button on the Kindle screen or unplug the USB cable from the computer. So, when you're done, just unplug the Kindle. Mount your Kindle as a drive on Mac The same sort of process works unless you have a Kindle Scribe or any Kindle released in 2024 or later. For pre-2024 Kindles (except the Scribe), just plug your USB cable into your Mac and your Kindle. This will also mount your Kindle as a drive. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETNow, for the Scribe and 2024-and-newer Kindles, here's where it gets "special." Amazon has apparently decided to limit the Mac's ability to send files via USB on newer Kindles. Instead, you'll need to use a special Send-to-Kindle for Mac application. To get started, point your browser to https://amazon.com/ConnectMyKindle and look for the section "Send-to-Kindle for Mac Instructions." Here, you'll find a download for the SendToKindleForMac-installer.pkg installer. Download it and then run it. Oddly enough, the installer opened every minimized window I had open on my Mac, so I had to play whack-a-mole, minimizing them again before I could go on. Then came a very worrisome sign. I had to sign into my Amazon account. There should be no reason I have to sign into my Amazon account to transfer files from my computer to my Kindle over my USB cable, but really, it's so you can use the network send variation if you don't want to use the USB connection. Running the installer puts a Send to Kindle folder in your Applications. If you just plug in your Kindle now, you'll launch the Send to Kindle application. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETThis interface should presumably allow you to send files to your Kindle via Wi-Fi and Amazon. But when I tried to send two books in Kindle format, I got this error. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETIf you click the Open USB File Manager button on the Send to Kindle app, you get a Finder-like window. Of course, make sure your Kindle is connected before you do this, otherwise you'll get an error message. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETNow, finally, you can drag and drop your book files to the documents folder. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETAs with Windows, when you're done, Amazon says you can just unplug your Kindle. What formats work on what Kindles? I wanted to see how these formats performed natively. To do my testing, I used an unregistered Kindle Keyboard (3rd generation) from 2010 and the current-generation basic Kindle (registered to my account). In this section, I'll discuss using both USB to transfer files as well as Amazon's Send to Kindle web page, which is available if you're using a registered Kindle device. Here's a table that explains my results: David Gewirtz/ZDNET AZW and AZW3 I already knew that the AZW file from Denise was DRM-locked, so it didn't work on either device. Simply transferring the AZW3 file over USB resulted in a perfectly readable book on both machines. It's important to know that DRM is used with both formats, but not all books have DRM. So don't think that simply having an AZW3 file will get you past DRM. EPUB As a test, I went to Smashwords and bought the book Potusby ZDNET's own Jack Wallen. I downloaded that as an EPUB. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETUsing USB file transfer, I was unable to put the EPUB on my current-model Kindle. I was able to use the Send to Kindle page on Amazon to send the file to my Amazon account. I then went to my content library, searched for Jack's name, and his book was put in Documents. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETI then clicked Deliver to Device and chose my current model Kindle. Screenshot by David Gewirtz/ZDNETThat process successfully moved my EPUB to my modern Kindle. But because our Kindle 3rd generation is unregistered, that approach won't work. It also won't work for the Kindle 1, 2, and DX, which don't have a wireless connection. I tried transferring Jack's EPUB via USB to the Kindle 3, but it didn't show up in the device's library. Also: This versatile e-ink reader almost replaced my Android phoneThere is a workaround, which involves converting the file to MOBI format. I discuss that process step-by-step in my article onhow to easily convert EPUB files to Kindle format in minutes. MOBI As a MOBI test, I went to ManyWords and downloaded 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Send to Kindle would not accept a MOBI-formatted file. On both the current-model Kindle and the old Kindle 3, I was able to transfer the MOBI via USB, and it proved to be readable. PDF As a PDF test, I downloaded the Verizon 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report. On both the current-model Kindle and the old Kindle 3, I was able to transfer the file via USB, and it formatted nearly perfectly. For the current-model Kindle, I was also able to use Send to Kindle and Deliver to Device. That succeeded as well. DOC and DOCX To test .DOC and .DOCX, I pulled a few random documents from my personal Documents folder. On the current-model Kindle, neither the DOC nor the DOCX appeared when transferred via USB. However, I was able to transfer the DOC file using Send to Kindle and Deliver to Device. It worked just fine. The DOCX file initially failed, but I opened it in Word and resaved it using Word's "Maintain compatibility with previous versions of Word" option, and then it transferred. The old Kindle 3 couldn't read either the DOC or DOCX files when transferred via USB. Check out the format conversion article I mentioned above for details on how to make these files work on the old Kindle. What's your favorite approach? Have you ever transferred books to your Kindle via USB? What challenges have you faced when loading EPUB, MOBI, or PDF files onto your device? Do you prefer using USB transfers over Amazon's Send-to-Kindle service? If you have an older Kindle, have you found any workarounds to keep it functional? Let us know in the comments below. You can follow my day-to-day project updates on social media. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly update newsletter, and follow me on Twitter/X at @DavidGewirtz, on Facebook at Facebook.com/DavidGewirtz, on Instagram at Instagram.com/DavidGewirtz, on Bluesky at @DavidGewirtz.com, and on YouTube at YouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV.Featured

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The first signs of Apple's big Apple Intelligence upgrade have been seen in code fragments.SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesA promised update to Apple Intelligence could come sooner rather than later, according to a new report. Code fragments discovered by Mac Rumors analyst Aaron Perris reveal that Apple has begun work on adding Google Gemini as an optional third-party AI model for customers using Apple Intelligence.February 28 Update below: Google Gemini will soon power Google Translate, providing significantly-improved translation options. This article was originally posted on February 25.First hinted at shortly after WWDC 2024, this upgrade will let users switch between ChatGPT and Gemini when processing AI jobs in the cloud. For example, iPhone users can enable ChatGPT on their devices via the Apple Intelligence & Siri menu. Doing so allows selected AI tasks to be handed over to ChatGPT for processing either with or without a ChatGPT account. Adding Google Gemini as an option would allow these queries to be passed on to Gemini instead, although we dont yet know whether this will work without a Google account.Apple Intelligence Receives Much-Needed Google UpgradeThis is a much-needed upgrade, as different AI models can vary substantially, not only in terms of their abilities but also in terms of any inherent biases or other safety-related issues inherent in the AI model. Customers who use Google products such as Gmail or Google Workspace will likely find that Gemini integrates much better with these services, or they may prefer Geminis image-processing and multimodal features over ChatGPT.Furthermore, allowing Apple Intelligence to integrate multiple AI models as required gives customers more choice and helps Apple Intelligence keep up with the latest developments in AI without becoming reliant on a single third-party AI company. Giving customers the option to switch also ensures that Apple Intelligence can continually adapt by switching to the best-performing AI models.Responses to Perris original tweet reveal significant interest in competing AI models such as xAIs Grok 3, or even the ability for users to host their own AI models on private servers. While theres no indication that Apple will enable either of these options, Apple Intelligences flexible design could allow them in the future.Apple has yet to make an official announcement regarding the launch of the new Gemini integration for Apple Intelligence, but given that weve now seen the code for the feature, I expect it to come soon.February 28 Update: Google Translate to gain enhanced Google Gemini-powered AI translationsA new report reveals that Googles Gemini AI model will be finding its way into even more of the apps we use day-to-day, regardless of which AI provider you might select for Apple Intelligence on your Apple device. According to Android Authority, Google Translate will soon use Gemini to enhance and expand translations in the app with additional context and conversational-style interaction with the user.While this report is based on code found within the Android Google Translate app, its likely that the iOS version will follow a similar route, showing that multiple AI platforms could be in use at any one time on your Apple devices.Follow @paul_monckton on Instagram.

Key TakeawaysOn Tuesday, a number of users reported that they were constantly being shown violent reels on Instagram.Meta has apologized for the incident and fixed the error within two days of the first report.However, we are yet to know the exact cause of the glitch or how many people were affected by it.Imagine you wake up and instinctively start scrolling Instagram and the first reel you see is of a man getting shot in the head. Not a good start to the day, is it?This is exactly what happened on Tuesday when Instagram was suddenly filled with gruesome and gore reels. Meta has now fixed the technical glitch that was causing a flood of violent and not-safe-for-work reels in users feeds. The tech company has also apologized for the inconvenience.We have fixed an error that caused some users to see content in their Instagram Reels feed that should not have been recommended. We apologize for the mistake. Meta spokespersonA Little BackgroundThe problem arose on Tuesday when a number of users complained that they were constantly being recommended videos featuring violent content such as someone being beaten or killed. Even those who had the sensitive content filter on were recommended such videos.The only silver lining is Meta was quick to fix the issue within 2 days, the glitch was completely fixed. But we are yet to find out what caused this glitch or exactly how many people were affected by it.Usually, Meta automatically removes such violent content from its platform. However, the company has a history of accidentally promoting harmful posts such as misinformation during the pandemic, violent clips from the Myanmar genocide, eating disorder content to teens, and so on.Meta raised a lot of eyebrows in January when the companys policies went under a change and it decided to shift away from third-party fact-checkers and rely on community-driven monitoring (just like Elon Musks X).Basically, its now the responsibility of the users to report content that goes against the platforms guidelines. On top of that, Meta is heavily dependent on automated tools for the processing of such reports.Previously these tools were instructed to scan all posts that violate the platforms content policy but now Meta wants to give its users more freedom of expression which is why it has instructed the tools to only look for posts that promote illegal activities such as terrorism and human trafficking. Due to this approach, a lot of offensive posts are making it to the main feed.Apparently, these changes have been made to align with the new Presidents views on this matter, who had previously criticized Meta for its stringent monitoring policies. However, as we can see from the Tuesday incident, this approach is clearly not working.This is a huge concern because Meta is now trying to expand its short-video user base amidst TikToks troubles with the US authorities. The latter has less than a month remaining to find a non-US buyer or it will be banned in the country.If the ban does go through, Meta will be the biggest beneficiary as it is the next best option. However, with such a great opportunity comes a great responsibility to create a safe space for all users, especially for underage users, which Meta hasnt been doing well so far.Add Techreport to Your Google News Feed Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now! Subscribe now Vlad is Techreport's in-house Executive Editor. With over a decade of experience in tech content, he's passionate about computer hardware, an advocate of online privacy, and strongly believes in the open-source, scarce-money nature of cryptocurrency. When hes not working, hes traveling with his partner and their cat, learning Python, or reading good books. He never owned a PC he did not build. View all articles by Vlad Melnic Our editorial processThe Tech Reporteditorial policyis centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written byreal authors.

RIP Microsoft is planning to shut down the once-dominant video calling application, Skype. The app was highly popular among internet users in the early 2000s but has suffered persistent neglect from Microsoft in recent years as the company shifted its focus to Teams as its primary messaging and team collaboration platform. According to a hidden string found in the latest preview of Skype for Windows, Microsoft will sunset the software later this year. To inform users about the impending shutdown, the app is showing a dialog box notifying them that Skype will no longer be available starting in May 2025. Instead, users will be encouraged to download and install the free version of Teams to stay connected with friends and family.If the report is accurate, the decision will come as no surprise, as Microsoft has long neglected Skype while actively promoting Teams. The app's decline can be attributed in part to the rise of numerous OTT video calling platforms and in part to Microsoft's clear lack of interest in keeping Skype alive.If the report turns out to be accurate, it will surprise no one as Microsoft has long neglected Skype while actively promoting Teams. The app's decline can be attributed in part to the rise of numerous mobile video calling and messaging platforms and in part to Microsoft's clear lack of interest in keeping Skype alive.While Skype still has a dedicated user base, it is far outnumbered by the millions of people who have moved on to other VoIP platforms, such as FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Meet, etc. Many companies adopted Teams as their communication app of choice while Microsoft continued giving Skype the cold shoulder.Skype was first released in August 2003 by a group of Estonian developers, including Priit Kasesalu and Jaan Tallinn. A couple of years later, eBay acquired it for $2.6 billion before Microsoft bought it for a reported $8.5 billion in 2011. However, the company quickly grew uninterested in its product and launched an in-house competitor called Teams in 2017, which has since become a prominent communication platform for businesses. // Related StoriesSkype's impending demise is undoubtedly going to be a tough pill to swallow for its remaining users who refused to give up on the aging app. While there's no data about the exact number of Skype users in 2025, it reportedly had 36 million daily active users in 2023. Microsoft will be hoping that most of them will migrate to Teams, but whether that happens remains to be seen.

What just happened? Around a month after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg complained about company leaks, roughly 20 employees have been fired for allegedly leaking confidential information, and it sounds as if more terminations will follow. Exactly what the leaks entailed is unclear. Zuckerberg highlighted the problem of company leaks during an all-hands meeting last month. Ironically, his rant leaked online almost immediately."We try to be really open and then everything I say leaks. It sucks," Zuckerberg said."I think there are a bunch of things that are value-destroying that I'm not going to talk about," he added. "Maybe it's the nature of running a company of this scale. But it's a little bit of a bummer."Meta said that employees discovered to be leaking information would be fired. Now, The Verge reports that "roughly" 20 workers have lost their jobs for ignoring the warning."We tell employees when they join the company, and we offer periodic reminders, that it is against our policies to leak internal information, no matter the intent," Meta told the publication. "We recently conducted an investigation that resulted in roughly 20 employees being terminated for sharing confidential information outside the company, and we expect there will be more. We take this seriously, and will continue to take action when we identify leaks." // Related StoriesMeta's chief technology officer, Andrew Bosworth, said the company was close to identifying the leakers earlier this month.Meta has changed elements of its meetings to try to mitigate the leaking problem. No longer can employees vote on which questions to ask Zuckerberg the CEO used to answer those with the most votes. The comments section in the live presentations has also been disabled, and questions deemed potentially problematic if leaked are now skipped. Zuckerberg also said he would be less transparent due to the leaks.The surge in leaks at Meta appears tied to Zuckerberg's growing ties with Donald Trump in recent months. The company donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund in December, and Zuckerberg's ending of Meta DEI programs, the removal of third-party fact checkers, and the cutting back on censorship have been viewed as an appeasement to the president.Zuckerberg was one of the many tech executives who were quick to congratulate Trump on his election victory. But the pair have had a strained relationship in the past. Facebook banned Trump for two years shortly after the January 6 insurrection in 2021. Trump has also called Facebook the enemy of the people, accused Zuckerberg of plotting against him during the 2020 election, and has said he would "spend the rest of his life in prison" if he ever did it again.Meta recently confirmed that it had approved a plan to increase bonuses for its executives by up to 200% of their base salary. This comes as the company lays off 5% of its workforce, or 4,000 people.In other Meta news, the company apologized for an "error" yesterday that flooded Reels with violent and pornographic content.