Maria Diaz/ZDNETSince I discovered that Amazon had plans to (and now has) discontinued the ability to download Kindle files to your computer, I've been writing a lot about the Kindle ecosystem.I talked about how to sideload ebook files onto your Kindle, how to convert formats so the Kindle can read them, where to get free ebooks, and even how to get deals so you can upgrade an old Kindle and save some cash.Also:Want free ebooks? These 10 sites offer thousands of optionsBut readers keep asking me one question, and I have yet to answer it: Is it still okay to buy a Kindle?Some readers and commenters assert the answer is a hard no. Amazon controls its ecosystem, and supporting a service that can change the rules at any time means you no longer control your book collection.Other readers are less hard-line. They simply want to know if the Kindle experience is worthwhile and whether the new file lock-in should lock them out of buying a Kindle. After all, there are other options, including Kobo and Boox.In addition to our stack of Kindles, first purchased back in 2008, my wife and I have a Kobo Libra Colour. It's a very nice machine and pleasantly hosts our many non-Kindle ebooks. It's a fine reading experience.Also:The best Kindles in 2025But it's not a Kindle. In this article, I'll discuss some of the advantages of Kindle devices and why you might want to buy one. 1. Entry price and build quality Personally, I've never been much of a Kindle device user. My wife loves the devices, but I have preferred reading my Kindle books on my iPhone. But in an attempt to download my entire library before the door closed last month, I bought a base-model Kindle for a little over a hundred bucks. It's a really solid device, lightweight, and fast. I decided to keep it because it's a really nice usage experience. But it's not the only Kindle we own. We still have working devices from as far back as 2009. A few of them can't access the Kindle ecosystem anymore (my wife's beloved Kindle DX, for example), but they still hold a charge and still boot.These are robust little devices. 2. Generous returns policy Amazon has a generous returns policy. My initial plan was to buy the base-model Kindle to enable my account for book downloads, download the books, and then return it. But I liked it too much, so I'm keeping it. Also:I tested the Kindle most people should buy. Here's why it's the best e-reader out of the lineupEven so, if you're a Prime member, Amazon ships for free and accepts returns for 30 days. This allows you to try the device. If you don't like it, there's no cost or restocking fee when returning it. This policy makes buying from Amazon very low-risk, which is part of how the company maintains its customers' purchasing loyalty. 3. Expanded battery life I bought that base-model Kindle 16 days ago. I've been using it for a little while every day since. And it is still showing 78% battery! I'm sure I'll have to charge it sometime in this lifetime, but wow. Kindles are known for their battery life. Yes, once in a while you'll need to top them up. But they keep going and going and going and going 4. Device freedom and cloud syncing One of the features that initially drew me into the Kindle ecosystem was Amazon's fairly open device policy. Yes, there's DRM and lock-in to the Kindle format, but Amazon has offered Kindle Reader on most mobile devices and desktop operating systems since launch. With the Web reader, you can even read Kindle books on Linux. In fact, you can read the same Kindle ebook on multiple machines at once. It doesn't matter if you're using a Web reader and iOS, Amazon's ecosystem keeps them synced up. That's why I have so many Kindle books. Even without a Kindle device, I've been enjoying reading Kindle books since they were first introduced. 5. Audible integration Way back in the day, audiobooks were a very niche thing. My grandfather, who couldn't manage holding a book due to illness, relied on audiobooks provided on records through a special lending library. Over time, more and more books were released on cassette. When I used to commute, I listened to audiobooks every day to and from work. But then Audible entered the scene. We first used Audible books via a slide-in card for our Handspring Palm clones. Over time, as mobile devices solidified into today's smartphones, Audible grew. In 2008, Amazon purchased Audible. Today, Audible offers a tremendous audiobook library. Many of those books sync with Kindle books. My wife often switches from listening to a book via Audible to reading the same book on her Kindle device. It allows her and other Kindle users to keep going with a favorite read, whether they're sitting and relaxing or up and on the go. Accessibility options Audiobooks on spinning platters meant the world to my grandfather back in the day. I can't imagine how excited he would have been about the accessibility options available on most Kindles, including font scaling, and VoiceView screen reading, which pairs a Kindle with a Bluetooth device. It's also possible to use and download a special Open Dyslexic font that makes it easier for some readers to read Kindle books. 6. Waterproof-ish Kindle devices The Kindle Paperwhite (10th Generation and above), Kindle Colorsoft, and Kindle Oasis (9th Generation and above) are what Amazon describes as waterproof. I'm using weasel words because Amazon cautions that if you do get water on the devices or drop them into the water, you need to dry and drain them immediately. That said, these devices are perfect if you want to read at the beach or in the tub. Just do your best to keep them out of the water, but don't freak out if they do take a dip or a dunk. Just follow these directions if they do get wet. 7. The Kindle ecosystem Not only does the Kindle ecosystem offer an absolutely enormous collection of ebooks, including current bestsellers, it also supports family sharing. So while we're not allowed to download Kindle files to back them up, we can share them among family members. My wife doesn't really care for my vast selection of Star Trek books, and I'm not sure I like the deep and thoughtful reads that she does, but it's nice to be able to share books if there's one that we both want to read. For a family with kids, that means that you can buy one book and share that book among your children without having to rebuy it for each child. There's also Kindle Unlimited, which allows you to "check out" up to 20 books at a time. If you're an avid reader, Kindle Unlimited can save you a lot of money. There are some books that don't allow family sharing, and many of the hottest books aren't available on Kindle Unlimited, but these programs are still great for saving money and having access to an enormous reading library. What are you reading? Are you still considering buying a Kindle, or has Amazon's recent policy change made you hesitant? Do you already own a Kindle? If so, what do you love or dislike about it? Have you explored alternatives like Kobo or Boox, and how do they compare to the Kindle experience? Does Amazon's vast ebook selection and ecosystem outweigh its restrictions for you? 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.ZDNET Recommends

Feeling the need for a big change, but unsureor fearfulof how to start? Heres three simple ways ... [+] to start the journey of reinvention, according to experts.gettyReinvention can be a daunting concept. Considering it requires an already existing level of fear and uncertainty; pursuing it entails more. But according to Jason Tarticka former corporate banker turned entrepreneur and financial educatorthe process is only daunting if you allow it to be.In a recent interview, Tartick shared valuable insights on what it takes to make career leaps, to overcome psychological roadblocks and to make more bold yet calculated decisionsall in the name of living a more fulfilling, authentic life.If youre feeling stuck in your career, finances or even just within your current lifestyle, here are the three most important steps to take if you want to reinvent yourself.1. Redefine Your Relationship With FearFear is one of the greatest psychological barriers that prevents us from taking the next step in our personal growthbe it our careers, finances, relationships or health. However, as Tartick eloquently explains, fear itself doesnt really have any substance in reality. Its more an illusion than anything else, one that distorts your perception of risk and reward.The coffee in my hand has more reality and substance than fear, he says. Fear is a construct that influences our behavior, rewires our brain and limits our decisions. But at its core, its nothing more than an idea. To let a fleeting thoughtone that is made updrive and dictate our potential lifes work? Thats whats truly terrifying.For many, the fear of instability or the unknown is what keeps them trapped; we resist needed change in favor of the comfortable and familiar. In this way, fear tricks us into maintaining unfulfilling jobs, stagnant routines or dissatisfying relationshipsreluctant to leave them behind out of fear of what we might lose, or that we might fail.These fears may feel all-consuming, but they can be overcome with just a simple shift in perspective: from seeing them as an obstacle, to viewing them as an invitation for growth.Moreover, 2021 research from Frontiers in Psychology backs this up. Researchers found that embracing a growth mindsetthat is, believing your skills and abilities can be developed, as opposed to seeing them as staticleads to greater resilience, success and a lower fear of failure.Put simply, our fears are a product of our mindsetthings which can be changed. So, instead of asking yourself, What if I fail?, the key is to start asking, What if this change leads me to something greater?2. Build A Personal Brand That Reflects YouThe combination of time and repetition, under any circumstances, can leave you feeling listless. Spend enough time in the same workplace, the same field, the same relationship or even the same friend groupwithout feeling any kind of growth or improvementand youre bound to lose your spirit.Professionals, in particular, are at great risk of losing their sense of identity. By consistently conforming to workplace expectations, rather than focusing on their personal brand or their individuality, it can be hard to acknowledgeor even recognizetheir own growth or their strengths.Tartick highlights the importance of owning and shaping your identity, whether youre an entrepreneur, corporate professional or creative. I always encourage people to identify an individual or public figure they admire and select three words that define their brand. I then ask them to do the same exercise with their own brand, he says.Interestingly, most people dont struggle with identifying the three words for someone they look up to, but they struggle to find the three words that represent their own brand, he adds.As renowned research on self-perception theory suggests, the way we observe and define ourselves can profoundly shape our actions, goals and confidence. Consequently, practicing self-perceptionand, in turn, self-definitionis invaluable; the more clearly you can articulate your personal brand, the more intentional you can be in aligning your career and life choices with your core values.Launching a business, negotiating a raise or pivoting industriesthe end-goal could be anything. All that matters is having a strong personal brand that provides you with clarity and direction. Heres how to start building one:Define your three words. Your personal brand is the story you tell the world about who you are and what you stand for. Start by choosing three words that encapsulate how you want to be perceivedboth professionally and personally. These words should reflect your values, strengths and aspirations. For example, you might choose confident, innovative, reliable if you want to establish yourself as a leader in your field, or creative, kind, trustworthy if you prioritize authenticity and connection in your work and relationships. Dont feel pressured to pick words that sound impressive or align with what others expect. Your personal brand is exactly thatpersonal. The most important thing is that these words resonate with you and the future you want to build.Consider the implications of your words. Once youve defined your three words, take an honest look at how well your current habits, work and interactions reflect them. This step is about bridging the gap between how youre perceived now and how you want to be perceived. Ask yourself, If I want to be known as creative, how can I make creativity a bigger part of my daily work or business? If I value kindness, do my interactionsboth online and offlinereflect empathy and generosity? If trustworthiness is key to my brand, do I follow through on commitments and communicate transparently? Taking small, intentional steps to embody these qualities will solidify your brand.3. Raise Your Expectations And Take Calculated RisksOne of the most striking lessons from Tarticks journey is the power of expectation. As he explains, when we set higher standards for ourselves, we naturally rise to meet them.I once spoke to 30 NFL players and asked them what the difference was between college football and the NFL, Tartick says. Their answers were surprisingly similar: The game is just a little faster, and the players are a little stronger. Concluding, he explains, Every year, we see new records being set, some of this is due to technology, but much of it is because expectations are continually raised.Research from Social and Personality Psychology Compass supports this ideaspecifically in terms of self-fulfilling prophecies. Our beliefs about our abilities directly impact our performance. When we expect to achieve more, we subconsciously make choices that align with that belief; when we expect to fail, we subconsciously make fearful and uncoordinated choices that align with that belief.That said, expectation-setting should never be a blind risk; you cant consider big changes without at least acknowledging whats at stake. Tartick approaches decision-making through the lens of game theory, a strategic method that evaluates potential outcomes and the impact of different choices.Applying game theory is about balancing inherent risk with calculated analytics, he says. Every decision carries risk, but the key is evaluating the potential return on that risk. Heres how to practice it in your own reinvention journey:Set higher standards for yourself. We often settlenot because we arent capable of more, but because weve grown comfortable where we are. However, comfort can quietly become complacency if were not careful. That said, raising your standards isnt an act of being hard on yourselfyou have to believe youre worthy of better. Start by identifying one area in your life where you know youve been playing it safe. Maybe youve been staying in a job that doesnt challenge you, coasting through workouts without pushing your limits or avoiding new opportunities because they feel intimidating. Once you pinpoint an area, ask yourself, If I were to aim higher in this area, what would that look like? Whats one change I can make today that reflects a higher standard?Assess risk strategically, not fearfully. Taking risks is essential to reinvention, but not all risks are created equal. The key is to be bold but strategic, not reckless. Start by writing down the potential rewards. Whats the best-case scenario if this works out? Could it lead to financial growth, personal fulfillment or new opportunities? Then write down the potential risks. Whats the worst-case scenario? Would failure be temporary or long-term? Finally, evaluate whether the potential rewards outweigh the risks. If so, what steps can you take to minimize the downside? For example, say youre considering starting a side business. The potential rewards could include financial freedom and personal fulfillment, while the risks might involve financial investment or time commitment. If the downside is manageable, its a risk worth taking.Do you have a growth mindset around your abilities and potential, or do you struggle to embrace change? Take this science-backed test to find out: Growth Mindset Scale

The most powerful collaborations leverage what both humans and AI do best.iStockphoto|AndreyPopovAs artificial intelligence takes on a larger role in organizations, it sparks both anticipation and apprehension. In the boardroom, excitement dominates75% of executives rank AI as a top strategic priority, according to BCGs AI Radar report, despite only 25% reporting significant value so far. Meanwhile, the breakroom tells a different story. A recent Pew Research study found 52% of workers worry about AIs future impact on jobs, and 32% believe it will reduce job opportunities.Despite these concerns, most executives envision collaboration over replacement. Sixty-four percent expect humans and AI to work side by side, with only 21% predicting AI will take the lead role. Just 7% foresee headcount reductions due to automation, while 8% actually anticipate hiring more employees to meet demand for AI skills. Most leaders (68%) plan to focus on upskilling their existing workforce.Yet, for now, AIs presence in day-to-day work remains limited. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of U.S. workers say they barely use AI on the job. AI skills also rank far below core abilities like interpersonal communication (85%), communication (85%), and critical thinking (84%) in perceived importance, with only 35% viewing AI skills as extremely or very important. While companies aim to accelerate AI upskilling, only 29% have trained more than a quarter of their workforce. Until more workers gain hands-on AI experience, this disconnect between leaderships vision and employees concerns will persist.Partners, not competitors: Understanding the human-AI dynamicAmerican author H.P. Lovecraft said, The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. When you dont understand something like artificial intelligence, its natural to get anxious about the change it represents, especially when it could potentially impact your role and livelihood. To dispel these concerns, its important to understand how humans and AI will work together in the workplacecollaborating, not competing. Each side offers unique capabilities and strengths to a partnership that can be mutually beneficial.Before I explore what a human-AI partnership could look like, its helpful to understand what each side brings to the table. AI offers several distinct strengths that complement human weaknesses:Processing power and speed. AI can analyze large amounts of data and process tasks in seconds that could take humans hours, days, or longer to complete.Scalability and availability. It is not limited by physical or cognitive bandwidth. AI can scale effortlessly and operate 24/7 without fatigue or loss of focus.Advanced pattern recognition. AI can rapidly identify subtle patterns, trends, and correlations within complex datasets that would be difficult for humans to spot.Consistency and objectivity. For repetitive, rules-based tasks, AI can maintain its focus and precision without emotion or bias (subject to its training data).Rapid learning and knowledge retention. It can quickly assimilate new information and retain it without any memory loss over time.While these strengths are impressive and somewhat intimidating, human workers are not without their own robust capabilities that AI systems cannot easily replicate:Creativity and imagination. Humans can generate novel ideas, think abstractly and envision new possibilities that transcend existing patterns or trends.Adaptive problem-solving. We use logic, experience and intuition to manage ambiguous situations with conflicting or incomplete information.Emotional and social intelligence. Humans understand other peoples feelings (empathy) and can navigate complex social dynamics.Contextual understanding and common sense. We apply real-world knowledge and practical reasoning to complex situations.Moral and ethical judgment. Humans can weigh competing values, cultural norms and ethical principles when making decisions.In this basketball analogy, the head coach represents humans and the team analyst represents AI. ... [+] Each side offers different strengths to this collaborative partnership.AnalyticsHero, LLC | Brent DykesTo help clarify how both sides can complement each other, Ill use a basketball analogy. AI is like a highly intelligent team analyst who keeps track of every pass, shot, rebound and foulacross every game and season for her team and its competition. For each game, she comes prepared with her laptop, which holds a vast array of historical player data and powerful statistical models on opposing team strategies and player tendencies. While she knows the data inside and out, she has never played a day of professional basketball in her life.On the other hand, humans are like the veteran coach who played in the league for many years. He listens to the analyst but combines it with real-time intuition, player psychology and game feel. He knows whos in a slump and who thrives under pressure. He realizes when he needs to ignore the analytics, ditch the playbook and draw up a new play that will win the game. Together, they form a high-powered, dynamic duo, where the analyst brings the numbers, and the coach sees the people and the moment.Task-centered collaboration: When to automate, augment, evaluate and leadWhile we often talk about human and AI collaboration in the context of automation and augmentation, I would like to propose a more refined lens for what forms of collaboration are required. Depending on the type of task, one side may play a more dominant role than the other. The Human-AI Collaboration Matrix evaluates tasks by their complexity and by how much they benefit from human involvement, which I call the human touch advantage. For each quadrant, Ill provide a description, an example based on the basketball analogy and some real-world examples.Based on task complexity and human touch advantage, you can better assess the role of humans and AI ... [+] for each process or task.AnalyticsHero, LLC | Brent Dykes1. Automate (Low complexity, Low human touch advantage)Description: These tasks are simple, routine and predictable. They dont require human judgment or creativity to complete, so AI can handle them efficiently and independently.Basketball example: After each game, the analyst automatically compiles game statistics and generates a summary of team and player performance. The coaching staff dont have to worry about manual data entry and preparing post-game reports so they can focus on the strategy and practices for their next game.Real-world examples: Email filtering and sorting, payroll processing, inventory reordering based on stock levels, scanning resumes for keywords, transcribing meeting notes from audio recordings, etc.2. Augment (High complexity, low human touch advantage)Description: These tasks are more complicated and require sophisticated analysis to complete. Humans provide direction and oversight, but AI enhances human capabilities significantly.Basketball example: For an upcoming opponent,Real-world examples: Medical imaging analysis to help radiologists spot anomalies, legal document analysis to pinpoint potential issues, financial market pattern analysis to identify investment opportunities, product recommendations based on online shopping patterns, etc.3. Evaluate (Low complexity, high human touch advantage)Description: These tasks are straightforward and not technically difficult, but demand human judgment, values, or contextual understanding to be executed effectively.Basketball example: The analyst flags potential player workload and injury risks, but the coach makes the final call on whether to rest certain players. They base their decision on multiple factors, including conversations with the players, knowing their mental toughness, observing their movements in practice and acknowledging the teams current need to make a concerted playoff push.Real-world examples: Support chatbots escalate complex issues to human agents, content moderation flags potential hate speech for review, banking system highlights potential fraud that requires banker verification, security system alerts homeowner of unusual activity, etc.4. Lead (High complexity, high human touch advantage)Description: These complex scenarios are more nuanced and strategic. AI plays a supporting role with humans leading the process with their innate creativity, empathy and adaptive thinking.Basketball example: In a playoff game, the head coach decides to bench his young star player in the fourth quarter after an undisciplined outburst on the court. Even though the analysts model says to keep playing the forward, the coach needs to send a message to his young star and the rest of the team, so they can progress to the next playoff round.Real-world examples: Crafting a compelling data story for a competitive insight,Putting the Matrix to work: Getting more from your AI investmentsBy introducing this new framework, I hope we can move past the binary thinking of AI versus humans or vice-versa. With the growing euphoria over how AI will reshape how we do business, we cant overlook the integral role and unique contributions that humans make even with further AI advancements. I invite you to leverage this model in the following ways:Strategic resource allocation. Determine where to invest in AI versus human talent and avoid the wasteful, over-automation of tasks that require high human touch.Role clarity. Define the division of responsibilities between humans and AI for various collaboration scenarios.Training prioritization. Continue developing differentiated human skills (creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, etc.) that complement AI systems while also advancing AI literacy.Change management. Educate employees on how AI will mostly augment specific tasks rather than threaten to take over their jobs.Risk management. Identify scenarios where human oversight is essential and prevent inappropriate AI autonomy over sensitive business areas.Performance optimization. Identify inefficient or ineffective processes that are leveraging the wrong human-AI collaboration approach.As management guru Peter Drucker said, Efficiency is concerned with doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right things. Too many organizations are solely focused on AI for cost-saving initiatives and ignoring its potential to amplify our human capabilities. An Upwork study found 58 percent of business leaders indicated AI was primarily about automation rather than augmentation. The Human-AI Collaboration Matrix reminds us that while AI excels at making some processes more efficient (Automate quadrant), it offers so much more potential than that.If your organization is fixated on just the efficiency gains from artificial intelligence, youre essentially leaving three-quarters of its potential value on the table by ignoring its contributions to greater effectiveness. At its best, AI doesnt just streamline our current processesit transforms how we approach problems, generates new possibilities and empowers us to achieve outcomes that neither humans nor machines could accomplish alone.

Forward-looking: As the tech industry continues to explore innovative display technologies, designs like the Compal Infinite offer fresh perspectives on the evolution of laptops. Whether these concepts will become mainstream remains to be seen, however. Until now, laptop users seeking more screen space have had few options. Some have turned to Lenovo, a pioneer in this area with its ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 and ThinkBook Flip concepts. The former, set to launch this summer, features a 14-inch display that expands to 16.7 inches, increasing screen real estate when needed.The ThinkBook Flip concept takes a different approach, doubling the available screen space. It does so with a secondary display that unfolds from behind the primary screen and flips upward. When compact, it accommodates a 12.8-inch display, but when fully extended, it reaches an impressive 18.1 inches.As display technology continues to evolve, we can expect a broader range of products to enter the market. Notably, Samsung Display is set to begin mass production of rollable OLED displays in April, with Lenovo's ThinkBook Plus G6 among the first to feature this innovation.Meanwhile, Taiwanese hardware designer and manufacturer Compal has introduced a fresh take on screen expansion with its Infinite laptop concept. Unlike Lenovo's models, which focus on vertical expansion, the Infinite expands horizontally. It starts as a standard 14-inch display but extends from both sides to create an ultrawide 18-inch screen.Compal's design has received significant recognition, recently winning an iF Design Award for its innovative approach. While technical details remain scarce, images suggest it may incorporate rollable screen technology. // Related StoriesThe concept also includes LED lights on the laptop lid, which can be customized to display notifications such as incoming emails.As an original design manufacturer, Compal typically partners with other companies to develop products sold under different brands. While the Infinite laptop has generated considerable interest, it remains uncertain whether it will move beyond the concept stage. Nevertheless, the design highlights the potential for diverse and creative solutions in the laptop market.

Thanks to its class-leading hardware and optimized software, the Apple iPad lineup has long been the go-to tablet recommendation for most people, but first let us guide you on which one is the best model for you.At first glance, choosing a new iPad might seem straightforward. The 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro and iPad Air models differ primarily in size, the new A16-based iPad is the most budget-friendly option, and the iPad Mini offers similar features to the iPad Air but in a more compact form. However, with various upgrade options and accessory compatibilities across models, selecting the right iPad is more nuanced than it may initially appear.Before diving into each model, let's cover the basics. The summary table below provides an overview of how the current iPads differ in price, display, processing power, accessory support, and storage options.ModeliPadiPad MiniiPad AiriPad ProGeneration11th-gen7th-gen7th-gen7th-genRelease DateMar 2025Oct 2024Mar 2025May 2024Starting Price$350$399$599$899ProcessorA16A17 ProM3M4Display Size10.9"8.3"10.9" or 12.9"11" or 13"Display Technology60Hz LCD60Hz LCD60Hz LCD120Hz OLEDMin / Max Storage128GB / 512GB128GB / 512GB128GB / 1TB256GB / 2TBKeyboardMagic Keyboard Folion/aMagic Keyboard for iPad AirMagic Keyboard for iPad ProPencil1st-gen & USB-CPencil Pro & USB-CPencil Pro & USB-CPencil Pro & USB-CIs the basic iPad enough for you?If you're looking for a great tablet for watching videos and browsing the web, the basic and most affordable iPad will cover your needs well. The base iPad has the same display resolution (2360 x 1640) and maximum brightness (500 nits) as the 11" iPad Air. Additionally, it features an ultra-wide 12MP front camera, like the other models.If you want a tablet that can double as a basic laptop, the iPad supports the Magic Keyboard Folio, which includes function keys and a trackpad. Although the kickstand design requires more desk space, it allows you to detach the keyboard when needed.For the price, the base iPad offers impressive features, but it's not the best choice for everyone. The display lacks an anti-reflective coating, making it less ideal for outdoor use. If you use your iPad for drawing, you'll appreciate the fully laminated display and broader color gamut available on other models, too.Most notably, the A16 SoC and 6GB of RAM pale in comparison to the Apple M3 and 8GB offered by the iPad Air. That also makes it the only current model that can't run Apple Intelligence, which utilizes on-device processing.Although the iPad includes a USB-C connector, it still supports the 1st-gen Pencil. If you already own the 1st-gen Pencil, you'll need a $9 adapter to connect it. Alternatively, it supports the more affordable USB-C Pencil, which forgoes pressure sensitivity but attaches magnetically to the iPad's bezel.The iPad starts at $349 with the 128GB Wi-Fi model. Unlike previous years, you won't need to buy the iPad Air instead just because the base model offers more storage. For an additional $100, you can upgrade to 256GB, and upgrading from 256GB to 512GB costs another $200. Color options include silver, blue, pink, and yellow, offering some vibrant choices even without a case.The iPad Mini: smaller, but is it slower?The iPad Mini has been updated in 2024 with the A17 Pro chip. It doesn't match up to the most expensive models, but you'll struggle to find anything faster in such a small package and at this price.The Mini is among the largest tablets that most adults can comfortably hold in one hand, measuring 7.7" x 5.3" (19.5 x 13.4 cm). If you need a tablet you can use while standing, the Mini may be ideal. It's the only iPad with the front camera positioned on the shorter edge, making it better suited for one-handed use.With a 2266 x 1488 resolution, the 8.3" display has the highest pixel density of all iPads.It only supports Bluetooth keyboards, but it does support the wireless Pencil Pro, which adds features like rotation, squeeze, haptic feedback and Find My compatibility. Even with the USB-C version, the Mini supports the mouse-like Pencil hover feature.The Mini comes in light blue and purple in addition to "starlight" and "space grey." The Mini officially starts at $499, but currently goes for $399 with 128GB of storage and Wi-Fi. The storage upgrade options are the same as the basic iPad's.When is the iPad Air the best value?Powered by Apple's M3 processor and 8GB of RAM, the iPad Air excels in gaming, multitasking, 3D modeling, and even video editing, except for HDR content. The Air is compatible with the new space-efficient Magic Keyboard as well as the Pencil Pro.The 11" iPad Air starts at $599 with 128GB of storage, and for an additional $200, you can upgrade to the 13" model. The larger version offers higher maximum brightness (600 nits), enhanced bass, and a 4:3 aspect ratio, which reduces scrolling when held horizontally.A comparable upgrade to the iPad Pro would cost $300. The Air's color options include starlight, space gray, and subtle shades of blue and purple.Like the Mini, the Air allows upgrades to 256GB and 512GB of storage. For an additional $200, you can expand from 512GB to 1TB a more affordable option than the $400 cost on the iPad Pro. If you're looking for an iPad with a 13" display and ample 1TB storage, the Air can save you a lot of money.Do you need the iPad Pro?The iPad Pro is designed for professionals who demand top performance. Graphic artists will appreciate the smooth experience of drawing on a 120Hz display. For interior designers needing to showcase room layouts to clients in real-time, what their next kitchen or office will look like, the built-in LiDAR is a must-have.Video editors who work on the go may find the Pro to be the device of their dreams. With one OLED panel on top of another, it provides 1600 nits of peak brightness (1000 nits for the whole screen), while still being able to display true black at the pixel level.It's also a great backup camera, with ProRes recording (the 256GB versions can only shoot ProRes at 1080p, though), audio zoom and stereo recording.The Apple M4 chip outperforms the M3 in the Air, with a USB-C port that supports USB4/Thunderbolt speeds. Only the 1TB and 2TB versions feature a fully enabled M4 with four performance cores, six efficiency cores, and 16GB of RAM, ideal for heavy multitasking. Other versions of the Pro have one disabled performance core and 8GB of RAM, but they still outperform the fully enabled M3.The iPad Pro is compatible with the Pencil Pro, and the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro, which includes function keys and haptic feedback on the trackpad. The device also boasts four speakers and a TrueDepth front camera with Animoji and Memoji support.The 11" iPad Pro Wi-Fi model currently starts at $899 with 256GB of storage. The larger 13" iPad Pro is currently an extra $200 (that's a cool and hefty $1,099). Increasing storage to 512GB will be $200. Going from that to 1TB will be $400, just like upgrading from 1TB to 2TB.An interesting optional upgrade is the anti-reflective nano texture display for $100, but it's exclusive to 1TB and 2TB models. The iPad Pro only comes in black and silver.Should you get a Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad?Adding sub-6GHz 5G to your basic iPad, iPad Mini or iPad Air will make it $150 more expensive. Adding the exact same capability to your iPad Pro will add $200 to the price. Sure, you can turn your smartphone into a hotspot, but doing so will drain the battery of both devices.The more expensive the iPad, the more practical it may be to invest in cellular connectivity. For a Pro model with 1TB or more of storage, the extra $200 is likely a worthwhile expense.

A brand-new Mario Kart-themed Lego set is racing onto shelves on May 15th, and this one is a doozy. With a total of 1,972 pieces, this set is intended for more advanced builders. The Mario & Standard Kart set is available for preorder now for $170 and depicts Mario on his iconic red-and-blue kart.You can adjust Marios head and arms in multiple poses, and the stand the kart sits on can be adjusted to make it look like the mustachioed plumber is taking a turn or blazing down a straight. The build looks like itll be fun to put together, and it will definitely make for an eye-catching piece of decor.Recommended VideosFully assembled, the Mario & Standard Kart set measures 8.5 by 12.5 x 7.5 inches. A paper booklet with instructions will be included in the box, but you can also find a step-by-step guide through the Lego Builder app. The kit is part of Legos push to appeal to adults by offering more complicated and in-depth sets, and lets admit it: nostalgia plays a part, too.Please enable Javascript to view this contentHere we go! Launching May 15th #LEGOSuperMario #MarioKart Nintendo of America (Unofficial) (@nintendousa.bsky.social) 2025-03-10T14:27:54.654ZMarch 10 is Mario Day, so its an ideal time to announce yet another member of the Nintendo-themed Lego lineup. It joins other sets like the Nintendo Entertainment System, Mario & Yoshi, and the Super Mario 64 Question Block.The announcement of this Lego set is just one of multiple events happening in the Mario fandom today. Others include a one-million-lap event in Mario Kart 8 that runs until March 17, a chance to win a trip to Super Nintendo World at Universal, and a whole lot more.If this set sells well, then Nintendo might be encouraged to produce more like this. It would be nice to have a full lineup of Mario Kart characters all arranged mid-race, although that might simply be the collision of Lego and Nintendo fandoms coming to bear.The set arrives just weeks before Nintendos promised Switch 2 Direct, where we will hopefully get more details on the upcoming console as well as the sneakily-announced Mario Kart 9.Editors Recommendations

The PS5's main menu has a lot of useful widgets, information, and all of your games in a nice row for you to pick from. But it also has menu music that plays, which can either be soothing or irritating, depending on your tastes. Luckily, it can be toggle on or off at any time. So whether you've just purchased a new PS5, or you've perhaps just grown tired of hearing the music, here's how you can turn off your PS5's menu music.Recommended VideosDifficultyEasyDuration5 minutesTriyansh Gill on Unsplash / UnsplashedWhen you're ready to turn off your PS5's menu music, follow the steps below.Step 1: Navigate to Settings by clicking the gear in the top right corner of the main menu.Step 2: Click Sound.RelatedStep 3: Click Audio Output.Step 4: Scroll down to the General tab.Step 5: Select Home Screen Music and toggle it off.Editors Recommendations

Not being on fire is a performance program Google Pixel 4as painful update was due to battery overheating risk Australia made explicit risks of "fire and/or burns" for non-updated 4a models. Kevin Purdy Mar 10, 2025 11:18 am | 17 Removing the Pixel 4a's battery can be painful, but not as painful as catching fire. Credit: iFixit Removing the Pixel 4a's battery can be painful, but not as painful as catching fire. Credit: iFixit Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreGoogle didn't explain exactly why it shipped a mandatory software update to the Pixel 4a, an Android phone from 2020, earlier this year. The nature of that update, which gave some models all but unusable battery life, provided some clues, as did later software analysis. But now, Australian authorities have provided a more concrete answer: battery overheating and fire risk.The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Product Safety arm issued a recall for the Pixel 4a late last week. The reason, the commission said, is that Google's firmware update and battery changes served to "mitigate the risk of overheating" because "an overheating battery could pose a risk of fire and/or burns to a user." Do you own this product? Credit: ACCC Product Safety Do you own this product? Credit: ACCC Product Safety In the US and elsewhere, Google's messaging did not use the term "recall." Google stated on its "Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program" page that "certain" Pixel 4a models "require a software update to improve the stability of their batterys performance," which also "reduces available battery capacity and impacts charging performance." Google said it is still safe to charge a Pixel 4a.Australia's notice does not offer any remedies beyond what Google has offered and functionally serves as notice that it's important to update the devices. The same support page for checking if your Pixel 4a is affectedand receiving a remedy in either payment, a battery replacement, or Google Store creditis linked from the ACCC's web notice. Google's support page notes that its update and remedy options are separate from statutory rights provided in various countries.Google's update to affected Pixel 4a devices drastically reduced their charging potential, essentially by half. One Ars staffer saw their Pixel 4a battery life drop to less than two hours on a full charge. Code in the updated Pixel 4a kernel, examined by noted hardware analyst Hector Martin, suggested that batteries had either "ATL" or "LSN" profiles. Those with the LSN tagpotentially the battery cell maker Lishenhad their charging capacities capped.Ars has asked Google for comment on the Australian recall notice and its own support page and will update this post if we get a response.Kevin PurdySenior Technology ReporterKevin PurdySenior Technology Reporter Kevin is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering open-source software, PC gaming, home automation, repairability, e-bikes, and tech history. He has previously worked at Lifehacker, Wirecutter, iFixit, and Carbon Switch. 17 Comments

Google's nightmare scenario DOJ: Google must sell Chrome, Android could be next Google says government proposals would "harm Americas consumers." Ryan Whitwam Mar 10, 2025 11:07 am | 90 Credit: Getty Images | Alexander Koerner Credit: Getty Images | Alexander Koerner Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreGoogle has gotten its first taste of remedies that Donald Trumps Department of Justice plans to pursue to break up the tech giants monopoly in search. In the first filing since Trump allies took over the department, government lawyers backed off a key proposal submitted by the Biden DOJ. The government won't ask the court to force Google to sell off its AI investments, and the way it intends to handle Android is changing. However, the most serious penalty is intactGoogle's popular Chrome browser is still on the chopping block."Googles illegal conduct has created an economic goliath, one that wreaks havoc over the marketplace to ensure thatno matter what occursGoogle always wins," the DOJ filing says. To that end, the government maintains that Chrome must go if the playing field is to be made level again.The DOJ is asking the court to force Google to promptly and fully divest itself of Chrome, along with any data or other assets required for its continued operation. It is essentially aiming to take the Chrome user baseconsisting of some 3.4 billion peopleaway from Google and hand it to a competitor. The government will vet any potential buyers to ensure the sale does not pose a national security threat. During the term of the judgment, Google would not be allowed to release any new browsers. However, it may continue to contribute to the open source Chromium project.This filing includes some changes from the initial remedy filings of 2024, but more changes could be coming. The case is currently under the purview of Omeed Assefi, who is leading the DOJ's Antitrust Division until Trump nominee Gail Slater gets Senate confirmation. Slater expressed support for increased scrutiny of Big Tech in her confirmation hearings, suggesting she could seek to turn the screws on Google after taking charge.Unsurprisingly, Google's remedy position is light-years away from the Justice Department's. "DOJs sweeping proposals continue to go miles beyond the Courts decision and would harm Americas consumers, economy, and national security," said a Google spokesperson.As expected, Google did not change its suggested remedies in the case, handing the court a proposal identical to the one it filed months ago. Google says it's open to changing the way search placement deals work for browsers and Android devices, plus it would accept some additional regulatory oversight to ensure compliance. However, staffing changes at the DOJ and Google's recent meetings have not done much to change the government's desire to carve up the company.Government to monitor AI and AndroidThere are two notable changes in the government's position regarding Android and AI investment. Neither area will completely escape the government's grasp under the proposed remedies, but Google won't have to sell anything immediately.This case centered on search and did not initially hinge on artificial intelligence. However, things have changed in the years since this case began. Last year, Judge Mehta allowed the government to seek limits on Google's AI investments on the basis that AI was going to be a core part of web search going forward. Google has unintentionally proven that point just recently when it debuted its new AI Mode in search, which replaces the list of 10 blue links with an AI-derived answer. However, the DOJ is no longer making this request.This is a small but important win for Google, which has been pumping billions into firms like Anthropic as the AI market takes shape. The company claimed that limiting its activities in this area would weaken US leadership in AI. It made this case to the newly restaffed DOJ in recent weeks, and it apparently had an impact. The DOJ no longer seeks to force Google to divest from competing AI firms. Instead, Google would have to notify the government before making new AI investments.Previously, the government offered Google the option to sell Android in lieu of making any changes to how the platform operates. However, the divestment option is no longer on the table, not that Google was anxious to rid itself of such a key piece of its business. Now, the Justice Department wants the court to impose a raft of restrictions on how Google can promote its products on Android.The government proposes that Google should be prohibited from making any of its search or generative AI products mandatory on Android, for example, by limiting access to AI Core or other APIs. Similarly, Google would be prevented from pressuring its partners to use Google search or AI services over the competition. If none of this is effective at breaking up Google's monopoly, or if Google attempts to ignore the remedies, the government could force Google to sell Android. In this instance, the government would have the final say on who buys the operating system.With this round of filings in the rearview mirror, the next phase of the case is expected to get underway in the coming weeks. After the final ruling, Google will most likely seek to have the remedies delayed while it appeals, as it did in the Play Store trial versus Epic last year. While Google may be relieved that the DOJ is relaxing its stance on AI investments, the company is still not happy with the way the case has gone. It still hopes to have the ruling overturned on appeal, thus rendering the discussion of remedies moot.Ryan WhitwamSenior Technology ReporterRyan WhitwamSenior Technology Reporter Ryan Whitwam is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering the ways Google, AI, and mobile technology continue to change the world. Over his 20-year career, he's written for Android Police, ExtremeTech, Wirecutter, NY Times, and more. He has reviewed more phones than most people will ever own. You can follow him on Bluesky, where you will see photos of his dozens of mechanical keyboards. 90 Comments

Microsofts Majorana 1 quantum computerJohn Brecher/MicrosoftLast month Microsoft announced, with fanfare, that it had created a new kind of matter and used it to make a quantum computer architecture that could lead to machines capable of solving meaningful, industrial-scale problems in years, not decades.But since then, the tech giant has increasingly come under fire from researchers who say it has done nothing of the sort. My impression is that the response of the expert physics community has been overwhelmingly negative. Privately, people are just outraged, says Sergey Frolov at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. AdvertisementMicrosofts claim rests on elusive and exotic quasiparticles called Majorana zero modes (MZMs). These can theoretically be used to create a topological qubit, a new type of quantum bit the building blocks of information processing within a quantum computer. Because of their inherent properties, such qubits could excel at reducing errors, addressing a big shortcoming of all quantum computers in use today.MZMs have been theorised to emerge from the collective behaviour of electrons at the edges of thin superconducting wires. Microsofts new Majorana 1 chip contains several such wires and, according to the firm, enough MZMs to make eight topological qubits. A Microsoft spokesperson told New Scientist that the chip was a significant breakthrough for us and the industry.Yet researchers say Microsoft hasnt provided enough evidence to support these claims. Alongside its press announcement, the company published a paper in the journal Nature that it said confirmed its results. The Nature paper marks peer-reviewed confirmation that Microsoft has not only been able to create Majorana particles, which help protect quantum information from random disturbance, but can also reliably measure that information from them, said a Microsoft press release.But editors at Nature made it explicitly clear that this statement is incorrect. A publicly available report on the peer-review process states: The editorial team wishes to point out that the results in this manuscript do not represent evidence for the presence of Majorana zero modes in the reported devices.In other words, Microsoft and Nature are directly contradicting each other. The press releases have said something totally different [than the Nature paper], says Henry Legg at the University of St Andrews in the UK.This isnt the only unorthodox aspect of Microsofts paper. Legg points out that two of the four peer reviewers initially gave rather critical and negative feedback which, in his experience, would typically disqualify a paper from publication in the prestigious journal. The peer-review report shows that by the last round of editing, one reviewer still disagreed with publication of the paper, while the other three signed off on it. A spokesperson for Nature told New Scientist that the ultimate decision to publish came down to the potential they saw for experiments with future MZMs in Microsofts device, rather than necessarily what it had achieved so far.It is also unusual that one of the reviewers, Hao Zhang at Tsinghua University in China, had previously worked with Microsoft on MZM research, says Legg. That work, published in Nature in 2018, was later retracted, with the team apologising for insufficient scientific rigour after other researchers identified inconsistences in the results. Its quite shocking that Nature could choose a referee that only a few years ago had a paper retracted, says Legg.Zhang says there was no conflict of interest. I have never been an employee of Microsoft, nor was I affiliated to [the firm]. Among the 100+ authors of the recent Microsoft paper, I have worked with three of them before, he says. That was seven years ago, and at that time, they were students of TU Delft [in the Netherlands], not Microsoft employees.Microsoft says its team wasnt involved in selecting reviewers and wasnt aware of Zhangs participation until after the review process was complete. Nature also stands by the decision, with a spokesperson saying the quality of the advice received can be seen from the reviewers comments.Review issues aside, both Legg and Frolov have more fundamental objections to Microsofts methodology. Experiments with MZMs have proven extremely difficult to perform over the past few decades, because imperfections and disorder in the device can produce spurious signals that mimic the quasiparticles, even if they arent present. This has been a challenge for researchers associated with Microsoft, including in the retracted 2018 paper the retraction notice explicitly references new insights concerning the effects of disorder. To address this, in 2023, Microsoft published a procedure in the journal Physical Review B called the topological gap protocol, that it claimed would tease out these differences.The whole idea of this protocol was that its a binary test for whether or not theres Majoranas there, says Legg. His own analysis of the code and data that Microsoft used to implement this protocol in 2023, however, showed it to be less reliable than expected, with a data formatting change being enough to turn a fail into a pass. Legg says he raised these issues with Microsoft before the publication of its Nature paper, yet the firm still used the protocol in its new research.Natures spokesperson says that the journals editorial team is aware that some have called into question the validity of the topological gap protocol used in the Nature paper and other publications. This was an issue that we were also aware of during the peer-review process. Through that process, reviewers determined that this wasnt a key issue after all, says the spokesperson.Microsoft says it will respond to Leggs analysis of its 2023 paper if asked to do so by Physical Review B. The criticism can be summarised as Legg constructing a false straw man of our paper and then attacking that, said Chetan Nayak at Microsoft. He disputes Leggs work on several points and says that the 2023 paper showed that we could create the topological phase and Majorana zero modes with high confidence and the new paper only strengthens those claims.A Microsoft spokesperson says that in the year since the Nature paper was submitted for review, the firm has built on that confidence and not only created a multi-qubit chip, but also tested ways to manipulate those qubits, as would be required for a working topological quantum computer. The firm will be releasing further details at the American Physical Societys Global Physics Summit in March, says the spokesperson. We look forward to sharing our results along with additional data behind the science that is turning our 20-plus-year vision for quantum computing into a tangible reality.But for Frolov, the claim that imperfect results from the past can be neglected because the firm has gone on to build more sophisticated devices rests on faulty logic. Legg shares this view. Fundamental problems of disorder and material science arent going to go away just because you start fabricating some fancier device, he says.Topics:quantum computing