I never paid much attention to the Gemini sidebar in Google Docs. I figured it would only summarize my documents, and not much else. After ignoring it for a while, I gave it a shot.

Lately, I’ve been working on a lot of ESP32 projects, so I keep checking my router for connectivity. But those devices kept showing as connected even when powered off. That made me question whether my router was giving me the full picture.

Though it's very common for entertainment writers to describe some narrative elements of the films and shows that they're covering, a Japanese court has determined that the practice can sometimes be tantamount to copyright infringement.Last Thursday, the Tokyo District Court ruled that 39-year-old Wataru Takeuchi was guilty of violating Japanese law that prohibits the creation of "a new work by making creative modifications to the original while preserving its essential characteristics." Takeuchi worked as administrator of a website that published lengthy, spoiler-heavy descriptions from popular movies and series. And two of Takeuchi's "ar …Read the full story at The Verge.

Google has announced a new collection of touch-up tools for Google Photos' image editor designed to apply subtle enhancements, refinements, or fixes to faces in photos.The tools are gradually being rolled out on the Google Photos app globally starting today, but only on devices running Android 9.0 and up with at least 4GB of RAM. They'll be accessible after selecting a specific face in a photo and able to remove unwanted blemishes, whiten teeth, smooth skin, and make changes to irises, under eye areas, eyebrows, and lips. The intensity of the effects can be adjusted to ensure they're subtle enough to not be noticeable.The new tools come …Read the full story at The Verge.

A mesh network is often considered a silver bullet for all kinds of Wi-Fi problems. The most common mesh setup consists of a primary node connected to one or more satellite nodes to create an uninterrupted Wi-Fi net around the home. While a mesh network is designed to overcome the limitations of a standard router by eliminating dead zones and extending Wi-Fi coverage without major downsides, you might not need it (yet) in your home network. Before spending $200–$400 on mesh Wi-Fi, you should inspect and fix the existing deficiencies in your current network. Optimal router settings and position are free fixes that could make an expensive mesh setup redundant. And a better router will still be cheaper than mesh while solving your range issues. Lastly, repurposing an old router into a wired access point could be the only fix your network needs.

Most people building a PC 5–7 years ago wouldn't have worried too much about their motherboard's Ethernet port. It was nothing more than a way to get a stable wired connection on your PC. Whether it was a Gigabit port or something faster didn't matter to the average buyer, and frankly, it didn't matter at all, even if you were a power user. The internet speeds weren't what they are now, same as the popularity of NAS and home labs. With the proliferation of these high-bandwidth devices and faster internet plans, it pays to look deeper into the networking capabilities of your motherboard before you spend your money. Even if your home internet is still Gigabit or lower, you can't be sure that you won't want to set up a NAS or home lab in the future. The bandwidth of your Ethernet port might just prove to be the biggest bottleneck in your system.

As an avid vanlifer, I have to carefully curate everything I carry in order to eke out every square inch of storage I can to support life off the grid for weeks at a time. That's why I jumped at the chance to review DJI's latest power station.The DJI Power 1000 Mini is almost half the size of the original DJI Power 1000 released two years ago with the same 1kWh battery capacity. And from my calculations, it's also the smallest 1kWh power station from the major brands that money can currently buy.DJI's little power station also has a few tricks up its sleeve, including a built-in retractable USB-C cable, a light that can be controlled rem …Read the full story at The Verge.

Claude Code has become the default agentic coding tool for a lot of developers, and for good reason. It understands a codebase, calls tools, edits files, and can plan multi-step tasks with very little handholding. I know many who use it daily, and for those using a Claude subscription, it's the only permissible coding harness.

Most productivity hacks demand more of your time, but my favorite thinking tool doesn’t require a desk, a keyboard, or even a spare minute – it just requires a commute.

After a few worrying release candidates, Linus released the Linux 7.0 kernel a few days ago. While there seemed to be more bug fixes than usual during the preview builds, Linus felt that the changes were small enough not to warrant a delay. He also believes the increase in fixes was due to AI assistants getting better at finding problems in the code, which is valid.

While the Stream Deck is a great product, it's expensive, the software can be heavy, and it feels like you're stuck with relatively mushy buttons that aren't satisfying to press in any way, shape, or form. There are a ton of alternative options, but a lot of these pose problems, too. Using an old tablet feels too laggy. Buying a cheap macro pad doesn't come with customizable buttons like the Stream Deck's, and using a phone app provides absolutely no tactile feedback.

The Mission family. | Image: GoPro GoPro is pricing its new Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro cameras at $599.99 and $699.99, respectively, each discounted by $100 if you subscribe to its ecosystem - fine for professional filmmakers, but a tough sell for weekend warriors.The Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro can both be reserved now, and you'll get the $100 Point-and-Shoot Grip accessory for free (while supplies last) ahead of their May 28th release. The Mission 1 Pro ILS, the cam with the interchangeable mount for Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lenses and adapters, will be available later in Q3 for $699.99, or $599.99 for GoPro subscribers. @verge The Verge's video director, Owen Grove, …Read the full story at The Verge.