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The new augmented reality (AR) lenses—available on Tuesday—teach users how to sign their name, as well as common words like “love,” “hug,” and “smile,” according to the app’s blog post. The new features coincide with this week’s International Week of Deaf. There are also new Bitmoji stickers you can add to your snap conversations that depict commonly signed words. “No matter where you live, what your background is, what you look like, or how you communicate, we want all members of our community to feel as though our products are made for them—and that includes native signers,” Snapchat said in its post....

Snow Photography Preparation Tips Photographing objects in the snow has a lot of challenges, some of which you cannot prepare for ahead of time. After all, winter weather rarely proves predictable. Prepare for changes in lighting with the right accessories. The warm golden light at dawn, combined with the cold blue tones of snow, glows with an opalescent luster. (Alternatively, you could shoot at sunset for similarly dramatic images.) Plus, the snow will be relatively untouched by footprints if you get up early....

Not only will they recycle your old desktop, laptop, tablet computers, and peripherals, they’ll also do the same for your eReader, shredder, monitor, GPS device, battery backup, digital camera, MP3 player, ink and toner, external hard drive, cordless phone, wireless router, and more. They keep a complete list of acceptable and prohibited items on their Recycling Services page. What Are the Benefits of Recycling With Staples? Recycling with Staples comes with the clear benefit of you being able to get rid of old electronics that are taking up space in your garage or closet....

If you enjoy scuba diving and have an Apple Watch Ultra with watchOS 9.1 or higher (and an iPhone 8 or newer running iOS 16.1 and up), Huish Outdoors has a new app for you. Oceanic+ uses the Ultra’s capabilities and build to turn Apple’s new wearable into a functioning dive computer that can handle depths of up to 40 meters (about 130 feet). Before a dive, you can set all the necessary details—depth, gas, surface time, etc....

SSDs generally come in two main flavors, SATA SSDs and M.2 SSDs, which vary wildly in terms of performance, cost, and compatibility. When shopping for additional storage, it’s typically a question of cost per GB, in which case, SATA SSDs will almost always prove to be the clear winner. These pocket-sized drives are a solid compromise between performance and cost, providing better transfer speeds than traditional “spinning-platter” hard drives, without being exorbitantly expensive....

The highlight of the Windows 10 Instagram app is its support for Instagram Stories, which look significantly better when viewed on a Surface screen as opposed to on a smaller mobile device. In addition to the video being larger, several stories are now displayed at the same time, giving you more control over what you watch next as opposed to just blindly swiping like before. Download For: Unlike its rival, Adobe InDesign, which requires a recurring paid subscription, Affinity Publisher is fully unlocked after its initial purchase, which makes it a much cheaper option for Surface owners expecting to use it for years to come....

You can find the Discover Weekly playlist by accessing your playlists in Spotify. It will likely be listed as the first one. When you hear a song you like, add it to your Spotify, add it to another playlist, go to the album it’s from, and more. At this point, creating a playlist folder can only be made from the Spotify desktop app. Navigate to File in the top menu (three-dot menu > File) and select New Playlist Folder....

The Mpow iSnap X is our pick for best overall. It’s easy to maneuver and can extend up to 31.5 inches making your device able to capture your entire surroundings. This selfie stick will allow your photos to reach new heights! The best part is that this model becomes 7.1 inches when compacted, allowing for easy portability! The best sticks allow you to take amazing photos anywhere, any time and with or without anyone....

How to Enable Gmail Shortcuts To use Gmail shortcuts, you must first enable them in the Settings menu. How to Create, Send, and Forward Email With Gmail keyboard shortcuts, you can quickly create, send, and forward Gmail messages: Create a new message (C): Press the C key to create a new message.Create a new message in a new tab (D): Press the D key to create a new message in a new browser tab....

But there are a lot of things to consider, from the number of speakers (such as 5.1, 7.1, and 9.1 setups). For example, a 5.1 system includes a woofer and five speakers— a front left, front right, front center, surround right, and surround left—while larger setups include even more speakers. If that’s just too many speakers, our experts say you should just buy the Nakamichi Shockwafe Elite, which has a main soundbar, two small speakers and two bass speakers to put behind you....

These devices use a combination of gradually-brightening light and sound to cue your body’s natural wake-up response, resulting in a more relaxed (and less groggy) morning. They can also be a great antidote to dark winter mornings. Most wake-up lights take 20 or 30 minutes to reach full brightness and some even simulate the red-to-white colors of a sunrise. By the time the alarm comes on, your body is ready to wake up and there’s a light on beside your bed....

In fact, we made sure every program below is legitimately freeware, meaning that they don’t require that you donate, purchase add-ons, stop using it after so many days, pay for additional features, etc. You can use these tools without watermarks for as long as you like. DVDs can be ripped to a number of video file formats such as MOV, MP4, M4V, WMV, or AVI. Presets for Apple, Android, Microsoft, Sony, and more are available for ripping DVDs to device-compatible formats if you don’t know what file type to choose....

When searching for your new speakers, you will need to keep in mind the size, Bluetooth capabilities, and powered vs passive output. Those points should be the key factors in your decision. Make sure to measure the spot you decide to make your designated speaker area to ensure a perfect fit. If weight can be an issue, make sure to purchase lightweight speakers. Next, if you will be streaming audio from your smartphone or computer, Bluetooth is a crucial feature you will need....

One other important consideration that’s unique to laptops is the form factor as it relates to portability. Unlike desktop PCs, laptops can travel with you or stay put. Depending on how you’ll use it, a smaller display and lighter overall build could be better for business and traveling. Even if you opt for a laptop with a larger 15-inch or 17-inch display, you could cover your bases by making sure you can connect to an external display if desired....

Using a keyboard and mouse instead of a game controller can be very useful, even if not all games support the option. The Xbox One doesn’t support third-party wireless mice or keyboards as standard (although adapters do exist to “trick” it into working), but plenty of good wired options are also out there. Here’s a look at the best Xbox One keyboards and mice available right now, encompassing different budgets and needs....

Here is our list of nine really cool apps you’ve never heard of. Programming Hub is free to download for iOS and Android devices, but premium features such as no ads, offline mode, and unlimited access to all courses require a subscription. Download For: You can download the Stellarium Mobile Sky Map app for free on Android devices and for a one-time fee on iOS devices. Download For: Once you create your desired image, you can save it, share it on your social media accounts, email it, or text it....

This app gets great marks for ease of use, color variety, and easy-to-follow instructions. This iOS-only app is free, but some colors cost an additional 99 cents through an in-app purchase. Smart facial detection applies makeup looks in real-time or on photos and selfies. Retouching tools smooth out your skin, whiten teeth, add a smile, or adjust facial shape and features. More than 200 special effects turn your selfies into a #mood!...

Here’s a look at the 3D live wallpaper you can have for your smartphone. Whether you want a cute Halloween wallpaper or creepy images, there’s something for you. Occasional lightning strikes keep things varied too, so this is a fun if mildly spooky looking Halloween phone wallpaper. Download For: It’s possible to change the type of night sky in the background, cause meteor rain effects, as well as interact with an animated witch who flies about on a broom....

The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office recently said it was planning “further discussions” with Meta about the Quest 2 VR headset’s compliance with a new children’s code that prioritizes young users’ “best interests.” Parents and doctors are also keeping a wary eye on the expanding popularity of virtual reality among kids. “With VR, there are potential dangers from the headset use itself, as well as from the content being viewed,” Jonathan Maynard, a pediatrician at Providence Mission Hospital in Orange County, CA, told Lifewire in an email interview....

Where to Find PowerPoint Design Templates Microsoft offers thousands of free, professionally designed PowerPoint design templates, all categorized to help you find what you need. Many other sources of varying quality and prices are available online, as well. Depending on your version of PowerPoint, the program launches straight into a template picker or you can access it through File > New. How to use PowerPoint Design Templates When you choose a template you like from Microsoft’s repository, download to store the template on your computer....