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In a recent study from marketing analyst Drift Insider, looking at how consumers interact with businesses, brands using chatbots rose from 13% in 2019 to 25% in 2020. For some, however, chatbots cause more problems than they solve. In this age where personalization is everything, a majority of American consumers (83%) say they still want to interact with a real person even as technology improves, according to PWC. “As a customer do I really want to chat with a bot?...

In just over a month’s time, Microsoft has verified three security vulnerabilities tied to the Windows Print Spooler, with patches released for two of them so far. CVE-2021-34527 (aka “PrintNightmare”), CVE-2021-34481, and now CVE-2021-36958 made it possible for malicious actors to give themselves full SYSTEM privileges. Disabling the Print Spooler is an option, but this prevents you from being able to connect any printers to your computer. It’s far from an ideal solution....

How to Generate a Battery Report in Windows 10 The battery on your Windows 10 laptop or tablet is one of its most critical pieces of hardware. Over time, a battery’s life span shortens, and its ability to hold a charge decreases. If you suspect your battery’s performance is fading too quickly, use a built-in feature to create a battery report. The report is saved as an HTML file that you view in a web browser and includes data on your system, all installed batteries, usage, capacity history, and battery life estimates....

We all know that your little friend is a very good doggy. But occasionally, they may get overexcited and run off into the distance, possibly never to be seen again. There are plenty of expensive ways to track your pet, but they can include monthly fees and mean frequent battery charging. Enter AirTags. Are they really good for keeping tabs on doggos? “In reality, despite Apple’s advice, we believe this will become one of the key selling points of AirTags,” Tammi Avallone, managing editor of the FiveBarks dog blog, told Lifewire via email....

Once the feature rolls out, it can be enabled in Google Assistant’s settings. Right now, it lets users answer calls and snooze alarms just by saying one-word commands like “Answer,” “Stop,” “Decline,” and “Snooze.” More commands are reportedly on the way for things like timers, reminders, media controls, and to-do lists. There were hints Google was working to remove “Hey, Google” for some voice commands back in April. At the time, many users reported finding a mysterious “voice shortcuts” page in their Google Assistant settings, which led to documents for a feature codenamed “Guacamole....

Nearby Share is the first of many Android improvements that Google highlighted, as the AirDrop-alike will expand its reach to more devices. Yes, you could already share files between Android phones, but once this rolls out, you’ll also be able to connect with other Android devices. So you can easily transfer photos, videos, and so on between your phone, Android tablet, or Chromebook. Gboard is also getting emoji support, and Gboard Beta app users can try it out for themselves right now....

Formed under the aegis of the Linux Foundation, OWF has rallied together several technology and industry players (including Okta, Ping Identity, Accenture, CVS Health, and others) to support interoperability across digital wallets. Essentially an application that runs on smartphones, digital wallets are most popular for carrying payment information and can also carry digital versions of your driver’s license, library card, boarding passes, and more. The OWF intends to help facilitate the creation of universal digital wallets that people can use seamlessly for all kinds of services....

Known as a leap second, the extra tick was chalked up in 1972 as a means to keep clocks in sync with the Earth’s actual rotation. Computers have a hard time digesting the leap second and cause all sorts of issues trying to make sense of the anomaly, occasionally throwing the internet and other connected systems into disarray. Engineers at Meta have recently blogged about their intention to build momentum to scrap the leap second, arguing it causes more issues than it solves....

The company just surprise-dropped a beefy demo to the Nintendo eShop for all to play, consisting of three areas from the game and allowing for two-player same-system co-op. This demo answers some long-held questions regarding Kirby’s latest jaunt. First of all, it’s a standard 3D platformer and not an open-world adventure. In other words, expect a world map for choosing levels. Also, while you can co-op, it does not allow for two Kirbys....

Update version 1.1.0 of the Nintendo Switch exclusive titles fixes “select bugs,” though the company did not list which issues this update clears up. For the uninitiated, Pokemon Violet and Scarlet are plagued with bugs throughout nearly every aspect of their playtime, from character pop-ins to excruciatingly slow frame rates (and beyond). Nintendo properly announced one minor bug that has been fixed, as the music will now play correctly during battles with the Elite Four on the Victory Road path....

What Is an OVA File? A file with the .OVA file extension is most likely an Open Virtual Appliance file, sometimes called an Open Virtual Application file or an Open Virtualization Format Archive file. They’re used by virtualization programs to store various files associated with a virtual machine (VM). The file is stored in the Open Virtualization Format (OVF) as a TAR archive. Some of the files you might find within it include disk images (like VMDKs), an OVF descriptor XML-based text file, ISOs or other resource files, certificate files, and an MF manifest file....

What Is an OXT File? A file with the OXT file extension is an Apache OpenOffice extension. They add features to OpenOffice applications, such as its Writer word processor, Calc spreadsheet program, and Impress presentation software. You can download OXT files from the Apache OpenOffice Extensions page. How to Open an OXT File OpenOffice can open an OXT file via its built-in Extension Manager tool. For v2.2 and later, you can just double-click or double-tap the OXT file to install it....

What Is a PSP File? A file with the PSP file extension is most likely a PaintShop Pro image file. Similar to Adobe Photoshop’s PSD format, PSP files can store guides, layered images, and other things common with advanced image editing software. Some PSP files may instead be preference files that store settings for Photoshop. For example, there’s a Brushes.psp, Patterns.psp, and Styles.psp file to store settings specific to those functions....

Rogers invested over $4 billion USD in 5G deployment in 2019 and over $2 billion in 2020. They’re currently in the process of rolling out a 5G network, so it’s available to any customer with the right device. The company has been silent about any fixed wireless access (FWA) solutions for 5G access at home, and have announced plans to release only mobile 5G that works with 5G phones....

In 2015, a German ketchup lover scanned the QR code on their bottle of Heinz and got sent straight to a porn site. That could be embarrassing, but there are worse consequences for blindly scanning QR codes. According to password manager service 1Password, QR codes can trigger phone calls, betray your location, start a phone call that reveals your caller ID, and more. So what can we do about it?...

SugarSync is an online backup service that backs up your folders online in real-time and then syncs them to all your connected devices. Because the cloud is used as one of your devices, you can access all your backed up files from any computer, as well as restore anything you’ve deleted. You can read more about the plans SugarSync offers below, as well a list of their features and some thoughts we have on their service....

Here’s a cool feature for Apple Pencil users. Tapping a locked iPad screen with the Apple Pencil opens a blank note on most iPad models. Notes is available as a free download from the App Store if you removed it from your iPad. Apple Notes works on an iPhone, too. Each tool offers three sizes of tips. You can select a section, cut it out, or tap while holding it to paste it many times on the page....

Here are some of the best originals and exclusives you can watch on Shudder right now. Starring: Eugénie Derouand, Honorine Magnier, Clément Olivieri Director: Patrick Ridremont Rating: NR Runtime: 1 hour, 44 minutes Obviously, a catch is involved, and the price of Eva’s wish becomes increasingly bloody and sinister. The Advent Calendar takes a well-covered premise and delivers some interesting twists and a fantastic atmosphere. Starring: Jeremy Gardner, Brea Grant Directors: Jeremy Gardner, Christian Stella Rating: TV-MA Runtime: 1 hour, 23 minutes Come for the sharp writing and great characters, and stay for the karaoke....

And it’s their live online interface that impresses us the most, as the app offers live video sessions to get real-time feedback. They operate it like a virtual classroom where you log in and join other students learning at the same time. Classes are available a few different times a day, so there’s flexibility there if you need it. Some of the guitar topics they cover include “Strumming Patterns for Beginners,” “Intro to Music Theory,” and “Fingerpicking Primer” to build a nice foundation....

Factors that you should consider when looking at voice-to-text apps include accuracy, shortcuts, and available languages. Whether you want to take notes, send quick messages or translate on the fly, the apps below are ready to help. Pros & Cons Overview Available for Android and iOS devices, Dragon Anywhere is a premium professional tool that’s a big deal in the world of dictation apps. It’s 99% accurate and comes with voice editing and formatting....