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Posts
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By Tuskd · Posted
I believe voice assistants have reached a dead end in terms of usability. You can only do so much with voice. Even Google is sidelining Google Assistant for Gemini. Once you can no longer shoehorn "AI" everywhere, the industry will move on to the next fancy trend try to push voice assistants to use that tech. -
By David Uzondu · Posted
Gemini in Google Sheets can now generate fully editable charts by David Uzondu Back in January, Google introduced a feature in Google Sheets powered by Gemini that lets you ask the AI to create charts from your data. The problem was, these charts were just static pictures, slapped on top of your cells. You could not edit them, and they would not update if your data changed. Now, the company has upgraded the feature so you can edit the charts however you want, plus they stay synced with your data as it changes. The process is quite straightforward. You use the Gemini side panel and just type what you want, like "create a bar chart showing campaign performance by market." Gemini then builds the chart, and when you insert it, the chart appears in a completely new tab within your spreadsheet. From that new home, you have total control. You can change the title, tweak the colors, and adjust all the little details just like any normal chart you would build yourself. It is not a completely perfect system, however. The biggest catch is that the editable chart is linked to the data in that new tab, not your original data source. So if you want the chart to reflect new numbers, you have to update the data in the chart’s dedicated tab. This is a bit of a weird detour from how standard Sheets charts have always worked, where they update directly from the source cells. For certain, more complex chart types, Google also notes that Gemini might still fall back to spitting out a static image, so your mileage may vary. The full rollout began recently, with Google expecting it to reach everyone within one to three days. This update is available for a bunch of Google Workspace accounts, including Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus. It is also included for anyone with a Google One AI Premium plan, which the company has since renamed to Google AI Pro and Ultra. If you are on one of the old Gemini Business or Enterprise add-ons that Google stopped selling back on January 15, 2025, you get this feature too. Just make sure your admin has the "Smart features and personalization" setting turned on, or none of this will work. -
By wotsit · Posted
A rare blunder for Apple, but a significant one. -
By wotsit · Posted
iOS feature updates are lacklustre. I know it’s difficult with a mature OS, but imagine the announcements without Liquid Glass. Pretty thin. -
By zikalify · Posted
Should you buy the Kindle Scribe? What to know about Amazon's e-reader for notes and reading by Paul Hill We’re all familiar with the Amazon Kindle lineup of affordable e-readers, but did you know that Amazon has a Kindle for writing on too? That’s where the Kindle Scribe comes in. The Scribe is more notebook sized, rather than book sized and has the largest screen Amazon has ever included in a Kindle. With this device, Amazon is trying to expand the paper reading-like experience to paper writing-like. With the current discount, you can save up to 25%, with prices as low as $299.99. There are three models available: a 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB model. You cannot expand the storage so be sure to pick the size you’ll need from the get-go. The Kindle Scribe won’t be the perfect choice if all you want to do is read books, however, if you’re a student or professional who wants to take notes, or an avid reader that wants to make annotations, then this could be a good pick for you. What it does The Kindle Scribe features a large 10.2-inch glare-free display with a 300 ppi density. It comes with a Premium Pen that makes it feel like you’re writing on paper as you jot down your notes. To make writing easy, you get Active Canvas for in-book notes and a built-in notebook with templates. You can import and write on PDFs and documents via Send to Kindle, including sending directly from Word if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription. Once you have written out your notes, the Kindle Scribe allows you to summarize them using artificial intelligence. You can even customize the length and tone of your notes. You can also refine your notes by converting your handwritten words into a script font. One of the standout features of other Kindle devices is their spectacular battery life, and the Kindle Scribe promises the same. The battery will last you up to 12 weeks for reading and up to 3 weeks for writing. Furthermore, Amazon has used 18% recycled materials including 100% recycled aluminum parts, and it comes in fully recyclable packaging. Finally, and it shouldn’t really need mentioning, the Kindle Scribe has full access to the Kindle Store so you can quickly and easily gain access to all of the latest books. Should you buy it? If you are looking for a distraction free gadget to read books on and take notes then the Kindle Scribe is definitely worth considering now that it is at its lowest price to date. Students and professionals are two groups who might benefit the most from this model. If you’re just looking for a Kindle for reading on Amazon, there are other models that may be better such as the Paperwhite or Oasis. The Kindle Scribe is a pretty radical change for a Kindle device with its very large display and writing capabilities. If you’ve been waiting for something like this, then it may justify an upgrade from an older Kindle. If you do decide to buy, make sure to get enough storage from the get go. Amazon Kindle Scribe (16GB): $299.99 (Amazon US) / MSRP $399.99 Amazon Kindle Scribe (32GB): $319.99 (Amazon US) / MSRP $419.99 Amazon Kindle Scribe (64GB, Tungsten): $349.99 (Amazon US) / MSRP $449.99 Amazon Kindle Scribe (64GB, Metallic Jade): $349.99 (Amazon US) / MSRP $449.99 This Amazon deal is US-specific and not available in other regions unless specified. If you don't like it or want to look at more options, check out the Amazon US deals page here. Get Prime (SNAP), Prime Video, Audible Plus or Kindle / Music Unlimited. Free for 30 days. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
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Question
ThyLaSlain
I am running Windows XP Pro and have DirectX 9.0b installed and I've just got the Sims 2 and I need 9.0c.
Whenever I run the sims 2 (and the new bodyshop that came with it) the following message appears:
Failed to initialize Direct3D. Please make sure DirectX 9.0c has been installed on this system. The application will now terminate.
I've TRIED to install 9.0c and according to my computer it has installed, and that it's ready for use but when i go to dxdiag it says I'm still running 9.0b
I am using a Raedon 7000 series for a display card and had downloaded the latest version from the website - http://www.ati.com
what am I doing wrong?!
This is what my installing thing looks like, below:
as you can see, it completely skips the bit where it's supposed to actually LOAD the stuff onto my comp.
[PLEASE NOTE: IT IS A GIF FILE, IT'S ON LOOP]
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https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/220203-directx-90c-not-installing/Share on other sites
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