KL Techs

Thanks to some smart (and aggressive) marketing, Duolingo has cemented itself as one of the most popular language learning apps in the world. That said, it isn't without competition: There are plenty of alternatives to consider , and if you're peeved about Duolingo's plans to phase out its contract workers in favor of using AI , you might be looking into them. There's now a new competitor for Duo's crown, but it certainly isn't a replacement for the AI-averse. It's also far from an underdog, considering the service comes from none other than Google. Yesterday, the company announced a new AI-powered language learning experience it calls Little Language Lessons . It isn't an app, rather an experiment in Google Labs that offers small doses of lessons and immersion for a handful of different languages. Here's how Google's Little Language Lessons currently work. Using Google's Duolingo alternative To start, head to Google Labs' Little Langua...

When it comes to note-taking apps on the Mac, it's hard to look past Apple Notes , as it has a lot of features and has proven itself to be quite reliable. But in my workflow, I sometimes miss having a scratchpad on my Mac, something akin to Notepad on Windows. I like using tools like this for outlining my articles, jotting down notes that can turn into story ideas, or simply creating quick to-do lists for routine tasks.  macOS has a built-in app called Stickies that does some of these things, but it's desperately in need of an update, as the design looks outdated and it's not ideal for handling multiple notes. I recently discovered Antinote , a beautifully designed app that does everything I need from a sticky notes app, and has many more features including creating Pomodoro timers and converting currencies, which will appeal to power users too. Antinote has a seven-day free trial, after which you can pay a one-time fee of $5 to buy the app. Speeding up your Antinote wo...

Google I/O, the company's annual developer conference, is nearly here. The show kicks off May 20 , and will likely center around Google's plans for its services and products for the coming year. Android, of course, is a huge Google service that is usually highlighted at each I/O. This year, however, it appears the company is taking a different approach; rather than feature Android as part of the general I/O presentation, Google is giving Android its own event , called, appropriately, "The Android Show: I/O Edition." "The Android Show" itself isn't something new for this year's I/O. It's actually an existing Google podcast that covers new features and changes surrounding the mobile OS. However, for I/O, Google is rolling out a special edition of its podcast that acts like the Android portion of any given I/O presentation—it's just a week early. The Android Show: I/O Edition will air on May 13, and although we don't know exactly what Go...

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. There hasn't been a better opportunity for Android users to get a Google Pixel Watch, provided they don't mind being a bit behind the times: Woot is currently selling the first generation GPS + Cellular Google Pixel Watch for $79.99 , 76% off the original $329.99selling price. This is the cheapest the wearable has ever been, according to price tracking tools . (Note that Woot only ships to the 48 contiguous states in the U.S. If you have Amazon Prime, you get free shipping; otherwise, it’ll be $6 to ship.) Google Pixel Watch (1st Gen) (GPS + Cellular) Condition: New, Model: GPS + Cellular, Screen Size: 41mm $7...

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Lots of apps are getting built-in AI features these days, and they’re often disappointing. They’ll summarize (sometimes incorrectly) the same data that’s already available in charts or graphs elsewhere in the app. But the AI advisor that was recently added to the Oura ring 's app takes a different strategy, one that I’ve come to appreciate over the past few weeks since its launch . Instead of just reporting data, it asks questions. It asks you to do a little analysis, a little introspection. And I think Oura is really onto something here.  Some of the questions the Oura Advisor has asked me I’ll admit that, at first, I was interested in what the Advisor could tell me . Anytime I asked it a question, it would give an answer but then bounce it back to me. How was I feeling? What things have I tried lately? These seemed like dodges, not insights. The Advisor will also pipe up with some extra questions f...

Nintendo Switch 2 preorders are currently underway (if you can manage to find a store with inventory , that is). As we approach the console's June 5 launch date, it's worth getting a bit reflective: The Switch as a product line is now more than eight years old, and Nintendo has made some significant changes with this latest device. If you have a Switch and are thinking about picking up a Switch 2, you might be wondering how these two generations of consoles compare. Now, Nintendo didn't just release one console during the Switch era: It released three. There's the original Switch , the Switch OLED , and the Switch Lite . I'm taking a look at all three and comparing their specs to the new Switch 2 . While we'll need to wait for reviews to directly compare the overall experience of these different devices, we can at least get a sense for them on paper. Dimensions Right off the bat, all of Nintendo's Switches feel very different. The Switch 2 is the larges...

If you're a gamer born in the '80s or '90s, you might have some strong nostalgia for the Nintendo GameCube. It's not just your childhood memories fueling those opinions: It's a great console, with classic library to boot: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker ; Mario Kart: Double Dash ; and Super Smash Bros. Melee , just to name a few. It might be tempting, then, to pick up a new GameCube controller, specifically designed for Nintendo Switch 2 , and all the GameCube games Nintendo plans to make available through a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. If you're lucky enough to snag the new console at launch, you'll be able to play Wind Waker , Soulcalibur II , and F-Zero GX , with more titles on the way . Sure, you could use the Joy-Cons or Switch Pro controller to play these games, but why not fully commit to the bit, and play these GameCube titles with the controller they were designed for? The GameCube controller is not ideal for modern Switch 2 games I...

While no one is entirely immune to the threat of malware, you can certainly minimize your risk by following good digital hygiene practices when browsing the internet, downloading apps, and engaging with emails or messages with links or attachments. That said, if you notice your PC is running slowly, programs or apps are crashing repeatedly or unexpectedly, or you see software or processes you don't recognize, you may have a malware infection. To identify malware and remove it from your PC, follow these steps. Disconnect your device from the internet First things first: cut off any internet connection to your computer. This prevents malware from spreading through your network to other devices or receiving updates from its source that may cause more damage or make it more difficult to contain or delete. If you end up needing to download software—such as a malware removal tool—disconnect as soon as you're done. Reboot in Safe Mode Restarting your PC in Safe Mode minimizes the...

Obsidian is my favorite productivity tool. I use it for all of my writing, as a journaling app , and to replace multiple productivity tools . There's a big downside, though: no grammar checking tool. Grammarly is the best known grammar checking tool, but there's no way to add it to Obsidian. I also wouldn't enable it even if I could. Grammarly processes text on their own servers, which is a potential privacy issue and also generally inefficient. This is why I've come to love Harper , a free and open-source alternative that runs entirely on your device and can be added to Obsidian in a couple of clicks. Harper isn't just an Obsidian tool—there are also plugins for WordPress, Visual Studio Code, or any developer tool that supports the Language Server Protocol. If you'd like to see Harper in action before installing, there's a live demo on the Harper homepage —just type whatever you want and watch the recommendations. The Harper plugin for Obsidian can easil...

Dark mode has saved many of us from eye pain when using our smartphones at night. The difference between a black display with white text and a blinding white screen with black text is immeasurable when your phone is the only light source in the room—especially when you're opening your eyes for the first time in a while. While many Android users prefer to use dark mode all the time, others prefer it exclusively in the evening and night. That's where the "sunset to sunrise" schedule comes into play: On many devices, such as Google's Pixel phones, you can choose to schedule dark mode from sunset to sunrise. After the sun rises, your phone stays in light mode, so your content is bright alongside the light outside. But after sunset, when the light starts to dim, your phone conveniently switches dark mode. It's the best of both worlds—when it works. As reported by 9to5Google , users are experiencing issues with scheduled themes on Pixel devices. The problems seem ...

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Apple users have Apple Watches, but it's not so simple for Android users. Depending if you have a Pixel or a Samsung phone, there's a smartwatch that will work seamlessly better with your phone. If you have a Samsung, there's no doubt that a Samsung Galaxy Watch is the option. For most people, that watch is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (and yes, it works with any Android phone). Right now, you can get it for $289.99 (originally $379.99), the lowest price it has been according to price tracking tools . Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 $289.99 at Amazon ...

This week, OpenAI announced its latest models : o3 and o4-mini. These are reasoning models , which break down a prompt into multiple parts that are then addressed one at a time. The goal is for the bot to “think” through a request more deeply than other models might, and arrive at a deeper, more accurate result.  While there are many possible functions for OpenAI’s “most powerful” reasoning model, one use that has blown up a bit on social media is for geoguessing—the act of identifying a location by analyzing only what you can see in an image. As TechCrunch reported , users on X are posting about their experiences asking o3 to pinpoint locations from random photos, and showing glowing results. The bot will guess where in the world it thinks the photo was taken, and break down its reasons for thinking so. For example, it might say it zeroed-in on a certain color license plate that denotes a particular country, or that it noticed a particular lan...

Instagram has a new feature that curates custom Reels feeds for you and your friends. Blend, an invite-only option within individual or group chats, refreshes daily and suggests content based on participants' tastes. Spotify has a similar Blend feature that creates shared playlists—also updated daily—based on both listeners' tastes. Note that Instagram Blend, which is a mobile-only feature, is not yet available to all users, even if the icon appears in your chats. How to use Instagram Blend To start a blend, you'll need to invite users via your individual or group chats. From Messages on the mobile app, open the one-on-one or group chat you want to create a blend with and tap the new Blend icon. Everyone in the chat will receive an invite—if at least one person accepts, a blend will be created, but an individual's suggested reels will be added only if they accept. Once a blend is created, you can view it by tapping the Blend icon at the top of the chat, where you...

Windows doesn't come with a weather application the way macOS and mobile operating systems do. Sure, the widget area shows the weather, but it also summons news headlines from the very bowels of internet hell and requires that you open a web browser page full of ads to get more details. If you want a clean, ad-free, and beautiful way to check the weather on Windows I recommend Lively Weather . This is a free and open source native-to-Windows application (by developer Dani John) with complete weather forecasts. It also features beautifully rendered background animations that reflect the current weather conditions. You can search for any city on Earth to see the weather: Tthe main summary shows up at the top of the screen, and below that sits a seven-day overview alongside a timeline of conditions. There are also boxes for the UV index, sunrise and sunset, humidity, wind, air quality, pressure, visibility, cloud coverage, and total precipitation. Click any day in the seven-day ove...

If you have a smartphone running Android 12 that can't upgrade past that version, I have some bad news: Google is dropping support for your phone. RIP Android 12 As spotted by Android Authority , Google is no longer seeding security updates for devices running Android 12 and Android 12L. The company omitted the Android version from its April 2025 Android Security Bulletin , which notes security vulnerabilities Google has identified and patched, and as well as which versions of Android receive those patches. The company highlights Android 13, 14, and 15 across a number of different vulnerabilities, but not Android 12. The outlet isn't basing this news off these omissions alone: Android Authority reports that Google dropped support for Android 12 and 12L as of March 31, based on a source that says the company ended security patch backports for those versions on that date. Backporting is when a developer takes a security patch from a newer version of software and adds it to an o...