University of Michigan, Flint: UM-Flint is leading generative AI literacy with free online course

University of Michigan, Flint: UM-Flint is leading generative AI literacy with free online course. “After months of research and tri-campus collaboration with Ann Arbor and Dearborn, [Office of Online & Digital Education.] launched the Generative AI Prompt Literacy course. The course is free, delivered online asynchronously, and shares the hows and whys of constructing effective AI prompts to leverage this transformative technology fully.”

Google Blog: Curl up with a spooky Halloween story with Google Books

Google Blog: Curl up with a spooky Halloween story with Google Books. “Spooky season is upon us, and this time of year there’s nothing better than to curl up with a spine-tingling tome and scare yourself silly. Google Books has the stories, free of charge – all you need to do is find a cozy corner and get reading.”

Tape It: Tape It launches automated studio quality noise reduction AI for music

Tape It: Tape It launches automated studio quality noise reduction AI for music (PRESS RELEASE). “Today, music software developer Tape It released their free AI-powered Denoiser that automatically removes background noise such as hums and hisses. It produces studio-quality results on full songs, single instrument tracks, and field recordings — not just on spoken word. Tape It launched its Denoiser as a free web app and will later implement it into the company’s flagship product, the Tape It iOS app, which helps musicians organize and record song ideas.”

Search Engine Journal: Kinsta Unveils Free Hosting for Your Static Sites

Search Engine Journal: Kinsta Unveils Free Hosting for Your Static Sites. “Managed WordPress Hosting company Kinsta announced they are offering free static website hosting that comes with 100 GB bandwidth/month and 1 GB build size limit. Kinsta says that the free hosting tier plan is being given away so that users can experience it for themselves.”

Engadget: IRS will start piloting its free TurboTax alternative in 2024

Engadget: IRS will start piloting its free TurboTax alternative in 2024. “It looks like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) truly was working on a free TurboTax alternative like earlier reports had claimed. The US tax authority has announced that it will start pilot testing its new Direct File program for the 2024 filing season, though it will initially be available for select taxpayers in 13 states only.”

PC World: 22 awesome open source programs that do everything you need

PC World: 22 awesome open source programs that do everything you need. “Good software is the basis of all PC use, but many professional programs are too expensive for private use. This is where the free software-based applications step in, which, including their source code, are available free of charge on the internet. This immediately raises the question of quality and functionality. Don’t worry, open source software is often a real competitor to professional products. In this guide, we present the best open source tools for typical areas of application — from Office, to media editing, to file management and backup.”

WGBH: Boston philanthropists launch new effort to ship Floridians ‘banned books’

WGBH: Boston philanthropists launch new effort to ship Floridians ‘banned books’. “Any Florida resident who wants a book can go on the website, choose one title to order and pay $3.99 to have it shipped. Florida residents, libraries and educational institutions can order a book — or someone out of state can send a book to someone they know, with the receiver having to approve the shipment. A Florida delivery address is required for the sale to process.”

BusinessWire: Esri Launches Online GIS Course for Climate Action (PRESS RELEASE)

BusinessWire: Esri Launches Online GIS Course for Climate Action (PRESS RELEASE). “To support the individuals working toward this goal, Esri, the global leader in geographic information system (GIS) technology, today announced it will offer a new massive open online course (MOOC) exploring the application of its software to address climate change impacts. The complimentary course will be available this fall for six weeks on the Esri Academy website and includes full access to ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Network Analyst, ArcGIS Online, and other ArcGIS software that uses science-based tools and authoritative data.”

WaterBear: Building A Free Platform For Impactful Documentaries (Part 1) (Smashing Magazine)

New-to-me, from Smashing Magazine: WaterBear: Building A Free Platform For Impactful Documentaries (Part 1). “WaterBear is a free platform bringing together inspiration and action with award-winning high-production environmental documentaries covering various topics, from animals and climate change to people and communities.”

Ubergizmo: Blackmagic Introduces Free iPhone Video App For Pro-Level Filming

Ubergizmo: Blackmagic Introduces Free iPhone Video App For Pro-Level Filming. “Blackmagic Design, renowned for its high-end digital movie cameras and video editing software, has introduced a free iPhone app designed for advanced video shooting, one that caters to users seeking enhanced creative control over video capture on their iPhones. The app’s interface is touted to be as user-friendly as the company’s award-winning cameras, making it an attractive choice for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Users gain comprehensive control over critical settings like frame rate, shutter speed, white balance, and ISO.”

TechCrunch: Google TV adds 25 more free channels, NFL Sunday Ticket integration

TechCrunch: Google TV adds 25 more free channels, NFL Sunday Ticket integration. “Google TV is once again expanding its free live TV lineup. In April, the company announced the Google TV service was growing to include over 800 live TV channels, including those from Tubi, Plex, Haystack and others. Today, the company says it’s adding 25 more free channels to the lineup, which can be watched without having to install any additional apps or needing to sign in.”

The Nib: The Nib magazines are free to download!

The Nib: The Nib magazines are free to download! . “The Nib is wrapping up ten years of publishing and closing down at the end of August. But before we go, we are making all 15 issues of our Eisner and Ignatz award-winning magazine available for anyone to download for free. That’s more than 1,600 pages of comics, including our out of print Secrets, Nature, Food, and Color issues.”

MakeUseOf: The 6 Best Mobile Apps for No-Budget Filmmakers

MakeUseOf: The 6 Best Mobile Apps for No-Budget Filmmakers. “The smartphone revolution changed no-budget filmmaking. With inexpensive and sometimes free apps able to replicate some of the expensive equipment and software used by the pros, allowing you to make the most out of your limited budget. Here are the mobile apps you need as a no-budget filmmaker.”

How-To Geek: Plexamp, The Plex Music Player, is Now Free for All

How-To Geek: Plexamp, The Plex Music Player, is Now Free for All . “Plex is best known as the server software you can use to host your own streaming movie and TV collection, but it also supports music libraries. Even better, the dedicated Plexamp application gives you a more streamlined music player for your mobile devices and computers. Plex is now making the Plexamp player available to everyone, but with a few catches.”