Articles by Alex Smith

Learning Microsoft Azure is now easier than ever thanks to a new partnership between Pluralsight and Microsoft. You can become an expert and strengthen your Azure skills in no time, and the best part is that getting started is absolutely free. There are a number of courses on Azure you can take at Pluralsight to see whether the site and learning method is right for you before paying a cent on any further courses you might decide to take.

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Free Microsoft Azure Courses at Pluralsight

Learn skills you’ll need to be prepared for Microsoft Azure certifications with free courses at Pluralsight. Pluralsight features more courses in Software Development, IT Ops, Cyber Security, and other subjects as well.

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With your free Pluralsight account, you’ll score unlimited access to select Azure courses, along with skill assessments to stay on track of how much knowledge you’ve actually retained. There are eight free Azure courses in all, and over 200 more to ge…

Being well-prepared for any outdoor excursion is important, and this latest discounted GoPro HERO7 Black bundle makes staying prepared easy. Right now B&H has GoPro’s The Handler bundle on sale for $235, saving you $114 off its usual cost. The bundle includes a slew of accessories along with the 4K action camera, and you’ll even score free 2-day shipping with the purchase.

GoPro’s The Handler bundle includes The Handler floating hand grip, a curved adhesive mount and flat adhesive mount, and the GoPro Casey travel case which helps you store it all securely. The Handler floating grip can be used in and out of water, and even helps your camera float. Plus, its bright orange base makes it a lot easier to see where your camera is in the water, too.

The HERO7 Black is capable of recording in 4K at 60 fps. For still images, you’ll have 12MP photos and a burst mode up to 30 fps. Beyond the advanced 4K video, the Black also features GoPro’s HyperSmooth video stabilization. The new tech…

This Mother’s Day, Rosetta Stone is giving you the ability to give mom a big surprise at a discount. Subscriptions to its single language and unlimited language plans are now on sale through May 11. You can choose a 3-month membership to any single language for just $35.97, or purchase an unlimited language plan starting at $95.88 with the 12-month option. Lifetime and 2-year plans are on sale as well.

While the single language option is great, having a Rosetta Stone Unlimited membership lets you learn any of the 24 languages that Rosetta Stone provides material on. It allows you to switch back and forth between languages and focus on the ones you actually want to learn. It’s also the most affordable way to join overall, as you can grab a membership for its 2-year plan at what amounts to just $5.99 monthly or even pay for a lifetime subscription priced at $199. The total cost of whichever subscription you choose is due at checkout.

Rosetta Stone is a proven method to learning a new…

This Mother’s Day will be a bit different than most. With everyone practicing social distancing and staying at home, you might not be around your mother during this special day for the first time in years. Luckily, this Mother’s Day sale on Facebook Portal devices will help make sure you and mom can see each other whenever you choose. With select devices now $50 off, today’s sale offers some of the best discounts yet on Facebook Portal models with prices starting as low as $79. Shipping is free.

The Portal Mini is the most affordable option during the sale, priced at $79.99. This 8-inch device lets you easily video call other Portal users, or even just Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp users, using its built-in apps. The Smart Camera tracks you and adjusts to follow you around, meaning you could, for instance, chat with your sister while cooking dinner, or hang out with long-distance relatives while they open up their birthday presents. It features Alexa built-in so you can control you…

Join a collective of global leaders, entertainers, and citizens coming together in a 24-hour livestreamed event this weekend. The Call to Unite livestream will bring together a range of cultural, spiritual, and civic leaders from across the world for a global movement to directly support COVID-19 relief efforts. As the world stays at home to support social distancing measures, the livestream acts as a celebration of the support and strength shown during the past several weeks.

During its special opening hour, The Call to Unite livestream will feature host Tim Shriver with guests like Oprah Winfrey, Eckhart Tolle, T.D. Jakes, former Presidents, and more. As the livestream progresses on, the guests will share positivity and support in their own ways, from teaching a practice to performing a song, recounting a past memory or offering a prayer, sharing a poem, or another unique gift.

UNITE is partnered with GiveDirectly to help raise financial support for families from around the world…

When we reviewed the Google Nest Hub Max late last year, it scored four and a half out of five stars for adding a number of enhancements to a device that we already love. The Nest Hub Max is bigger, louder, and more powerful than its predecessor, the Nest Hub, and a bit more expensive as well. However, thanks to this latest deal at Verizon, you can pick one up for its best price yet while supplies last.

Verizon offers 30% off your order when you add the Google Nest Hub Max to your cart along with two accessories. With two of these 6-packs of leather cable straps for instance, the total drops to just $174.97. That saves you $55 off the Nest Hub Max’s regular price of $230. There are a number of other accessories you could add to your order in place of the straps, though the total will change depending on which you choose.

The Google Nest Hub Max features a large 10-inch HD display that lets you check on the weather, view YouTube videos, or even watch live TV. You can video call frie…

Don’t let social distancing ruin this year’s Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Altísimo Live! is set to bring some of the world’s hottest celebrities and performers straight to your living room in a free livestream that’s scheduled to take place this coming Tuesday, May 5. Featuring hosts Eva Longoria and Enrique Santos, as well as celebrity co-hosts such as J Balvin, Rosario Dawson, Kate Del Castillo, and Alejandro Sanz, the festival is packed with entertainers you won’t want to miss.

Along with celebrity appearances, comedy skits, and more, audiences will also be treated to performances by musical acts including Maluma, CNCO, Luis Fonsi, Gloria & Emilio Estefan, Steve Aoki, Juanes, and more.

Altísimo Live!: When and where

Altísimo Live! is coming to your home as a free livestream on a variety of platforms. Though the musical performances start at 5p.m. EST on May 5, the full livestream event actually begins at 1p.m. EST. You’ll be able to find the event streaming on platforms s…

If you’ve been sitting at home for the past few weeks wishing you had a better way to tune in to your favorite shows and streaming services, you can’t miss today’s limited-time sale on 4K smart TVs at Best Buy. This one-day sale might not be full of options, but the few TVs it does have on sale touch on a variety of price points so there’s something for everyone. These aren’t the cheap 4K TVs you can always find affordably, either. Prices start at $569.99, and shipping is free on all models in the sale.

The most affordable TV on sale today is LG’s 49-inch Nano 8 Series Smart 4K UHD TV. At $569.99, today’s sale not only saves you $30 off its usual price but also scores you a free $60 Best Buy e-Gift card along with the purchase. With NanoCell technology, this TV is built to display greater color accuracy and a spectrum of a billion colors. Plus, this is the only model in the sale with a free gift card attached.

The next step up in the sale is a big one at more than twice the cost: t…

Face mask or no face mask? Despite the conflicting information on how face coverings work against coronavirus, doing all you can to stay protected shouldn’t be a debate. Unfortunately, finding masks in stock is a different problem altogether. Luckily, we know where to look.

Most people touch their face over 20 times per hour on average, and when you’re running to the grocery store or another public space, having a mask on is a physical reminder not to do so. Wearing a face mask is one of the best ways to look out for yourself at this point — other than social distancing, washing your hands often, and staying at home.

The CDC has changed its guidance to recommend that all citizens should only go out when wearing some sort of face mask, non-medical preferred. As medical masks are in short supply around the world, it’s important to leave these essential supplies for healthcare workers who need them immediately.

Where to find face masks in stock

The Best

ShopDisney: shop face mas…