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A content calendar is a great way to visualize your publishing schedule. From blog posts and social media content to email campaigns and YouTube videos, keeping track without one is a pain to say the least. It gets even more challenging when you’re publishing across multiple platforms and managing a team of creators, editors, and producers. These are some of my favorite content calendar templates for staying organized. Multi-purpose content calendar templates for monday.com Looking for a flexible and powerful way to manage content and other types of work in one place? monday.com is one of the top project management solutions I’ve used. The free plan is great for up to two users and is more than enough to try monday.com’s free content calendar template. However, paid plans come with far more functionality and are better suited for teams needing automation, formulas, integrations, and dashboards. Learn more about monday.com: monday.com review | monday.com’s newest features. Template 1: Best for built in task tracking This content calendar template is great for teams that need a way to plan and execute content alongside other types of projects. It’s great for high-level or short-term planning, but it really shines when you use it as a way to assign tasks and get work done. With tons of built in project management functionality, you can easily set due dates, trigger notifications, and track progress too. This monday.com template gives you project tracking and a powerful content calendar in one solution. Image: monday.com It works just as well for any type of content, from social media and videos to long-form blog posts. You can view all of the work as a simple table, Kanban view, calendar, timeline, or interactive dashboard (depending on your plan). Although the template itself is relatively simple, the extensibility of monday.com as a tool means you can add on or combine it with other templates to create an entire business operations system that runs your entire department or company. Template 2: Best for aligning with high-level marketing goals A content calendar is really just part of a larger marketing plan. So rather than using two separate templates or project spaces to manage everything, monday.com lets you do both under one roof. It’s a fully custom marketing template that includes everything from content calendars to social media scheduling, quarterly marketing plans, and more. This advanced monday.com template adds more context to your content calendar. Image: Monday.com Decision-makers can create custom dashboards to quickly see high-level planning on a single screen. So you can see what’s scheduled to be published, what’s in progress, and even keep track of your budget. Another standout feature of this template is the ability to create a dynamic content approvals process. Paired with monday.com’s powerful automation features, you can supercharge this workflow to ultimately scale your content strategy. Overall, I just love how seamless this template is for managing so many interconnected elements in one place. The template makes it easy to align your content calendar with big-picture marketing goals and keeps your entire team on the same page. The one drawback is that you’ll likely need to upgrade to a paid monday.com plan to truly get the most out of this template’s capabilities. While it’s still available to use on the free plan, you’ll likely find it to be a bit limiting if you want to accomplish everything I’ve described above. ClickUp content calendar templates ClickUp isn’t as flexible as monday.com or Notion, but it has more built in functionality. Instead of building what you need, it already exists and can be used right out of the box. On top of that, the free plan is far more generous. You can have an unlimited number of users plus you get unlimited tasks, collaborative docs, team chat, custom fields, and multiple project views. Advanced features, like automations, Gantt view, calculations, time tracking, goals, workload management, and advanced permissions are all available on paid plans when you’re ready. Learn more about ClickUp: ClickUp review | ClickUp vs monday.com | ClickUp vs Notion.  Template 1: An advanced all-purpose content management template ClickUp’s marketing content calendar template is one of the most fully-featured and versatile options on my list. It’s flexible enough for solo marketers and mid-sized teams alike, Plus, you don’t have to do much to get started. It comes with eight unique statuses, ten custom fields, and team collaboration tools so you can assign tasks and track the progress of all your content. Manage all of your blogs, social posts, videos, emails, and more, all from one content calendar. Image: Clickup.com Depending on your plan, the template includes eight views, giving everyone on your team the opportunity to see their work in a way that works best for them. Users can easily switch between calendar, board, list, timeline, and Gantt chart views without impacting anyone else. On the calendar view, color-coded content types make it easy to stay organized and see what’s going on across different platforms at a glance. As a bonus, ClickUp’s collaborative document creator also makes it easy to create a company wiki, document your processes, plan campaigns, and take notes as a team. Template 2: A simple editorial calendar template This editorial calendar template is perfect for bloggers and editors. It comes with four different views — calendar, board, list, and timeline — making it easy for the entire team to view big-picture planning while also focusing on their specific tasks and to-do lists. This simple ClickUp template has everything you need to manage blog content, either by yourself or at scale. Image: Clickup.com The template includes seven built in statuses, including in review, scheduled, and published. Because it’s set up for blogging, you won’t have to customize it to match your needs. All of the built in statuses are color coded, so it’s obvious where everything stands, even from a high level. You can take things a step further by categorizing your content and uploading all of the digital assets you need for publishing.

The simple network definition: a system that links other subsystems together and allows them to share information and resources. Computer networks are the technology interconnecting software, allowing you to do things like print a document from your laptop or send your business partner a signed contract over email. Imagine networks as a fabric of interconnected paths where data travels from one device to another. These paths also have rules to exchange data, known as communication protocols. In reality, the answer isn’t as straightforward as that. Depending on the purpose, various types of networks, topologies, and components exist. We’ll provide a basic guide to help you grasp the foundations of networks — what each network is, its basic functionality, and why we use networks. 1 RingCentral RingEx Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Hosted PBX, Managed PBX, Remote User Ability, and more 2 Talkroute Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Call Management/Monitoring, Call Routing, Mobile Capabilities, and more Why we use networks every day Networks are designed to connect systems so they can exchange information. Here are some of the reasons why we use networks and the tangible benefits they provide. Resource sharing: This is one of the primary advantages and one of the network’s fundamental uses. Connecting devices allows us to easily share files, documents, and other resources. It’s not even about digital assets. Tired of waiting for the printer? Networks let multiple devices share a single printer. Increased information storage: Networks allow us to access and store data on centralized servers. For instance, they allow you to tune in to your favorite song, even if you don’t have it on a physical record. Cost savings: Since networks create a virtual space where every point connected to it is instantly accessible, it can slash several expenses, including the cost of shipping software on a CD versus sending a download link. Performance management: This one is a given for companies with tight cybersecurity governance. Networks make it easy to manage software updates, security patches, and backups on multiple devices all at once. No more running around updating each device individually. Collaboration: Through shared drives, cloud-based collaboration tools, and video conferencing, teams can collaborate effectively, even if they are miles apart. Think of it as having a virtual office space accessible from anywhere in the world. Accessibility: Networks provide easy access to information and resources. With a network connection, you can access the internet, browse websites, and gather information from anywhere in the world. Increased productivity: Not only do they save you money, but they also save you time, allowing you to do multiple things at once and quickly. For instance, networks allow us to check our bank account while riding the bus instead of going down to a physical branch. SEE: Learn more about essential networking fundamentals.  Every network definition you should know Here are some standard terms and concepts to better understand computer networks. Nodes: In a network, a node refers to any connected device that can participate in communication. This includes computers, laptops, servers, printers, or almost every other endpoint. Nodes are the building blocks of a network. They work together to transmit and receive data. TCP/IP: The abbreviation is Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. It’s a set of rules and protocols that enable communication between devices over the internet. TCP handles reliability, and IP takes care of the directions. Layers: In networking, layers refer to the different levels or stages that define how networks function, with each layer handling a specific aspect of communication. The OSI model, a widely recognized framework, breaks down network processes into seven distinct layers, from physical transmission to application-level interaction. Firewalls: Firewalls serve as a protective shield for a network. They watch the traffic coming in and going out, filtering and blocking anything that could be harmful. This was classically built upon presets, but increasingly relies on machine learning — which depends on networks. Servers: Client–server is the typical network architecture in computers. A server is just that — a computer that serves a function. So when you browse through your emails in a web browser — a client — you’re actually fetching files from an email server. You don’t have your emails stored anywhere. The server does that for you. When you stream a movie, you’re obtaining it from a company’s servers. Wireless: Wireless networks provide a cable-free way for devices to connect and communicate. They use technologies like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to send data through the airwaves. Network building blocks Now, we’ll explore the fundamental building blocks of computer networks: devices, links, and communication protocols. Network devices Network devices are the physical components that enable communication and connectivity within a computer network. These items play a crucial role in transmitting and receiving data between nodes. Here are some standard network devices: Routers: Routers direct data traffic between networks, allowing different devices to connect to the internet or communicate with each other. They enable both wired (Ethernet) and wireless (Wi-Fi) connections, ensuring data is routed efficiently to its destination, whether within a local network or across the internet. Modems: Devices that connect your home or office network to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), converting digital data from your devices into signals that can be transmitted over the internet, and vice versa. In many households, modems and routers are combined into a single device, providing both the connection to the ISP and the ability to distribute internet access via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Switches: Switches link devices in a network, forming a local area network (LAN) for smooth communication. They use MAC addresses to identify and direct data packets to the correct destinations, ensuring efficient connectivity. Hubs: Hubs are the simplest form of network devices. They’ve been slowly replaced by switches, but you can notice hubs when looking for

When analyzing any project management tool, my top two priorities are always ensuring that the solution fits my budget and offers the functionalities I use regularly. Both Asana and Todoist provide a range of features at affordable prices compared to many other popular project management tools. I found that these two solutions are not only great for small teams but can also accommodate larger and growing teams that need to collaborate with external partners. Choosing between the two depends on your project requirements and budget. If budget is your main concern, I’d recommend Todoist. However, if your project requires advanced analytics, Asana might be a better fit. 1 monday.com Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Agile Development, Analytics / Reports, API, and more 2 Accelo Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees) Small, Medium, Large Features Analytics / Reports, API, Billing / Invoicing, and more 3 ClickUp Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Micro, Small, Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Analytics / Reports, API, Billing / Invoicing, and more Asana vs Todoist: comparison table Feature Asana Todoist Integrations Yes Yes Project management Yes Yes Admin tools Yes Yes Collaboration Yes Yes User interface Robust, multi-view options Simple, minimalist Task prioritization Advanced Basic Notifications & Reminders Customizable notifications Built-in reminders Mobile application Mirrors desktop Simple, user-friendly Asana vs Todoist pricing Asana Pricing Personal Price: Free I found Asana’s Personal plan to be a good starting point, offering unlimited tasks, projects, messages, and activity logs for individuals or teams. It also includes different work views like lists, boards, and calendars, making it easy to stay organized. Starter Price: $10.99 per user per month billed annually or $13.49 per user if billed monthly. I love that this plan adds advanced features like timeline views, task dependencies, milestones, and reporting dashboards. These tools really help me keep track of project progress and ensure tasks stay on schedule. Plus, the admin console makes managing teams and permissions much easier. Advanced Price: $24.99 per user per month billed annually or $30.49 per user if billed monthly. This plan includes everything in Premium, plus advanced features like workload management, goals, portfolios, approvals, and integrations with tools like Salesforce and Tableau. I found these extra features particularly useful for managing larger projects that require detailed oversight and more in-depth analytics. Enterprise Price: Contact Asana for custom pricing information. For larger organizations with advanced security and administrative needs, Asana offers an Enterprise plan with features like SAML, user provisioning, data export, and advanced admin controls. These features are perfect for handling sensitive client information and maintaining compliance. Enterprise+ Price: Contact Asana for custom pricing information. For organizations that require even more advanced administrative control and support, Asana offers the Enterprise+ plan. This plan provides enhanced support options, including priority support, custom branding, and additional security features. It’s ideal for enterprises with complex needs that require tailored solutions. For more on Asana, check out our full Asana review or read through our Asana alternatives to see similar tools. Todoist Pricing Beginner Price: Free Todoist’s Beginner plan includes five projects, five guests, and three filter views. I found it ideal for individuals trying out the software without committing to a paid plan or those who simply want an intuitive free project management software solution. Pro Price: $4 per user per month billed annually or $5 per user billed monthly. The Pro subscription offers 300 active projects, task reminders, and unlimited activity history. I think this plan best suits freelancers or those working with multiple clients, though it lacks a shared workspace for teams. Business Price: $6 per user per month billed annually or $8  per user billed monthly. The Business plan allows for 500 active projects and provides team workspaces, admin roles, and unlimited collaborators, making it a good option for larger teams. For more information, read our full Todoist review or check out its top alternatives. Asana vs Todoist features Integrations Winner: Tie In my experience, both Asana and Todoist provide access to integrations that enhance workflows. Todoist offers useful integrations for time tracking, scheduling, automation, and communication with tools like Ganttify, Everhour, Gmail, Outlook, and Slack. Asana provides access to advanced integrations like Tableau, which are only available on higher-tier plans. Although they’re behind a paywall, Asana is a good choice if you’re looking for diverse and advanced integrations. A few of the integrations available in Asana. Image: Collins Ayuya/TechRepublic Project management Winner: Tie Asana offers a broader range of project management features, including templates, task dependencies, reporting, and workload management. I found these features extremely beneficial for managing complex projects. On the other hand, Todoist focuses more on straightforward project needs, such as task reminders, team workspaces, and guest access, which are more affordable and well-suited for simpler projects. I preferred Todoist for its effectiveness when dealing with small teams and Asana for complex projects. Asana’s reporting dashboard. Image: Asana Admin tools Winner: Asana Both tools provide admin and security controls. I appreciate that Asana offers these features across all paid tiers while Todoist restricts them to its Business plan. This means Asana may be better for teams needing comprehensive administrative control from the outset. Collaboration Winner: Asana Collaboration is crucial in any project, and I found Todoist to be quite effective in allowing team members, admins, and guests to work together on projects. Asana, however, offers features like in-app messaging, task dependencies, and templates, which significantly improve teamwork and resource management. User interface and experience Winner: Tie Asana provides a visually rich interface with multiple project views, including a list, board, calendar, and timeline. This flexibility allows me to choose the view that best suits my workflow. However, it was evident that the

Marketing campaign templates help you add structure and clarity to upcoming campaigns. They can also help ensure each campaign aligns with big-picture goals and contains a full plan on how to execute, track, and measure everything. Some campaigns are quick one-off emails while others last weeks or months and encompass multiple marketing channels. This post covers the best free templates for various tools and situations, from complex campaigns using project management tools to simpler approaches using a spreadsheet. Top marketing campaign templates compared Every marketing campaign template in this guide is 100% free to use. Some work with standard tools you might already have, like Excel, Google Sheets, or Google Docs, while others require you to sign up for a dedicated tool. Costs aside, these are the notable differences. Best for Template type Built in collaboration Complexity Estimated setup monday.com Best overall Project management tool Yes Medium 30-60 min ClickUp High-volume content creation Project management tool Yes High 2+ hours Wrike Marketing agencies Project management tool Yes High 3+ hours Asana Small teams Project management tool Yes Low 30 min Notion Campaign brief management Online document editor Limited Medium 30-45 min Confluence Identifying deliverables Online document editor Limited Low 30-60 min Smartsheet Budget tracking Spreadsheet No Low 20 min HubSpot Keeping it simple Document No Low 5 min monday.com: Manage campaigns, projects, and tasks in one Monday.com is a great project management tool that lets you plan campaigns and manage all of the work in the same place. You can even use it to track other types of projects, your budget, digital assets, content, and more. With built-in project management features, you’ll be able to easily create tasks, assign ownership to your team, and stay on top of everything. More monday.com coverage: monday.com Review | Trello vs monday.com | Asana vs monday.com.  monday.com makes it easy to plan, track, and execute campaigns alongside other types of projects in one platform. Image: monday.com One of the more unique aspects of this marketing campaign template is that you can import campaigns you’ve started in a spreadsheet. This makes it a great option if you’ve previously managed everything in Excel or Google Sheets and want an upgrade. The template also includes a timeline view for each campaign, automations that move tasks through the workflow, and team collaboration features — commenting, @ mentions, and prioritization capabilities to name a few. One of the biggest benefits is that you can use it to manage multiple campaigns. There are a few different ways you can set it up and you can add additional trackers in the same tool, giving you ultimate flexibility if you’re willing to customize a bit on your own. ClickUp: A high-volume marketing campaign template ClickUp also checks all the boxes for campaign planning and execution within a project management solution. It offers one of the most generous free plans with up to five spaces, unlimited users, and unlimited tasks. Beyond the free plan, it becomes more and more similar to monday.com. Both are just as capable of campaign management scale — many people use personal preference to decide between the two. More ClickUp coverage: ClickUp review | Asana vs ClickUp | ClickUp vs Notion.  You can use this ClickUp template to plan and manage all of your campaigns simultaneously. Image: clickup.com Although ClickUp will work just fine for simple campaign management, this template is more advanced, and better suited for planning and execution at scale. It’s not difficult to use but it does have a lot of functionality built in, allowing for easy management of dozens of concurrent campaigns and projects across an entire marketing department. The template comes with seven project views, 11 custom fields, built-in budget tracking, and automated task dependency warnings. Once you copy the template into your account, you’ll be able to define channel-specific objectives, map out entire campaigns, assign them to teams or individuals, set deadlings, and prioritize work however you’d like. But the best part is that you can track progress against one campaign, several campaigns, or all of them at once. Wrike: A marketing campaign template for agencies Wrike is a popular project management tool that’s the perfect blend of simplicity and power. It’s easy to scale, which makes it an excellent choice for agencies looking for a better way to manage client campaigns from a single workspace. Wrike’s free forever plan is a good place to start and feel out the platform. But for agencies that want to onboard clients, leverage automations, and set up an approval flow, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan. More on Wrike: Wrike Review | Wrike vs Smartsheet | Wrike vs Asana. Break down client’s marketing campaigns into manageable tasks with Wrike. Image: Wrike.com Staying organized when planning, launching, and tracking marketing campaigns for multiple clients can quickly become overwhelming. Members of your team are likely working on tasks for multiple clients at the same time, and the lines between each project can start to blur if you’re not careful. Wrike’s marketing campaign template simplifies all of this. It’s built specifically for agencies, so you can create separate workspaces for all of your clients. From there, Wrike makes it easy to manage each campaign separately while still being able to roll everything up into a single view. My favorite part of this template is that you can create a custom request form. Clients can easily submit it and a new task will be instantly added to the system. If you’d like, these inbound requests can even be assigned to a specific person with time-based due dates automatically. Wrike also lets you create custom dashboards and reports so you can view real-time metrics for marketing campaigns. These reports are easy to share, so you can pass along progress to your clients to keep them looped in. The main drawback of this template is it’s complexity. Since you’ll be managing different spaces for each client, it can take time to set up. It can also take time for your

Optimizing your website for organic search isn’t something you can set and forget; it’s an ongoing initiative that requires your full attention and long-term planning. SEO project management templates give you space to plan all the work and make sure no tasks fall through cracks. Whether you’re doing SEO on your own or managing a team, these templates will help you stay organized, on track, and ahead of the curve. monday.com: An SEO content management template monday.com is a collaborative relational database solution with built-in project management capabilities. You can use it to keep track of just about anything, from your budget and tasks to resources, assets, and SEO projects. With more than 200 free templates to choose from, there are plenty of places to start if you don’t feel comfortable starting from scratch. Template features:  SEO briefs. Keyword planning. Ability to create related keywords as a “subitem” of a parent topic. Track monthly search volume and other key SEO metrics. Team tagging and status tracking. More monday.com coverage: monday.com review | Airtable vs monday.com | Notion vs monday.com.  With monday.com, you can turn keyword opportunities into content briefs with just a few clicks. Image: mondayspaces.com Because of its relational nature, you can set up multiple boards and tables that connect to each other rather than cramming everything into one place. Regardless of how you do it, your team can easily collaborate, manage their work, and switch between views at their leisure. My favorite monday.com SEO template is a content planning tool that lets you map content based on keyword research. It includes everything you need to go from keyword to published post, including brief creation, task management, and publishing activity. It’s a one-stop shop for content teams looking for a simple, yet effective way to organize operations. You’ll be able to add or import keywords and relevant data, create subtasks (like opportunities or specific optimizations), attach SEO briefs, and assign tasks through the publishing stage. While it doesn’t help with SEO audits or technical SEO, it’s a strong starting point. ClickUp’s SEO project management templates ClickUp is a powerful project management solution that’s customizable, feature-rich, and affordable. Beyond ready-made templates, you’ll get everything you need to manage projects at scale. From built-in team chat to Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and sprint management, ClickUp comes with a wide range of collaborative features to manage and scale your business. Plus, it offers a generous free plan and plenty of room to grow. More ClickUp coverage: ClickUp review | ClickUp vs monday.com | ClickUp vs Notion. SEO Project Management: An easy, yet feature rich template This free SEO template from ClickUp is perfect for a wide range of SEO projects. You can use it for assigning and tracking one-off tasks, like compressing images or auditing headers, or ongoing SEO efforts, like content creation. Template features:  Nested subtasks. Optimization SOPs. Board to organize urgent SEO tasks. Ability to add multiple assignees to a single item. SEO audit tables. ClickUp’s SEO project management template covers  audits, SEO tasks, time tracking, and more. Image: ClickUp.com Just like the tool itself, ClickUp’s template is full of functionality, letting users organize and view all work in one place while others monitor big picture progress without getting in the weeds. You can even track your budget, allocate resources, and collaborate in the same place. It also comes with 16 custom statuses and five custom views, taking out a lot of the upfront work to make systems like these work. While there’s plenty to customize if you choose to do so, you can start using it in a matter of minutes. SEO Checklist: A simpler alternative for tracking one-off tasks SEO optimization includes numerous small and intricate tasks you’ll likely have to repeat for different pages or pieces of content. Keeping track of these details can be a challenge, especially when you’re optimizing multiple URLs at the same time. ClickUp’s SEO checklist template solves this problem. Template features:  9 custom fields. 4 custom statuses. 4 custom board views. Beginner-friendly. Team collaboration features. ClickUp makes it easy to track all SEO tasks for individual pages, links, content, and your entire site as a whole. Image: ClickUp.com It comes pre-loaded with essential SEO tasks, which is great if you’re not sure where to start. You can also segment tasks into categories and prioritize work however you’d like. However, you can easily set up custom checklists for individual pages and build new lists for different types of pages, like home, blog posts, landing pages, and FAQ pages. It’s a great choice whether you know exactly what you want to do or you need some help figuring that out. Since the template only works with ClickUp, you’ll also be able to tap into its built-in project management and collaboration features. SEO Research & Management: An advanced ClickUp template This ClickUp template goes beyond basic keyword research. You can use it for your initial SEO planning and all the work involved with meeting your performance goals. It’s possible to use this template on your own, but it works best when you’re collaborating with a small team. It takes longer to set up than the others and comes with a bunch of built in capabilities you’ll have to figure out how to use. However, it’s worth it if you want granular tracking, assignments, due dates, and analytics. Template features:  Dependency warnings for related SEO tasks. Dashboards to visualize SEO data. 27 custom statuses. Supports end-to-end SEO project management. Unlimited Gantt charts (on paid plans only). This template combines high-level SEO goals with specific objectives to achieve them. Image: Clickup.com The best part about this template is how it walks you through breaking e a big-picture SEO goal into specific tasks. For example, I started by creating a goal to increase total organic traffic in Q1 of next year. From there, it helped me get more specific. I created a list of tasks and linked them back to my goal so I can track progress

Europe has selected the sites for seven “AI factories” — specialised research and development centres using the region’s most powerful supercomputers. The factories will be based in Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, and Sweden. The interconnected network of factories will drive advancements in AI applications across various sectors in the E.U., including health, manufacturing, energy, climate, and finance. It will be managed by the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, an organisation set up to develop a world-class supercomputing ecosystem in the region. Sites will more than double E.U.’s data capacity AI startups, small and medium enterprises, and researchers across the continent can easily access high-performance computing resources, training, and expertise through the factories. The aim is to bring together the “key ingredients for success in AI,” which are computing power, data, and talent. Together, the seven factories will more than double the E.U.’s data capacity by 2026. Five of the sites will involve new AI-optimised supercomputers, while the one in Spain will involve upgrading an existing EuroHPC system, MareNostrum 5. Likewise, the facility in Greece will be associated with the DAEDALUS supercomputer currently deployed in Athens. The factories in Spain and Finland will have an “experimental platform” designed specifically to develop and test frontier AI models. Who will fund Europe’s new AI factories? The EuroHPC JU, the European Commission, and individual Member States will share funding for the seven factories, totaling €2.1 billion. The E.U. will also provide €100 million to support incubation and start-up activities, aiming to attract an additional €1 billion from private investors. Location Name Existing supercomputing infrastructure New or upgrade? Budget Kajaani, Finland LUMI AF LUMI New At least €556 million Stuttgart, Germany HammerHAI High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart New €85 million Athens, Greece Pharos DAEDALUS, GRNET Upgrade €30 million Bologna, Italy IT4LIA LEONARDO New €430 million Bissen, Luxembourg L-AI MeluXina New €112 million Barcelona, Spain Barcelona Supercomputing Center MareNostrum 5 Upgrade €198 million Linköping, Sweden MIMER National Academic Infrastructure for Supercomputing New Unknown More must-read AI coverage The AI factories will lower the typical barriers to entry associated with AI technology, such as the cost of installing hardware, shortage of applicable talent, and data security concerns stemming from using offshore cloud providers. They will also make it easier for researchers to adhere to the E.U.’s strict data security and AI ethics requirements, as the factories’ management teams will be responsible for compliance. Furthermore, a September report by former European Central Bank President and economist Mario Draghi claimed that the bloc was not competitive with other global regions in terms of innovation, especially with advanced technologies. The factories intend to help address this lack of competitiveness, guarantee strategic sovereignty, and improve control over data and security. SEE: Generative AI Could Add Up to €1.4 Trillion to the EU’s GDP by 2034 “Now we are ready to lead with the right infrastructure in our ambition for the EU to become the AI continent,” said Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, in a statement. First seven factories to be operational by 2026 In Jan. 2024, the European Commission launched a package of measures to support European startups and SMEs developing trustworthy AI in line with the AI Act. Among them was a proposal to enable the establishment of accessible AI factories using the EuroHPC infrastructure. In May, the European AI Office was formed largely to govern the deployment of the general purpose models and the AI Act. However, the office is also tasked with establishing AI factories. Proposals for the seven factories were received in November and then formally announced on Dec. 10. The goal is to set up the first AI factories in early 2025 and complete them by 2026. More may join later; Cyprus and Slovenia have submitted letters of interest, and Feb. 1 is the deadline for the second round of proposals. source

TL;DR: Limited-time sale: get a 5th Gen iPad mini on sale for $279.99 (reg. $529), at TechRepublic Academy. When you’re traveling or working on the go, a compact, reliable device makes all the difference. The iPad mini 5th Gen delivers portability and power, making it perfect for professionals, and it’s available now for $279.99 (reg. $529). Why it’s useful to have an iPad mini on hand This iPad has both Wi-Fi and cellular capabilities, so you can stay connected wherever you go. Whether you’re at a cafe, on a plane, or somewhere remote, the built-in LTE support keeps you connected. Plus, the 64GB local storage means you have plenty of room for apps, documents, photos, and videos without relying on cloud storage. The 7.9-inch Retina Display is compact but wide enough to get some work done, and the A12 Bionic chip has the processing power to manage reliable productivity apps. Scan documents or join video calls with the 8MP rear camera and 7MP FaceTime HD front camera. The built-in stereo speakers provide rich sound, making them perfect for work and play. For security, Touch ID lets you quickly unlock your device or make secure payments. This refurbished iPad mini 5th Gen has a Grade “A” rating, meaning it’s in near-mint condition with virtually no signs of wear. Any marks or faint scuffs are limited to the body of the device, not the screen. The battery can last up to 10 hours on a single charge. Head to TechRepublic Academy and get an iPad mini on sale for $279.99. Prices and availability are subject to change. source

If your data center makes use of Linux machines, one of the administrative tasks you’ll want to undertake is regularly checking the health of the SSD drives used on those machines. Why? Because, even though solid state drives will dramatically outlast rotating platter drives, they do have a finite lifespan. The last thing you want to do is fall victim to that particular end of days. How do you check the health of those drives? As with everything in Linux, there are options. Although a GUI solution exists (GNOME Disks), I highly recommend going with a command line tool for this task. Why? Most of the time, your Linux servers won’t include a GUI; with the command line, you can easily make use of it by securely shelling into your remote Linux server and running your tests from the terminal. The tool in question is smartctl. With this command, you can quickly glimpse your SSD health. Of course, how much mileage you get from the command will depend upon the make/model of SSD you employ. Unfortunately, the S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) tools aren’t always up to date with every SSD drive. Because of this, you cannot be certain of the number of times your SSD chips have been written to. Even with that in mind, you can get a good estimate of the wear and tear on your drives. Let’s install and use smartctl. SEE: How to View Your SSH Keys in Linux, macOS, and Windows (TechRepublic) Installation I will be demonstrating with the Ubuntu platform. The required package is found on all the standard repositories, so adjust the installation command to fit your particular distribution of choice. The smartctl utility is a part of the smartmontools package. This can be installed with a single command: sudo apt install smartmontools Do note, the above command will also install libgsasl7, libkyotocabinet16v5, libmailutils5, libntlm0, mailutils, mailutils-common, and postfix. Once the package is installed, you’re ready to go. SEE: Securing Linux Policy (TechRepublic Premium) Open source: Must-read coverage Usage To use the smartctl tool, the first thing you will want to do is gather information about the drive, which is done via the command: sudo smartctl -i /dev/sdX Where sdX is the name of the drive to be tested. The above command will print out the details associated with your drive. This displays the details associated with your drive. Image: Jack Wallen As you can see, the drive in question is in the smartctl database, so information should be up-to-date. Let’s run a short test on the drive. These tests will actually give you the most accurate data on your drive (so it’s important to use these included tools). Issue the command: sudo smartctl -t short -a /dev/sdX This will immediately report some bits of information. Running a short test on the drive. Image: Jack Wallen I recommend you run a short and a long test weekly or (monthly) on your drives. To run a long test, the command is: sudo smartctl -t long -a /dev/sdX One of the first things you should see is the results of the SMART overall health self-assessment test. That should say PASSED. If not, you know, right away there’s something wrong with your SSD. The short test will examine the following: Electrical properties: The controller tests its own electronics, which differs for each manufacturer. Mechanical properties: Servos and positioning mechanisms are tested (also specific to each manufacturer). Read/verify: A certain disk area will be read to verify certain data (the size and position of the region read is unique to each manufacturer). The long test runs everything included with the short test, while adding: No time restriction and in the read/verify segment. The entire disk is checked (as opposed to just a section). The short test takes approximately two minutes to complete, whereas the long test will require between 20-60 minutes (depending upon your hardware). To view the results of the test, issue the command sudo smartctl -a /dev/sdX (Where sdX is the name of the drive tested). The command will print out the test results and all of the information you need to verify the health of your SSD. This prints out the test results and the information needed to verify the SSD’s health. Image: Jack Wallen Beyond the self-test log, there are two values in the output to be examined: Power_On_Hours — how many hours the drive has been powered on. Each make/model of drive has a recommended “shelf life” of hours it can be used. Most modern SSDs have fairly incredible lifespans, so chances are you’re not going to bump into the end of life. If you’re using an older drive, this can be an issue. Wear_Leveling_Count — Stands for the remaining endurance of the drive in percentage (starting from 100 and decreasing linearly as the drive is written to). It is important to look at the value and worst value columns. As you can see, my Samsung SSD is currently at a 99 for Wear_Leveling_Count, which is a very healthy drive. One thing to keep in mind is that different manufacturers will report different data with smartctl. For example, I have an older Intel and Kingston SSD drives attached to the same machine. Both of these drives report similar (and more comprehensive) data. However, neither report the Wear_Leveling_Count. Why? These are both older drives and do not report ID 177 (Wear_Leveling_Count). Instead, your best bet is to run both the short and long tests and verify the health of your drives via those reports. SEE: How to Connect to Linux Samba Shares from Windows (TechRepublic) The obvious caveats There are two caveats with smartctl. First off, it’s easy to misinterpret the reported data. Because of this, you must know the make and model of the drive you are testing. Once you have that information in hand, you can research any anomalies with reported data. Second, it is crucial to make use of the testing tools. Although you can run a

The physical location of your Windows product key is often located on a sticker placed in difficult-to-reach spots on your PC. However, with a few commands and a little know-how, you can use the operating system to reveal your Windows 11 product key. The techniques for finding a product key are practically the same as those for Windows 10, but there are subtle differences. This tutorial explains how to find your Windows 11 product key using the operating system and not by relying on the sticker placed haphazardly somewhere on your PC. 3 simple ways to find your Windows 11 product key These techniques are best used for Windows 11 computers running the OS since purchase or for Windows 10 PCs upgraded to Windows 11 through the patch process. The product keys for enterprise PCs are distributed differently and may not be revealed using these methods. 1. Use the command prompt in Windows 11 The most direct method for finding your Windows 11 product key is from the command line. Open the Windows 11 search tool and type “command.” Find the command prompt in the search results and click the Run As Administrator link to reach the command prompt screen. You can also reach the command prompt using the keyboard combination Windows Key-R and typing “cmd” into the resulting text box. Type or paste this command at the prompt and press the Enter key: wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey The command reveals your original Windows 11 product key on the command prompt screen. 2. Use PowerShell in Windows 11 If you would prefer to use PowerShell, the process is similar, but the commands are different. Open the Windows 11 search tool and type “powershell.” Find PowerShell in the search results and click the Run As Administrator link. At the PowerShell prompt, type or paste this command, then press Enter: powershell “(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey” The command reveals your original Windows 11 product key on the PowerShell prompt screen. More about Microsoft 3. Use the Registry file in Windows 11 The Windows 11 product key is stored in the Windows Registry file, so it is possible to find the product key there if you navigate to the right place. Open the Windows 11 search tool and type “regedit.” Select the Registry Editor application from the results and click the Run As Administrator link. Using the left-hand windowpane in the editor, navigate to this key: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionSoftwareProtectionPlatform The figure below shows that the BackupProductKeyDefault key will reveal a valid Windows 11 product key. Note: This key may differ from the key revealed by the command prompt or PowerShell. Exit out of the Registry Editor when you are finished. Additional tips about finding your Windows 11 product key Some third-party vendors offer applications to locate and display your Windows 11 product key. Still, the techniques explained above suggest that those apps may not be worth the trouble or the potential security issues, given you can already find the product key by yourself using your device. Remember that if you bought Windows 11 from the Microsoft Store, your account order history will have product key information. If Windows came pre-installed on your device via an OEM or retailer, your system should come with a digital license, meaning your product key should not be required at all. However, regardless of how you purchased Windows 11, the key will always follow the same familiar, 25-character alphanumeric code format. Ben Abbott updated this article source

Best overall Stripe alternative: Square Cheapest Stripe alternative: Helcim Best Stripe alternative for ease of use: PayPal Best Stripe alternative for integrations and fraud protection: Authorize.net Best Stripe alternative for account stability: Adyen Best Stripe alternative for Shopify merchants: Shopify Payments Best Stripe alternative for high-risk businesses: PaymentCloud Stripe is a highly-rated and popular payment processor by users and experts alike because of its customizable tools, security features, and ability to accept many payment methods. However, there are some situations when Stripe isn’t the best option, such as the need for strong omnichannel sales, an easy-to-use setup, and reduced or discounted processing fees. Top Stripe alternatives comparison The best alternatives to Stripe are providers that surpass Stripe in certain criteria during my evaluation or offer a feature that Stripe lacks. The table compares these payment processors like Stripe based on ease of use, platform compatibility, and associated costs. Starting price (per month) Onlinetransaction fee Same-day payouts Ease of use Platform compatibility Square $0 2.9% + $0. 30 1.75% Excellent Exclusive Square has available APIs and SDKs like Stripe, that let you develop a custom solution. For out-of-the-box solutions, Square will only work within the Square ecosystem. Helcim $0 Interchange plus 0.15% + $0.15 N/A Good Limited PayPal $0-$30 2.99% + $0.49 1.5% Excellent Excellent Authorize.net $25 2.9% + $0.30 or $0.10 No fees Good Excellent Adyen $0 Interchange + $0.13 Undisclosed fee, if any Good Excellent Shopify Payments $0 2.4% + $0.30 N/A Excellent Exclusive PaymentCloud $10-$45 2%-4.3% N/A Good Excellent Square: Best overall Stripe alternative Image: Square Square is an all-in-one POS solution that facilitates in-person, online, and mobile payments. When it comes to Stripe vs Square, the latter provides merchants with a payment gateway to accept payments through point-of-sale hardware (that they also provide) and online (that they also provide an avenue for through an e-commerce website builder). Even better, Square offers these at zero cost, making it a very attractive option for all business sizes. Square’s free offerings are also not limiting — they are robust enough to be a completely viable option for startups and businesses primed for growth. Why I chose Square While both Stripe and Square do not charge monthly fees and offer flat-rate pricing, Square has these advantages: it has lower processing fees for card-present or in-person transactions, offers free POS and e-commerce tools, and more card reader options that are less expensive. Stripe has higher fees for in-person transactions and requires integrations for POS and e-commerce builders. It also has limited card reader options for in-person selling as it’s primarily an online payment processor. Square is the best Stripe alternative if budget, ease of use, and quick installation are priorities. It has no monthly fees and offers free omnichannel selling tools (POS, card reader, and e-commerce builder). Square can get you set up and started in a few simple steps, with no coding knowledge required. It also comes with scalable features that can support business growth. Custom pricing is available upon request for enterprises. Pricing Subscription fee: $0. Online transaction: 2.9% + 30 cents. Invoice processing: 2.9% + 30 cents or 3.5% + 15 cents if processed using Card on File. ACH transaction fee: 1% processing fee, minimum $1. Recurring billing: 3.5% + 15 cents. Chargeback fee: $0 (waived up to $250 per month). Features Flexible POS system that grows with your business. Omnichannel payment processing. Deposit speed — standard 1–2 days, 1.75% fee for instant funding. Inclusion of a free e-commerce website builder. Customer support — Monday-Friday phone support, 24/7 automated chat support. Square’s card reader lets you accept tap, dip, and swipe payments. Image: Square Pros and cons Pros Cons Free user-friendly POS and online store. Not suited for high-risk businesses. No monthly fees or minimums. Exclusive to Square. Omnichannel payment processing tools. Developer-based solutions only for enterprise accounts. Helcim: Cheapest Stripe alternative Image: Helcim Helcim is a merchant account provider offering robust payment processing solutions — including support for online, in-person, invoicing, recurring billing, virtual terminal, and ACH payments. Its biggest advantage over Stripe is its interchange-plus pricing structure with automatic volume discounts, making it the cheapest Stripe alternative for business owners. B2B businesses and those with large sales volumes, particularly above $50,000 a month, will especially benefit from Helcim’s pricing, as that is where Helcim’s volume discount starts. Why I chose Helcim I chose Helcim as my top pick for the best B2B payment processor and Stripe alternative primarily because of its cost-effectiveness. Helcim provides competitive pricing (interchange plus) and automatic volume discounts for those handling more than $50,000 in monthly sales. With Stripe, you only get flat-rate and custom pricing, which can get costly as you increase sales. Helcim also offers zero-cost processing (automatic compliant surcharging), which lets you legally pass on credit card charges to customers, saving on fees. Stripe only has manual surcharging. Lastly, Helcim has free invoicing and recurring billing, which you must pay extra for in Stripe. Helcim also includes level 2 and 3 data optimization programs (to qualify for low B2B interchange rates) at no extra cost. Overall, Helcim beats Stripe when it comes to saving on costs and fees and provides free tools that are suitable for B2B payments. Its limited integrations can be the dealbreaker for some, although Stripe has an extensive list. But for those wanting to save on fees and maximize profits based on sales volumes, Helcim is the best Stripe alternative. Pricing Monthly fee: $0. Payment gateway fee: $0. Payment processing fees: Interchange plus 0.15-0.4% and 6-8 cents per card-present transactions. Interchange plus 0.15%-0.50% and 15-25 cents per card-not-present transaction. Plus 1% international sales (Helcim specified this fee is bank-imposed and not a markup on its end.) Interchange plus 0.15%–0.5% + 15–25 cents for invoicing. Interchange plus 0.15%–0.5% + 15–25 cents for recurring billing. 0.5% + 25 cents per transaction for domestic ACH transfers. Plus 0.10% + 10 cents for American Express (AmEx) transactions. Chargeback fee: $15, refundable. Deposit speed: 2 business days. Features Interchange plus