Technologies
How to Save Your Photos From Google Album Archive Before They’re Deleted
Google says all media in Album Archive will disappear on July 19.
Never heard of Google Album Archive? You’re not alone. Though Album Archive might not be a household name, it could be harboring some of your photos and videos, and Google plans to delete them all in only a few weeks.
Google Album Archive is a catchall destination for older media you’ve shared on various Google services that generally isn’t stored elsewhere. Google contacted users on June 18 to let them know that Album Archive will be shutting down on July 19, 2023. You’ve got until that date to use Google Takeout to export any files you’d like to keep.
Not sure what media of yours is in Google Album Archive or how to use Google Takeout? Have no fear — we’ll show you everything you need to know to keep from losing those old photos and videos. For more, here’s what’s new in Google Maps and how to check out the next version of Android.
What is Google Album Archive?
Google Album Archive is a repository for photos and videos that you’ve shared on older Google services like Hangouts (now Google Chat) or Google Plus. It can also include media from Blogger and Picasa Web Albums, old profile pictures, YouTube channel art or automated backups.
Some of the images and videos in Album Archive are also available in Google Photos, Blogger and Google Chat, but others exist only in Album Archive. On July 19, 2023, Google will be eliminating Album Archive and deleting the files in it.
How do I save my photos and videos from Google Album Archive?

To save your media from Google Album Archive before it’s deleted, Google recommends using Google Takeout, the company’s tool for exporting data. A customized Google Takeout link will take you directly to a page for downloading your Album Archive data.
In Step 1, make sure that the checkbox next to «AlbumArchive» is selected, and then click the blue «Next Step» button to progress to Step 2.

Now you’ll need to decide where you want your files to go. You can either receive a ZIP or TGZ file via email, or upload your files directly to another storage service, like Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive or Box. Once you’ve made your selections, click the blue «Create export» button to start downloading.
You’ll then receive a verification message that Google has started exporting your data and that the «process can take a long time (possibly hours or days) to complete.» You’ll receive an email when it’s complete.
I had only about 5MB of photos in my Album Archive, and I received a confirmation email from Google within 2 minutes that the process was complete. You can then use Google Takeout to download the ZIP or TGZ file directly, or manage your files on the storage service you selected.
Important note: The Google Takeout link to download your data will work only for 7 days. If you wait longer than that, you’ll need to start the Takeout process over again.

Google’s email to users varied slightly from its messaging on the Album Archive page, so it isn’t entirely clear which photos and videos may be available in the future on various Google services. Take a look at the files you’ve got in Album Archive, and download anything you want to keep by July 19, 2023, to be sure you don’t lose it.
For more on Google, check out how its new AI search tool works, or see how Google Shopping now lets you try on clothes virtually.
Technologies
In Honor of the Artemis II Mission, Explore the Moon in Fortnite Now
You might not be able to see the moon the way the Artemis II team is, but there’s an educational Fortnite simulation that will get you onto the celestial body’s surface.
You may not be able to explore the vast majesty of space in the same way that the four-person crew of the Artemis II is, but you can still get an up-close-and-personal view of the moon… in Fortnite, at least.
While you may not be able to slingshot around Earth’s own lunar body, space enthusiasts can see a little bit of what the Artemis II crew is seeing by spending time on the Lunar Horizons Fortnite map right now. The map is a creative collaboration between Fortnite’s creator, Epic Games, and the European Space Agency. Lunar Horizons was released in 2024 after extensive testing and play from ESA trainee astronauts.
If you’re looking to learn more about our own orbiting body, the Lunar Horizons map is an educational simulation of the surface of the moon’s South Pole.
It blends game mechanics with learning, as players get to build up their own sterile lunar habitat bases, interact with ESA astronauts and roll around with robotic rovers as they discover informative plaques that contain information about the moon and international space agencies. There are still dangers to navigate, too — a solar storm may strike when you least expect it.
If you’re interested in exploring the moon, we’ve got all the information you need to join in on the Fortnite fun below. And if you’re looking for a more serious livestream during this momentous human achievement, tune into NASA’s feed here.
How to join the Moon Fortnite island while you follow the Artemis II mission
The Lunar Horizons Fortnite map is a great educational simulation that shares details about ESA’s work and catalogs information about humanity’s lunar research.
These three simple steps will get you up and running (or more accurately, taking slow leaps and bounds) on the surface of the Lunar Horizons Fortnite map:
Download Fortnite
If you haven’t played Fortnite before, but you want to check out this limited-time event, you’ll have to download the game. If you’re on PC, you can download Fortnite for free from the Epic Games Store. Console players can navigate the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store or Nintendo eShop in order to download Fortnite on their devices.
Navigate the in-game menus until you reach the Search button
Once you’re in the game, scroll down past the different official Fortnite game modes and the Discover tab until you find the Search button.
Input the Lunar Horizons island code
In the search bar, you can input a map’s name or its distinct search code in order to find it in the map directory. You can search for the Lunar Horizons map or input the code 3207-0960-6428 to explore this map in time.
Correction, 3:35 p.m. PT: This story initially was in error about the features available in the Lunar Horizons map. There is no Artemis II-specific mission in Fortnite. Rather, the Lunar Horizons map is an educational simulation of part of the moon’s surface.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 7, #561
Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for April 7, No. 561.
Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a fun mix of categories, and the purple one cracked me up. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.
Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta
Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.
Yellow group hint: Fore!
Green group hint: Hockey Night in Canada.
Blue group hint: Meteorologist favorites.
Purple group hint: And they’re off!
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Golf scoring terms.
Green group: Canadian NHL teams.
Blue group: Weather-themed teams.
Purple group: Things that race at MLB games.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is golf scoring terms. The four answers are birdie, bogey, eagle and par.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is Canadian NHL teams. The four answers are Canadiens, Canucks, Oilers and Senators.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is weather-themed teams. The four answers are Hurricanes, Lightning, Storm and Thunder.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is things that race at MLB games. The four answers are pierogis, presidents, sausages and the freeze.
Technologies
Trump Administration Bans Chinese Routers. Phones and Cameras Could Follow
Major companies, including Huawei and Hikvision, could see the last of their import orders cut off from the US within 30 days of implementation.
The Federal Communications Commission continued its crackdown on Chinese tech on Friday, issuing a new proposal that would extend a ban on companies to products previously authorized.
In 2021, companies such as Huawei, Hikvision, Dahua, Hytera and ZTE were added to the FCC’s Covered List, a record of companies and products that the FCC believes pose a national security risk to the US, under the Secure Networks Act. The Chinese companies produce mobile phones, security cameras and other tech products.
But the 2021 ban applied only to new models that the FCC hadn’t authorized, and companies were free to keep selling models that had already received the FCC’s stamp of approval. If approved, the new proposal would ban these companies entirely, including those previously approved products.
«Older models of covered equipment pose an unacceptable risk today when imported or marketed in the United States, not only when such equipment is new to the market,» an FCC report from October said.
The proposal will be open for comment until May 6, after which the commission will vote on whether to adopt the rules. The ban won’t affect devices already owned by Americans.
Read more: My Expert Advice: Don’t Buy a Router Until We Know More About the FCC’s Ban
Millions of consumers and businesses rely on Wi-Fi routers, telecommunications equipment and security cameras every day, making these devices critical links in both home and office networks. The Federal Communications Commission shocked the broadband industry on March 23 by effectively banning the sale of future foreign-made Wi-Fi routers (including some of the biggest router brands).
In recent years, Chinese telecommunications companies have faced restrictions on operating in the US. In 2020, The Wall Street Journal cited US officials who reportedly said that Chinese companies, including Huawei, used backdoor access intended for law enforcement to track sensitive information.
But this ban could be implemented quickly. The FCC proposes that «all parties [will have to] cease all importation and marketing activities within 30 days of the effective date of the prohibition.»
This proposition doesn’t reflect a final legal ruling on telecommunications imports, but it does reflect how the Trump administration has been increasingly pressuring Chinese tech companies in recent months.
The foreign-made router ban was only the latest in a string of decisions that have placed restrictions on Chinese tech companies operating in the US.
In December, the FCC banned the importation of Chinese-made drones into the US. Just months before that, the agency voted to block new approvals for any device containing parts manufactured by companies on the Covered List.
Representatives from the FCC and Huawei didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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