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David Gewirtz

@davidgewirtz.com
1.4K followers 2.9K following 520 posts

ZDNet columnist, ZATZ founder, puppy daddy, host of Advanced Geekery. Former UC Berkeley instructor, Mercer professor, CNN and Economist alum

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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 18/12/2025
Here's my new article on (and a fun picture generated by) ChatGPT's new images feature. www.zdnet.com/article/chat...
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 17/12/2025
Here's my first look at the new ChatGPT Images. www.zdnet.com/article/chat...
zdnet.com
I tested the new ChatGPT Images - it's a stunning improvement, and enormously fun
'Lights! Eggnog! Punching!' OpenAI just overhauled ChatGPT image generation, and the results surprised and delighted me.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 16/12/2025
Happy to be back doing Harvard stuff again. This was a really excellent series, great for keeping up my continuing ed chops. 60+ hours of lecture, roughly 80 individual programming tasks. And yes, there will be a ZDNET article about it in the new year.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 16/12/2025
I also wrote this: www.zdnet.com/article/clau...
zdnet.com
10 things I wish I knew before trusting Claude Code to build my iPhone app
Vibe coding sounds effortless, until it isn't. Building a full iPhone app with Claude Code showed me why baby steps, backups, and testing matter.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 15/12/2025
2025: the year programming got power tools. My latest piece. www.zdnet.com/article/ai-g...
zdnet.com
Your programming career isn't over - AI just upgraded your toolbox
Now that AI can write software, where does that leave you as a programmer? The answer lies in the past.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 15/12/2025
Now you can do it too: www.zdnet.com/article/how-...
zdnet.com
How to install and configure Claude Code, step by step
Curious about Anthropic's AI coding tool but unsure where to begin? My walkthrough covers pricing, installation, authorization, and project initialization so developers can get up and running…
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 12/12/2025
My latest: www.zdnet.com/article/text...
zdnet.com
I tested GPT-5.2 and the AI model's mixed results raise tough questions
Subjected to my battery of 10 text tests and 4 image challenges, OpenAI's latest model barely edged out GPT-5.1. What are Plus subscribers actually paying for?
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 08/12/2025
Gooood Monday morning, the Internet! Here's my latest article. I'm starting the week with Community Coffee Southern Pecan Praline. What about you? www.zdnet.com/article/stop...
zdnet.com
Stop using ChatGPT for everything: The AI models I use for research, coding, and more (and which I avoid)
From GPT to Claude to Gemini, model names change fast, but use cases matter more. Here's how I choose the best model for the task at hand.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 05/12/2025
My latest, and my new app… www.zdnet.com/article/clau...
zdnet.com
Claude Code made an astonishing $1B in 6 months - and my own AI-coded iPhone app shows why
My complex app, built entirely through agentic coding, reveals the true force multiplier transforming how developers create products at astonishing speed.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 02/12/2025
My latest post. Some useful lessons here. www.zdnet.com/article/how-...
zdnet.com
How to learn ChatGPT in under an hour using my favorite guides and videos - for free
Want to master ChatGPT fast and for free? Here's the easiest path, with my top handpicked resources.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 25/11/2025
I wrote this. I know, shocker, right? www.zdnet.com/article/i-te...
zdnet.com
I tested Opus 4.5 to see if it's really 'the best in the world' at coding - and things got weird fast
Here's what happened when I pushed Anthropic's new model through some simple development tasks.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 17/11/2025
Here's my quick iOS coding tutorial: www.zdnet.com/article/how-...
zdnet.com
How to vibe code your first iPhone app with AI - no experience necessary
You can easily create an app today, using AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude. Here's how.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 13/11/2025
I now have a fairly low-cost structure for an enormously powerful creative stack. www.zdnet.com/article/im-a...
zdnet.com
I'm a Photoshop diehard, but Canva's free tools won me over - and saved me money
Adobe's subscription limits and AI stinginess pushed me over the edge. Canva offers freedom, flexibility, and serious savings. See if switching makes sense for you, too.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 12/11/2025
Do you think you'd trust an AI agent to shop or make purchases on your behalf? www.zdnet.com/article/how-...
zdnet.com
How small businesses can survive AI shopping: 7 essential steps
With AI shopping agents quietly changing how we buy stuff, SMBs must adapt quickly or risk becoming invisible online.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 11/11/2025
My latest video is only a little bit of a rant. www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBkv...
youtube.com
Don't do this one thing if your 3D printer arrives dead-on-arrival
Ever unboxed a brand-new 3D printer only to find it's badly broken? You’re not alone. Plus, there’s one critical mistake you should never make when that happens. In this episode, David Gewirtz shares…
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 07/11/2025
Want to save money on cloud expenses. Here are my tips. www.zdnet.com/article/5-mu...
zdnet.com
5 must-have cloud tools for small businesses in 2025 (and my top 10 money-saving secrets)
Are you overpaying for cloud tools? Here's what you actually need and how small changes can save you thousands a year.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 06/11/2025
What have I learned while using AI? Here are 10 lessons.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 06/11/2025
How do I use AI? Here's a pretty good list. www.zdnet.com/article/i-ru...
zdnet.com
I run a very small business. Here are 21 simple ways AI saves me time every day
From coding to marketing to YouTube production, here's how a two-person company harnesses AI to outperform teams ten times their size, all while spending less than their QuickBooks subscription.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 24/10/2025
Catching up on articles I posted this week. Here's the first. www.zdnet.com/article/what...
zdnet.com
What Bill Gates really said about AI replacing coding jobs
Everyone's quoting Bill Gates saying AI can't replace programmers - but he never actually said that. Here's what he really said, and what it means for your tech career.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 24/10/2025
I think today's piece is particularly interesting (and worrisome). www.zdnet.com/article/why-...
zdnet.com
Why open source may not survive the rise of generative AI
Generative AI may be eroding the foundation of open source software. Provenance, licensing, and reciprocity are breaking down.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 24/10/2025
Here's my take on all the big chatbots. www.zdnet.com/article/best...
zdnet.com
The best AI chatbots of 2025: ChatGPT, Copilot, and others worth trying
We pushed eight free AI chatbots to their limits, from writing stories to generating images. See which ones scored high marks and which failed to keep up.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 17/10/2025
This free 4-module course that begins next week. www.zdnet.com/article/this...
zdnet.com
This free Google AI course could transform how you research and write - but act fast
The Knight Center and Google are launching a free AI course aimed at journalists, but if you're a student or a writer, you could learn a lot, too. It starts Monday.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 15/10/2025
Have you tried using AI tools to help you code? www.zdnet.com/article/ive-...
zdnet.com
I've tested free vs. paid AI coding tools - here's which one I'd actually use
Some developers pay big for AI coding tools. Others stick with free. Here's how to know when to spend - and when to save.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 14/10/2025
Here's my latest deep dive. www.zdnet.com/article/is-a...
zdnet.com
Is art dead? What Sora 2 means for your rights, creativity, and legal risk
OpenAI's Sora 2 gives anyone the power to make realistic AI videos - but what happens when creativity, copyright, and deepfakes collide in ways we can't control?
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 10/10/2025
I'm super-annoyed at Apple for removing Launchpad. But here's a workaround. www.zdnet.com/article/miss...
zdnet.com
Miss Launchpad in MacOS 26? I found a way to restore it for free - here's how
Two free utilities can recreate Apple's removed feature and restore your workflow faster than Spotlight's messy app grid ever could.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 08/10/2025
Did I mention I put out a new video this weekend? Well, I did. www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9k8...
youtube.com
Good, Weird, and Ugly: Narwal Freo Z Ultra Review
Can a robot vacuum survive a real workshop? Most can’t. I’ve tested plenty, and every one failed within minutes. But the Narwal Freo Z Ultra is different. In this Advanced Geekery review, I take the…
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 08/10/2025
OpenAI announces more Codex www.zdnet.com/article/chat...
zdnet.com
ChatGPT's Codex just got a huge upgrade that makes it more powerful than ever - what's new
OpenAI has fully launched Codex, and it comes with new tools for developers, including Slack integration and more.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 06/10/2025
Last week, Google announced Jules Tools, a command-line companion for Google's GitHub-centric coding agent. Wait, what? www.zdnet.com/article/goog...
zdnet.com
Google's new Jules Tools is very cool - how I'm using it and other Gemini AI CLIs
Jules Tools has quietly joined Gemini CLI and GitHub Actions in Google's lineup. Here's how these command-line agents differ.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 03/10/2025
This thing does absolutely nothing. And that's good. www.zdnet.com/home-and-off...
zdnet.com
The $99 gadget that prevents electrical fires by doing nothing
I tested a tiny device that plugs in, stays silent, and promises to stop electrical fires before they start. Here's my verdict.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 02/10/2025
This was almost too much fun. www.zdnet.com/article/my-n...
zdnet.com
My new favorite Photoshop AI tool lets me combine images in one click - and I can't stop
Photoshop Harmonize automatically adjusts an object's color, lighting, and shadows to match any background. It's very, very good - and addictive.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 29/09/2025
The latest in my AI programming saga www.zdnet.com/article/i-te...
zdnet.com
I teamed up two AI tools to solve a major bug - but they couldn't do it without me
When Codex failed to debug my plugin, Deep Research delivered - with my careful guidance. Here's how combining AI tools can solve problems faster and supercharge developer workflows.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 26/09/2025
Paper is a river. Manage the flow, not the pile. www.zdnet.com/home-and-off...
zdnet.com
How I turned an old laptop into a home document station - and cut down on paperwork chaos
This clever setup uses scanners, shredders, and custom 3D prints to stop paper and mail as soon it enters my house.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 25/09/2025
New research says AI is an amplifier for organizational function. Good gets better. Bad gets worse. Interesting read. www.zdnet.com/article/ai-h...
zdnet.com
AI helps strong dev teams and hurts weak ones, according to Google's 2025 DORA report
AI magnifies how well (or poorly) you already operate. The 2025 DORA report reveals seven practices that separate high-performing teams from struggling ones.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 22/09/2025
I'm going to share with you the most valuable lessons I learned. www.zdnet.com/article/10-c...
zdnet.com
10 ChatGPT Codex secrets I only learned after 60 hours of pair programming with it
Pair programming with ChatGPT Codex for a week exposed hard-won lessons every developer should know before trying it.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 19/09/2025
I love me some timers. One of the secrets to how I manage my day is that I set timers for everything. www.zdnet.com/article/this...
zdnet.com
This Apple Watch setting keeps me from annoying my partner during work sprints
Constant timers help me work faster, but they bother my partner, so I turned noisy alerts into private wrist taps. Here's how.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 19/09/2025
I need to offer some context to help you understand how I can make this claim and how it fits into my world of work. www.zdnet.com/article/i-go...
zdnet.com
I got 4 years of product development done in 4 days for $200, and I'm still stunned
Can $200 buy years of productivity? My latest AI experiment turned side projects into full products almost overnight, and the possibilities suddenly seem endless.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 15/09/2025
OpenAI says they're seeing strong adoption of Codex among developers and saw usage grow by 10 times in just the past month. I can believe it. This is starting to get really real. www.zdnet.com/article/open...
zdnet.com
OpenAI has new agentic coding partner for you now: GPT-5-Codex
From cloud hand-offs to GitHub reviews, GPT-5-Codex is optimized for agentic coding and designed to supercharge developer workflows.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 12/09/2025
After spending a fairly extended time finally cleaning out the drawer, I was left with five items that defined identification. www.zdnet.com/article/i-us...
zdnet.com
I used Google Lens to identify my weirdest junk drawer items - here's how it did
Think Google Lens is just for IDing flowers and landmarks? I tried it on random 3D printed parts, medical thingamajigs, and one oddly familiar object that almost tricked it.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 11/09/2025
It feels a bit like a drug. You get your first taste. You get 192 hours of work done in a mere 12 hours. www.zdnet.com/article/i-us...
zdnet.com
I used a $20 AI tool to finish 24 days of coding in 12 hours - but there's a big catch
Professional coders pay hundreds monthly for AI assistance. Can a $20 ChatGPT Plus plan with Codex access rival these premium tools? I decided to find out, and 16x'ed my programming output in the…
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 09/09/2025
Here's today's bit on the Apple thing. www.zdnet.com/article/exci...
zdnet.com
Excited about Apple Watch 11's hypertension feature? It's coming to older models too
I stumbled upon Apple's fine print, which suggests that Series 9 and Ultra 2 users may also benefit from the long-awaited health feature.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 05/09/2025
So, not only are the AI overviews siphoning off traffic, they're doing so using more than dubious information from non-authoritative and potentially hallucinating AI sources. www.zdnet.com/article/sick...
zdnet.com
Sick of Google's AI summaries? This free tool eliminates them - in one click
Thanks to a tech editor, you can get back to real search results.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 03/09/2025
It turns out that passkeys are such a mess because every site implements them differently. www.zdnet.com/article/im-d...
zdnet.com
I'm ditching passwords for passkeys for one reason - and it's not what you think
Passkeys promise to replace passwords. The reality is far more confusing. But you should move to them anyway. Here's why.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 02/09/2025
When it comes to core capabilities and things that could turn nightmares of torch-wielding, laptop-swinging, angry site operators into reality, I think I'll do the coding myself. www.zdnet.com/article/i-as...
zdnet.com
I asked AI to modify mission-critical code, and what happened next haunts me
This seriously raised the hairs on the back of my neck.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 28/08/2025
Instead of diving once more into diplomatic negotiations with the data overlords, I decided to rethink my life. Or, at least, the storage aspect thereof. www.zdnet.com/article/how-...
zdnet.com
How I cut my monthly cloud storage bill in half - with 5 tough decisions
I was storing 60TB in the cloud, but endless support battles and rising costs forced me to rethink everything. These five changes helped me save over $1200 a year.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 26/08/2025
Then, there's this. www.zdnet.com/article/gart...
zdnet.com
Gartner says add AI agents ASAP - or else. Oh, and they're also overhyped
Gartner contradicts its own messaging on AI agents, so what's a company to do? For one thing, don't be pressured into risky, rash decisions by crazy talk.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 25/08/2025
I still don't trust it. Actually, I don't trust it even more than when I tested it originally. What else might it do to my code "unconsciously"? www.zdnet.com/article/i-re...
zdnet.com
I retested GPT-5's coding skills using OpenAI's guidance - and now I trust it even less
I used OpenAI's best practices and optimizer to rerun my GPT-5 tests. The results were strange, inconsistent, and sometimes bizarre, raising real concerns about how much developers can trust this AI…
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 19/08/2025
This is not an issue that's going away. www.zdnet.com/article/how-...
zdnet.com
How web scraping actually works - and why AI changes everything
AI's appetite for scraped content, without returning readers, is leaving site owners and content creators fighting for survival.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 19/08/2025
It's how-to time again. www.zdnet.com/article/how-...
zdnet.com
How to undo a reconciliation in QuickBooks Online - the easy way
Undoing reconciliations in QuickBooks isn't obvious, but a hidden accountant-only path makes it possible - and can save you hours of frustration.
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 14/08/2025
Here's 4 of 4 for this week. www.zdnet.com/article/i-we...
zdnet.com
I went hands-on with ChatGPT Codex and the vibe was not good - here's what happened
I asked ChatGPT Codex to fix my WordPress plugin. It rewrote nine files, submitted a pull request, and crashed my test server. It did recover - but where's the flow?
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David Gewirtz @davidgewirtz.com · 14/08/2025
Here's 3 of 4 for this week. www.zdnet.com/article/gpt-...
zdnet.com
GPT-5 bombed my coding tests, but redeemed itself with code analysis
I asked GPT-5, GPT-5 Pro, GPT-5 Thinking, and o3 to analyze my code repository - and found surprising differences in detail, reasoning, and actionable insights that could change how you work.
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