Eliana Willis

Is Amazon running a July 4th sale?Amazon isn’t likely to run a specific, site-wide sale for Independence Day, as the annual Prime Day sale kicks off on July 8. But you’re likely to find markdowns on both high-end and budget-friendly TVs anyway, as brands like Samsung, LG, and Hisense are already offering discounts in the lead-up to Prime Day. Walmart has already announced July 4th markdowns across the site, though it’s mostly home goods like clothing, bed linens, and seasonal summer items. There are a few tech deals available, but we may have to wait until July 4th itself to see the best TV deals go live. Best Buy is planning on running a Black Friday in July sale to compete with Prime Day, with early markdowns available across the site on everything you need to upgrade your home theater.Is July 4th a good time to buy a TV? While most July 4th sales are focused on moving inventory for seasonal items and home goods, with the holiday being so close to the usual time frame for Amazon’s annual Prime Day sale event, as well as competing sales from Best Buy and other retailers. However, you can expect to find early markdowns on TVs from big brands like LG and Sony as well as mid-range options like Hisense, TCL, and even Roku. What is the best TV? I’ve chosen the Samsung S95D as my pick for the best TV that you can buy overall in 2025. With signature OLED picture quality as well as a max refresh rate of 144Hz, you’ll experience smoother action and more lifelike images. And with both Dolby Atmos virtual surround sound and Samsung’s object-tracking sound technology, you’ll get 3D audio that follows the on-screen action. Though if you’d like to ask the audience, ZDNET readers have gravitated toward the LG G4 OLED as their number one fan-favorite TV. And it’s easy to see why with its incredible picture quality, Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision HDR support, as well as support for both AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync VRR for console gaming. More

Max Buondonno/ZDNETFor a lot of people, camera quality is a huge selling point when picking a cellphone. Having so many different options can be overwhelming, though. So, how do you ensure that you’re getting the most out of your phone’s capabilities?A new Google Pixel Camera mode wants to teach you everything you need to know.Also: The best camera phones: Tested by expertsWhen Google announced its 2025 Pixel Feature Drop, one feature went relatively unnoticed — something called “Camera Education.” The feature wasn’t ready at the time of the feature drop earlier this month, but it’s starting to roll out now.As Google explains, the feature is designed to help you learn more about your Pixel camera’s features so you can take better photos and videos. To take a look through the guide, tap the new “?” button that appears on the top right of the camera app. When you open it, you’ll see a list of every camera mode, like panorama, astro, night sight, and macro focus. When you tap on any one of them, you’ll see a section that shows real-life photos taken by Pixel users in that mode and a how-to section that walks you through how to use that mode. More

Amazon/Maria Diaz/ZDNETWith Amazon preparing to kick off Prime Day in less than two weeks, some great deals have already appeared. If years past are any indication, we can expect to see even more significant discounts on July 8 through July 11, with little time to grab them before they’re gone. Alexa can help you watch for some highly sought-after deals, but Amazon has also offered a few “invitation-only” opportunities ahead of previous Prime Day events.Also: Best Prime Day Apple deals: My 15 favorite sales live nowRequesting an invitation to one of these limited deals doesn’t guarantee you’ll snag the deal when it goes live, but it can give you a peek at some of the great deals Amazon is planning. Amazon has yet to publish invitation-only deals, but we’ll add as many as we can find as they come up over the coming days. How to sign up for Amazon’s invite-only Prime Day dealsWhat you’ll need: A Prime subscription is required to access the Prime Day deals exclusive to members. If you don’t have a membership, you can start a free 30-day trial, but you will be charged $139 for the year (or $14.99 monthly) if you don’t cancel it within the trial period. (If you’re a student or between 18 and 24 years old, you can save money on a subscription with a Prime student membership.)Also: My air conditioner broke during a heat wave – and this portable AC saved the day More

Muhammad Aqib / Getty Images The unstoppable march of AI continues to gather pace. Analyst Gartner recently forecast that half of all business decisions will be fully automated or at least partially augmented by AI agents within the next two years. Also: 4 ways to turn AI into your business advantage Some organizations have experimented […] More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETLet’s be real: it’s getting harder and harder to afford technology, especially with rising costs and tariffs. If a new phone, tablet, or smartwatch feels out of reach, you may want to check out this Verizon deal: Trade in select phones More

smirkdingo/Getty Images Veo 3, Google’s new video-generating model that’s been making waves across the internet, is now available for everyone in public preview, the company announced Thursday. The tool was initially available only to subscribers of Gemini Ultra and through Flow, Google’s AI-powered filmmaking platform that was also revealed at the most recent I/O. As of Thursday, it can […] More

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETThink that Apple’s Siri snooped on your private conversations in the past? If so, you may be able to snag a slice of the $95 million that Apple is paying out to settle a class-action lawsuit. But you have to act fast, as the deadline to submit your claim is days away.Also: My favorite iPhone productivity feature just got a major upgrade with iOS 26 (and it’s not Siri)A settlement page recently published in the case of Lopez v. Apple Inc. explains the steps and deadlines for people who want to make a claim. The settlement is geared toward current or former users of a Siri device in the US whose conversations with the voice assistant were captured by Apple or shared with third parties due to an “unintended Siri activation.” How to tell if you qualify If you are in the US and used a Siri-supported device between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024, you might be eligible for part of the payout from Apple. In May, a notice approved by the US District Court for the Northern District of California was sent to affected parties. Some ZDNET staffers received it with the subject line “Lopez Voice Assistant Class Action Settlement.” Also: 5 reasons I turn to ChatGPT every day – from faster research to replacing SiriTo learn more about the claim submission process, check out the FAQ section on the settlement page. If you still have questions, you can also contact the settlement administrator by snail mail or by phone.How to enter your claim todayIf you’re in the qualifying group, you should have received a notice email with a Claim Identification Code and a Confirmation Code alerting you to the settlement. The email should have been sent from an account called info@lopezvoiceassistantsettlement.com. If you received such an email, don’t delete it. You may also want to check your spam folder to see if the message is trapped there. Also: 10 easy ways to make Siri work better on your iPhone todayIf you didn’t receive an email or even a postcard, which was also sent to affected parties, you can still try to put together a claim.If you got an email or postcard…If you received a notice, go to the claim submissions page, enter your claim codes from the email or postcard, and log in to proceed. If you didn’t get an email or postcard…If you don’t receive either the email or the postcard, you can enter a new claim at the submission page. You’ll be asked to provide your contact information along with a serial number and model name for the Siri device or proof of purchase. You can add as many as five different devices, including an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, HomePod, or any other gadget that uses Siri. Also: Every iPhone model that can be updated to iOS 26 (and which ones don’t support it)Either way, you’ll be asked whether you want to receive your payout by direct deposit to your bank account or by electronic check. When is the deadline? Don’t wait too long to file a claim. The deadline is July 2, 2025. You can also opt to do nothing, in which case you simply won’t collect anything.Also: Your iPhone can be used as a digital driver’s license – here’s how it works for these statesFollowing the filing deadline, the court still has to approve the settlement before payouts can begin. A final approval hearing is scheduled for August 1 with US District Judge Jeffrey White in the federal court in Oakland, Calif.. More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Klein Tools 80016 Circuit Breaker Finder effectively maps circuits throughout your home. It’s a useful tool with clear discovery indicators and improved safety features. It’s somewhat pricey at $65, with minimal directions for beginners. –> Do you ever wonder what wall socket corresponds to which circuit breaker or circuit in […] More