Eliana Willis

Kerry Wan/ZDNETJanuary hasn’t even ended yet and it feels like we’ve already seen the best Android phones of 2025. With the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra More

Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond Photography/Getty Images Some days, you really need to run a Windows-only program, even if you’re a die-hard Linux user  — like yours truly.  For those times, I often turn to Wine (formerly an acronym for “Wine Is Not an Emulator”). Wine provides a compatibility layer capable of running Windows applications […] More

Sometimes, it is easier to quickly jot down a note by hand. There is no need to open an app, and studies show that physically writing things down helps to remember them more than typing does. To-do lists, class notes, and random reminders are just a few of the things you might want to write in a notebook. A digital notebook is the perfect tool to bridge the gap between a traditional notebook and a notetaking app. Also: Best Windows tablet in 2025A smart notebook is a hybrid option for those who want the best of both worlds. It offers a nostalgic pen-to-paper feel while integrating cloud storage for note accessibility. The best digital notebooks have ample storage, access to a cloud or app for all your handwritten documents, handy high-tech features like handwriting-to-text conversion, and more. Plus, most options have a paper-like feel to the screen, so you can forget it’s a smart device altogether. What is the best digital notebook right now? To help you decide which smart notebooks are worth the investment, we tested and researched the best ones on the market, considering notebook feel, storage capabilities and options, special features, and price. Based on our hands-on experience, our pick for the best smart notebook overall is the Boox Note Air 4 C More

Tablets have come a long way since the first iPad was released in 2010. Once designed simply for watching videos and playing games, they have, for many, become a full-fledged computer replacement, allowing them to get real work done in a more portable device. A good tablet should have a long battery life, a respectable selection of apps and services, and more functionality than just a screen to watch YouTube videos. Also: The best cheap tablets you can buyWith so many tablets on the market today from brands like Apple, Samsung, Google, Amazon, and more, it can take time to choose one. There are tablets that exist within the low range, like the Amazon Fire Max 11 More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Asus’ ProArt PA27 is on sale at Amazon for $800. This 5K monitor delivers stunning visual quality and color reproduction on par with Apple’s monitors. Power users, however, may be frustrated with the display’s limited array of ports and low refresh rate. more buying choices High-quality 5K monitors have been around […] More

ZDNETI sometimes used the Smart Lookup feature in Microsoft Word to look up words and phrases in a document. It was a helpful way to view dictionary definitions, synonyms, web searches, and Wikipedia articles on a subject. Well, what Microsoft giveth, they now taketh away, for Smart Lookup is no more.Microsoft retires a helpful featureIn a support document on Smart Lookup spotted by Windows Latest, Microsoft reveals that the feature has been retired as of Jan. 1, 2025. In the past, right-clicking on certain words in Microsoft Word displayed a “Search” command in the menu. Selecting that command would run an online search to help you learn more about the word you selected.Also: How to upgrade your ‘incompatible’ Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 in 2025The “Search” option still exists, and selecting it still opens the Search pane on the right. But instead of running an actual search, Word just tells you that something went wrong and advises you to please try again. Of course, trying again just results in the same error. It seems Microsoft can’t even properly remove a feature like this without creating confusion. More

ZDNETUPDATE: When Microsoft rolled out another Windows 11 24H2 update for this month’s Patch Tuesday, instead of fixing existing issues, the update created more havoc, causing conflicts with audio, Bluetooth, webcams, and more.In October, after months of beta testing, Microsoft officially released its major 2024 update for Windows 11. Known as Windows 11 24H2, the latest version enhances the Copilot AI, improves File Explorer, promises faster performance and greater stability, and introduces other improvements.The update, which is rolling out to eligible Windows 11 23H2 and 22H2 users, may appear on your PC’s Windows Update screen. If so, you can certainly install it from there. Otherwise, the new version is accessible on Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page, where you can grab it through the Installation Assistant, installation media, or as an ISO file.Also: The Windows January updates are a mess – here’s why you should wait to installBut before you dive into the 2024 update, you may want to reconsider. The new version has been plagued by bugs that could prevent you from using Windows reliably and effectively. Microsoft has documented some of the glitches, and Windows users have reported others. In response, Microsoft has put the update on hold for problematic PCs that could encounter blue screens and other issues.To address the barrage of bugs, the company has rolled out several sets of patches so far — one in late October, another in mid-November, and a third on December 10 as part of the monthly Patch Tuesday. A January patch also addressed a conflict with several Ubisoft games, while another update on January’s Patch Tuesday attempted to address other issues.Also: How to upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro – without overpayingThe October update fixed a few bugs but also created a couple of new ones. The November update resolved several, but certainly not all, of the outstanding glitches. The December update fixed one specific glitch with certain USB-connected scanners and other devices. The early January patch finally fixed conflicts with the Ubisoft games Star Wars Outlaws, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed Origins, and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.Then the January 14 update introduced new conflicts with audio, Bluetooth, webcams, and more. At this point, the update has turned into an albatross around Microsoft’s neck. Here are just some of the issues you may encounter if you jump to the new version.1. Conflict with PCs with Citrix componentsIn one glitch introduced with the January Patch Tuesday update, PCs with certain Citrix components may not be able to complete the installation of the January patches. Microsoft said it found this issue on devices with Citrix Session Recording Agent (SRA) version 2411, which was released in December. The company is working with Citrix to resolve the problem. More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Ecovacs’ Deebot T30S Combo 3-in-1 robot vacuum, mop, and handheld vacuum is currently available for $1,200. The robot vacuum features an industry-leading 11,000 Pa of suction power, retractable mop pads to tackle corners and edges, a new v-shaped brush to prevent tangles, a self-emptying handheld vacuum, and self-washing and self-emptying features […] More