Sony Get this: The beloved Sony WH-1000XM4<!–> with a 30-hour battery life and stellar sound is on sale for $198 right now at Amazon. If you’re in the market for a comfortable-fitting headset and some silence, you can’t go wrong with a pair of Sony’s noise-canceling headphones. This deal extends to all three color options: […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETAs a full-time smartphone reviewer, I spend most of my year testing Android phones.By habit, I’ve picked up several shortcuts, tips, and tricks for setting up handsets, tweaking them so that they perform as best as possible when the verdicts are due.Also: How to clear your Android phone cache (and why it’s the easiest way to speed it up)One tip I always give to family members, friends, and passersby when asked, “How can I make my phone faster?” is straightforward yet typically hidden: Adjusting the animation speed.The method of doing so is quick, simple, and absolutely free. As a bonus, you’ll feel like the “guy behind the computer” in action movies. Here are the steps. More
Tang Ming Tung/Getty Images ZDNET’s takeaways Perplexity’s new feature lets you make a restaurant reservation straight through OpenTable. The feature uses OpenTable’s system, so you don’t have to trust the AI to do it for you. Instead of navigating between apps or tabs to find a restaurant and then book a table, Perplexity handles everything. […] More
JBL Bar 1000MK2 <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The JBL Bar 1000MK2 includes a soundbar, two detachable rear speakers, and an external subwoofer for $1,200. It’s a versatile system, with powerful audio performance suitable for large rooms. It’s not an ideal option for people who want permanent rear speakers. more buying choices The original JBL Bar […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETApple has been busy prepping iOS 26 for its likely debut in September. Until then, the iPhone’s upcoming new OS has been accessible for anyone to try via a developer beta (now up to version 5) and the initial public beta. Though iOS 26 still has at least a month of tweaks before it’s finalized, the beta flavors already provide a peek at what to expect.You can download iOS 26 beta on your iPhone now. Here’s how to install it — and which models support it.Also: The best MagSafe accessories of 2025 for your iPhoneI’ve been running the public beta since its release on July 24. Among the new and improved features in iOS 26, these are my five favorites so far.1. Liquid Glass More
Siro Rodenas Cortes/Getty Images ZDNET’s key takeaways Self-learning and self-improving technology will transform enterprise activities. From augmented leadership to machines as customers, analyst Gartner identifies key trends. While true autonomous business is a long way off, smart business leaders are preparing now. The future of your business is autonomous. While there’s a lot of debate […] More
Jack Wallen/ZDNET ZDNET’s key takeaways Google is developing another Linux terminal app.The app runs a full Debian environment.Developers will be able to build Android apps on device.For some time, Android has had access to a terminal app that ran a full-blown, text-only Linux environment. This app is enabled via Android’s developer options feature and makes it possible for users to run Linux commands (even SSH).From Google’s perspective, that wasn’t enough. Also: 5 Linux terminal apps better than your defaultBut it seemed a bit odd when they went mum on the Linux Terminal app at the annual I/O developer conference. Even with that silence, a bit of new news has surfaced that points to Google releasing a new take on the Linux terminal app, one that targets developers. Build directly on Android devicesThis new Linux terminal app will allow developers to build Android apps directly on Android devices. That’s a huge change from having to build on emulators running on top of a desktop OS. Also: 5 surprisingly productive things you can do with the Linux terminalThe new Linux terminal app uses the Android Virtualization Framework to boot into a Debian image running on a virtual machine. This new terminal app provides a full-blown Linux development environment that allows developers to leverage the tools they need to build native apps. That includes Android Studio. More
What about Focus Modes – do they help battery life? Yes. Focus Modes help by letting you whitelist specific apps and contacts; during “Work” or “Sleep,” only critical alerts light up your display. That means fewer wake-ups and less background processing. I already mentioned disabling notifications above, but you can take it a step further with Focus Modes. Also: The best Apple deals right now: Save on MacBooks, iPhones, and moreHow to set up a Focus Mode:Open Settings > Focus > tap + to create a profile.Under Allowed Notifications, choose People and Apps.Optionally schedule it by time, location, or app. How do I identify the biggest battery hogs on iPhone? To see what might be draining your iPhone’s battery, go to Settings > Battery. There, you’ll see usage by app and how much time each spent on screen or in background. Also: How to fix an iPhone alarm that’s not going off – and why it might be happening Can removing my case while charging help? Possibly — mainly if your device gets hot while charging. Removing the case can improve heat dissipation, which might speed up charging and protect your iPhone’s battery health. Should I try a battery pack or a power bank? Yes! I always travel with one. All the settings tweaks in the world won’t help if you’re stranded somewhere, staring at a red battery icon, far from an outlet. Here are the top picks ZDNET’s editors recommend: Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter. More
