NexTool Mini Multitool <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The NexTool multitool is blade-free, making it TSA and airport security friendly. The tool is compact and can be attached to a keychain All the tools are decent quality, and can actually do the job they claim to be able to do. –> I like my EDC (everyday […] More
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETI’ve had it happen before. Back when drives consisted of spinning, magnetic platters, that dreaded “tick” was a sure sign a hard drive was failing. Once upon a nightmare scenario, I waited too late and wound up losing everything on my drive. Sure, I could have recovered that data, but at a pretty high monetary cost.Also: The first 5 Linux commands every new user should learnSince then, I’ve always been vigilant about checking for bad blocks and sectors on hard drives.What is a bad block?Simply put, a bad block is one that cannot be read or written to. This can happen because of physical damage to the drive or failing transistors on flash memory (think SSDs). When a block goes bad, it’s not usable. Too many bad blocks, and the drive will fail. You don’t want that. Also: Thinking about switching to Linux? 10 things you need to knowBefore the bad blocks take you down, you should check for them. If you don’t, you could lose out. Let’s check. 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
Maria Diaz/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysUnplug at 100%, keep battery between 20% and 80%.Avoid draining to 0%; store unused tablets at 50%.Use certified chargers to prevent stress and overheating.As someone who uses a tablet daily, I’m constantly looking for ways to make its battery last longer. However, some habits you don’t think twice about could actually be hurting your battery over time. There are ways to extend your tablet’s battery life, and there are some things you should avoid that do the opposite.Also: These 7 common household items were draining power all day – until I pulled the plugMost tablets offer six to eight hours of use on a single charge, though battery life diminishes with age and continued use. While there are many things you can do to conserve battery life, here are the ones you should avoid to ensure your battery’s longevity. 1. Leaving your tablet plugged in overnight This isn’t always a problem with newer tablets, but most tablets on the market will suffer from being left plugged in overnight. Tablets typically charge to 100% and stop using electricity. However, leaving your tablet plugged in can cause it to continue trickle-charging to keep the battery full, which can stress the battery over time and diminish its lifespan. Instead, unplug your tablet when its battery reaches 100%. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to keep your battery charged between 20% and 80%. Also: Why I recommend this Samsung tablet over pricier models – especially the UltraLike all the common charging mistakes we make with our tablets, leaving it plugged in overnight once or twice won’t permanently damage it. Battery damage happens when these incorrect practices become a habit and are followed often. 2. Letting the battery drain to 0% (and forgetting it) More
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETMacBooks used to have a reputation for being expensive, but not so much anymore. These days, they’re some of the most affordable laptops you can get for the price. Case in point: the 13-inch MacBook Air M1 More
Maria Diaz/ZDNETCosts are steadily rising in the US, and energy costs are a prominent example. This is made worse by summer temperatures being at record highs, with heat waves wreaking havoc across various states in the past few weeks. As someone who’s gone through a few of these this summer alone, I’m constantly looking for ways to conserve energy.There are many little things you can do that can shave dollars off your monthly energy bill, and they go beyond switching off the lights when you leave the room. Did you know you can save 3% on cooling costs for every 1°F increase in your thermostat? As a fan of data, I’ve looked into multiple quantifiable ways to save energy and how these translate into saving money. Also: Apple’s tariff costs and iPhone sales are soaring – how long until device prices are too?Unplugging a single device when not in use isn’t going to save you a bucket of cash. But unplugging multiple devices adds up quickly to help you save, especially when you make a habit of it. Here are the devices you should unplug when they’re not in use, and how doing so could save you almost $200 a year, depending on your local rates.1. TVs, gaming consoles, and office devices More
Instagram / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET ZDNET’s takeaways Instagram is unveiling several new features.Including a Snapchat-style map that lets you see where your friends are.There’s also a new way to see content your friends are interacting with.Meta has unveiled a number of changes to Instagram, all aimed at helping you better connect with your friends and their favorite content. A new location-sharing map is on the way, along with new ways to find content. A Snapchat-style friend map Maybe the most useful feature is one taken directly from Snapchat (whose upcoming AR glasses are looking special): Instagram Map. This feature shares the last location you used the app with people you choose (followers you follow back, close friends, selected friends, or no one). You can turn this off at any time, Meta says. You can also open the map to see content from your friends. If you’re a parent of a teen account, you can control their location sharing. You’ll get a notification if your teen starts sharing their location, and you can decide whether your teen has access to location sharing on the map and who your teen shares their location with. Also: How to protect your privacy from Facebook – and what doesn’t workWhether you’re sharing your location or not, you can still use the map to explore content around you. You can browse stories from friends at a new restaurant, find a new hang from a popular local creator, and more. Any content with a location tagged can show up on the map, Meta explained, including Reels, posts, and stories from people you follow. These will be available for 24 hours after they’re posted. Instagram Map is rolling out today. You’ll find it at the top of your DM inbox. More
Ugreen M.2 NVMe Enclosure <!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Ugreen’s M.2 NVMe Enclosure is on sale on Amazon for $75. It’s an easy to use enclosure that doesn’t rely on minute fasteners, and features USB4 speeds of up to 40Gbps. If you need a device that supports up to 80Gbps, you’ll want to upgrade. –> For […] More
