Eliana Willis

Kerry Wan/ZDNETWith the return of the school year fast approaching, you might be faced with having to purchase new laptops for those returning to class. Here’s why you should add the Chromebook to your back-to-school shopping list. Do you still think of ChromeOS — Chromebook’s operating system — as too simplistic? I have news for you: What was originally scoffed at as nothing more than a laptop with a web browser has evolved into something much greater. Chromebooks have grown into user-friendly laptops that can be employed quite productively for both personal and business workflows.Given that most of the work we all do now happens within a web browser, Chromebook offers a perfect marriage of simplicity and usability.Also: How to pick a laptop for college: 4 big considerations (and 10 great options)The thing is, a lot of Windows and MacOS users still shrug off Chromebooks as not much more than a toy with a limiting operating system. Little do they know!I’ve been a tech journalist for 30 years and a tech aficionado for even longer. I’ve tried every operating system and hardware platform, from the ones you’ve heard of to the many you haven’t. I added Chromebooks into the mix when the first device was released, so I’ve experienced ChromeOS in all its iterations. Based on all my experience, here’s why Chromebooks are the perfect laptops for most people. 1. Chromebooks are cheapThe first reason is beyond dispute. Given how the economy has had a rather crushing effect on so many of our budgets, finding an inexpensive piece of hardware can be a real plus for anyone looking to stay productive. That’s not to say every Chromebook is cheap. I once paid a premium for a Chromebook Pixel — and that laptop remains one of my favorites. (The display and keyboard were best in class at the time.) There’s also the HP Dragonfly More

Meta Ever wish you had a massive screen for your gaming session or work project? If you have a Meta Quest headset, you’re in luck — you can now connect it to nearly any device. Meta’s new app for the Quest headset, HDMI Link, turns your headset into a giant screen for any HDMI output-compatible […] More

Constantine Johnny/Getty Images What’s the difference between software and shelfware? Often, it’s the user interface and user experience (UI/UX) associated with the solution. Do people dread a particular UI/UX, or do they find it a positive encounter? For too long, too many applications, particularly in enterprises, have had terrible UI/UX. Mobile interfaces have improved things, […] More

SerrNovik/Getty Images Kubernetes, the container-management orchestration system, has proven vital for modern computing, except for one area: artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The problem: AI/ML demands substantial CPU, memory, and GPU resources, which are not easy to manage on Kubernetes. Now, with the latest Kubernetes release — Kubernetes 1.31, Elli — the Cloud Native Computing Foundation […] More

Nikada/Getty Images I don’t really want to do the “I told you so” dance, but after a couple of my ZDNET colleagues complained recently about “ads” in Windows 11 … well, may I just say I tried to warn you. Also: Windows 11 FAQ: Upgrade guide and everything you need to know Last year, I […] More

Download a lifetime license to Microsoft Office at a deep discount with this deal. Stack Social If you need access to Microsoft Office but don’t want to pay the yearly fee to access Office 365, you’re in luck: Stack Social is offering a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows or Mac, starting […] More

Get a Babbel lifetime language subscription at a big discount right now.  StackSocial Learning a new language can be daunting. But right now, you can buy a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning from Stack Social that lets you choose from 14 languages and access more than 10,000 hours of online language education for just $140 […] More

The new Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro are now available for preorder after Google unveiled the lineup during its annual Made by Google event on Aug. 13. Their predecessors, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, boasted high camera quality and exclusive Google features. The new line will feature better picture quality, new AI features, an improved design, and an XL version of the Pixel 9 Pro.Right now, you can trade in your Pixel 8 or adjacent smartphone and get the Pixel 9 More