Eliana Willis

Gone are the days of huge PC towers taking up tons of desk space. Laptops with abundant power are everywhere nowadays as different companies create well-made mid-range laptops across various price ranges. Some of the best laptops even cost under $1,000. 2024 has been a big year for laptop releases, and we’ve gone hands-on with various devices from top brands. Also: The best laptops of 2024What is the best laptop under $1,000 right now?Our pick for the best laptop under $1,000 is the M2 MacBook Air More

David Merron Photography/Getty Images I’ve been covering Linux and open-source since 1999 (the year of Prince). During that long stretch, a year hasn’t gone by that I haven’t experienced someone (or a group of someones) still believing the myths that seem to be forever churning about the open-source operating system. Also: The 3 most Windows-like Linux […] More

Jack Wallen/ZDNETWindows 10 will soon be coming to an end. Anyone using the Microsoft OS has until October 14, 2025, to find an alternative. If your PC can handle the increased system requirements of Windows 11, you can always upgrade, but if your computer is aging, chances are slim that it will support the latest version.Also: If your Windows 10 PC can’t be upgraded, you have 5 options before time runs outErgo… Linux!But for those who’ve never heard of, seen, or used Linux, how can you test it out before making the switch? I’ve come up with four options for you to consider.Here they are.1. Try a Live distributionThis is, by far, the most useful way to test Linux. Nearly all Linux distributions are installed from within a Live instance. What is a Live instance? Essentially, it means that the entire operating system runs within your computer’s RAM, so it’s not installed on the hard drive. This allows you to test the distribution before installing it. If you don’t like what you see, reboot your computer, remove the USB drive you created with the Linux ISO, and you’ll find yourself back on Windows 10. Also: The 3 most Windows-like Linux distros you can try because change is hardLive distributions are also a great way to find out if the Linux distro you’ve chosen works well with your hardware and can detect peripherals. When using a Live distribution, it will feel exactly as if it were installed on your computer. The only caveat is that because it runs completely from RAM, it might be a bit slower than it will be once installed.If you do like what you see from the Live instance, there’s most likely an Install icon on the desktop. Double-click that icon and walk through the user-friendly installer.2. Use VirtualBox on Windows 10VirtualBox is a virtual machine manager, which means you can install it as a host on Windows 10 and then create Linux guests and run them as though they were installed on a real computer. One of the benefits of using this method is that, unlike testing a live distribution, you don’t have to first create a bootable USB drive from a Linux ISO. Instead, you can take that distribution ISO file you downloaded and select it from the VirtualBox new guest wizard.Also: How to create a bootable Linux USB driveVirtualBox can be installed for free as a host on Linux, macOS, and Windows, so you shouldn’t have any problems getting it up and running. It’s just like installing any other piece of software.3. Go with DistroSea instead of installingIf you don’t like the idea of having to install a third-party piece of software or burn a bootable USB drive, there’s always DistroSea. This user-friendly website allows you to test any number of Linux distributions from within your web browser. There’s no need to install anything, create an account, pay a fee, or overwrite your hard drive. This is, hands down, the easiest method of testing Linux. Even better, if a distribution offers different versions (such as one with GNOME, one with KDE Plasma, etc.), you’ll be able to choose which you want to try. For example, you can test Fedora Linux and choose from Xfce, Sway, Silverblue, Sericea, MATE, LXQt, LXDE, Kinoite, KDE Plasma, Cinnamon, Budgie, and more. Also: You can test all the best Linux distros right in your web browser with this siteThe problem here is that not every distribution is offered as the latest iteration. For example, Fedora currently only goes up to version 40 (whereas the latest release, as of December 2024, is 41).DistroSea is a great option for those who want to test several distributions without any hassle. The only caveat to using DistroSea is that, unlike using a Live distribution, you cannot experience how the distribution will run on your hardware, which is why I prefer to tell users to test with a live instance.4. Install and test Linux on an old PCIf you have a spare, unused computer lying around, why not test various Linux distributions by installing them on that machine? Because Linux installations can be completed in minutes, testing multiple distributions won’t take you all that long. When testing this way, you might find Linux runs so well on that spare computer that you’ll leave it installed and use it instead of that old Windows 10 computer. After using Linux on that spare computer, you’ll probably find yourself wanting to install it on the Windows 10 computer… and beyond. This is a very good method of testing because you’ll also get to experience the different installers. For example, there are two very popular Linux OS installers available, Anaconda and Calamares. Also: The best Linux laptopsBoth installers are user-friendly (with the edge going to Calamares). There are other installers, most of which are created by the distribution’s developers. For example, Ubuntu used to use Calamares but has recently migrated to its own installer.Installer aside, getting Linux up and running is far easier than you think.It’s important to test Linux before using it. For one, you’ll find out how well it works with your hardware. Also, you’ll get to experience what a different desktop environment can be like and find one that best matches your needs.Open Source More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Wacom Movink is priced at $700 and comes with an OLED display It’s ultraportable, with a built quality that should last you years I just wish there was an integrated stand for a more comfortable drawing experience. more buying choices Wacom is well known as the leader in tablet and […] More

Lance Whitney/ZDNETA variety of generative AI programs and websites are able to craft images based on your input. But if you have access to Apple Intelligence through an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, one cool tool you can use is the Image Playground.Available with iOS/iPadOS 18.2 and macOS 15.2, the Image Playground will create animated images or illustrations based on specific concepts, your own descriptions, and photos from your library.Also: Top mobile AI features Apple and Samsung owners actually useThe tool is accessible as a standalone program, but you can also use it with built-in apps like Messages as well as supported third-party apps. If you’re happy with the final images, you can save them or share them with other people.To use any of the Apple Intelligence AI features, including Image Playground, you must have the right type of device. That means any iPhone 16 model, an iPhone 15 Pro, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, any iPad model with an M1 chip or later, a 2024 iPad mini with an A17 Pro chip, or a Mac with an M1 chip or later. More

Lance Whitney/ZDNETDo you use any of the AI features on your smartphone, and if so, do you find them valuable? Those are two of the questions covered in a recent survey from phone reseller SellCell. Released on Monday, the results found that people are less than thrilled with the current crop of AI features but do use certain ones.Also: I’m an AI tools expert, and these are the only two I pay forThe goal of the survey was to gauge what smartphone users think of the new mobile AI features, whether they’d switch brands for better AI tools, how important AI is when buying a new phone, and whether they’d pay for AI. Conducted online from November 28 to December 6, 2024, the survey gathered responses from more than 2,000 smartphone users in the US.Among those polled, more than 1,000 owned an AI-enabled iPhone such as an iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max. Another 1,000+ owned an AI-equipped Samsung Galaxy phone, such as the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy S22 series, Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Fold4, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy Z Flip5, or Galaxy Z Flip4. Only those with AI-powered phones were allowed to participate in the survey.Which AI features are most popular?iPhone users were asked if they had used any of the Apple Intelligence AI features introduced in iOS 18.1 (the current version of iOS 18.2 was released after the survey), and if so, which ones. Writing Tools came in first place, cited as the top feature by 72% of the respondents. These tools can help proofread, revise, and summarize text across a range of apps, including Mail, Messages, and Notes.Also: Just installed iOS 18.2? Change these 4 iPhone settings nowIn second place, used by 54% of those surveyed, was the Notification Summaries feature, which offers a digest of multiple notifications in one shot. Next, 45% gave the nod to Priority Messages, which highlights urgent emails and summarizes messages.Other AI features used by iPhone owners included the Clean Up option in Photos to remove objects with one tap, the Smart Reply in Mail and Messages to help draft responses, the Natural Language Search feature in Photos, Transcription Summaries to generate a summary of an audio message or phone call, the Memory Movie feature in Photos to create customized movies and slideshows, and the enhanced Siri with a better grasp of language and the ability to switch between voice and text. More

piranka/Getty Images Agentic AI is on the rise — some reports predict that 25% of businesses will deploy it next year (whether they’re ready to or not). AI company Blitzy believes it has the autonomous powerhouse to keep up, without sacrificing human oversight.  On Wednesday, the Massachusetts-based company announced Blitzy Platform, an agentic system that “batch-builds […] More