Eliana Willis

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The DJI Neo is available from DJI and Amazon for $199 for the basic kit, and $289 for the Combo kit. This 135-gram drone is incredibly portable and highly capable, making it perfect for bloggers, YouTubers, and social media types. The Neo’s wind resistance is lower than other DJI drones, and […] More

Jack WallenZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysNixOS is an open-source operating system that is available to install and use for free.It offers several desktop environments to choose from, is as rock-solid as any OS on the market, and performs quite well.However, there’s a fairly steep learning curve for installing non-free software.Before we get into this review, I want to offer some information for new Linux users. If you’re uncomfortable using the command line or diving down rabbit holes to figure out how to do something that should “just work out of the box,” then NixOS is probably not for you. Also: The Linux log files you should know and how to use themHowever, that’s not to say someone with minimal familiarity with the command line would fail with this distribution. For example, if you only need open-source software, NixOS could be a viable option. If, however, you need apps like Chrome, Slack, and Spotify, you might run into some frustration that will send you packing back to Ubuntu, Linux Mint, or Windows.With that said, let’s get to what makes this distribution great.  More

ZDNETDecades ago, if you wanted information on anything, you would go to the library and open a book. That changed with the emergence of the web and search engines, where now all you have to do is type in a search query and get all the information you could ever want.As if that wasn’t easy enough, artificial intelligence (AI) is here to make information gathering even more hands-off.Earlier this month, Microsoft launched Copilot Vision, an experience in which Copilot can view and understand the context of what you’re doing online to provide verbal real-time assistance. The idea is that when you need feedback or advice while browsing, you can tap into a live assistant for help.Also: 3 lucrative side hustles you can start right now with OpenAI’s Sora video generatorThe experience lives in Microsoft Edge and is available in preview for a select group of Copilot Pro subscribers with the $20-per-month subscription through Copilot Labs More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETAfter a year of rumors and speculation, Apple’s M4 processor came to the MacBook Pro laptop line this fall. The new lineup improves upon the already powerful M3 Pro and M3 Max with even faster performance, a more efficient battery, and a new Thunderbolt 5 port for blazing-fast data transfer speeds. Also: The 10 best gifts for Mac fans on your nice listOne of the best things about the new M4 MacBook Pro is that it starts at the same price as last year’s M3, making it that much easier to consider. But with the holiday shopping season near its end, we’re seeing some deals, namely this one at Amazon offering the MacBook Pro M4 for $1,699 More

ZDNETRemember Twitter’s blue checkmark? For a while, having one attached to your Twitter handle signified that you were notable or famous in some way. Twitter granted them sparingly.Then, as Twitter became X, the checkmarks became something of a profit center. You could pay a fee to Xitter to add a checkmark to your identity, which would verify that the account did belong to you. The checkmark effectively became an identity verification tool, although there were some scammers out there who bought verification checkmarks to impersonate real people.Also: 7 Bluesky settings tweaks that make the popular X alternative even betterBluesky, the most recent popular Twitter alternative entrant, also offers identity verification, and the way the upstart social network is doing verification appears to have some legs — sort of.What Bluesky is doing is tying your existing domain to your Bluesky handle. I’ll use mine as an example. Right now (at the beginning of this article, before I do the upcoming hands-on demonstration), my Bluesky handle is @davidgewirtz.bsky.social. It’s okay, but it’s not nearly as snappy as @davidgewirtz.com. More

Alyson Windsor/ZDNETAfter months of beta testing, Microsoft officially released its major 2024 update for Windows 11 on October 1. Known as Windows 11 24H2, the latest version enhances the Copilot AI, spruces up File Explorer, promises faster performance and greater stability, and kicks in other improvements.Rolling out to some Windows 11 users, the update 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: No, Microsoft has not ‘reversed course’ on Windows 11 hardware requirementsBut before you dive into the 2024 update, you may want to reconsider. The new version has been plagued by a variety of bugs that could prevent you from fully using Windows the way you want and expect to.Some of the glitches have been documented by Microsoft, and others have been reported by Windows users. 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 three series 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.Also: How to upgrade your ‘incompatible’ Windows 10 PC to Windows 11: Two waysThe 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. But further bugs continue to pop up, turning the update into a continual albatross around Microsoft’s neck.Here are just some of the issues you may bump into if you jump to the new version.1. Conflict with Ubisoft gamesCertain games from Ubisoft could freeze, crash, or even trigger a black screen if you try to run them in the 2024 update for Windows 11. The five games are Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed Origins, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Also: Microsoft blocked your Windows 11 upgrade? This trusty tool can (probably) fix thatUbisoft has released temporary hotfixes for Star Wars Outlaws and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora to prevent those games from freezing or crashing. But Microsoft says that you may still run into performance problems. Otherwise, the two companies are working on a resolution to defeat the bug across all five titles. More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETWindows 11 has been around for a few years now, and if you were an early adopter like I was, there’s a good chance your computer has slowed down significantly since then. There are several reasons why a device’s performance may plummet. It could be the result of too many apps taking up resources, unoptimized settings, or even a virus infecting the hardware. The easiest thing you can do in the short term is restart your computer. A simple reboot restores the RAM and re-establishes connections.Also: No, Microsoft has not ‘reversed course’ on Windows 11 hardware requirementsBut to enjoy improved performance over the long term, you’ll need to alter how your computer operates. The advice I’m about to give you is about all the things you can do right now to enhance your Windows 11 experience. You won’t need to go into a device’s BIOS or download some random app from an unverified source; these changes can be made right from the system menus.1. Download the latest updates More