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    Best early Prime Day PC gaming deals: My 25+ picks for top deals live now

    What are the best Prime Day deals so far?ZDNET’s experts are searching through Prime Day sales to find the best discounts by category. These are the best deals so far:You can also find the best deals from other retailers competing with Prime Day sales:When is Amazon Prime Day 2025? Amazon’s annual Prime Day sale will run from July 8 through July 11, with many of the best deals going live the day of. But if you can’t wait to upgrade your PC gaming setup, or are building a gaming PC that’s pulling double-duty as a work computer, you can find great early deals on accessories like keyboards and headsets, components, and prebuilt desktops and laptops.Are gaming PCs and components really cheaper on Prime Day? While you can find steep discounts on gaming PCs, accessories, and components during Amazon’s Prime Day sale, it sometimes pays to look at other retailers and even to see if brands like HP and Dell are offering bundle deals or better markdowns. This is especially true if you’re looking to get new components like graphics cards, RAM, or storage drives. How did we choose these Prime Day deals?Not all PC gaming sales are created equal, and not every retailer will offer markdowns on gaming components or computers. So I chose the steepest discounts on the most popular and trusted names in PC gaming like HP, Razer, HyperX, and more to help you find the best deals on the best accessories, components, and pre-built desktops so you can stay on budget when buying a new gaming rig or updating your current setup. More

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    Walmart Plus membership is 50% off, and has something Amazon doesn’t: the Nintendo Switch 2

    Walmart/ZDNETWith Prime Day kicking off, consumers are flocking to Amazon for all the best deals. But one of the best things about Prime Day is all the other major retailers looking to cash in on the shopping palooza, offering similar (or better) deals on top products — and even membership opportunities.  Also: The best Prime Day deals live now Right now, Walmart is discounting its Walmart+ membership program More

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    The best Costco deals to compete with Prime Day: TVs, laptops, Apple products, and more

    When is Amazon Prime Day 2025? This year, Amazon Prime Day runs from July 8-11. It’s the first time that it’s a four-day sale event, instead of just two days.Are tech products really cheaper on Prime Day? Yes, you can find lots of tech for cheaper prices during Prime Day sales, at Amazon as well as competing retailers like Costco, Walmart, and Best Buy. During this sale window, some companies will offer bundles, freebies, or lower prices to entice you to buy directly from them instead of Amazon.We’re monitoring everyone’s sale prices during the event to update you on the most worthwhile ones.How did we choose these Costco deals?ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy — devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops. We also looked over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we’re recommending. Our recommendations may also be based on our own testing — in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter.  More

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    10 simple ways Mac users can better protect their privacy – and why they should

    Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETMacOS is a solid operating system. But no matter how secure an operating system is, it’s vulnerable if it’s connected to a network. As for privacy, if you get online, your privacy is at stake, so never assume you’re safe just because you’re using Apple’s OS. Also: I’m switching to the MacBook Air M4 from my Windows laptop – and you should too at this priceYou can always take steps to improve the chances that your privacy won’t be infringed upon. What are those steps? Let’s jump in. 1. Use a VPN A VPN is always a good idea. Why? A VPN not only anonymizes your IP address (so it’s much harder to track you), but it also encrypts your traffic. Individually, those things can help. Together, they’re a powerful weapon against those who would disrupt your privacy. Also: The best VPN for Mac: Expert tested and reviewedThere are plenty of VPNs you can use (such as Proton VPN or Nord VPN), but it’s important to use one that integrates with the operating system so all your outgoing traffic is anonymized and encrypted. If you use only a browser extension, only the traffic leaving your web browser is altered. To get the most security and the fastest speeds, use a paid option. Most free VPNs slow down your network traffic, which negatively impacts your browser’s speed. 2. Use strong passwords This should go without saying, but strong passwords are the easiest method of protecting your accounts (starting with your MacOS user account). If you use weak passwords, someone could break into your desktop and wreak havoc on your privacy. Also: The best password manager for MacYou should also use a password manager (such as Bitwarden). Not only do password managers secure your login credentials, but they also include random password generators capable of creating very strong passwords. If your MacOS account is secured with a weak password, change it immediately in System Settings > Login Password. 3. Use encrypted storage Your MacOS drive is most likely encrypted, which protects you if someone steals your computer. With the storage encrypted, they’ll have a harder time accessing your data. But that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from using encryption tools. Also: The best cloud storage services of 2025: Expert testedOut of the box, your MacOS machine uses FileVault — enabled by default — to secure the data on your disk. However, you might want to take this a step further by encrypting specific folders in your home directory to give them an extra layer of protection. You can use tools like VeraCrypt (available for free), which feature drag-and-drop AES-256 encryption for files and folders and easy sharing with Windows. More

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    Best early Prime Day TV deals: My 25 favorite discounts available now

    What are the best Prime Day deals so far?ZDNET’s experts are searching through Prime Day sales to find the best discounts by category. These are the best deals so far:You can also find the best deals from other retailers competing with Prime Day sales:When is Amazon Prime Day 2025? Amazon’s annual Prime Day sale will run from July 8 to the 11th. But if you can’t wait until the sale officially starts to upgrade your TV and home theater, you can find discounts on brands like Sony, Samsung, and Hisense well ahead of Prime Day. Are TVs really cheaper on Prime Day? They can be! Many brands often run their own discounts and sales events in parallel with retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, and summer is usually when new TV models hit the shelves. So stores and brands alike might offer steep discounts on last year’s models in order to move inventory and make room for new releases. And while you can certainly find good deals before Prime Day officially kicks off, the very best TV deals won’t go live until the sale does.How did we choose these Prime Day deals?I am very picky when choosing which TV deals, Prime Day or otherwise, to include in my lists and roundups. With high-end offerings and budget picks alike having so many similar smart features like the same suite of preloaded streaming apps, integrated voice controls, and Dolby Vision HDR support, I chose only the steepest discounts on the best TVs each brand had to offer. As well as a few bundles where you can snag free TVs, gift cards, and more to help sweeten the deal. More

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    5 ways to be great AI agent manager, according to business leaders

    akinbostanci/Getty Microsoft recently said that maximizing AI and agents’ performance involves learning about management concerns, including delegating, iterating, prompting, and refining the technology. The tech giant’s research suggested that the requirement for someone to manage these teams of AIs has led to the evolution of a new role, the agent boss, who is responsible for […] More

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    Best Prime Day Apple deals: My favorite early sales live now

    When is Amazon Prime Day 2025? This year, Amazon Prime Day runs from July 8-11. For the first time, the annual sale will last for four days instead of the usual two, so you’ll have more chances to save.Are Apple products really cheaper on Prime Day? Apple rarely offers major sales and discounts on its products, and considering the generally high price point, you might wait a while for a deal before upgrading your gear. Sales events like Prime Day and Black Friday are great opportunities to save — but discounts are often still low, with many deals we’ve observed offering roughly 5% to 20% off, at most. How did we choose these Prime Day deals?ZDNET only writes about deals we want to buy — devices and products we desire, need, or would recommend. Our experts looked for deals that were at least 20% off (or are hardly ever on sale, as is often the case with Apple devices), using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops. We also looked over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we’re recommending. Our recommendations may also be based on our own testing — in addition to extensive research and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. What are the best Prime Day deals so far?ZDNET’s experts are searching through Prime Day sales to find the best discounts by category. These are the best deals so far:You can also find the best deals from other retailers competing with Prime Day sales: More