<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Fitbit Ace LTE is a kids’ smartwatch and fitness tracker that costs $230 (on sale for $150 right now), with a proprietary Ace Pass LTE data plan costs $10 a month or $120 annually. The Fitbit Ace LTE features a rich, kid-friendly platform that is easy to navigate, and the […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Minisforum’s AI X1 Pro retails for $1,129. It’s a powerful mini armed with top-tier hardware for creators, programmers, and coders looking to interface with AI at lightning-fast speeds. Don’t count on relying on the device’s built-in speakers or mic, and it’s one of the chunkier minis. –> All three configurations of […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETNetflix wasn’t the first streaming platform, but it was the first to make video-on-demand mainstream. Fourteen years ago, as it phased out its mailing service, it took a massive bite out of the global market.Also: How to disable ACR on your TV (and why doing it makes such a big difference for privacy)Remember that? Physical DVDs showing up in your actual mailbox — the one at the end of your driveway (or your hallway)? To my surprise, that was still actually a thing up until late 2023. Whaaat?Streaming introduced a slew of new entertainment options and, most importantly, unparalleled convenience. These days, Netflix is one of many platforms that offer a staggering amount of titles to choose from — and yet, there is more there than meets the eye.Did you know Netflix has secret cheat codes?As it turns out, Netflix has a plethora of shows and movies available that you don’t normally see when booting up the app. Our personalized, algorithm-based menus confine us to viewing only a fraction of the entire Netflix library.Also: I tried Netflix on Vision Pro again, and now it’s awesome – here’s what changedYou can find special cheat codes to unlock more content on resources like Netflix-Codes and the website What’s On Netflix. Either is a good place to start massively multiplying your viewing options. The categories associated with these codes range everywhere from “Deep Sea Horror Movies” (code 45028) to very specific subgenres like “Feel-good Sports Movies for Ages 8 to 10” (code 855). More
Apple / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNETYour mobile phone is a treasure trove of personal and confidential information. That’s why it’s a prime target for hackers who want to compromise or steal your data. Through malicious apps and websites, phishing attacks, and other threats, an attacker can gain control of your device through spyware. But how can you tell if your phone has been hacked or tapped?Also: Biometrics vs. passcodes: What lawyers recommend if you’re worried about warrantless phone searchesAmy Clark, managing editor of consumer reviews site Techreport, has put together a helpful guide on the threat of phone hacking. The guide shares advice on how to tell if your phone may have been hacked and how to fight back against the hacker.Warning signs of a phone hack1. Battery drains more quickly than usual. Any spyware installed on your phone is constantly running to snoop on your activity and send the data to the hacker. This means that your battery is going to drain faster than usual. Be aware of any unusual drops in your battery charge. Check your phone’s battery settings to see if the level is falling more dramatically.2. Your phone is running more slowly. Does your phone feel more sluggish than usual, or are apps crashing or freezing? Those could be signs that someone has hacked into your device. Keep track of how long it takes to launch apps or carry out other actions to gauge if the performance is lagging. More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Apple’s MacBook Air M4 is available now, starting at $999 for the 13-inch, and $1,199 for the 15-inch. The M4 Air supports up to two external monitors with the lid open, and scales up to 32GB of unified memory. There are still only two USB-C ports on the left side, and […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETYou may have snapped thousands of photos with your Android phone over the years, and maybe you are preparing to wipe your old phone to trade it in for a new one or just want to look at your photos on a big screen instead of the little black slab in your hand. No problem. You can transfer your photos to your Windows computer via a few different methods.Plug your device into your PC via a USB cable and access the photos from your phone.Use the Windows Photos app to import the photos from your phone.Access your photos from Google Photos and download them to your PC.Tap into OneDrive to automatically upload new photos from your phone to the OneDrive Pictures folder.Use Microsoft’s Phone Link app to transfer your photos.Also: 6 things I always do after setting up Windows 11 – and why you should tooEach method works the same in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Let us go through them all, and you can decide which works best for you. 1. Plug your phone into your PC The simplest way to transfer your photos is to copy them directly from your phone. First, plug your phone into a USB port on your PC.On your phone, swipe down from the top of the screen until you see an option for your USB connection. It may tell you that it is currently charging your device via USB.Tap that setting and change it to File transfer. More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETIf you’ve been eyeing the new Pixel 9a but you’re not sure if it’s time to upgrade, a new offer from Google Fi More
Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETApple recently rolled out iOS 18.4 to eligible iPhone models, and it’s a big patch. So many new features have been added to the iPhone ecosystem that users are still discovering what upgrades are included. These changes affect a wide area, from Apple Intelligence to Control Center and App Store. It’s impossible to cover every single feature in detail, so I will cover the most impactful changes and how to configure them.Also: iOS 18.4 is a bigger iPhone upgrade than I expected: Try my 5 favorite featuresAfter you’re done reading, you can install iOS 18.4 on your iPhone by opening the Settings menu and then going to General. Tap Software Update to install the patch. Be aware that you will need a phone capable of supporting iOS 18, like the iPhone 13 Pro. Also, note that the Apple Intelligence features are exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the iPhone 16 series. Older models don’t support them.1. New Apple Intelligence features More
