Eliana Willis

As someone who experiences regular power outages due to storms and random occurrences, I’ve learned that having a backup plan for electric outages is essential for my home. While you can always use a gasoline- or propane-powered generator, a battery system can be a renewable, zero-emissions way to provide your home with an efficient backup solution.Also: The best portable power stations of 2025: Expert tested and reviewedA set of backup batteries can offer a long-term solution to power outages, especially as you can connect your battery storage system to a solar panel system. What is the best home battery and backup system right now?Our top pick for the best home battery and backup system is the Tesla Powerall 3 More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETDid someone on Reddit just uncover one of the best-kept secrets of Samsung Galaxy phones? OneUI, the software launcher that powers Samsung phones, is best known for its abundance of features — so much so that you’ll either never use some of them because there’s simply too much, or they’re just hidden from plain sight.Also: The best Samsung phones to buy in 2025A recent discovery may take the crown for best hidden feature. The feature is called “Connectivity Labs,” and it’s only accessible with a secret gesture within your phone’s Wi-Fi settings. Cool, right? The capabilities within Connectivity Labs are cooler; they include a home Wi-Fi inspection tool, AI-powered mobile data switching, developer options, and more. Here’s how to access them, which Samsung models are compatible, and some of the best features you should start using.How to turn on Connectivity Labs on a Samsung phoneWhat you’ll need: A Samsung phone running OneUI 6 or newer (anything after the Galaxy S20 series). More

I’ve had my Auking M8-F mini projector for a couple of years now. It was originally a birthday gift from my wife so I could host Mario Kart parties for friends and not have to crowd around our living room’s 50-inch Samsung TU8000. But after about three years of road trips, Halloween movie marathons, and the aforementioned Mario Kart tournaments, the Auking mini projector remains a great, affordable option for streaming media outdoors. The LED lamp has a life expectancy of up to 55,000 hours so you never have to worry about replacing lamp bulbs. You can also adjust the screen from 35 to 200 inches, perfect for projecting onto an exterior wall of your home, a dedicated screen, or a blank interior wall. It connects to your laptop or game console via HDMI, and while it’s not the brightest projector, you still get great colors and sharp detailing with 1080p HD resolution.Read also: The best outdoor TVs you can buy  The built-in speaker is also great for when you don’t want to set up extra sound equipment in the yard, and it has surprisingly clean audio quality if you don’t crank the volume too high. It’s handled everything: God of War Ragnarok on the PS5, Overcooked on the Switch, and even one night in the woods when my friends and I watched the Blair Witch Project. The Auking mini projector is a great addition to any outdoor entertainment space, and I can’t recommend it enough.  More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Redmagic 10 Air Android phone is available now on Amazon for $729. The 10 Air phone is as elegant as it is powerful and can handle some of the more challenging games. This camera system isn’t necessarily flagship level, and you’ll want to pay attention to network band support. –> […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways This is a great value tablet, with a 12-inch display and running Android 15. While performance is on the lower end of the spectrum, this is still more tablet than most people need. The tri-fold case leaves a little to be desired, and there’s nowhere to store the stylus. more buying […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Chipolo One Point and Card Point normally retails for $26 and $24, respectively. They’re highly accurate, robust, and integrate well into the Google ecosystem. However, the One is only splashproof, and the Card version has a non-user-replaceable battery. –> For a limited time, you can pick up the Chpolo One […] More

Let’s talk tunes: This speaker from Sony is my favorite one to listen to at the beach, in the park, or at home in my bedroom. I’ve used the speaker to play music during dinner parties, and even amid a group of 15 friends all sat around the table, the sound was clear and strong. It gets plenty loud and offers crystal-clear sound. It’s also waterproof, dustproof, and rustproof, so you can splash water on it or kick sand onto it without a problem. The speaker comes with a handy little carrying strap for maximum portability and a 12-hour battery life that should last you an entire day of tomfoolery by the water. More: Finally, a portable Bluetooth speaker that sounds great but won’t break the bankWhat I also love about this speaker is how much quality Sony packs into a fairly affordable Bluetooth speaker with great sound. You’re getting a high-quality speaker that punches well above its price point. For summer beach days, I can’t recommend the Ult Field 1 enough and am looking forward to blasting my favorite songs on it as I hang in the sand this season. Right now, select colorways of the speaker are discounted by $40, bringing the price of this speaker down to $88.  More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6 has configurations that start at $1,069. It’s a solid budget business laptop with a wide range of configurations. The display and webcam might not be good enough for most users, and opting for higher-end hardware can nearly double the price. –> As part of a […] More