<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The OnePlus Pad 2 is the company’s latest Android tablet with a premium design and flagship specs for $550. It’s compatible with a keyboard and pen that OnePlus sells separately, so you can turn it into an Android-powered laptop. While the multitasking features are excellent, and the Pad 2 checks all […] More
Matthew Miller/ZDNETThe Pixel Watch 3 is getting a first-of-its-kind, potentially life-saving feature, and users will see it starting on Tuesday. The FDA-cleared Loss of Pulse Detection feature works by tracking your heartbeat. If your heart stops beating — due to cardiac arrest, respiratory or circulatory failure, overdose, or poisoning — your watch will automatically turn on more accurate infrared LEDs and look for motion data. To use the feature, watch users must manually opt-in to the feature through the Google Pixel Watch App, then select Safety and Emergency and hit Loss of Pulse Detection to enable. Also: My new favorite Android smartwatch outperforms Google and Samsung in a crucial wayIf the watch determines you’re not responsive, it will start a countdown and audio alarm. If you still don’t respond, the watch will place a call to emergency services using your LTE or phone connection, inform them that you don’t have a pulse, and share your location. More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways What the Sony Bravia X90L lacks in eye-popping specs, it more than makes up for in real-world picture performance and Sony upscaling technology, which delivers great video for movies, sports, cable, and streaming. Regarding the features you’ll love for daily use, the X90L has an excellent remote that feels premium, is […] More
Nanzeeba Ibnat/Getty Images About a year ago, I’d had enough. I felt as if my phone was in control. Any time I’d hear that chime or feel that vibration, I felt compelled to pick up the Pixel 9 Pro and see who or what was trying to tell me something. It didn’t feel like a […] More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds offer clear and strong sound, powerful noise cancellation, and a battery life that will last you your entire work week. The earbuds come with many improvements, like a Smart-Charging Case compatibility that plugs into in-flight entertainment or laptops for instant Bluetooth connectivity, as well as […] More
Jack Wallen/ZDNETRecently, I set up a new Android phone to review. The process went exactly as expected, and I ended up with a phone configured with the unlock PIN I typically use for review phones. After an update, the phone required the PIN for unlocking, but no matter how many times I typed the PIN, it would not unlock. Something had gone wrong, and I needed to access the phone for the review. Fortunately, I had encountered this situation before and knew exactly what to do. My only option was to perform a factory reset, which meant I would need to set the phone up again. This wasn’t too problematic, as I hadn’t had much time to use the device yet. Had the phone been in use for months, however, it could have been a bigger issue.Also: Wiping your Android phone? Here’s the easiest way to erase all personal dataFactory resetting an Android device is not all that hard. This is especially true if you use a password manager for all your accounts, which means you do not have to worry about remembering all of those login credentials, as the app can auto-fill usernames and passwords (and do so much more securely than if you were using the built-in password manager to save passwords). The process worked, and I set up the phone and reviewed it. So, how did I perform this reset, and what can you do to avoid going through the same process? The answer is, “not much.” Android used to offer a feature where you could enter the wrong PIN or password multiple times, prompting a recovery email to the associated account. Unfortunately, Google has removed this option.Also: How to clear your Android phone’s cache and make it feel like new for 2025Now, if you forget your PIN, pattern, or password, your only option is a factory reset. If you can’t unlock your phone to access the reset options in Settings, don’t panic. I’ll show you what to do. How to factory reset your phone without unlocking it If biometrics aren’t working because you had to reboot the phone after an update or issue, and your PIN, pattern, or password isn’t working, here’s what to do. Keep in mind, this technique may vary by phone, but the process should be similar across manufacturers. More
Noam Galai/Getty Images In a recent episode of my weekly podcast DisrupTV, Constellation Research’s R “Ray” Wang and I had the privilege of hosting two remarkable visionaries who have shaped our digital landscape: Dr. Vinton G. Cerf, vice president and chief internet evangelist at Google, and Dr. David Bray, distinguished chair of the accelerator at the Henry […] More
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNETMicrosoft wants you to upgrade to Windows 11, but the company doesn’t make it easy. The latest version of Windows imposes strict hardware and security requirements, ruling out older PCs that don’t make the grade and forcing you to buy a new system. Plus, the software giant makes it almost impossible to use a local account with a new Windows 11 installation.But with Windows 10 losing support this coming October, you’ll need to upgrade to Windows 11 if you want to retain Microsoft’s help and get the latest security patches, bug fixes, and other updates. So, what can you do if you want to move to Windows 11 but are facing Microsoft’s restrictions?Also: How to upgrade your ‘incompatible’ Windows 10 PC to Windows 11To update my older PCs, I use Rufus, a handy and free Windows installation tool. Designed to run or install Windows from a USB drive, Rufus will help you sneak past Microsoft’s most stringent requirements. You can tell Rufus to sidestep the hardware constraints, bypass the need for a Microsoft account, and adopt a name for the local account you want to use.You’re able to skirt past the hardware restrictions whether you’re upgrading your existing Windows 10 PC or installing Windows 11 on a clean computer. The account type you use depends on whether you’re upgrading or installing Windows 11 from scratch. An upgrade to Windows 11 will preserve whatever type of account you set up in Windows 10 — local or Microsoft. With a fresh install, however, Rufus will let you choose a local account, which Microsoft doesn’t easily allow. More
