Eliana Willis

This is what the basic GNOME desktop can look like. Jack Wallen/ZDNETI’ve been a fan of GNOME since the beginning when it was fresh and exciting. Although GNOME still stands as one of the best desktop environments on the market, it doesn’t mean there aren’t other developers and teams who’ve figured out how to improve on the OG.Although there aren’t tons of desktop environments based on GNOME, some options are outstanding and capable of meeting and exceeding your needs.Also: 5 quick tweaks make your GNOME desktop so much easier to useLet’s dive in and take a look at four Linux desktops that are based on GNOME. More

flubydust/Getty Images Back in engineering school, I had a professor who used to glory in the misleading assignment. He would ask questions containing elements of dubious relevance to the topic at hand in the hopes that it would knock us off our focus or that it would provide a distraction that would send us down […] More

phototechno/Getty Images As if perfectly crafting a resume that encapsulates your entire career isn’t difficult enough, job applications also require a cover letter. This letter should help you express specific details about why you are interested in the company, what makes you qualified, and, ultimately, why the company should hire you.  How to use ChatGPT […] More

Apple I have always been fond of the iPad Mini, especially since Apple introduced the Mini 6 in 2021. For the first time, it felt like a tablet that could handle everything from content creation to entertainment without weighing me down. I referred to it as my “desert island device,” and I truly meant it. […] More

Instagram/ZDNETInstagram has introduced several major changes and updates during the last couple of months — including new features and privacy protections.Today, the social site announced profile cards: Users no longer need to type in handle names to find a mutual or new connection; now you can set up a profile card that makes you easily findable with a custom QR code. Also: Facebook will show you more content from outside your friends list (but that might not be a bad thing)The new feature is not unlike the way that digital payment apps, such as Venmo and Cash App, enable their users to share profiles. Instagram’s version is a two-sided profile card with one side for the scannable QR code and the other side featuring your IG handle, profile picture, short bio, and a song of your choice.Instagram compares the new update to the digital version of a business card that you can design to house contact links and showcase your bio “in one sleek digital package.” It’s a great way to network and “make new connections,” Instagram added, and — by adding a favorite song — to attract new friends with similar interests. More

Roku/ZDNETRoku entered the smart home market a few years ago with affordable devices, including security cameras and video doorbells. Now, the streaming device manufacturer is announcing plans to make the smart home more accessible through devices that users use daily — TVs, smartphones, and laptops.Also: Stop your smart TV’s spying: How to turn off ACR on every TV modelThe updates include a new Camera Carousel accessible from your TV that automatically cycles through your security cameras’ live feeds to display the one camera that’s currently capturing the action. So, if you have cameras all around the outside of your home, you’ll get a preview of each one in a carousel on your TV, and your screen will switch automatically to the camera where motion was detected. Roku is also bringing more smart home notifications to its smart TV platform, enabling users to receive an alert right on their TV screen when motion is detected on a camera, for example. Currently, these notifications are limited to doorbell alerts. I love this feature with my Apple TV 4K and Apple HomeKit, as I can instantly see a tiny notification on a corner of my TV when a smart lock is unlocked or someone is at the front door.  More

Yaroslav Kushta/Getty Images Can artificial intelligence (AI) pass cognitive puzzles designed for human IQ tests? The results were mixed. Researchers from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering Information Sciences Institute (ISI) investigated whether multi-modal large language models (MLLMs) can solve abstract visual tests usually reserved for humans.  Also: The best AI chatbots: ChatGPT, Copilot, and […] More

Don’t miss this Sam’s Club membership to save big on everything from groceries to electronics. Sam’s Club/ZDNETA Sam’s Club membership will get you discounts on groceries, clothing, electronics, and just about everything else you might need. And right now, StackSocial is offering a deal that will get you a Sam’s Club membership for $20 for the year with auto-renew — down from the usual price of $50. That’s 60% off. Your Sam’s Club membership will work at nearly 600 US Sam’s Club locations. This deal is only open to new Sam’s Club members in the US, or those whose membership lapsed more than six months ago. The membership will expire one year from the activation date, and will automatically renew at the full price of $50 per year after that unless you cancel it. To cancel, you can visit SamsClub.com or a club or call 1-888-746-7726. To take advantage of this deal, you’ll redeem your unique code through the link above, and then sign up for the membership. Once you purchase your code, you must redeem it within 30 days. The limit is one membership per person, but you can buy an additional membership as a gift.I signed up for a similar deal for a Costco membership through StackSocial, and can confirm the process was easy, and I’d vouch for the deal. Don’t miss out on 60% off a Sam’s Club membership right now.  More