<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The TCL QM8 (2024) features rich colors and searing brightness. It has enhanced audio over last year’s model, while still being easy to set up and navigate. I wish the viewing angles weren’t somewhat limited, and you’ll want to wait for a deal to buy one. more buying choices As this […] More
June Wan/ZDNETIf new AR glasses work as intended, your Amazon deliveries might arrive a little faster.A recent report from Reuters revealed Amazon is in the process of developing smart glasses for its drivers that not only show turn-by-turn navigation to get to a destination but also give directions inside buildings, such as where to walk off an elevator ride and show warnings about gates or aggressive dogs. Also: I tested Meta’s limited edition Ray-Ban smart glasses, and they’re a near-perfect wearable for meWe don’t know any specifics, but reportedly the device — like Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses — would have a small embedded screen to show important information. They could also likely give audible directions, as Amazon’s existing Echo Frame glasses do, and use the built-in camera capability to take photos, replacing the handheld device currently in use. Realistically, these glasses might only save a few seconds per each routine delivery or a few minutes if a driver gets lost. But when the average driver handles around 300 packages a day, and with millions of packages delivered around the world each day, those seconds add up and mean drivers might be able to handle a few more each day. Also: Apple to counter new Meta products with its own cheaper headsetWhile the project isn’t public yet, Reuters said several anonymous employees confirmed it exists. Those sources also warned that the glasses are likely still several years away and still might never see the light of day if they don’t work as intended or if employees don’t embrace them. Comfort is a concern, but when Kerry Wan, ZDNET senior reviews editor, tried out Meta’s latest wearable, he found the glasses comfortable enough to replace his prescription lenses. More
David Gewirtz/ZDNETOver the past few months, we’ve taken a comprehensive deep dive into the popularity of programming languages. Also: The most popular programming languages in 2024But how do you measure popularity? That’s been a big part of the question. Is it the number of GitHub projects? Is it the number of posts on popular programming forums? Is it based on surveys? What really determines the popularity of programming languages? Also: The rise and fall in programming languages’ popularity since 2016 – and what it tells usToday we will look at the one factor that ultimately matters the most to people: Where are the jobs? Research methodsMy research methodology was pretty straightforward. I went to the most popular job boards and searched for each programming language by name. This analysis reflects a snapshot of language demand in early November 2024. Several job sites don’t provide a total for search results, so I skipped those. I settled in on three sites that provided good counts of the number of job listings based on the terms I searched for. Those sites were Dice, Indeed, and LinkedIn. Also: The best AI for coding, and a bunch that failed miserablyIt’s important to understand what our search data tells us. When I search for a term like SQL, the job site’s search engine returns every job offer that contains the word SQL in its listing. Those results might include a Python programming job where they list SQL, too. The results might also include a basic web admin job with SQL in the job listing. So, in this article, I’m not saying that the sites show a specific count of job openings for SQL programmers. Instead, I’m saying SQL has shown up in a search result, indicating how important hiring managers think it is for you to know this language to qualify for a certain job in their organization. That interpretation of results applies to every language in this article. More
Paul Souders/Getty Images I use the Linux command line daily, but that’s because I learned Linux the hard way and those old lessons stuck. Most users could go their entire Linux lifetime and never run a single command. Some will use the very basic commands (such as ls, mkdir, and cd), while others might dive […] More
d3sign/Getty Images The company behind NordVPN has created a new service called NordProtect that’s geared toward protecting users from identity theft. This new product includes features such as identity recovery and restoration, secure credit monitoring, 24/7 dark web monitoring, and cyber extortion protection. The identity recovery and restoration feature enables victims of identity theft to be […] More
Lance Whitney/ZDNETApple has added a new security feature to the iPhone, apparently designed to thwart criminals. But it’s also been thwarting police.Introduced with iOS 18, the new feature automatically reboots an iPhone if it’s been asleep and in lock mode for an extended period of time. After a reboot, an iPhone becomes more difficult to crack since either the passcode or biometric verification is needed to unlock it. The apparent goal is to prevent a thief (or police officer) from trying to hack into your phone and potentially access your personal data.Also: Did your Apple Notes vanish from your iPhone? Here’s how to find themThe feature seems to have come to light based on the findings of law enforcement officials in Detroit, Michigan, as reported by 404 Media. Officers examining iPhones for forensic purposes discovered that the devices would mysteriously reboot themselves, making it more difficult to unlock and access them. Initially, the working theory was that the phones would reboot when disconnected from a cellular network for a period of time. However, the explanation is actually much simpler. Referring to the feature as an “inactivity reboot,” AppleInsider says that this reboot timer isn’t based on network connectivity or the phone’s charge. Rather, the reboot simply occurs after a specific length of time — around 96 hours. This timer is similar to the Mac’s hibernation mode, which puts the computer to sleep as a precaution in case the power goes out or the battery charge is depleted.Also: I changed 5 ChatGPT settings and instantly became more productive – here’s howSecurity experts have also weighed in, seemingly confirming the new capability.”We have identified code within iOS 18 and higher that is an inactivity timer,” said Christopher Vance, a forensic specialist at Magnet Forensics, as noted by AppleInsider. “This timer will cause devices in an AFU state to reboot to a BFU state after a set period of time, which we have also identified.” More
<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Chipolo One Point and Card Point are available starting at $28. They’re highly accurate, robust, and integrate well into the Google ecosystem. But the One is only splashproof, and the Card version has a non-user-replaceable battery –> AirTags are one of the things that have set the Apple ecosystem apart […] More
Ubuntu Unity offers a beautiful Linux desktop. Jack Wallen/ZDNETSometimes, learning something new can make things easier for you. Sure, you might have to take some time to get used to all this newness, but in the case of Ubuntu Unity, it’s worth the effort.I remember when Canonical first brought this user interface to the market. It was a time when the company had some seriously grand plans to bring the mobile and desktop interfaces together for a single, unified purpose and it looked to be spectacular. Out of this came Ubuntu Unity, which, on the surface, looked very much like the Ubuntu we’ve all known and enjoyed. However, the second you started using the new-fangled desktop, you realized things were different. Also: This lightweight Linux distro is the best (and easiest) way to revive your old computerUnfortunately, Canonical scrapped its plans and moved away from Unity. Since that untimely shift, a Linux distribution emerged that continues the development of Unity. Said distribution is Ubuntu Unity, and it’s fantastic. Here’s what makes it so effective. App Overview search Two of my favorite features of the Ubuntu Unity desktop were the HUD (Heads Up Display) and the App Overview, which included one of the most powerful desktop search tools ever. The HUD was essentially a global menu that shifted all app menus to the top bar. Couple that with the ability to easily search through a running app’s menu with keyboard shortcuts, and interacting with applications was a dream.Also: 3 ways to stop Android apps running in the background – and why I always doUnfortunately, the Ubuntu Unity distribution eliminated the HUD. The reason is that, for the HUD to actually work, applications would have to be developed for it, and that’s no longer happening.The good news is that the App Overview search tool is still intact.What’s so handy about this App Overview search is that it includes all sorts of filters you can apply. For instance, you can go to the files & folders, search, and apply filters like “Last 7 days,” “Last 30 days,” or “Last year.” You can also filter by type and size. If you regularly search for files, folders, apps, and more, this feature will be your best friend. More
